Galactic Civilizations creator and Impulse digital distributor Stardock unveiled a pc-centric "Gamers' Bill of Rights".
"It's a series of guidelines we're trying to introduce in an effort to get our industry to be a little more standardized in how we deal with our games", Stardock's Brad Wardell explained.
Stardock is a new studio that co-developed Sins Of A Solar Empire and is currently partnering with Gas Powered Games on the upcoming Demigod.
The Gamers' Bill of Rights reads as follows:
1) Gamers shall have the right to return games that don't work with their computers for a full refund.
2) Gamers shall have the right to demand that games be released in a finished state.
3) Gamers shall have the right to expect meaningful updates after a game's release.
4) Gamers shall have the right to demand that download managers and updaters not force themselves to run or be forced to load in order to play a game.
5) Gamers shall have the right to expect that the minimum requirements for a game will mean that the game will play adequately on that computer.
6) Gamers shall have the right to expect that games won't install hidden drivers or other potentially harmful software without their consent.
7) Gamers shall have the right to re-download the latest versions of the games they own at any time.
8) Gamers shall have the right to not be treated as potential criminals by developers or publishers.
9) Gamers shall have the right to demand that a single-player game not force them to be connected to the Internet every time they wish to play.
10) Gamers shall have the right that games which are installed to the hard drive shall not require a CD/DVD to remain in the drive to play.
Wardell is working on setting up an ESRB-type agency that would certify games adherence to the Gamers' Bill of Rights and he hopes that gamers won't buy games that doesn't carry the Gamers' Bill of Rights logo. The agency will be independent and won't be controlled by Stardock.
