Someone before you has said something along the same lines.
http://forum.gaijinent.com/index.php?/topic/18392-no-license-and-how-it-hurts-the-community/
Convoy here has stated the issues of this issue rather eloquently, but I feel I might as well add my own two cents into this situation.
(After all, I certainly can’t use them to pay for the right to play with friends in this game!)
A license method in order to play this game with friends seems entirely counterintuitive. This game is in beta, and as such should not be attempting to deploy any form of real money transactions whatsoever. Why you ask? Allow me to define to you the term of Beta by the gaming community, as well as developers seen here- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle
Beta
Beta, named after the second letter of the Greek alphabet, is the software development phase following alpha. It generally begins when the software is feature complete. Software in the beta phase will generally have many more bugs in it than completed software, as well as speed/performance issues and may still cause crashes or data loss. The focus of beta testing is reducing impacts to users, often incorporating usability testing. The process of delivering a beta version to the users is called beta release and this is typically the first time that the software is available outside of the organization that developed it.
The users of a beta version are called beta testers. They are usually customers or prospective customers of the organization that develops the software, willing to test the software without charge, often receiving the final software free of charge or for a reduced price. Beta version software is often useful for demonstrations and previews within an organization and to prospective customers. Some developers refer to this stage as a preview , prototype , technical preview ( TP ), or early access. Some software is kept in perpetual beta—where new features and functionality are continually added to the software without establishing a firm “final” release.
This is brought to you from Wikipedia.
At no point does it say that the game has come out in any form as a finished product.
Furthermore, it clearly states (Underlined and bolded for clear definition) that these unfinished products are usually tested by customers of said organization without charge.
Without charge.
I ask you- Does it sound to you that being forced to buy a license in order to play with friends on an unfinished product is in any form a “Beta” production?
Does it sound as though this product is aware of what the technical definition of “Beta” is?
I say no. I say that the product, and the company who are developing it, need to take a good hard look at what they’re doing to potential customers, and realize the inherent dangers of what they’ve done. This isn’t even considering the fact that the game hasn’t come out yet, either.
This is considering the simple fact that they are inhibiting their potential customers from even experiencing the full game without shelling out cash.
I am not certain about those of you who have pondered this, but I too will be uninstalling the game, and bringing this to the attention of others. I do not like shoddy business practices for a product which isn’t even finished. And the worst thing about this…Is that I would have gladly invested in this game. They have the potential, they have the designs and potential.
But this corporate greed and bad business move is just unethical. It’s wrong, and shame on them for even attempting it.