Rock Band iOS "No Longer Playable" After May 31st

[The Bat Outta Hell]

Owners of the original Rock Band app, open it up now and see the message yourself.

http://www.rockbandaide.com/16083/ro...-after-may-31/

[Eli]

Wow this is new and exciting news thank you for bringing this to our attention!

[The Bat Outta Hell]

oops

well, the front page is for chumps

[Eli]

Originally Posted by The Bat Outta Hell

oops

well, the front page is for chumps

There's a front page?

[LBG]

[Eli]

I actually really want to know the genuine number of people this is having any kind of impact on. I mean, we're talking a game that's been out since October of 2009 that hasn't been updated since November of 2010. Are there really that many people still playing the original Rock Band? It's basically an abandoned game, and never even got updated with Retina graphics.

Are there really people out there who are still playing it with any regularity? It hasn't charted in any meaningful way for years.

I'm not saying it isn't shitty what EA is doing, because it most assuredly is... I'm just wondering if the people who are up and arms and calling Apple for refunds would've even cared if we hadn't brought this to everyone's attention.

[Vovin]

Originally Posted by Hodapp

I actually really want to know the genuine number of people this is having any kind of impact on. I mean, we're talking a game that's been out since October of 2009 that hasn't been updated since November of 2010. Are there really that many people still playing the original Rock Band? It's basically an abandoned game, and never even got updated with Retina graphics.

Are there really people out there who are still playing it with any regularity? It hasn't charted in any meaningful way for years.

Difficult to say... on one hand, you can argue that you've paid money for it and you have the right to use it whenever you want. It's not like you paid for something like a rollercoaster ticket - a few rounds and finish. Imagine that Microsoft tells you that you can use Windows7 only for another few weeks and than no more.
On the other hand - there's RockBand Reloaded and I guess just a few hardliners are still playing this. It would only be bitter for people who might have just bought it a few weeks ago. But that's unlikely.

In the end, you will have people on both sides.

[Eli]

Originally Posted by Vovin

Imagine that Microsoft tells you that you can use Windows7 only for another few weeks and than no more.

If you read the EULA of basically any software, things are worded in a tricky way. Even though you might own the Windows discs, you don't technically own Windows. What you bought is the rights from Microsoft to use Windows. Nearly every EULA also has provisions for revoking those rights, no one ever does, because it's pretty shitty... But you'd be surprised the kind of things you're agreeing to by using nearly any piece of computer software and playing any video game.

I think that's the bigger issue here, but no one will ever care because it's just too easy to hit accept, ok, or whatever else the button says.

[The Bat Outta Hell]

I've just never heard of an app that requires no online components to function revoke your rights to play it whenever they choose. I was aware that it was always possible, but never expected it to happen.

That and it's still available for purchase in the app store, with no warning in the description.

I bought it and whatever DLC it had a while back, but I'm really not too worried about not being able to play the app itself. I'm worried that this will become a regular thing and other will apps will be "disabled" in the future.

[Eli]

I was going to try to work up some kind of "Buyer Beware" article highlighting "we are taking our ball and going home" clauses in EULA's but nearly every game from a large company has them. Naturally, you'd think then the conclusion would be "Well only buy from indies," but then you're dependent on them paying their $99 a year to remain an iOS developer or all their apps/games go kaput too. Little different, I suppose, but I think people just eventually need to come to grips with the fact that in the world of digital distribution nothing is permanent and if you're buying things to archive for future generations you should probably stick to physical goods and things with absolutely no DRM of any kind.

*shrug* Realistically speaking this is probably just the result of EA's licensing for the music in Rock Band running out. Remember, iPhone games are still categorized under the same shitty category as J2ME cell phone games which puts them in this entirely weird alternate universe of licensing... Which is why Gameloft can get away with doing a NFL game when EA has that license on complete lockdown on consoles.