A new version of FINAL FANTASY VII is on the way. Current version owners will retain access to the 2013 Edition and will be eligible to obtain the new version at no extra cost.
Square is not obliged to give a free copy to all owners of the original game. Even if the game is no longer for sale.
But what if the game was an update instead? The law does not cover this situation. Then owner of the original game could no longer access it, and only get the new version. In example Counter Strike: Global Offensive was replaced by Counter Strike 2. To me having both versions accessible (Rockstar did that with GTA 5 too) is ideal.
But what if the game was an update instead? The law does not cover this situation. Then owner of the original game could no longer access it, and only get the new version.
On Steam you can pick your version of choice among the various update.
If it’s some sort of forced update in which the game is made to not work with previous versions (it require special DRM or online activation by the third party): that’s more another issue (planned obsolescence) that’s being addressed with the Stop Killing Games campaign.
Usually you can’t pick older versions of the game. There are cases when developers leave an older build of the game available in the Experimental tab. But that is not always the case and the developer or publisher does not have to do it. It’s not required.
Square is not obliged to give a free copy to all owners of the original game. Even if the game is no longer for sale.
But what if the game was an update instead? The law does not cover this situation. Then owner of the original game could no longer access it, and only get the new version. In example Counter Strike: Global Offensive was replaced by Counter Strike 2. To me having both versions accessible (Rockstar did that with GTA 5 too) is ideal.
On Steam you can pick your version of choice among the various update.
If it’s some sort of forced update in which the game is made to not work with previous versions (it require special DRM or online activation by the third party): that’s more another issue (planned obsolescence) that’s being addressed with the Stop Killing Games campaign.
Usually you can’t pick older versions of the game. There are cases when developers leave an older build of the game available in the Experimental tab. But that is not always the case and the developer or publisher does not have to do it. It’s not required.