EA Introduces "Online Pass" To Get In On Used Games Market 223
EA Sports has unveiled a new feature that they hope will help them get a piece of the lucrative used games market: the Online Pass. Each of their new titles will come with a one-time code that allows access to "premium" content and features. Players who buy the games used can get the same content, but will need to pay $10 for the privilege.
"According to EA, the content can include anything from title updates and downloads to features like online leagues — and even online gameplay and multiplayer modes. ... EA will offer 10-day trials of Pass content so that users can see what they would be getting. So far, EA seems to be limiting the premium add-on experiment to its sports portfolio. ... The company has apparently gained the support of retailer GameStop, which has been watching with a close eye efforts on the part of publishers to discourage its thriving used games business. According to the retailer, encouraging premium content add-ons still benefits GameStop, since it sells PlayStation Network and Microsoft Points cards. It praised EA's Online Pass as 'forward-thinking.'"
Competitive gaming and premium content (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Competitive gaming and premium content (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Competitive gaming and premium content (Score:5, Interesting)
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how will the used market survive? Easily.
This just gives people more reasons to pirate a game again, as all those "online additions" are included in the pirated version.
Meanwhile, you can still buy the original(used) and get a crack/hack to add in the addons, which is even easier to obtain.
So what does this change? Nothing.
EA just doesn't like the used market, and they can't do anything about it. I hope they try to take someone to court over it so that a judge can prove they basically can't (and shouldn't)
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Console games are the focus here, where the used games/traded games/friend sharing problem seriously hurts these developer
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Are you disregarding that the console itself IS drm?
This isn't better, it's just a different flavor of DRM and just as bad.
This means you can't even take the game over to your friends house to play online together (2v2).
Again, there are situations that this affects other than just the used game market.
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Why would you need to do that, since you and your friend could play online together...online. One of the plusses of online play is NOT having to take the time to go over to a friends house.
I agree that this is a plus for some people. But other people like social gatherings and want to play multiplayer in the same room as their friends, so it also has its disadvantages. One game that comes to mind is Little Big Planet -- you can have several people in the same room play a multiplayer game together with others online.
Even worse than it actually seems (Score:2, Interesting)
What's really crappy is that people still sell used games to GameStop and people still buy their used games. Granted, sometimes you will find a decent deal on an older game. Example, found a copy of Guitar Hero III for PS3 yesterday for $10. That's not bad if you've not dipped into the music games. But most newer games are only going to be $5-10 lower than retail. Glyde http://www.glyde.com/ [glyde.com] or eve
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I think it'll be more like buy a demo for the price of a full game which then requires the code not just for "premium" content but for "normal" content as well.
cheating the laws (Score:5, Insightful)
Yay... a yet another attempt to work around the First Sale rules. All they're doing is relabeling part of the package, so instead it's an "add-on" now.
By "title updates" they really mean bug-fix patches. In other words, this "Online Pass" thingy is strictly negative.
Re:cheating the laws (Score:5, Interesting)
I've already heard about this. Is not patches and bugfixes they're aiming at. Its more like "our new FPS comes with the incredible amount of 2!! multiplayer maps, and as a free DLC you get another 10maps!!". Of course if you got the game used, you've got to ditch $10 bucks to get those 10 maps. But they're totally optional, right? :D
Seems game companies like Ubisoft and EA are keen on sending more ammunition to ppl defending piracy to be used against them. Oh well...
Re:cheating the laws (Score:5, Interesting)
Also (and sorry about the double post), game companies seem to forget that people who sell their games more often than not use that money to BUY MORE GAMES. Game companies are already getting benefits from the used game market, but as they can't put a figure in their anual reports, they're blind and think they're getting nothing.
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With a rather large cut in the middle. Gamespot buys the game for $20 from one user, then sells it to another user at $45. User 1 gets $20 towards a new $50 game, User 2 saves $5, Gamestop makes $25. Game publisher only makes money off User 1.
Obviously, the publishers would rather User 2 pay $5 more and buy a new copy, which gives them revenue instead of Gamestop.
Re:cheating the laws (Score:5, Funny)
No, you need to give them NEW money, you filthy pirate scum.
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Exactly.
Say you have $120. Without used you can buy two games. With used you can sell those two games for $40 each and buy another game. That's a 50% increase in sales to EA that used is directly responsible for.
The used people aren't lost sales. They're either frugal or limited income (often children). Either way they're people who aren't going to pay $60 for a game anyways. If there's no used they'll wait until it hits the clearance rack.
Re:cheating the laws (Score:4, Funny)
I would love to pirate some EA games, but unfortunately they just keep pumping out "YourGFXcardCan'tHandleThisShooter 4", and "MySims 3D, coke&whores addon-pack"
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I dont mind the $10 fee, if that 2nd hand game is $10 cheaper.
ie $10 special, not $20.
Though it is a bit scammy since the original purchaser can no longer use the DLC, so in effect, they are charging for a service, not a good.
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There are times when I have no problem with DLC. For example, I wouldn't expect Rock Band to include every bit of DLC available. In that case, you can see DLC as a way of giving the customer a choice of what content he or she is willing to pay for.
But charging extra for multiplayer mode in a sports game is ridiculous.
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But it doesn't hurt the pirates. It only hurts the used people. You can get any DLC you want on BT.
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Nobody has managed to smack Sony down for removing the Other OS option, which was clearly a built-in feature and not a service.. I hope someone does though, otherwise software companies are going to be pulling this disgraceful sort of crap for years to come.
I don't re-sell my games, but I do often lend them to people. I think it's a joke that they shouldn't get to play the full game if I'm not using it at the time. We also have 2 PS3s in our household so I hope any games are locked down to actual PSN accoun
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This is exactly what everyone howling for Sony's blood is telling the industry to do.
Nothing beyond barebones capabilities will be 'on the box'. Everything else will be from "free" promotional one-time non-transferable vouchers that allow you to access a service which unlocks a certain feature.
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Yay... a yet another attempt to work around the First Sale rules. All they're doing is relabeling part of the package, so instead it's an "add-on" now.
By "title updates" they really mean bug-fix patches. In other words, this "Online Pass" thingy is strictly negative.
The doctrine of first sale is not universal nor all encompassing, in the US at least; there are a number of gray areas. In this case, they haven't prevented you from selling the tangible good you bought; but are not providing the same benefits that the original purchaser gets. Their only obligation is to you, the original purchaser; they do not have to provide the same level of support or access to subsequent purchasers. You could, of course, pass on to the subsequent purchaser they login credentials to
Re:cheating the laws (Score:5, Insightful)
By "title updates" they really mean bug-fix patches. In other words, this "Online Pass" thingy is strictly negative.
This will also give EA the option of "discontinuing" this "super duper premium content" that was "soooo hot, and toooo cool" to even put on the game disk. They'll kill off this $10 DLC when the next sequel of their game hits the shelves.
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Re:cheating the laws (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:cheating the laws (Score:5, Insightful)
Anybody who then purchases that title legitimately from that first owner cannot access the same content, content WHICH IS ON THE DISC
really, the servers that host online multiplayer games are on the disc? that's an impressive disc.
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you could set up a server to run in a VM, not that impressive.
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Why does it matter if it is on the disc or something that you download? I can understand why people don't like it...but if they want to charge extra for something it really doesn't matter if the data exists on the physical media or on some server. Windows has done this with all the different versions of its OS on one CD. The OS that installs is the one you have a key for.
I buy stuff new generally so not really an issue to me. But I really don't see what the big deal is about this as long as they
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Moves likes this by major publishers really give me trepidation about what the next console generation is going to look like. I have this sickening feeling that we will actually own nothing. I probably will pass on that even though I own in excess of 200 games for the current console generation.
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It really depends on how they're going to market it. Will the box read "100 maps of online multiplayer action!" whilst 99 of those maps and the online multiplayer bit are only included as an add-on? The statement would be true for the first sale only.
Hurray, you get to pay for updates (Score:5, Interesting)
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their attitude is literally
"You shouldn't complain about it.
Just pay us over and over and over and over.
We're sure you can afford it."
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Their attitude is "We're not getting sued, so it must be legal".
Re:Hurray, you get to pay for updates (Score:5, Insightful)
Also- jesus christ.
They're retiring games less than a year old.
In some countries consumer laws would still put electronic good under warranty for that long.
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I expect a game to work forever as long as I look after the disc properly. I would guess this is the norm.
I'm stuffed because I buy a lot of my games second hand. It would be interesting to see the reaction of the retailer if I was to return a mint condition FIFA09 game because it stopped working and cited the Sale of Goods Act.
To bring the book industry into the 21st century.. (Score:5, Interesting)
To bring the book industry into the 21st century I propose a system whereby printed books be changed such that instead of the second half of the book you get a code which will allow you to access the end of the story through the publishers website.
The ending shall be a free add-on which you may only access through our online service.
You will be prohibited from transfering access to the ending to anyone since it's a service rather than an item.
If you want to know the ending after you've bought a book second hand you'll have to pay a 10 dollar fee to us.
Better don't lose that manual! (Score:3, Funny)
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Those weren't that bad. You could still sell the manual with the game on resale.
Or for some of those games, they only had a dozen or so codes anyways. Just jot them down and avoid the manual.
OR, with one game that a fried gave me a copy of in the 7th grade, that method of copy protection was simple to defeat with a little patience. He told me one of the words it would ask for. Don't remember what it was, but lets just say it was "tire".
Open the game, it asks for the code. Enter "tire". Invalid? Darn.
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It works for comic books and graphic novels. Many of them come out monthly or bimonthly, take about 15-30 minutes to read an issue, and have ongoing plot-lines. TV shows takes either 30 or 60 minutes to watch, come out weekly, and many of those (think Lost, 24, Fringe, etc) have ongoing plot-lines.
On a slightly related note, I finished GRR Martin's 4th ASoIaF book in two days, and have been waiting nearly five years for the 5th book. Which was originally the second half of the 4th book, but was split up bec
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umm, he released The Green Mile serialized, and serialized novels have been around for a few hundred years. The book you're referring to is The Plant, but the experiment there was not serialization, it was some weird bastardization of the honor system where 75% of readers had to pay for him to keep writing.
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Ugh, I'm already boycotting Ubisoft for its draconian DRM, now I've gotta boycott EA for its content locking out and violation of property rights? The way video game studios are going, soon everything's going to be owned by either one of those two, or Activision. At least they aren't doing anything
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Care to in any way elaborate?
If I were to sell a book as described how would it be different from this scheme?
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I would have to disagree, and add that this might actually be a good thing. They are offering extra content for the $10, not requiring it to buy the used game. You can still play the game without the extra content. Obviously, this system can be abused, but the idea itself isn't bad and may be a way where games are offering MORE to the original purchasers, and re-buyers can get the same extras for a small fee.
Keep in mind, that they owe patches, updates only to the original purchaser, and technically, the
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In the context of my hypothetical book:
The ending of my book is also "extra content". I am offering "extra content" for the $10, not requiring it to buy the second-hand book.
You can still read the book without that "extra content".
Keep in mind, that I owe proofread copies and endings only to the original purchaser, and technically, I don't even owe that.
Proofreading and providing corrected and finished copies over the net isn't free.(Staff, hosting servers, etc.)
and when a book is sold to someone else, it e
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Uh.. how do you work that out? One person using it at a time, one set of support costs.
Updates downloaded twice, not once, doubling the cost for bandwidth. If they provide a server, Player #1 plays for 6 months and gets bored, sells it, Player #2 plays for 6 months, effectively doubling the server load if only a single person had bought it. (using averages, the effect is literally 100% linear increase in load) Not all support issues are doubled, but their net cost to support (depending on the game) is hig
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Those are crosses they choose of their own free will to bear.
They include DRM to stop you from passing on the patches along with the game when you re-sell it.
They tie multiplayer to their own servers rather than allow players to host their own.
They shoot themselves in the foot and then charge their customers and the owners of second hand games for the medical bills.
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What's worse is that I was reading the biography of Abraham Lincoln, and I got to choose which ending to buy. In the good ending, he drop-kicks the gun out of John Wilkes Booth's hands and ends up dating a former slave who looks like Halle Barry. Something just seemed wrong about the whole deal.
Not very forward thinking really (Score:2, Informative)
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I have a silo of old games (10+ years old), but only a handful of new games with physical media.
I play those old games exactly never.. hell, most wont even run on any of the rigs I have set up now, and even if I set up the rigs to run them, I would be immediately displeased with them. My expectations are higher now.
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With online distribution (like steam) they could stop second hand sales altogether, and as a bonus you don't need a silo for your discs. Pretty awesome in my opinion.
but this is aimed to console rather than pc gaming, because on pc the used market is almost non existent due to the cd key, I wouldn't trust anyone selling me his used key hoping that he wouldn't reuse it with a copy of the game, as a matter of fact battlefield bad company 2 had the vip key only in the console version while the pc version had the extra content for free without any extra key
on console the online distribution is still very limited and it's mostly used to sell small or old games
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They're all evil. (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:They're all evil. (Score:5, Insightful)
They'll attribute any lost sales to piracy whether you pirate or not.
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EA _has_ changed. 15-20 years ago, they were one of the biggest game developers. People would put down $50 a piece all the time because they made games worth that much.
Today they're just a games industry MPAA imitation. And they deserve to go under just as much.
I'll save the $10 (Score:2, Insightful)
This should be titled (Score:4, Insightful)
This article should be titled:
EA games does yet another thing to piss me off...
hummm.... (Score:3, Funny)
Is all about fight the First Sale doctrine. Make games a "not transferable account", so you can't re-sell the game you have buy (only part of it, here).
I wonder we will see the ones like General Motors, fighting the user car industry.
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Sure. New cars will come equipped with a cellular connection, and every command you give to the electronics (accelerate, steer left, steer right, brake, etc.) will first have to be confirmed via the "always on" connection.
In order to prevent pirates from driving an unauthorized copy or second-hand car, the electronics will shut down immediately if they cannot get a connection to General Motors' license server, leaving you careening down the freeway at 100. Piracy kills! :P
EA Sports (Score:5, Interesting)
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I bought the game new so it didn't affect me, but my solution to DLC in general is not to bother. Maybe I should but I why should I shell out another $7-10 for just anoth
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right, this is the system working. They offered the game, which was bought new, and the content came with it. Then if bought used, the content was offered, and the new owner of the used game could make a second cost-benefit decision on whether the purchase was worth it. You say you would have decided it isn't, and that's a service sale that was not made. That provides incentive for the publisher to make the offer 'worth it'. Of course, they will need to be a bit careful of taking too much out of the full ga
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But they turn the servers off of sports games as fast or faster than other titles too. Madden 2009 was going to be shutdown a few months ago but public outcry stopped that, but every iteration before that is already down.
EA sports not the best choice (Score:2)
Already ran into this BS (Score:3, Interesting)
When I bought Bad Company 2 it came with a VIP code. A one time only VIP code. What ran through my mind is what if I have to format my PS3, or a firmware update requires "servicing" (see former), etc. What happens then? What about going over to a friends house to play? Etc.
This is nothing but a money grab without any consideration for the needs and *rights* of the legal purchaser.
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If you are on the console on which the content was originally purchased, then anyone can use it. It is on that console, and the purchaser does not have to be signed in to access that cont
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What ran through my mind is what if I have to format my PS3, or a firmware update requires "servicing" (see former), etc. What happens then? What about going over to a friends house to play? Etc.
Formatting your PS3? My guess is nothing will be lost. I think all your trophies/unlocks/etc are all stored on some server (not sure if Sony's or EA's), that's why during the 1/3/2010 date bug period, everybody that tried to connect to PSN said they lost their trophies, etc.
You can just re-download all your PSN purchases anytime you want, so you are free to delete them on your PS3 HD, or when you replace the HD (though it would be simpler to first backup then restore to the new HD instead).
As for playing
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Project Ten Dollar (Score:4, Informative)
But these are a good thing (Score:2, Insightful)
I, for one, am grateful for all these DRM systems and DLC schemes and such as they helped me make the decision of stop buying games and the money I’m saving with that!
More than just second-hand sales (Score:3, Interesting)
One of the comments on the site with TFA is from someone that keeps his sports games for a long time because of the replayability that online playing gives.
Consider for a moment that with the "Online Pass" at any point EA can drop (or sneakilly slow down to a crawl) all multiplayer, user created content and online community features on a game "we don't support anymore" so as to pump-up sales of the new version. What EA is doing here is to try and control the lifecycle of a game after the sale way beyond just second-hand sales.
Basically they're doing the same as Ubisoft but with a bit of carrot, not just the stick.
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Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
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this is why morons queue at midnight for the latest game release, Harry Potter book or overpriced Apple gadget.
You're right about two of the three, but you're wrong about Harry Potter release parties - people go to those because they want to start reading the book ASAP because they love the story and can't wait to see what comes next (you also typically get a discount if you pre-ordered). I know what their reasoning is because I went to a couple midnight releases of it and talked to the people there - I've yet to ever hear anyone brag about being the first to have a book; I've only heard people who were excited to
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Amen brother... and sub-posters.
Games used to be games, now they are expensive, licensed, fabricated, single-play-through, mindless "entertainment" which consist of level-grind, or impossible-achievement-hunting in order to stretch out gameplay, where they should be focused on making the game so that the player *wants* to come back for more and set their own targets. Half-life 2 was the last released game that I consider worth my money.
In the meantime, as you say, DOSBox, emulators, GOG.com and some old St
The 'updates' thing is scary since you MUST update (Score:2)
...to play multi-player on XBox Live. What a bunch of greedy bastards. The only thing this type of behavior does is make me more selective about the games I play, for example, I'll never buy another Ubisoft game while they have that 'always online' DRM. I stopped playing Company of Heroes when they went this route until you could play with the disc installed again. Greedy bastards.
FTFA (Score:2)
"We actually view the second sale market as an opportunity to develop a direct relationship with our consumers, and with Online Pass everyone has access to the same premium online services and content regardless of how and where you buy the game."
No, you dumb twat, that's how the old model worked; this new model just sucks. If you're really that worried about making more money off used games, just add more advertisements to your sports games; I'm sure most of your fans will just find this more "realistic." "Develop a direct relationship with our consumers?" What kind of relationship would that be? The kind where they bend over and you **** their brains out?
Walled Garden (Score:2)
Funny, I couldn't find one reference to "Walled Garden" in the comments here.
Wonder why that's such a popular thing to repeat about Apple's iphone/ipad/ipod touch devices, but not console games?
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Capitalism (Score:2, Insightful)
1. Make a fridge that lasts 30 years
2. Expand company on sales of superior product
3. Reduce costs and add features
4. Eliminate remaining competition
5. The 3 remaining fridge brands can now last 5
Better than Steam (Score:2, Insightful)
This sure beats the Steam method where buyers of used games are totally locked out, in the case of modern warfare can only be activated by one steam account and only one. They wont even unlock it even if you have the physical copy and a receipt from Amazon marketplace.
DLC done wrong (Score:2)
This plague of automatic DLC must be stopped. It has become almost expected of the major game houses to release an incomplete game, then a week or month later they sell a bunch of DLC, which was probably supposed to be part of the game in the first place. Why can I resell the content that's on the disc, but not the stuff I downloaded a week later ? How do I know the DLC wasn't originally part of the game, that some ethically-challenged pencil pusher decided to part out and charge more money ? They're sh
Textures and sound effects (Score:3, Insightful)
Hobbleware is the future, sadly (Score:3, Insightful)
I see more and more that the commercial side wants to tighten the grip, and intentionally hobble software for all but the highest bidders.
Meanwhile my software budget decreases out of continued disappointment and frustration.
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Ditto for Sims 3. My wife wanted it, bought it, got a "free download" code that gave her about £6 in the shop and an extra town to play. If they're going it that way ('extras' that aren't necessary but provide benefit to first-time purchasers) then I don't have a problem with it and it is good to see them doing an "encourage legit purchases" effort that actually benefits the legit purchaser instead of DRM harming them. If they start putting vital parts of the game (like final levels or vital equipment
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The bad thing is EA is now releasing DLC that require you to use MS Points regardless if you have the Network Pass card or not - (See Alternative appearance/Weapons packs, which dubious value to the game compared to the network pass content anyway).
Also: Forza 3 came with a card good for one (1) track pack download. EA is behind the times. They're not looking forward, they're looking at Microsoft, and Xbox Live. They want to bring all that to PC gaming. Yuck.