I’m Sitting Here, Fuming About Capcom

The more I think about it, and you’ll have to excuse my rather personal rant here, the more this whole Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D issue really gets my goat.  On a number of levels too – it’s not just the fact that Capcom seemed to think that removing the ability to reset the game was an OK thing to do, but more that they’re flat out refusing to say why it was done.

Apart from saying it wasn’t to do with trying to cut down on second hand copies of the game.  Which, in my humble, personal opinion, is tosh.  It’s literally the only reason I can possibly think of – there’s no technical reason within my comprehension that suggests there’s a reason why a few bytes of data can’t be overwritten at will (it’s been like that since, well, Zelda on the NES if my memory serves me correctly) so what else can it be?

[drop2]And for anyone that thinks second hand sales won’t be affected – have a look at the Japanese resale value: about four quid.  And the UK selling price?  A staggering RRP of £40.  Yes, really.

The fact is, nobody wants to take home a pre-owned copy of a game and be forced to stare at someone else’s save game.  Sure, it’s not like Mercenaries is a fully fledged Resident Evil game – cynics might suggest it’s an expanded mini game with an exciting demo of another game thrown in – but even for a score-based game it’s hardly enticing to know that you’ll be using someone else’s scores.

And then there’s the matter of Nintendo letting this one pass, too – it might well have been Capcom’s decision but there’s a cartridge manufacturer (and in some territories) a publisher at fault too.  When your game has a big bold ‘controversy’ section on its wiki page (and little else) it’s clear there’s an issue here.

And no, I’m not being stingy.  I’ve only played the game briefly and haven’t read many reviews so don’t know whether it’s worth the full asking price yet, but this was something I was planning to pick up in a couple of weeks second hand whilst Zelda’s still taking up most of my 3DS time.  Not any longer, this whole situation has put me right off the game and I’m hardly alone here.

Am I over-reacting?  That’s up to you to decide, of course.  But I don’t want to run the risk of having to play the game with all the guns, perks and costumes already unlocked – doing so is part of the appeal of something like this.  And there’s only one save slot too – which means my family can’t play through the game separately either.

So, no, I don’t think I am over-reacting.  Instead, I’m voting with my wallet.  And of course, just to really stir things up, there’s always the iPhone version for 59p…

This is a personal blog and may not represent the views of TheSixthAxis.

59 Comments

  1. You’re completely right, not being able to start again is an absolute joke.

    • Agreed, it’s becoming a farce now.

  2. Yuck.
    I wasn’t impressed at what I always thought as a mini-game getting a full release in the first place, but this?
    I think I will join you in sitting ‘here’ fuming about capcom.

  3. Mr capcom was walking down the street chewing his favourite gum. Then, mr capcom put the piece of chewing gum behind his ear. However, mr capcom has now forgotten about the piece of chewing gum. mr capcom then wonders where his chewing gum is. He now has to buy more of the same chewing gum just to enjoy that same flavour. Thats some expensive chewing gum.

    • What?

    • Yeahhhhh, right… What you going on about?

    • I think it’s ‘supposed’ to be a metaphor about treating customers with respect & apparently that makes us ‘gum’?

      Not really too sure how it relates to this story either, as it isn’t like this is a decision based upon the fact that they have forgotten that we (the ‘gum’ apparently) are still here – They are perfectly aware that we are still here, it’s just that they have made a bizarre design choice that no-one wants or understands & they aren’t explaining the point of why they have done it.

      If we are going with the ‘gum’ scenario it’s actually more like they spat us into some dog poo & put us back in their mouth & expected us to not be sour.

      But my suggestion would be to forget the gum thing entirely!

    • Cocaine is a helluva drug!

  4. Nofi do you honestly think Capcom care that you’re not going to buy the game used anymore. As far as they are concerned as they won’t be getting any money from you either way. In fact if you’re not buying the game new they prob prefer you don’t play it at all. Makes perfect sense to me.

    • Hey, technically you’re right! :D

    • “this was something I was planning to pick up in a couple of weeks second hand”

      Tickled me this comment.

    • They should care. Less buyers for the used game lowers the resell value. If someone is thinking about buying the game new playing it and then selling when they’re done they may go for another game, that has a higher resale value.
      Attacking the second hand market will mean hurting the first hand market in the process, no way around it.

  5. It is rather stupid and really not the type of publicity the 3DS needs after it’s luke warm start. I know people who were waiting for RE:M to get the console but are now doubting whether to bother.

  6. Just read that Super Monkey Ball has the same issue. Bonkers.

    • So not just Capcom then, Sega too. I wonder how much a part Nintendo is playing in all this.. this bites for 3DS owners and hope this nonsense doesn’t spread to other consoles.

      • It can’t spread to other consoles, as a save file isn’t saved on the disc/cartridge on other consoles.

      • It might spread to the Vita though.
        Not every game, but the big ones? It’s very possible.

      • Yep, the Vita, but also they might come up with some similar system for future home consoles.

  7. I agree, it’s a ridiculously transparent attack on the pre-owned market. I hope sales suffer accordingly to dissuade other companies from adopting this tactic.

  8. clever move…… the bastards.

  9. Don’t really care about this, as not particularly a fan of the second hand game industry anyway. I think it’s totally fair for companies to do everything they can to ensure customers buy their products new.

    • Also, how much are you really gonna save buying it second hand from highstreet arseholes, over getting it brand new from an Internet store?

      Usually only about a fiver, and if everyone loves the games industry so much, and hates piracy, etc.. why not ensure the games companies actually get some money, rather than middlemen like Game and Gamestation.

      • Big can of worms you’re opening here on this site with this comment!

      • Oops! Don’t mean to do that! Just don’t really understand why people who are serious about games (like the majority of people on here), support the second hand market. Just doesn’t make sense to me, especially when you are talking about a difference of a few quid. To me it’s clear that high street stores exploit gamers and the games industry.

      • for me personally the preowned market is about buying games you missed last year or the year before that and also being able to buy games and pay rent is important ;)

        but contrary to that would be online shopping where you can buy new games for under a £10

        but regarding the article above i feel that it is disgusting to punish those who buy preowned both now and in years to come (CGR is going to run out of games to play from this gen) instead of rewarding those that buy new

      • For some of us it isn’t about the money, but about principles.

        I hate any attempt, by any industry, to reduce the rights and possibilities the customers have to do whatever they want with their property.

        I hate how the game publishers somehow thinks it’s ok, and a good idea, to give us paying customers an inferior product to what the “pirates” are getting. All in the name of a futile attempt at delaying the arrival of a pirated version.

        I hate how they will attempt anything to extract some extra cash out of their customers, while concealing it so it doesn’t show up on the initial price tag. And I hope all such attempt backfire into lost sales and less profit for the greedy tards.

        And all this time it doesn’t affect me, because I don’t buy and sell used games. But I can tell you that if their greed is allowed to continue unchecked they will eventually get to us, and try to get at our money.
        (“An extra save slot so you and your brother can both play the single player campaign? That’ll be 10£ please”. “Reset the save game so you can play through from the start again? That’ll be 5£”. “The patch that improves streaming and cuts loading times between levels by 50 seconds? That’s on sale today, only 15£”)

    • To be honest if it was actually a good game and of course favorite franchises such as Gundam,Dragonball, Yakuza ,POP: Elika, Armored Core, Monster Hunter etc, etc etc. its new for me. The rest is just a waiting stage until its fallen to £24.99, its up to the overlords at the publishing worlds if they want to release a shit game.

      Just no need to have evil depressing DRM stuff in a game. I would stop supporting Capcom if they did anything to cash-in on Monster Hunter. Eh like locking a save? “wtf a guys haz my hunter!!!” thats like if I ever buy a new copy Monhan Portable 3rd 3DS. (< What if)

      So Pre-owned is great you can save? take advantage of good deals. Why lock a few features? they just need build a everlasting game that provide entertainment for months.

    • I always buy new…

  10. Weird move by them…..

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