Except if you bought the game you still own a copy, they’re just not allowed to sell new copies.
Comment on Rock Band 4 to be delisted on tenth anniversary following the expiration of its licenses
Kolanaki@pawb.social 3 weeks ago
It should not be legal for a product such as this to just cease existing due to an agreement between IP owners ending.
“We agree you can make this Mickey Mouse game, but it can only be sold for 2 years.” Fucking why?
Pxtl@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
Omegamanthethird@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
There are a bunch of Marvel games that are exactly like this.
Somewhat related. I tried to watch Guava Island, which was apparently only made available for Amazon for a limited time, then it just disappeared.
I think it should be legal to download or stream any of that stuff that’s no longer available.
frongt@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
It’s certainly ethical, if not legal.
You could make a good argument in court, too. Hard to show damages when there’s no possibility of profit because you’re not selling it.
tmyakal@infosec.pub 3 weeks ago
That’s actually a very bad argument in court. Taking things off the market to drive scarcity and boost sales at a later date is a normal and common business tactic. See: the McRib, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and the Disney Vault.
Omegamanthethird@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I think there’s a difference between unavailable and limited availability.
There are some old games that may never come back. In many cases, there’s no agreed owner. Imagine if something became public domain after a short period of no use (5 years, 10 years maybe).
frongt@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
I can’t name any cases off the top of my head, but I don’t see a reasonable court equating hypothetical future earnings with present losses.
Like if it was “he stole my harvest of beans that I was going to sell at market” then yeah the harm is obvious, but when it’s “well I’m not selling the beans now, and I’m not planning on selling them in the future, but someday I might, therefore no one else should be able to appreciate beans in the meantime” that’s ridiculous. Especially since piracy is not theft; the number of beans has not changed.
mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
The McRib is actually an awful example for this, because McD’s primary deciding factor is the price of pork. When pork prices drop, McD revives the McRib. They want to manufacture them as cheaply as possible. Then when the prices start to climb again, they pull it from the menu. That’s why they don’t do big “it’s coming back on this date, and leaving on this date” announcements ahead of time, because those announcements would affect the pork prices as pig farmers would anticipate the upcoming large McD orders, and subsequent dips when they stop selling.
Apeman42@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Taking things off the market to drive scarcity and boost sales at a later date is a
normalbullshit andcommonanti-consumer business tactic.
III@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
It doesn’t stop existing, you just can’t buy it… Not great but not unreasonable.
But_my_mom_says_im_cool@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Wouldn’t the solution just end up screwing artists who have to give up their song in perpetuity? You can have those buy pay way more
RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
“Because in 2 year the value of the product might be higher and we expect to always be paid more, regardless of the current deal we are making today.”
~Disney, since it was established as a business
kibiz0r@midwest.social 3 weeks ago
Makes sense they bought Star Wars, so they can legally say “I am altering the deal. Pray I do not alter it further.”
Kolanaki@pawb.social 3 weeks ago
Uh oh. You quoted a Disney movie. Prepare to be litigated.
WindyRebel@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I’ve got a bad feeling about this…