Indie Games & Content Delivery Software/Digital Distribution.

Potential essay title: How has content delivery software/digital distribution changed the games industry?

Another: The positive and negative effects content delivery software/DRM and digital distribution have had on the games industry.

After discussing my report with Sharon, I've decided to try an Industry Report in order to keep the writing style similar to previous essays.

Elaborating on some of the points I brought up in my presentation:

For indie developers, content delivery software such as Steam has been a godsend -- allowing them creative freedom where previously they may have found themselves restricted or held back by the demands of publishers, or even the systems they developed for. A recent example of these restrictions:

[Holmes, Jonathan. (2012), via Edmund McMillen's Twitter]

The final paragraph is most relevant to my research, though the entire quote stresses the problem indie developers have with publishing their games; themes and content can often clash with what a publisher or distributor feel is safe or appropriate for their consoles. This either stops the game from getting published entirely, or forces a change from the original vision of the game.

Other points:

Negative aspects of content delivery include:

• Privacy. EA's Origin underwent a lot of controversy after its original EULA was examined. Section 2 & 3 cause most of the issue.

"You agree that EA may collect, use, store and transmit technical and related information that identifies your computer (including the Internet Protocol Address), operating system, Application usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware, that may be gathered periodically to facilitate the provision of software updates, dynamically served content, product support and other services to you, including online services,"

"EA may also use this information combined with personal information for marketing purposes and to improve our products and services," the section continues. "We may also share that data with our third party service providers in a form that does not personally identify you."

The Section 3 passage reads: "EA reserves the right to monitor communications on the Application and disclose any information EA deems necessary to (i) ensure your compliance with this License; (ii) satisfy any applicable law, regulation or legal process; (iii) protect the rights, property and interests of EA, its employees or the public. EA also reserves the right to edit, refuse to transfer and/or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, in EA's sole discretion." [EA, 2011]

The EULA then goes on to note that if customers do not agree to these terms, they shouldn't install the application. However, as Origin is required to play some of the latest EA titles, gamers were left either submitting to the EULA or simply missing out on the games they want to play -- perhaps even after purchase.

This EULA was revised after a public outcry, and now includes a passage addressing customer concern and other amendments.

"EA knows that you care how information about you is collected, used and shared, and we appreciate your trust that we will do so carefully and sensibly," the document now reads. "Information about our customers is an important part of our business, and EA would never sell your personally identifiable information to anyone, nor would it ever use spyware or install spyware on users' machines."

"In addition to information that you give EA directly, EA collects nonpersonally identifiable (or anonymous) information for purposes of improving our products and services, providing services to you, facilitating the provision of software updates, dynamically served content and product support as well as communicating with you. The non-personally identifiable information that EA collects includes technical and related information that identifies your computer (including the Internet Protocol Address) and operating system, as well as information about your Application usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware. As noted above, this information is gathered periodically for purposes such as improving our products and services, troubleshooting bugs, and otherwise enhancing your user experience." [EA, 2011]

There is no longer any mention of sharing information with third party users. However, this EULA still indicates that Origin will collect information on hardware and software unrelated to itself. To play their games, PC gamers are forced to install a piece of software they may or may not want.

• Centralization of games -- the good and bad.

There are positives to having all of your games in one central location. Ease of access, safety vs physical media (disc scratches, lost disc, etc), ease of updating for bugs and content patches. The negatives include enforced use of content delivery software for DRM purposes.

Chris Priestly on ME3 & Origin: 

"1) Will Origin be a requirement to play all versions of Mass Effect 3? (Digital and/or from a retail brick and mortar store)
Yes, Origin is required for all PC editions of Mass Effect 3, physical or digital." [Priestly, Chris. 2012]

Steam is similar in that certain games require Steam to be running, but others can be launched straight from their executable in the Steamapps folder. A list of games that require Steam to be running (and will launch the program if it is closed) can be found here.

• Death of game re-sale vs accessibility on any PC.

Games bought digitally via content delivery systems like Origin and Steam cannot be sold on later. They can, however, be redownloaded from the appropriate account and installed on as many machines as the consumer wishes. However, restrictions still apply on games that require the content delivery software to be running and signed into the appropriate account.

• What happens if the companies responsible for the software go bankrupt? 

There's a worrying lack of an official statement on this. The Steam forums indicate that Valve would release a patch to allow all installed games to be played without the Steam Client (or at least with it offline), but this is all third party whispers and the official source appears to have been lost. EA's Origin FAQ merely states "Origin is powered by EA, the leading publisher of the world's best games, and we're not going away anytime soon." [EA, 2012]

Holmes, Jonathan. (2012). Nintendo won't allow Binding of Isaac on the 3DS eShop. Available: http://www.destructoid.com/nintendo-wont-allow-the-binding-of-isaac-on-the-3ds-eshop-222917.phtml. Last accessed 06/02/13.

EA. (2011). EA EULA Origin June Launch. Available: http://eacom.s3.amazonaws.com/EULA_Origin+_June+launch_.5.17.11.pdf. Last accessed 06/02/13.

EA. (2011). Origin EULA 8.24.11. Available: http://eacom.s3.amazonaws.com/EULA_Origin_8.24.11.pdf. Last accessed 06/02/13.

Priestly, Chris. (2012). Origin and Mass Effect 3. Available: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/323/index/8975536. Last accessed 06/02/13. 

EA. (2012). Origin Frequently Asked Questions. Available: https://help.ea.com/uk/article/origin-faq#18. Last accessed 06/02/13.

EA FAQ.

On Steam Bankruptcy.

Origin EULA Revision.

 Origin EULA article & discussion.