Why cant you buy previous version of OOTP anymore?

[majesty95]

Like, they're literally all gone from the store and steam. Why are they hiding all previous versions and only allowing 25 to be purchased? Even EA has previous versions of their game available on the PSN store.

Some guys dont want to invest in the new game, especially if they're new, and dont want to buy the new game to "try it out". I think this is extremely poor business practice and not at all what they used to do.

I have 2 dozens guys wanting to start a league on OOTP 24, most of them new to the game that I recruited, and half of them cant get the game bc its unavailable anywhere. That's revenue, possible PT players... this is nuts.

[OutS|der]

Originally Posted by Lukas Berger

Come on folks.

We've always let people buy previous versions going years back through the whole history of OOTP.

This is simply due to licensing and approval issues now.

We cannot sell old versions any more, as much as we'd like to. It's out of our control.

From another thread. Licensing issue
As the new owners don't care about the game I doubt they will evervpay to have old versions buyable again
I think this game was bought in the 2020 Covid fog, or the team behind it are long gone, so the parent company cares only about the profit it brings in, otherwise it's quietly left forgotten

[majesty95]

Weird that The Show can sell prior versions with the same license but ok

[majesty95]

Originally Posted by OutS|der

From another thread. Licensing issue
As the new owners don't care about the game I doubt they will evervpay to have old versions buyable again
I think this game was bought in the 2020 Covid fog, or the team behind it are long gone, so the parent company cares only about the profit it brings in, otherwise it's quietly left forgotten

It appears that was a lie

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/....php?p=4909008

[TheChief]

You can purchase steam keys for older versions from 3rd party sites.

[RonCey10]

Which 3rd party sites sell the old OOTP games?

[OutS|der]

Originally Posted by TheChief

You can purchase steam keys for older versions from 3rd party sites.

So ilegal keys that have been hacked or stolen. I wouldn't suggest anyone do this

[Syd Thrift]

Originally Posted by OutS|der

From another thread. Licensing issue
As the new owners don't care about the game I doubt they will evervpay to have old versions buyable again
I think this game was bought in the 2020 Covid fog, or the team behind it are long gone, so the parent company cares only about the profit it brings in, otherwise it's quietly left forgotten

Have you ever been able to purchase previous versions like that? Because my memory is that no, once the new one comes out the old one is no longer for sale, going back to like OOTP5.

[hfield007]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Have you ever been able to purchase previous versions like that? Because my memory is that no, once the new one comes out the old one is no longer for sale, going back to like OOTP5.

you definitely used to be able to buy the previous year at the very least years ago i recall if you clicked into the shop here online.

[Syd Thrift]

Originally Posted by hfield007

you definitely used to be able to buy the previous year at the very least years ago i recall if you clicked into the shop here online.

I very specifically remember they left previous versions up because, as is still the case today, if you wanted to bring a save up from a previous version you had to convert it each year to the next. It might have been possible to buy them in the past that way although I don’t remember that this was ever a publicized thing and I’m around 99% positive it was no longer an option by like version 15, let alone the buyout.

[majesty95]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

I very specifically remember they left previous versions up because, as is still the case today, if you wanted to bring a save up from a previous version you had to convert it each year to the next. It might have been possible to buy them in the past that way although I don’t remember that this was ever a publicized thing and I’m around 99% positive it was no longer an option by like version 15, let alone the buyout.

You’re incorrect. I ran a league for 3 years up through OOTP 23 and we didn’t change to the new game until the all star break when the new version went on sale. A lot of leagues do this. We’ve had guys buy previous versions all the time. Lukas even said in the quoted posted above they did it. He just lied and said it was a licensing issue when it’s obviously PT related.

Sell out to a big company and the “right” thing to do for the consumers slips further and further away…

[BaseballReplayJournal]

Back in 2021 or 2022, I was able to buy a few older versions of OOTP from Steam. I was messing around with the old Spritze database back then, and thought it might work better in older versions of the game. Sadly, it didn't.

Anyway, it was certainly possible back then to buy earlier versions of OOTP.

It's not all that unusual for companies to only sell the most recent versions of games like this. Football Manager is the same way. It doesn't necessarily mean that the company no longer cares about the community or the product.

[ZepTepi]

It is curious that OOTP Deleopments FHM games versions 4 through 10 are all available on Steam.

Zep

[Marinersfan51]

For versions prior to 24, it is a licensing issue relating to the Japanese league that has since been removed from the game. I strongly recommend the Project Isekai no Yakyu for anyone looking to add a Japanese league to their game.

I don't see how it could be a licensing issue that would lead to 24 being pulled from sale though.

[LacSlyer]

Originally Posted by majesty95

Weird that The Show can sell prior versions with the same license but ok

A quick google search indicates *** hasn't been in The Show for at least 6 years now (if it has at all), proven by multiple people on reddit providing custom league setups to mimic the league and an article for MLB The Show 22 suggesting they expand to international teams because of Ohtani's popularity. I don't know personally as I don't play it.



Maybe next time instead of being so desperate to claim the developer is lying you at least make sure you know what you're talking about.



On topic:
Older versions of the game were gradually taken off the store as newer ones came out. Generally games that were 4-5 years old were removed from Steam. OOTP 18 was removed in July '22, 19 was removed in Jan '23.


Everything OOTP 20 and newer was still on the store as of yesterday.


Source: Steam price tracking sites so accuracy may vary.

[Mike D]

Originally Posted by LacSlyer

Maybe next time instead of being so desperate to claim the developer is lying you at least make sure you know what you're talking about.



On topic:
Older versions of the game were gradually taken off the store as newer ones came out. Generally games that were 4-5 years old were removed from Steam. OOTP 18 was removed in July '22, 19 was removed in Jan '23.


Everything OOTP 20 and newer was still on the store as of yesterday.


Source: Steam price tracking sites so accuracy may vary.

Your snide remark is pretty ironic as OOTP 25 is literally the only game you can purchase on Steam.

Source: My own eyes

[LacSlyer]

Originally Posted by Mike D

Your snide remark is pretty ironic as OOTP 25 is literally the only game you can purchase on Steam.

Source: My own eyes

Good job editing my quote to take my remarks toward him completely out of context. That remark was toward the fact that he claimed license issues don't keep MLB The Show from selling old versions of their games while those games never had the license in question...

[Mike D]

Originally Posted by LacSlyer

Good job editing my quote to take my remarks toward him completely out of context. That remark was toward the fact that he claimed license issues don't keep MLB The Show from selling old versions of their games while those games never had the license in question...

They’re not out of context. You said he stated a wrong fact. You also stated a wrong fact. Seems the shoe is now on the other table.

[OutS|der]

Not sure why you're still arguing over this.
As I posted the quote from the devs it's a license issue.

A few years ago they changed licensing companies so they lost access to the old versions without paying extra for them and new company won't or can't be bothered to pay so no older versions.
This is likely why we loose access to the previous version is they are to cheap to pay for continuous support

Pointing out thar other companies can sell older versions is stupid and pointless. The only issue is why OOTP doesn't. Everything else is pointless

[Marinersfan51]

Originally Posted by OutS|der

Not sure why you're still arguing over this.
As I posted the quote from the devs it's a license issue.

A few years ago they changed licensing companies so they lost access to the old versions without paying extra for them and new company won't or can't be bothered to pay so no older versions.
This is likely why we loose access to the previous version is they are to cheap to pay for continuous support

Pointing out thar other companies can sell older versions is stupid and pointless. The only issue is why OOTP doesn't. Everything else is pointless

You don't seem to understand what the licensing issue is. Konami holds an exclusive license to the Japanese leagues. That means OOTP can't sell games that include those leagues (version 23 and earlier). It isn't a matter of being too cheap to pay for the license, it simply is not for sale unless they are going to outbid Konami whenever the current licensing agreement expires, which simply is not feasible. Other licenses, like the MLB and KBO licenses were non-exclusive, so OOTP was able to license those leagues once they got big enough the leagues noticed. But the exclusive license means that isn't an option for the Japanese leagues, just like there are no other games outside the Madden franchise with a NFL license.

However, that doesn't explain why OOTP 24 is no longer available for sale (either from Steam or OOTP directly) as it does not include the Japanese leagues and shouldn't fall afoul of any licensing issues unless the MLB or KBO licenses switched to only being usable for a single year which seems unlikely given that isn't how OOTP operated in the past or how any other licensed sports games seem to operate (including FHM).