Topic: Might & Magic Heroes VII Collector's Ed PC in US doesn't contain discs @ retail

[MysterD]

Bluesnews -> Might & Magic Heroes VII Collector's Ed PC in US doesn't contain discs @ retail but only a download code; and PC gamers aren't happy.

[idolminds]

This is a real dumb trend.

[Quemaqua]

Agreed.

[MysterD]

Also, Reddit seems to be saying that European countries actually have a disc w/ the game actually on it. Just wonderful.

So, this starts the next problem w/ PC gaming at a retail level - what format should games be thrown on at a retail level? We obviously need something better for PC gamers (to hold the entire game on one or two discs, preferably one) and something cost-effective to dev's & publishers.

DVD - Still is fine for games that fit on one DVD. Most people have had a DVD drive or might even have an external; or some might have a BR-drive (which also supports CD's and DVD's).

Blu-Ray - Would've been fine for some games, with some games being able to hold 20-50GB of space or so. Games on 1 or 2 BR's are okay, but anything after that for install-switching could be annoying. Problem is that this format has not been totally accepted on the PC, thanks to Microsoft not winning the format war (HD-DVD lost) and since they don't like Sony (who supports BR format). Also, there's the other thing that digital distribution succeeded (so PC gamers buy their games there) + non-SSD hard-drives can be purchased so cheap for the amount of space offered that you can back a lot of huge games in one piece up on those (externals or internals). Blank BR discs ain't super-cheap yet to the public and neither are BR-burner drives.

USB thumb-drives - This is my solution for retail, if huger-sized thumb-drives would actually ever get cheaper. You can buy all kinds of different sized USB thumb-drives, so dev's + pub's could always find the size to throw the game on that would have enough space to toss the game on. The biggest problem here - bigger sized thumb drives ain't probably cost-effective yet for pub's, so there's a problem there. Most PC's have USB, so this is an easy solution for the supported format. Games at a retail-level likely could be placed in much smaller boxes (than DVD slim-cases) with thumb-drives placed inside of these boxes, which could make retailers happy as they'd likely take up even less space on the shelves. But, again - thumb-drives would need to get cheaper first.

[Xessive]

The dumbass idea of putting only a download code in a box feels like a swindle. "Here's your retail game---PSYCHE!"

[MysterD]

The dumbass idea of putting only a download code in a box feels like a swindle. "Here's your retail game---PSYCHE!"

Well, if it says on the box "Download-key only provided in the box + game-disc not included", at least the gamers would know. Still sucks (especially for those who spent gas-money to go to the retail store, have poor Internet, and/or want to avoid data-caps) - but the warning should be on the damn box.

I'm sure there's people who wouldn't mind getting some goodies that CE's normally have, without basically even having to buy the base-game and/or the CE Edition (base-game + goodies) - i.e. see what Lara Croft: Temple of Osirus Gold Edition at retail is doing. It states right on the box that it doesn't have the game, only goodies. (Of course, they should've titled it LC: TOO Goodies Only Edition). I find it annoying in many instances, I can't buy extra goodies content separately. It's annoying that say to basically get Thief 2014's OST, I have to buy a CE version (which includes base-game). Would've been nice if Steam sold the OST separately as a DLC.

[MysterD]

Polygon -> UbiSoft is offering a refund + a free game for those in the USA that dealt w/ the MMH7 issue.

Ubisoft is offering refunds and free games to those who say the marketing of the Might & Magic Heroes 7 collector's edition for Windows PC deceived them into thinking they were getting physical copies of the game.

No disc was included in the packaged goods that shipped in the United States, customers learned.
Some complained that a download code wasn't even provided, requiring them to open a ticket with Ubisoft support to have a game activated on their account.

In response, Ubisoft has updated the copy on the game's official website, offered full refunds to any who want one, and also will give a free game as a make-good.

"Ubisoft regrets any confusion created by the marketing materials from our Might and Magic Heroes 7 Collector's Edition," the publisher said in a statement (per GameSpot). "Ubisoft apologizes for any frustration and disappointment resulting from these items being in digital format vs. physical format."

The free games on offer are all PC editions of Far Cry 4, Assassin's Creed Rogue, The Crew, Toy Soldiers: War Chest Hall of Fame Edition, and Zombi.

The refund and free game offer only pertains to copies sold in the U.S.