Perhaps some of you saw this article already. For those that haven't seen it, go read it, I'll wait. All done? Okay good.

Consider for a moment, the implications. These people purchased this e-novel, and were delivered a digital product. Because for some reason the publisher decided it was no longer in their best interest to have a digital version of this novel available, it was removed from the store, and the libraries of everyone who had already purchased it. And yes, their accounts were refunded the money, but think about the power Amazon to retroactively take things from you.

Okay, you've considered it. Unless you're one of the voracious readers with a Kindle, you're probably wondering how this relates to you. Fair enough.

This is essentially what could happen to your DLC and downloadable games. When you purchase something from Xbox Live or the Playstation Network, you aren't actually purchasing a product. What you're purchasing is a license to play the game. You cannot transfer this license, and usually the publisher can revoke it at any time- essentially the same thing that happened to the Kindle version of 1984. Now, it's extremely unlikely that anything like that would ever happen in gaming- it's a massive fuck-up and blatantly anti-consumer- but it's something to be aware of, especially with the shift towards a completely digital future we're looking at. Amazon needs to keep up good relations with publishers, which is probably why they went so far out of their way to indulge this particular desire.

I imagine it's an isolated case, but it's certainly a warning to pay attention to in the future.

Perhaps some of you saw this article already. For those that haven't seen it, go read it, I'll wait. All done? Okay good.

Consider for a moment, the implications. These people purchased this e-novel, and were delivered a digital product. Because for some reason the publisher decided it was no longer in their best interest to have a digital version of this novel available, it was removed from the store, and the libraries of everyone who had already purchased it. And yes, their accounts were refunded the money, but think about the power Amazon to retroactively take things from you.

Okay, you've considered it. Unless you're one of the voracious readers with a Kindle, you're probably wondering how this relates to you. Fair enough.

This is essentially what could happen to your DLC and downloadable games. When you purchase something from Xbox Live or the Playstation Network, you aren't actually purchasing a product. What you're purchasing is a license to play the game. You cannot transfer this license, and usually the publisher can revoke it at any time- essentially the same thing that happened to the Kindle version of 1984. Now, it's extremely unlikely that anything like that would ever happen in gaming- it's a massive fuck-up and blatantly anti-consumer- but it's something to be aware of, especially with the shift towards a completely digital future we're looking at. Amazon needs to keep up good relations with publishers, which is probably why they went so far out of their way to indulge this particular desire.

I imagine it's an isolated case, but it's certainly a warning to pay attention to in the future.

You know what's creepy? The fact that 1984 is a book about a society in which the government retroactively edits history and widespread redaction of ALL books is commonplace.

that's awesome because it's 1984 that got removed haha

I buy physical books anyways, but either way this is pretty lame. I'm hoping the movement of ALL knowledge to a digital base never happens. The implications could be pretty bad.

" You know what's creepy? The fact that 1984 is a book about a society in which the government retroactively edits history and widespread redaction of ALL books is commonplace. "

Kind of ironic in a way.

1984 and Animal Farm? Creepy.

it's completely ridiculous. They should've just taken down the Kindle version.

" Kind of ironic in a way. "

" You know what's creepy? The fact that 1984 is a book about a society in which the government retroactively edits history and widespread redaction of ALL books is commonplace. "

I just came back from the Year 3000, not much has changed except we don't actually own anything, not even our own bodies, we merely get locked into a license contract at birth and if at anytime we do anything that the state doesn't like the license is revoked. PERMANENTLY!. Henry Kissenger would be proud.

Though, like you said, it's very unlikely that things like this will happen frequently, it's something to be aware of. Specially since all the digital distribution is relatively new, and I think we're only starting to make it a common practice.

But on the case of the kindle specificaly, I don't get how someone can trade a physical book for a digital one. A game, music, yeah, I can understand that. But a book? Never.

My life is transferable, so just transfer me. We own it.

You raise an interesting point. I don't think it would happen in the industry unless a company was forced to revoke their game for some reason... maybe if a game offended a certain demographic.

The wheel of fate is turning. 

"Yeah, I thought the same thing. Weird coincidence? OR CONSPIRACY?!?!?!

This is not good news. I cannot see this happening in gaming without a big revolt (We like our DLC, mmmmm) but the fact that this can happen is disturbing. If I paid for it when you did have the license, why should I give a fuck when you don't? "

"Yeah it's pretty ironic.Almost too perfect of a fit really. "

" The wheel of fate is turning. 

REBEL

"

The "man upstairs" doesn't want us to read 1984. Suspicious? I think so!