Board 8 > Alan Wake leaving Steam/XBL on 5/15 due to expiring music licenses.

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://twitter.com/remedygames/status/863012017833218049

There will be a 90% off sale before it's gone forever~~~
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I got it and American Nightmare for a couple bucks a few years back and have yet to do anything with them

Really should fix that
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I can still download it if I bought it already right?
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Yep
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Music licensing is literally the most bullshit business in the civilized world

Thanks for the heads up, I'll have to pick it up
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KingButz posted...

Music licensing is literally the most bullshit business in the civilized world

scrubs is impossible to watch these days
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good morning prof
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KingButz posted...

Music licensing is literally the most bullshit business in the civilized world

My Steam copy of Vice City is irrevocably ruined because of music licensing
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Alan Wake is already on sale at IndieGala and WinGameStore if you're impatient.
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I'm not impatient

just remind me tomorrow thx
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ninkendo posted...

I'm not impatient

just remind me tomorrow thx

ok
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I will remind everybody but you
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shine don't read this
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.........people who want to buy Alan Wake on Steam, hello
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hi
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This is good info for people to know.
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Alan Wake Franchise for 2.99, oh what the hell, let's take the plunge.
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it's good
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bought it, thanks!
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Thank you for this

Games disappearing forever is one of my least favorite things - the preservation of creative works is extremely important to me, and the fact that a game can be pulled over a music license seems like incredible bullshit

Wouldn't a few of these games at least still live on through retail copies?
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Thanks for the heads up. I got the full franchise bundle for $4.
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boy this sure is a great way for an old game to make a flurry of sales at the very end of its lifespan though.

Is American Nightmare worth it? I mean, it would basically only be an extra 50 cents tacked on to the price of the game plus soundtrack, so I kinda feel ridiculous even asking. I guess I'm mostly just curious about it.
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Shame XBL doesn't have it on sale. I have the disc, but figured I'd look and see if the price was going to be low enough to be worth double dipping for convenience.
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Can anyone a little more knowledgeable on the subject explain how music licensing seems to be a big problem in cases like this and GTA, but in 90% of other cases, songs can stay in games forever with no problems? Is it less the system itself and more drama between the artists and the publisher? I remember that was definitely the case with Anamanaguchi and Scott Pilgrim getting pulled at least.
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Because of contracts, that's all. Company decides they want a certain song in their game, they have to pay up. Typically the longer the length of the contract, the higher the cost. They could possibly extend the contracts, but with a game like Alan Wake, I'm assuming they decided it wasn't worth it financially to keep it going.

They can always bring out a new edition later with different music, or possibly re-license it, which isn't unheard of.

It's like that for anything that companies don't outright own. That's why you see licensed titles occasionally disappear from digital marketplaces, especially around January 1st.
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Last call
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oh I forgot

whoops
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It should still be good for 90 minutes?
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In this case two of the people with songs in the game are dead (Bowie and Roy Orbison). The other two are Nick Cave and Poets of the Fall
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I remember playing this game on the 360 and thinking it was pretty good.

Only thing is I don't think I care enough to spend the time to replay it. I'm still playing NieR and TitS 3.
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bryans7 posted...

Because of contracts, that's all. Company decides they want a certain song in their game, they have to pay up. Typically the longer the length of the contract, the higher the cost. They could possibly extend the contracts, but with a game like Alan Wake, I'm assuming they decided it wasn't worth it financially to keep it going.

They can always bring out a new edition later with different music, or possibly re-license it, which isn't unheard of.

It's like that for anything that companies don't outright own. That's why you see licensed titles occasionally disappear from digital marketplaces, especially around January 1st.

But how does that make sense when you buy something off the shelf? If a used copy is sold somewhere will the store get sued or what?
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wg64Z posted...

bryans7 posted...

Because of contracts, that's all. Company decides they want a certain song in their game, they have to pay up. Typically the longer the length of the contract, the higher the cost. They could possibly extend the contracts, but with a game like Alan Wake, I'm assuming they decided it wasn't worth it financially to keep it going.

They can always bring out a new edition later with different music, or possibly re-license it, which isn't unheard of.

It's like that for anything that companies don't outright own. That's why you see licensed titles occasionally disappear from digital marketplaces, especially around January 1st.

But how does that make sense when you buy something off the shelf? If a used copy is sold somewhere will the store get sued or what?

No, because it means you can't distribute it after the date. Any copies created and distributed are fine.
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Weird, it's still on Steam but at full price.
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