EULAs and why they need to change.

EULAs are everywhere in gaming. Most PC games will have them attached, a lot of other games don't show them as well but are contained in the booklets or PDF's you get with the game.

Sufficed to say, if you game you deal with them. However, often enough people (I include myself in this) will not read them. Even though they essentially dictate what you can and can't do with your games (A concept they seek to remove at all times I should add) stuff like making multiple copies of your games (such as you do with your normal computer) could be restricted to one copy or even no copies.

Indeed, consoles won't even get this feature as if you break the disc, you have to buy a new one or hope the arcane processes of disk scratch repair help in some way.

So they are restrictive, but what else is new you may ask? Haven't they always been like this and when has that ever stopped anyone from doing what they want with their games, and yes, they haven't ever really stopped anyone from doing what they want with their games (and this is if they read it at all), however the fact that it restricts you in such massive ways isn't the issue I currently have with EULA.

My issue is when they sneak in things that people won't read, that limit what they can do if there is a issue. If you think back to the PS3 hack scandal, after it was over a little announced clause was put into the EULA without it being highlighted in any significant way (In itself something to get annoyed about, because they can change it at any time, add anything to it and you either accept or don't use their games or software.) it was a clause stating that by agreeing to this document and regaining PSN access, you forfeit the right to sue sony for losing your data.

Sony aren't alone in this regard EA (Prompted by nothing but seeking more protection from customers) also added this clause to their agreements, while the sony one is unfortunate (at least they went some way to make the situation better with free games, free PSN+ and other goodies which really don't make up for losing that data) EA had no prompt to put this in at all.

EA has also added clauses in their Origin agreement that allow them to place spyware on your computer, search it, mine it and if it breaks because of their interference, then you are screwed because they have another clause which states they aren't responsible for the damage their software causes your computer (even when it's spyware).

Hell, even microsoft is in on it, there are some software packages that prevent you from being able to benchmark their software so that people can compare it with other brands, while allowing them to release "benchmarks". They are essentially saying that you can't use evidence to back up your opinions on the quality of certain software.

So yeah, I highlighted 3 reasons above why EULAs need to change, and the companies spoken upon are not singularly guilty in perusing this stripping away of your rights for less and less usability. Even steam (may god forgive me for what I speak of) have added a clause that forces you into arbitration if you wish to sue them, that class action suits are forbidden if you accepted the last TOS and EULA update.

One last thing before I finish, a company out there updated it's EULA on a new piece of software adding in something that said "If you message this email address first, by actually reading through this whole thing, then you get 1000 pounds"........... it took four months for someone to claim the prize.

If you feel the issue is one worth pursing, I advise you to spread the word around however you can, and comment upon this thread http://www.holdtheline.com/threads/initiative-proposal-user-agreements.2803/