[RD] Games as a Service

[hobbsyoyo]

I have lost access to multiple movies I bought via Amazon Prime streaming. There was an article I read on it too, Amazon doesn't even really keep track of what licenses you've bought so when movies get pulled they can't issue refunds or even give you the movie back if they re-list it. That makes me nervous about my steam collection and distrustful of Stadia.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Given the blatant deceptions that went into the creation of Steam it seems absurd to trust Valve at this point.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

What deceptions?

 

[Arakhor]

I have lost access to multiple movies I bought via Amazon Prime streaming. There was an article I read on it too, Amazon doesn't even really keep track of what licenses you've bought so when movies get pulled they can't issue refunds or even give you the movie back if they re-list it.

That seems either entirely incompetent or thoroughly dishonest. It's also self-defeating, because if you can't trust a store-front to deliver on your goods, you simply don't go there.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Thatis not very nice of rthem to take away your movies

 

[Zardnaar]

Thatis not very nice of rthem to take away your movies

It's why they are clear you pay for the service not content.

Netflix for example shows rotate in and out.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

It's why they are clear you pay for the service not content.

Netflix for example shows rotate in and out.

The difference is that on Amazon, you can buy the movie itself. I'm not talking about the movies and shows they freely stream, I'm talking about the content you have to pay separately for outside of your prescription. Netflix does not have this option, at least in the US.

 

[Synobun]

The difference is that on Amazon, you can buy the movie itself. I'm not talking about the movies and shows they freely stream, I'm talking about the content you have to pay separately for outside of your prescription. Netflix does not have this option, at least in the US.

My doctor prescribed me Amazon Prime too.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

yea yea

We had suspected we had lost content on Prime but the movies we lost we watch infrequently so weren't sure. Also, we didn't know that was a thing that happened. Then I read an article on it and things clicked. Kind of sucky.

 

[Broken_Erika]

Expect it to happen more often as more streaming services pop up.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

If they are streaming with a purely subscription model, I don't really have an issue with them pulling content. I mean it sucks, but I don't feel ripped off. When I buy a movie that they yank, yeah, I feel that's akin to theft even if deep down in the legalese the companies give themselves the right to do that. They shouldn't be allowed to give themselves that right.

 

[civvver]

We have a bunch of movies in our prime library but they're all ones where we bought the physical blu ray and it also came with a dvd version and a digital copy version. I don't think I've ever bought an only digital copy.

I think if we ever get a functional 5G it'll solve a lot of the streaming games issues.

 

[Arakhor]

They shouldn't be allowed to give themselves that right.

Any amount of legal precedent says that they don't have that right, but they're relying on lengthy legalese, customer ignorance and forcing customers to waive their rights under sales legislation.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

We have a bunch of movies in our prime library but they're all ones where we bought the physical blu ray and it also came with a dvd version and a digital copy version. I don't think I've ever bought an only digital copy.

I think if we ever get a functional 5G it'll solve a lot of the streaming games issues.

If landline, high-speed connections directly to nearby data centers can't fix it, 5G won't either. Even when bandwidth is plentiful, the system chokes because you have to move data around to distant locations. A wireless connection can have better latency than a landline connection but this isn't a universal rule, nor does it apply when you don't have a direct, line-of-sight wireless connection to the data center. Even with 5G, there will be landline and/or satellite backhauling which effectively means you're getting a wired connection somewhere in the data line between your device and where the data starts at.

What will make it more viable IMO is predictive AI which will not reduce latency in reality but will make the game play like there is no latency, if that makes sense. Google is already trialing that technology though they are misleadingly marketing it as 'negative latency'. They are also setting up data centers near population centers which further cuts latency but this can only go so far.

Any amount of legal precedent says that they don't have that right, but they're relying on lengthy legalese, customer ignorance and forcing customers to waive their rights under sales legislation.

Also, consumer powerless-ness. Even if you are aware that coporations act illegally, there is no ready remedy for that. This is partly why they created the CFPB (consumer financial protection bureau, which has jurisdiction over more than just financial products) but of course that's all but been shut down by the Trump administration.

 

[MaryKB]

My understanding is that you're never really buying movies (even when you get physical copies!) but rather you're purchasing a license to give you the right to watch it that way, but you have no guarantee of having that right indefinitely? I don't see really a difference between if Amazon loses the right to distribute that movie (they don't own the movie either!) and if you accidentally scratch your dvd?

I imagine it must be terribly frustrating though, and I would prefer Amazon keeps a record of your purchase even if it's "unavailable at this time" and resumes your license if they get it back.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

No one can come and confiscate your DVD. They can take your digital files. That's the difference. Scratching the DVD is on you and the streaming equivalent would be me spilling coffee on the router, not Amazon breaking into my house like a reverse Santa to gank my collection of Godzilla flicks.

 

[Arakhor]

User error is not the same as a corporation deciding that your purchases no longer exist.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

My understanding is that you're never really buying movies (even when you get physical copies!) but rather you're purchasing a license to give you the right to watch it that way, but you have no guarantee of having that right indefinitely? I don't see really a difference between if Amazon loses the right to distribute that movie (they don't own the movie either!) and if you accidentally scratch your dvd?

No one can come and confiscate your DVD. They can take your digital files. That's the difference. Scratching the DVD is on you and the streaming equivalent would be me spilling coffee on the router, not Amazon breaking into my house like a reverse Santa to gank my collection of Godzilla flicks.

User error is not the same as a corporation deciding that your purchases no longer exist.

Stuff disappearing like this is why I strip DRM from all my purchased eBooks and keep them in my Calibre library. (And also why I save copies of fanfics that I enjoyed. ) It's also why I don't like online-only games. It's ok as long as the developer keeps the server running. But someday the developer will shut it down or go out of business or something. When that happens the game is gone forever.

 

[Arakhor]

Tron: Evolution is a classic example of this issue, where the DRM now stops all copies from running.

 

[Commodore]

Tron: Evolution is a classic example of this issue, where the DRM now stops all copies from running.

Not all copies if you count console versions. So if you have a PlayStation or Xbox, you can buy it again and still play it. It's even one of the games that was made backwards compatible for the Xbox One.

My understanding is that you're never really buying movies (even when you get physical copies!) but rather you're purchasing a license to give you the right to watch it that way, but you have no guarantee of having that right indefinitely

This is correct. The language of EULAs that come with every movie, game, album, or software you buy clearly says you, as the user, are not purchasing ownership rights and your license to use the product can be revoked at any time without warning and for almost any reason.

Now whether this is the way it should be or not is certainly up for debate, but that doesn't change the fact that as of right now, the legal system does not really side with the consumer on this issue.