Games as a service: Difference between revisions

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==Issues==

While GaaS incentivizes developers to keep producing content for their game, the game often risks becoming completely unplayable once support is discontinued.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w70Xc9CStoE "The largest campaign ever to stop publishers destroying games"] - ~~youtube.com - accessed~~ 2025-01-24</ref> There is very little legal recourse for the user to recoup the cost of purchasing the game or its in-game content. The [[End-user license agreement|End-User License Agreement (EULA)]] typically disclaims the publisher's obligation to refund or compensate users, as it clarifies that they are purchasing a license rather than actually owning the software.<ref>[https://www.kelleherbros.com/blog/2024/3/27/digital-ownership-2-the-eula-era Precarious Digital Ownership: The EULA Era~~] -~~ kelleherbros.com - ~~accessed~~ 2025-01-28</ref>

Games as a service is a misleading term. They don't follow the rules of any other service model. Customers often aren't provided with information what services they're entitled to and the time period in which those services will be active. While GaaS incentivizes developers to keep producing content for their game, the game often risks becoming completely unplayable once support is discontinued.<ref>{{cite web|author=Accursed Farms|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w70Xc9CStoE|title=The largest campaign ever to stop publishers destroying games|website=YouTube|access-date=2025-01-24}}</ref> There is very little legal recourse for the user to recoup the cost of purchasing the game or its in-game content. The [[End-user license agreement|End-User License Agreement (EULA)]] typically disclaims the publisher's obligation to refund or compensate users, as it clarifies that they are purchasing a license rather than actually owning the software.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kelleherbros.com/blog/2024/3/27/digital-ownership-2-the-eula-era|title=Precarious Digital Ownership: The EULA Era|website=kelleherbros.com|access-date=2025-01-28}}</ref>

Additionally in some scenarios, content offered and even sold on GaaS may also be discontinued or revoked from consumers while the service continues.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Phil |date=Aug 23, 2020 |title=Here's everything being removed from Destiny 2 at the end of this season—it's a lot |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/heres-everything-being-removed-from-destiny-2-at-the-end-of-this-seasonits-a-lot/ |access-date=Mar 31, 2025 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref>

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===EA===

In recent years, Electronic Arts (often shortened to '''EA''') has garnered a reputation for being a company involved in these sorts of practices, and has received criticism for over-reliance on micro-transactions and DLC.

In recent years, Electronic Arts (often shortened to '''EA''') has garnered an infamous reputation for being a company involved in these sorts of practices, and has received criticism for over-reliance on micro-transactions and DLC for generating revenue.

On July 3, 2025, EA announced that [[Anthem]], a game developed by BioWare and published by EA, will have its servers shutdown on January 12, 2026.<ref name=":022">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-03 |title=Anthem Game Update |url=https://www.ea.com/games/anthem/news/anthem-game-update |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250704091220/https://www.ea.com/games/anthem/news/anthem-game-update |archive-date=2025-07-04 |access-date=2025-07-04 |website=EA}}</ref> As the title was developed exclusively under the live-service model, the closure of the servers will render the game unplayable.<ref name=":022" />

===Bungie===

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 ==Issues==
-While GaaS incentivizes developers to keep producing content for their game, the game often risks becoming completely unplayable once support is discontinued.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w70Xc9CStoE "The largest campaign ever to stop publishers destroying games"] - youtube.com - accessed 2025-01-24</ref> There is very little legal recourse for the user to recoup the cost of purchasing the game or its in-game content. The [[End-user license agreement|End-User License Agreement (EULA)]] typically disclaims the publisher's obligation to refund or compensate users, as it clarifies that they are purchasing a license rather than actually owning the software.<ref>[https://www.kelleherbros.com/blog/2024/3/27/digital-ownership-2-the-eula-era Precarious Digital Ownership: The EULA Era] - kelleherbros.com - accessed 2025-01-28</ref>
+Games as a service is a misleading term. They don't follow the rules of any other service model. Customers often aren't provided with information what services they're entitled to and the time period in which those services will be active. While GaaS incentivizes developers to keep producing content for their game, the game often risks becoming completely unplayable once support is discontinued.<ref>{{cite web|author=Accursed Farms|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w70Xc9CStoE|title=The largest campaign ever to stop publishers destroying games|website=YouTube|access-date=2025-01-24}}</ref> There is very little legal recourse for the user to recoup the cost of purchasing the game or its in-game content. The [[End-user license agreement|End-User License Agreement (EULA)]] typically disclaims the publisher's obligation to refund or compensate users, as it clarifies that they are purchasing a license rather than actually owning the software.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kelleherbros.com/blog/2024/3/27/digital-ownership-2-the-eula-era|title=Precarious Digital Ownership: The EULA Era|website=kelleherbros.com|access-date=2025-01-28}}</ref>
 Additionally in some scenarios, content offered and even sold on GaaS may also be discontinued or revoked from consumers while the service continues.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Phil |date=Aug 23, 2020 |title=Here's everything being removed from Destiny 2 at the end of this season—it's a lot |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/heres-everything-being-removed-from-destiny-2-at-the-end-of-this-seasonits-a-lot/ |access-date=Mar 31, 2025 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref>
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 ===EA===
 {{Main|Electronic Arts}}
-In recent years, Electronic Arts (often shortened to '''EA''') has garnered a reputation for being a company involved in these sorts of practices, and has received criticism for over-reliance on micro-transactions and DLC.
+In recent years, Electronic Arts (often shortened to '''EA''') has garnered an infamous reputation for being a company involved in these sorts of practices, and has received criticism for over-reliance on micro-transactions and DLC for generating revenue.
+On July 3, 2025, EA announced that [[Anthem]], a game developed by BioWare and published by EA, will have its servers shutdown on January 12, 2026.<ref name=":022">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-03 |title=Anthem Game Update |url=https://www.ea.com/games/anthem/news/anthem-game-update |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250704091220/https://www.ea.com/games/anthem/news/anthem-game-update |archive-date=2025-07-04 |access-date=2025-07-04 |website=EA}}</ref> As the title was developed exclusively under the live-service model, the closure of the servers will render the game unplayable.<ref name=":022" />
 ===Bungie===