Reflexive Arcade discontinuation: Difference between revisions
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|Type=Digital rights management, Digital Ownership | |Type=Digital rights management, Digital Ownership | ||
|Description=In 2010, the Reflexive Arcade store for downloadable casual games was shut down, making it impossible to activate previous purchases. | |Description=In 2010, the Reflexive Arcade store for downloadable casual games was shut down, making it impossible to activate previous purchases. | ||
}}Reflexive Arcade was an online store for downloadable casual video games, operated by developer Reflexive Entertainment, but also distributing third-party games through an affiliate developer program<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=GameCenterSolution™ |url=https://cc.gamecentersolution.com/index.php?page=Help/Developers/DeveloperProgram |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070706163624/https://cc.gamecentersolution.com/index.php?page=Help/Developers/DeveloperProgram |archive-date=2007-07-06 |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref>. The games were distributed with a custom online DRM system. Freely downloadable, time-limited trial versions could be unlocked by purchasing a registration code, which was verified with an online service<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=How do I activate and unlock my game? |url=http://support.gamecentersolution.com:80/?channel=4381?&faq=6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903153830/http://support.gamecentersolution.com:80/?channel=4381?&faq=6 |archive-date=2010-09-03 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=GameCenterSolution™}}</ref>. | }}Reflexive Arcade was an online store for downloadable casual video games, operated by developer Reflexive Entertainment, but also distributing third-party games through an affiliate developer program<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date= |title=GameCenterSolution™ |url=https://cc.gamecentersolution.com/index.php?page=Help/Developers/DeveloperProgram |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070706163624/https://cc.gamecentersolution.com/index.php?page=Help/Developers/DeveloperProgram |archive-date=2007-07-06 |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref>. The games were distributed with a custom online DRM system. Freely downloadable, time-limited trial versions could be unlocked by purchasing a registration code, which was verified with an online service<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date= |title=How do I activate and unlock my game? |url=http://support.gamecentersolution.com:80/?channel=4381?&faq=6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903153830/http://support.gamecentersolution.com:80/?channel=4381?&faq=6 |archive-date=2010-09-03 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=GameCenterSolution™}}</ref>. | ||
In 2008, Reflexive Entertainment was acquired by Amazon<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Was Reflexive Entertainment and Why Was it Discontinued? |url=https://www.failory.com/amazon/reflexive-entertainment |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=Failory}}</ref>. In 2010, Reflexive announced that they would be discontinuing their affiliate program and no longer sell third-party games<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Best Games Recommended for You |url=http://www.reflexive.com/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816034013/http://www.reflexive.com/index.htm |archive-date=2010-08-16 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=Reflexive Arcade}}</ref>. With a few months notice, customers were informed that after July 31st, 2010, they would no longer be able to re-install or re-activate any of their purchased games. | In 2008, Reflexive Entertainment was acquired by Amazon<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Was Reflexive Entertainment and Why Was it Discontinued? |url=https://www.failory.com/amazon/reflexive-entertainment |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=Failory}}</ref>. In 2010, Reflexive announced that they would be discontinuing their affiliate program and no longer sell third-party games<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Best Games Recommended for You |url=http://www.reflexive.com/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816034013/http://www.reflexive.com/index.htm |archive-date=2010-08-16 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=Reflexive Arcade}}</ref>. With a few months notice, customers were informed that after July 31st, 2010, they would no longer be able to re-install or re-activate any of their purchased games. | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
{{ | Reflexive Entertainment, Inc. was a studio developing casual games for desktop computers and mobile phones. It was founded in Irvine, California in 1997. In 2004, they launched the ''Reflexive Arcade'' online download store<ref>{{Cite web |title=Game List for Reflexive Entertainment - PC Games |url=http://www.reflexive.com/index.php?CAT=Search&SEARCH=dev:Reflexive+Entertainment&PAGE=GameList |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813193458/http://www.reflexive.com/index.php?CAT=Search&SEARCH=dev:Reflexive+Entertainment&PAGE=GameList |archive-date=2009-08-13 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=Reflexive Arcade}}</ref>. In addition to Reflexive's own games, the website also sold games from other studios through an affiliate developer program<ref name=":0" />. By early 2010, Reflexive Arcade offered over over 1,450 downloadable Windows games and over 402 downloadable Mac games for sale<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=The Best Games Recommended for You |url=http://www.reflexive.com/index.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330044546/http://www.reflexive.com/index.php |archive-date=2010-03-30 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=Reflexive Arcade}}</ref>. | ||
Games distributed through Reflexive Arcade were wrapped in a proprietary DRM system. All game installers were freely downloadable and offered a time-limited trial version. In order to unlock the full version of a game, players could purchase an activation code on the Reflexive Arcade store which was then verified with an online service<ref name=":1" />. In addition, an offline activation procedure was provided. Each game displayed a product ID which depended on the system configuration. This product key could be entered on the Reflexive Arcade website in order to generate an offline activation key which would work only for that system<ref>{{Cite web |title=My computer is not connected to the Internet, how do I activate my game? |url=http://support.gamecentersolution.com:80/index.php?page=Help/Support/SupportFAQ&channel=0&faq=18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222000342/http://support.gamecentersolution.com:80/index.php?page=Help/Support/SupportFAQ&channel=0&faq=18 |archive-date=2008-12-20 |access-date=2006-05-26 |website=GameCenterSolution™}}</ref>. | |||
On the Reflexive Arcade storefront, game purchases were advertised as offering "[u]nlimited game installations on any computer you own, forever!"<ref name=":2" /> | |||
==[Incident]== | ==[Incident]== | ||
Revision as of 20:51, 26 May 2026
Reflexive Arcade was an online store for downloadable casual video games, operated by developer Reflexive Entertainment, but also distributing third-party games through an affiliate developer program[1]. The games were distributed with a custom online DRM system. Freely downloadable, time-limited trial versions could be unlocked by purchasing a registration code, which was verified with an online service[2].
In 2008, Reflexive Entertainment was acquired by Amazon[3]. In 2010, Reflexive announced that they would be discontinuing their affiliate program and no longer sell third-party games[4]. With a few months notice, customers were informed that after July 31st, 2010, they would no longer be able to re-install or re-activate any of their purchased games.
Background
Reflexive Entertainment, Inc. was a studio developing casual games for desktop computers and mobile phones. It was founded in Irvine, California in 1997. In 2004, they launched the Reflexive Arcade online download store[5]. In addition to Reflexive's own games, the website also sold games from other studios through an affiliate developer program[1]. By early 2010, Reflexive Arcade offered over over 1,450 downloadable Windows games and over 402 downloadable Mac games for sale[6].
Games distributed through Reflexive Arcade were wrapped in a proprietary DRM system. All game installers were freely downloadable and offered a time-limited trial version. In order to unlock the full version of a game, players could purchase an activation code on the Reflexive Arcade store which was then verified with an online service[2]. In addition, an offline activation procedure was provided. Each game displayed a product ID which depended on the system configuration. This product key could be entered on the Reflexive Arcade website in order to generate an offline activation key which would work only for that system[7].
On the Reflexive Arcade storefront, game purchases were advertised as offering "[u]nlimited game installations on any computer you own, forever!"[6]
[Incident]
[Company]'s response
Lawsuit
Consumer response
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "GameCenterSolution™". Archived from the original on 2007-07-06. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "How do I activate and unlock my game?". GameCenterSolution™. Archived from the original on 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
- ↑ "What Was Reflexive Entertainment and Why Was it Discontinued?". Failory. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "The Best Games Recommended for You". Reflexive Arcade. Archived from the original on 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
- ↑ "Game List for Reflexive Entertainment - PC Games". Reflexive Arcade. Archived from the original on 2009-08-13. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "The Best Games Recommended for You". Reflexive Arcade. Archived from the original on 2010-03-30. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
- ↑ "My computer is not connected to the Internet, how do I activate my game?". GameCenterSolution™. Archived from the original on 2008-12-20. Retrieved 2006-05-26.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; 2008-12-22 suggested (help)