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General discussionEA done with Myanmar, user denied acces to Origin.(109 posts)(109 posts)
(109 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted October 30, 2016
Well the sanctions were only lifted on the 7th, that's less than a month ago, i.e. not that long.

I think they are blaming it on the embargo simply because someone at EA has been lazy or bad at their job.
We all know how annoying bureaucracy can be.

Funny, most of the replies are things like 'contact TotalBiscuit and Sterling', as if they can do anything but bark, ... stupid kids.
Also, this is something that only affects a small country that 99% of Americans have never heard of, so why should European and American Steam/Origin gamers give a crap about something that has no impact on their life.

I'd say give this some time and EA will have fixed it. I don't think a company like EA would ever turn money down, after all is it not EA's greed that has made some people really hate them in the first place ?!

This definitely shows the dangers of DRM platforms like Origin and Steam though. They can cut the access to "your" games whenever they want and there's nothing you can do about it. All your time and investment gone by the push of a button.

Ideally this incident should encourage more people to buy games DRM-free but we all know that will not happen.

People may complain about it for now but come the Steam/Origin Winter sale and everything will be forgotten and forgiven: even guard-dogs like TB and Sterling will happily continue playing Steam and Origin games, as if nothing happened.

People like you and me, who have a deeper set of principles, will remember crap like this.
Post edited October 30, 2016 by Ricky_Bobby
Posted October 30, 2016
Dammit I got ninjaed.
Posted October 30, 2016
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WildHobgoblin: Not only Myanmar, it seems.
"In compliance with US embargoes and sanctions laws, Origin is not available in Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Ukraine (Crimea region)."
source

Mhm, I don't really know a lot about this, but if that's an actual legal requirement, doesn't that mean Steam will have to oblige as well, but Gog doesn't, not falling under US jurisdiction?

Edit: Yeah, sorry, just realised that sanctions against Myanmar have recently been lifted. So, the whole argumentation seems pretty nonsensical.
I dont know what Valve would do in sanctions but they will probably eventually comply.

GOG isnt a US owned or run company, its Polish, so they are subject to only Polish laws and rules so unless Poland files similar sanctions with those countries (excluding Myanmar) nothing is going to change.
Posted October 30, 2016
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tfishell: I was going to question whether GOG was really much better with their regional blocking, but I guess the difference here is they aren't blocking anyone from Germany buying any games here.
That's not what's important, imo. The reason why GOG's region blocking isn't as bad is that it doesn't matter where you are once you have a (legitimately) bought copy in your games library and that it won't matter what country you have accessed your account from in the past or will access it from in the future. I think the worst thing about GOG's regional policies are that they sell two or three censored games in Australia and the Middle East (correct me if I got that wrong).
Posted October 30, 2016
Best of luck to the people in Myanmar affected by this. Just more proof that DRM-dependent services like Steam and Origin simply cannot be trusted with your money.

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Ricky_Bobby: Funny, most of the replies are things like 'contact TotalBiscuit and Sterling', as if they can do anything but bark
To be fair, there is some level of pressure they could exert through their audience/fanbase. But also simply getting the message out there among the broader gaming community that this is happening, is important enough.

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Ricky_Bobby: Also, this is something that only affects a small country that 99% of Americans have never heard of, so why should European and American Steam/Origin gamers give a crap about something that has no impact on their life.
The pessimist in me agrees, and a lot of people either will not care, or come up with some perverse rationalization that somehow the people in Myanmar, "deserved it".
Posted October 30, 2016
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tfishell: I was going to question whether GOG was really much better with their regional blocking, but I guess the difference here is they aren't blocking anyone from Germany buying any games here.
GOG's region locking of games in Germany is due to a "index" of games that are illegal to sell in germany, companies that fail to comply to this can end up in trouble. There are also laws that dictate content in germany, eg the censoring of content from half life and CNC generals being good examples.
Posted October 30, 2016
Well i'm unable to connect to http://www.gamestop.com since years . They blocked their website .
Post edited October 30, 2016 by Painted_Doll
Posted October 30, 2016
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Lord_Kane: I dont know what Valve would do in sanctions but they will probably eventually comply.

GOG isnt a US owned or run company, its Polish, so they are subject to only Polish laws and rules so unless Poland files similar sanctions with those countries (excluding Myanmar) nothing is going to change.
Well, that is not the puzzling thing (and again, I don't really know a lot about this, so, please correct me if I'm wrong).
But the complaints popping up have been posted fairly recently, and apparently people have been able to use EA's services in the past without problems...The actual sanctions have been in place for years so the reasoning here seems a bit flawed?

I might add, since the topic has turned towards indexed games and whatnot that Gog, although being seated in Poland, obviously falls under EU legislation and there are international laws in place for the trade of digital goods as well (hence Steam not selling indexed games to Germans either), so that good old argument of "why does Gog care, they are from Poland" truely doesn't hold up. I realise you did not state any such thing, I've just seen this posted on the Gog forums time and again and couldn't help pointing it out ;)
Posted October 30, 2016
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tfishell: I was going to question whether GOG was really much better with their regional blocking, but I guess the difference here is they aren't blocking anyone from Germany buying any games here.
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Lord_Kane: GOG's region locking of games in Germany is due to a "index" of games that are illegal to sell in germany, companies that fail to comply to this can end up in trouble.
Once again: That is not true. It's perfectly legal to sell these games in Germany. You are just not allowed to sell them to minors and to do advertising for these games. Introducing an optional age verification (and there are some that are in line with German laws) would solve the problem.
Posted October 30, 2016
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Ricky_Bobby: that only affects a small country
I didn't know a country bigger than England, France or Germany and 5 times more populated than Sweden is small.
Posted October 30, 2016
Maybe this will get people to understand that drm services are bad.... of course, a situation like this could happen to gog too but hopefully you've your games backed up.
Post edited October 30, 2016 by Tpiom
Posted October 30, 2016
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Lord_Kane: GOG's region locking of games in Germany is due to a "index" of games that are illegal to sell in germany, companies that fail to comply to this can end up in trouble.
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PaterAlf: Once again: That is not true. It's perfectly legal to sell these games in Germany. You are just not allowed to sell them to minors and to do advertising for these games. Introducing an optional age verification (and there are some that are in line with German laws) would solve the problem.
ah well there such conflicting information about these laws, one source says NO THEY CANNOT BE SOLD and then there are sources that state what you state, I wish the internet was more reliable with information.
Posted October 30, 2016
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Gonen32:
I hope Origin will be denied in all over the world some day

P.S. Seems that only GOG can be taken for granted... and some illegal DRM free websites of course
Posted October 30, 2016
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Lord_Kane: ah well there such conflicting information about these laws, one source says NO THEY CANNOT BE SOLD and then there are sources that state what you state
There are at least two lists. One is a list of banned items (treat them as hard drugs or automatic weapons), while the other is a list of indexed items (treat them as hardcore pornography). One list cannot be sold (unsure about owning it), the other cannot be sold or shown to minors (but you can keep it under the counter and sell it to a verified adult).
Posted October 30, 2016
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Lord_Kane: ah well there such conflicting information about these laws, one source says NO THEY CANNOT BE SOLD and then there are sources that state what you state
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JMich: There are at least two lists. One is a list of banned items (treat them as hard drugs or automatic weapons), while the other is a list of indexed items (treat them as hardcore pornography). One list cannot be sold (unsure about owning it), the other cannot be sold or shown to minors (but you can keep it under the counter and sell it to a verified adult).
AHHH THIS EXPLAINS IT. Thanks JMich
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This is my favourite topic
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General discussionEA done with Myanmar, user denied acces to Origin.(109 posts)(109 posts)
(109 posts)