Open Letter on Call of Duty Demo

Dennis S. · 08-28-2003, 10:36 PM

As all of you, our readers might know, Activision has decided to give an exclusive demo of Call of Duty of unlimited duration to FILEPLANET. As a result a consensus was reached among most independent media outlets not to post the demo completely, even after the exclusive duration passes. Here's the full text.

Quote:

After discussions with Activision, the following websites
will not be carrying the Call of Duty playable demo, even after its
exclusivity is over.Â* This is due to Activision's decision to not
accede to the reasonable request of making demo freely available to
all game enthusiasts at the same time.

3D Downloads
3D Gamers
Blue's News
FileFront
FileShack
Gamer's Hell
Tiscali Games
WorthPlaying

The above-listed websites hope to show Activision that the enthusiast
industry is strongly opposed to the idea of exclusive demo releases.

Feedback from our users shows that gamers hate to be forced through
a single point of congestion if they want a demo right away.Â* While
these websites are actually competitors, this competition provides
the freedom of choice that enthusiasts want by offering the widest
possible distribution of any demo (a sample intended to interest as
many gamers as possible in the full product, after all) rather than
the most restricted one.

Therefore, something this disrespectful of the industry as a whole has
inspired all of these websites to stand together in this open letter.

Deals like this hurt the industry much more than they could possibly
enhance a single relationship, and we ask for your support in sending
out this message.

Feel free to voice your opinion on this matter in this thread.

swebarb · 08-28-2003, 10:36 PM

So if i understand correct, none of the sites including GH of course can never be allowed to host that demo or what ?

I dont understand activision, i always thoght that the more people can try a game the better.

Damn activion can burn in hell for this, all of them

hiv · 08-28-2003, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by swebarb@Aug 28 2003, 10:36 PM
So if i understand correct, none of the sites including GH of course can never be allowed to host that demo or what ?

I dont understand activision, i always thoght that the more people can try a game the better.

Damn activion can burn in hell for this, all of them

we could host it one week later than Exclusive website, as this is going on and on, we said NO.

John D. · 08-28-2003, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by swebarb@Aug 28 2003, 10:36 PM
So if i understand correct, none of the sites including GH of course can never be allowed to host that demo or what ?

I dont understand activision, i always thoght that the more people can try a game the better.

Damn activion can burn in hell for this, all of them

Not really... we would probably had the demo 1 or 2 weeks after fileplanet, or maybe more than that since Activision refused to tell us the length of this 'exclusivity'. As a result, and after several discussions with the other sites listed, we've decided to simply skip this demo, even after exclusivity is over...

Soultrape · 08-28-2003, 10:50 PM

Its quite troubling that the common gamers, internet communities and people wanting to check out new demo's, have to Pay for it...

Go figure... Its one thing to have a subscription to a website that offers more services and insight, but this is a tiny bit off course...

my 2 cents

expect alot of hardware reviews in the near future

Dennis S. · 08-28-2003, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by John D.@Aug 28 2003, 05:47 PM
As a result, and after several discussions with the other sites listed, we've decided to simply skip this demo, even after exclusivity is over...

Little correction: all future demos as well. COD demos simply don't exist for us now, unless all sites listed in the open letter will unanimously decide to revert the decision.

molle · 08-28-2003, 11:00 PM

im with you guys all the way, this is the first real step towards this exclusive bullshit.
i hope the demo exclusive crap can stop some day :nxs:
go gh and the rest!

Bucky · 08-28-2003, 11:20 PM

/me stands and applauds.

Jester *WOH* · 08-28-2003, 11:24 PM

Activision has been around for many years. The WWII gaming market has been flooded to all hell, lately, and they should know that "Call of Duty" needs as much publicity as it can get. People are going to think this is just another WWII game. Voicing my opinion, and exersicing my freedom of speach, I'd like to say that I think FIleplanet, or the Gamespy network, payed Activision to keep the "Call of Duty" demo exclusive to the Gamespy network. Further more, I respect GH's desicion not to host COD Demos. I think it's a very good move in this industry. Get aggressive and people respect you for getting the job done. :thumbup:

As for Activision. I doubt anyone from Activision will read this, but I'm going to address the company directly. The desiscion you made is probably the worst in your entire existance... Aside from the Nightmare on Elmstreet video games you developed for the Nintendo... I own MOHAA. It's a great game. The internet play is very good. I'm sure COD will be a good game, too. But I WILL NOT wait three hours in line on Fileplanet servers (because they're money grubbing bastards), just to download a one or two level demo with two weapons. I'm sure the Demo will be large. Let's say 800 to 1000 megs. That's about an hour and a half to two hours going 150KB/sec.

In conclusion, I will end this with a question.... Would and of you wait four to five hours for this demo? I wouldnt.

Sorry, No COD,
Jester

johnadaniels · 08-28-2003, 11:25 PM

Way to go guys! I am with you all the way :thumbup: Activision can keep the demo

By the way, I will not be buying the Call of Duty game.

08-28-2003, 10:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
swebarb is on the 2nd circle: Lust Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Sweden Posts: 183 Hellbux: 4,200	So if i understand correct, none of the sites including GH of course can never be allowed to host that demo or what ? I dont understand activision, i always thoght that the more people can try a game the better. Damn activion can burn in hell for this, all of them __________________ "Now you see the difference between us!"

08-28-2003, 11:20 PM	#8 (permalink)
Bucky Gamershell Grandpa Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA Posts: 5,677 Hellbux: 94,909	/me stands and applauds. __________________ Papajoe r0ckz3rz!!

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08-28-2003, 10:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
Soultrape is on the 2nd circle: Lust Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 204 Hellbux: 5,081	Its quite troubling that the common gamers, internet communities and people wanting to check out new demo's, have to Pay for it... Go figure... Its one thing to have a subscription to a website that offers more services and insight, but this is a tiny bit off course... my 2 cents expect alot of hardware reviews in the near future

08-28-2003, 11:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
molle is on the 4th circle: Avarice & Prodigality Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 655 Hellbux: 9,995	im with you guys all the way, this is the first real step towards this exclusive bullshit. i hope the demo exclusive crap can stop some day :nxs: go gh and the rest!

08-28-2003, 11:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jester WOH is on the 1st circle: Limbo Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 16 Hellbux: 700	Activision has been around for many years. The WWII gaming market has been flooded to all hell, lately, and they should know that "Call of Duty" needs as much publicity as it can get. People are going to think this is just another WWII game. Voicing my opinion, and exersicing my freedom of speach, I'd like to say that I think FIleplanet, or the Gamespy network, payed Activision to keep the "Call of Duty" demo exclusive to the Gamespy network. Further more, I respect GH's desicion not to host COD Demos. I think it's a very good move in this industry. Get aggressive and people respect you for getting the job done. :thumbup: As for Activision. I doubt anyone from Activision will read this, but I'm going to address the company directly. The desiscion you made is probably the worst in your entire existance... Aside from the Nightmare on Elmstreet video games you developed for the Nintendo... I own MOHAA. It's a great game. The internet play is very good. I'm sure COD will be a good game, too. But I WILL NOT wait three hours in line on Fileplanet servers (because they're money grubbing bastards), just to download a one or two level demo with two weapons. I'm sure the Demo will be large. Let's say 800 to 1000 megs. That's about an hour and a half to two hours going 150KB/sec. In conclusion, I will end this with a question.... Would and of you wait four to five hours for this demo? I wouldnt. Sorry, No COD, Jester

08-28-2003, 11:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
johnadaniels is on the 1st circle: Limbo Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 2 Hellbux: 445	Way to go guys! I am with you all the way :thumbup: Activision can keep the demo By the way, I will not be buying the Call of Duty game.