Composer and former Capcom developer Masakazu Sugimori has defended Nintendo’s Game-Key Card initiative claiming that the Game-Key Cards “protect the game and digital entertainment industries as a whole.” Standing in defence of digital he says “can non-digital goods be used forever? For the most part, no. Physical things have a lifespan, and they eventually break. Digital goods, on the other hand, don’t have a lifespan.” Here’s the key points he made in an X post:
- Key cards: Preventing piracy, reducing the risk of carrying unsold stock
- Raising game prices: Amidst rising costs, Nintendo took the lead in raising prices so other struggling game companies could follow
- Cutting online services for past hardware: This sets a ‘lifespan.’ By doing this, it becomes easier for each game company to re-release their games on new hardware. In other words, it creates the job of “porting.”
“With Nintendo taking the lead, it becomes easier for other companies to follow suit and protect themselves, that’s a fact.”
“Digital goods however don’t have a lifespan” PFFFFTTTTTTTTT AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH
In absolute terms, he is right… it’s the access that is limited on the other hand, and that’s the point that bothers me about digital even if we direct it… if Nintendo (or others) gives the opportunity to continue playing old games on future consoles even if it costs (like the Nintendo Switch 2 edition), then that doesn’t bother me… I actually prefer that to the remake of the remake of the remake of the remaster…
Yeah, the 3ds eshop is already closed so if you want to play one Particular game you either buy a physical cartridge or resort to piracy, so his whole point about digital lasting longer and preventing piracy is insanely false, it COULD last longer than physical but Nintendo and other gaming companies will inevitably close older stores and prevent access to the purchases of games.
And this guy COMPLETELY ignores all the benefits of owning digital, which is not holding memory space, the ability to resell your copy the ability to easily share games with friends and overall owning something and the joy of collecting something you enjoy.
Old games will be carried over to the new consoles without needing old digital stores. Nintendo remastered many old games for this reason. They want to preserve their library so it can be accessible to everyone in the future. Your digital paranoia is silly.
Where are your virtual consoles on switch? Where are they? Also the games you already had need to be boughted a second time full price like how you said “will be carried” while in reality your old purchases stay locked on the previous console. And these are only the most iconic games, literally 90% of the rest of the old eshop is GONE.
how many times have you bought Super mario bros?
“This sets a lifespan” Absolutely Disgusting. This wealthy companies don’t care about the consumer at all. There are many ways to get a head in life or make more money but that doesn’t mean that they are all morally right. There’s a difference in making money and scamming and taking advantage of people.
yeah that’s a problem with it not a aspect to defend
He can make up all the excuses he wants, its not going to change the fact that consumers are not buying into this BS.
That last point is exactly why physical copies are so important and he is just blatantly stating the reason why companies want to take that option away from you.
Pathetic as ever.
Mega Man Starforce Collection just announced. Why wasn’t this at the Nintendo Direct? Is Capcom that hard up for cash only had enough for Resident Evil and are banking on the Switch 2 sales of those games to save them?
This turned into a business and not about gaming anymore. I think the video game industry is dead. Everytime a consumer buys a new console 80% of games are revised versions of old games while it gets very few exclusives.
I don’t think people care as much as the internet makes it seems
logic seeking to eliminate private property ownership entirely
It has a 64 gig limit, that’s why it’s available, and the option to use it is on the publisher. People should be demanding better optimized games, instead of bloated 100 gig AAAs.
but there are game key cards for games that dont exceed the limit… i can see a 64G keycard and you DL the rest of the 100G game but putting a 10G game on a keycard? come on.. why?
You don’t own anything. Your renting.
If you’re a US citizen you don’t own anything. The state can claim your assets if you go into bankruptcy, for example. Grow up.
WOW …. i cant even…. it would take all night to unpack all this.
dude is a typical corporate, bottom dollar, dick