A question about PC game registration

[angshuman]

Oh, one more thing, since I realized it later on.

 

Admittedly there's not much tangible incentive to do so, but I did think it was pretty cool that Electronic Arts gave every person that registered Ultima 9 a free remastered CD with all of the patches built right in.

 

Also included was a letter of apology for the state that the original game was sent in.

 

That was pretty neat.

**EA** did that?!?? Was this a long time ago, when EA was actually a development studio instead of the bloodsucking parasite of a publisher that it currently is?

[alanschu]

Year 2000 or so.

 

It was Ultima 9, so it wasn't that long ago. I was definitely out of high school.

 

 

You want my info, pay me for it. I paid you for the game.

Or you could provide additional votes (on top of what you paid for) for what type of games you'd like to have made.

Edited November 14, 2006 by alanschu

[mr insomniac]

I registered Planescape:Torment to get rid of the annoying registration popup, not realizing that after the third time of starting the game (Rule-Of-Three I guess), I could just type "123" in the first field and the registration popup would never appear again.

 

Also registered Half-Life 2 and NHL2006 ... but that's it, I believe.

[LadyCrimson]

I registered a game once, got a lot of spam, and haven't ever since.

 

I also don't mail in rebates. Rebates aren't why I pick a product to purchase, so I don't care enough to bother...either that or I'm MsMoneyBags. Don't send in the registration cards for pretty much anything I buy, not just games - not only for privacy/spam potentials but also...I'm just lazy and forgetful.

 

It is a nice concept to be able to support the games by registering I suppose...but any giving out of my information uneccesarily isn't for me. There's enough of mine floating around out there as it is. There have been some feedback-only things I've filled out, and those are fine....but if a company wants general feedback, they don't need personal info to get it.

[alanschu]

Spam can be easily fixed with a junk hotmail account however.

[LadyCrimson]

Spam can be easily fixed with a junk hotmail account however.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've tried that route w/yahoomail once. I always end up forgetting about it and having the account cancelled for inactivity. Never tried hotmail. These days I just make my own "junk registration" email accounts thru my webserver and when they start to send too much spam I delete them and make another.

 

But I still don't like to register since it makes more work for me.

[kumquatq3]

You want my info, pay me for it. I paid you for the game.

Or you could provide additional votes (on top of what you paid for) for what type of games you'd like to have made.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Seriously, you're like the funniest guy on this board

[alanschu]

You want my info, pay me for it. I paid you for the game.

Or you could provide additional votes (on top of what you paid for) for what type of games you'd like to have made.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Seriously, you're like the funniest guy on this board

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Do you think they ask you what types of games you like to play for their own personal amusement?

[kumquatq3]

Money talks. Those things help them better advertise to you when they make a product that matches your tastes. Thats it.

[Llyranor]

Yeah, I usually don't register unless I need it for one reason or another.

[alanschu]

Money talks. Those things help them better advertise to you when they make a product that matches your tastes. Thats it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

That is also true (though the only mail I had ever received to my personal address was a free updated CD). Money does talk, but perhaps the PC gamers themselves are partially to blame why something like DVD media took years to become popular in North America gaming.

 

Though if it was specifically for advertising, wouldn't they be more careful about verifying the information. No problems with a@a.net email addresses, as well as Shelbyville, PA 00000 addresses.

 

 

I wonder if people in Europe register their software more, or if casual gamers in North America register their software more than other people. Europe adopted DVDs much, much earlier, while casual gamers would be the ones least likely to have a DVD drive.

 

Because to all of us it seemed so "obvious" that DVDs have been common for years, yet we were still getting games on 4, 5, even 6 CDs.

[Llyranor]

I usually put Nick's email and personal info when I have to register anyway.

[Nick_i_am]

Well that would explain all the furry crap I get.

[metadigital]

So the consensus it that people don't bother registering because they don't want to waste the time on it, and feel as though they will receive additional spam?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I register all my stuff, if I can do so online. I will not fill out a little postcard and buy a stamp!

 

I don't get junk mail (except if you count alerts from Obsidian about the reported replies from you children).

[CoM_Solaufein]

When I first bought PC games I would register but not any more. I am not one for giving out personal information.

[Walsingham]

I wil always register if they ask politely, and do not ram it down my throat. Any game that tries to oblige me to register is going to get savagely undermined, and annoys the hell out of me.

[Bokishi]

I haven't registered a game in 10 years.

[Gorth]

So the consensus it that people don't bother registering because they don't want to waste the time on it, and feel as though they will receive additional spam?

Mostly the latter part. I don't register any software unless forced to. If a piece of software tries to force me to do so, I will first try to find workarounds or "fixes" for it to avoid online registration. And yes, thats for legally purchased software. My windows and various security software are the only programs from top of my head that are registered in order to receive regular updates.

[Leferd]

The only games I can recall registering are from BioWare.

 

I actually like participating in their surveys. Plus, it allows me to post in their forums unhindered, displays my avatar, and shows off my games list as if they were boy scout merit badges.

[Darque]

Money talks. Those things help them better advertise to you when they make a product that matches your tastes. Thats it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That's always been my thought on it.

[kalimeeri]

I register games that I really like. The ones I'd rather not admit to spending money on, not so much. As far as surveys go, I think that some companies are smart enough to realize the value of feedback, but surveys are usually too general to address specifics. If anything, the yes/no answers are fed into a database, and the freetext comments are pretty much discarded. Anyway, by the time I get to those, I just want to play the game already.

 

If a company really wants to know what people think or want, they're better off sifting through their forums for the constructive bits, even though it takes a thick hide and lots of time. Much depends on how the forum is run, though. If it's overrun by trolls, it's not worth it except for a good laugh.

[metadigital]

The only games I can recall registering are from BioWare.

 

I actually like participating in their surveys. Plus, it allows me to post in their forums unhindered, displays my avatar, and shows off my games list as if they were boy scout merit badges.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, that is a definite bonus and incentive.

 

I also register my hardware more and more often, now, too, just to get driver updates and access to better service. If I provide my personal details, then the manufacturer has a duty to provide me with service.

[Walsingham]

I generally answer most consumer surveys. I like the fact that my frankly bizarre tastes are therefore infecting their databases. If you ever see banana flavour peanut butter in the supermarket that's my fault.

[Bokishi]

Wait.. I registered the Sims 2. But EA makes you register if you want to download stuff.

[metadigital]

Wait ... you bought The Sims 2?