Update: Nokia has apparently changed its mind and says it will allow users to transfer their games to their new devices. That’s nice of them, well done Nokia.
I do have to take issue with their statement, though 
We have noticed a number of media stories about N-Gage game transfers and wanted to clarify the issue. Due to copy protection, N-Gage games, like most mobile games, are linked to one device. As the value of content increases, a robust copy protection mechanism is essential as it makes it possible for the games industry to invest in N-Gage content.
1 - how is the value of content increasing? or are they confusing value with price?
2 - copy protection doesn’t “make it possible” for game publishers to make games. Not hardly.
(end update, original story below:)
Nokia relaunched its N-Gage brand recently with a lot of fanfare, trying to move past the poisoned image of sidetalking and tacos and recast it as a fully clued-up, super-cool 21st-century online mobile gaming service. The new games are pretty cool (FIFA on my N82 is great IMO), and the online features of the N-Gage Arena are a nice touch as well.
So all’s well, right? Wrong.
All those great N-Gage games people are buying at 10 euros a pop are locked to a single device. Buy a bunch of games, then get a new phone? Get ready to shell out again. As the All About N-Gage crew points out, Nokia’s Music Store will let you move tracks you purchase from them to a new device — but not with N-Gage games. That seems pretty seriously misguided, especially considering heavy N-Gage users (aka Its Best Customers) are probably also the most likely to upgrade their handsets frequently.
The AAN crew also point out a couple of ways Nokia could get around this, which you’d imagine should be a little straightforward since it’s, you know, an online service and all. I’d add another: just don’t bother with the DRM, since it’s really not likely to do anything for the business in the long run. Furthermore, why are we still having to deal with crap like this? Check out this comment from back in 2005 by MH reader Ian Wood, bemoaning the fact that by extending his contract and upgrading his phone, he’d have to re-purchase all the content on his old phone he wanted to keep using.
The net result of that sort of thing, and this N-Gage stupidity? People will be discouraged from buying N-Gage content, and from upgrading their phone once they buy content. How does that help Nokia’s business?
Back in 2005, I met with some people from the Open Mobile Alliance and talked about DRM, and they really tried to push the message that DRM wasn’t about copy protection, it was about “enabling” new business models. The fact remains that the only business model DRM enables is forcing legitimate customers to pay for the same content over and over again.
So, great work, Nokia. I’d been thinking of buying the full version of FIFA on my N82 because the demo was so great — but now, not a chance. So while you’re sitting around justifying stupid copy protection and DRM schemes because of how much money you’ll “lose” to piracy, why not consider how much you’re losing because of your DRM?
Doing completely without DRM is not a realistic option for Nokia, because third party game publishers will insist on DRM, and all gaming platforms need third party support.
On the other hand, I don’t personally think DRM is actually needed that much because N-Gage games are so cheap and easy to download straight onto the phone over the phone network, with the price going on your phone bill. People can buy them on impulse, because there’s a minimum barrier to purchase: a few clicks and the game is yours, wherever you are, you don’t even need a credit card.
BUT… I’m not a third party publisher, and they are generally big fans of DRM, so I don’t think Nokia has a choice in the matter.
However, there’s DRM and there’s DRM: some forms are less restrictive than others. N-Gage games might be tied to one phone at a time, but there’s no reason why they couldn’t be moved from one phone to another when the user upgrades. The current situation of one phone forever is daft.
[...] an N-Gage game will limit it to only working on one handset. Read the reactions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. var disqus_url = [...]
[...] Courtesy of MobHappy by Carlo Longino (Source) [...]
I dont think the problem is the DRM system, it isn’t the DRM technology itself who applies such limitation like locking content to a single device. Further can your content rights easily be transferred to a new or second device, the DRM technology was made for that as well. I agree that those applied limitations render the service itself more or less useless but the technology can’t be blamed for that, here are more the business cases of that company starting with N limiting a take off.
Personally, limiting purchases to one handset has always put me off paying more than a couple of pounds for a game. I agree with AAN that the contrast between N-Gage and Music Store is extremely frustrating, and must be a barrier to sales, both of phones and content.
However, here may be light at the end of the tunnel - ironically from elsewhere within Nokia. Their site MOSH has recently launched hundreds of free, ad-funded games - including some from mobile game developers that I (as a very casual consumer) recognise immediately. Now this is clearly at a very early stage, some of the games don’t work properly on my n95, some are old and frankly rubbish, but I downloaded 6 or 7 last night, will play them all at least a couple of times and be exposed to the ads at the start and end of the application.
Obviously, this model all depends on the ad-revenue that can be gained - but surely this is a better idea than the old-world economics of DRM and locked content?
P.S. - Just re-read my comments and realised it sounds like a big ad for MOSH. It’s not - DRM just drives me crazy!!