How do you feel about the fight against Used Sales?

[The Madman]

Doesn't effect me in the least as a PC gamer. We lost used game sales years and years ago thanks to DRM and the threat of piracy. Thankfully other means of sale stepped up to replace used games; online sales and distributors mainly. I just worry that the same wont happen to consoles.

 

[veloper]

If this is a "fight" then the game publishers are winning.
They already won the fight in PC land and now they're winning in console land. That's just it.

 

[Fappy]

I just hate the idea of not being able to do what I want with a product I own. I should have the ability to resell it once I am done with it. The law is on my side in that regard.

Its a shame really. All I want is to buy a disk and stick it in an electronic box, anyone's box as long as it is a compatible box, and have the damn thing play without having to jump through any hoops. If this is no longer an option in the next-gen I won't be part of it.

I'll invest more in maintaining my PC and I will never look back.

 

[Seishisha]

I dont think i've ever realy cared about who gets the money for the product, i say this in a general way, honestly i dont buy games or movies or whatever because i want to support the people who made it happen, i buy them because i want to play the game, as for used sales this is somthing that in my youth i admit i did buy just to save a few pounds at a time because it was a straight up saving and i didnt have a huge amount of money.
Any purchase i get now i buy it new but i still dont realy care who gets the money, amazon, steam, or a brick and mortar retailer i'll genraly go with what is cheapest. The last console i bought games for was the nintendo gamecube and i think out of all the games i have on it one of them was used, or atleast not sold as new because it was originaly part of a limited bundle, i dont think i've ever traded a old game into a store either.
Being now a PC gamer and not touching a console in many years i can honestly say used sales don't affect me since most modern pc games have an activation code or whatever anyway.
From a theoretical standpoint, now that im older and have my own money if for example i did buy into a console and games for it, i'd still buy them where ever i could it cheaper but i wouldnt buy them used, i guess i just have a prefence unused products.

So as for the "fight" against used sales as the OP called it, i dont realy feel strongly in either direction but i guess hypotheticaly, if the industry reached a point of 'used games sales or new only' i'd be more likly to agree with new only, because as i've stated the used market doesnt affect or bother me,i guess to people who buy mostly used its a pretty unempathetic stance but i couldnt care less how other people spend their money.

 

[TheMadPunter]

As a student of economics, I am an advocate of the free market in the general sense. While it is obviously far from perfect, in the case of used games the market is sending a clear message: we as gamers are willing to accept a pittance for our trade-ins as a cost of convenience, and we are also willing to pay almost full price for used games. I will not dispute that GameStop engages in predatory business practices, but their survival is still entirely dependent on the tolerances of the consumer base. Money talks, and gamers' money continues to be taken as tacit acceptance of the market conditions GameStop has created.

If we want the used games market to change, WE must be the ones to change it - and we can. If you want your purchase price going to game creators rather than middlemen, buy new; much of the time it is only another 5 or 10 dollars anyway. If you want more than GameStop offers for trade-ins, there are a myriad of marketplaces for you to peddle your wares, including eBay, Amazon Marketplace, and even Craigslist. And if you want to BUY for less than GameStop charges, look at those same marketplaces. GameStop may be a national behemoth, but it is hardly the only game in town.

What we gamers need to remember is this: the customer has power, and no monopoly lasts forever. In the marketplace, we speak with our wallets, and if we speak up, suppliers WILL listen.

 

[orangeban]

I've always subscribed to the apparently quaint view that what I buy with my money should, y'know, belong to me, and there should be relatively few restrictions as to what I do with what I've bought.

I also don't make a habit of sympathising with enormous companies, what with being a Godless hippie communist and all that, so I'm rarely swayed by their arguments of how difficult it is for them to make profit these days, and that they simply have to screw over their customers in order to keep their stockholders happy.

 

[getoffmycloud]

My main issue with stopping used games is I am going to be able to get hold of a new copy of a game that is couple of years old and I wasn't paying attention when it came out and now I want to play it and at the moment I can get it easily used but new copies not so easy.

 

[Michael Hirst]

It's a stupid move. Used games are what help the younger players afford games. Making them single use only is a huge commitment and people will feel less inclined to experiment with a game because they can't even trade it back in for some money off their next title.

Also we all know some publishers will be draconian as hell in price fixing since there's no competition to deal with, used game sales are what make the market fair and competitive in a capitalist system.

I honestly see another videogame crash on the horizon, games being both too expensive to make and buy being big drivers for the said crash, with probably the ipad and casual games living out. Not that I WANT that to happen I love my big budget games but it's what I see coming.

Additional: The system works on Steam because Valve aren't draconian in setting prices, they compete extremely well and put on good sales for the customer, Activision and EA will NOT do this unless they have no other choice.

 

[Unsilenced]

The idea that eliminating used games would somehow lower the price of new ones violates basic economics.

If used games are only a bit cheaper than new ones, it's often not worth it for consumers to haul their asses down to gamestop and put up with gamestop's shit just to get their game. They'll buy new for the convenience. If, however, the price of new games was much higher, it would be more worthwhile for consumers to go get their games used. This makes it more difficult for companies to raise their prices.

By eliminating used sales, video game companies ensure that if you want the game, you're going to have to get it from them (well, legally, anyways.) This increases the amount of shit the customer is willing to put up with, because they have no alternative. Prices go up, and this happens. [http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Meanwhile_aa8e75_1580744.jpg]

If all that sounds a bit convoluted, think about this: Used games compete with new ones. What happens when you remove competition?

Here's the play-by-play.

Companies: If used sales were removed, we could lower our prices!
Customers: Ok. I like low prices.
Companies: *destroy used sales* Yay!
Customers: Ok. Now what about those lower prices?
Companies: What?
Customers: You said there would be lower prices if we got rid of used sales.
Companies: Oh. Um. Yeah. Not happening.
Customers: Why the hell not?
Companies: Pirates. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx15Z9OSilY]

 

[daveman247]

snip

^^This, hm, second topic about used today...


You really think they will lower the cost once the competition is gone? Why? Theres no where else to go, they can charge what they like. The price won't go down, they will just get more profit.

I dont like the idea of download-only games. What happens if the providor goes belly up? Bye games. What happens if my machine dies? Bye games.

Do they really think more people will buy the game full price because they have to? No. If the game isnt worth such a price they just wont bother. A LOT of games i just wait to go down in price because i dont think its worth the money.

If the rumors are true i will not bother with a console. THAT would be enough to push me onto the PC. And i love my consoles and dislike playing on PC, so thats saying something.

 

[Orange12345]

I am mainly pro used games, I understand and accept that there is a problem with used games that needs to be addressed but purging them entirely is unfair. Just because some companies are being assholes doesn't give you the right to screw your fans. And while we are on the topic of screwing fans game publishers have been gouging customers for years with the 60$ price model, so I find it difficult to have sympathy for them.

What if my console breaks, and I lose all my tie-in data?

What if the game is old and is no longer in stock?

what if I can't pay the over inflated price of 60$ a game every time?

Since I can't trade in my titles anymore, I guess I now make a lifetime purchase every time I buy a game

What if I want to rent a game before I buy it?

What if I buy a game and am not happy with it? possible reasons : It's broken, It's only 6 hours long, I just don't like it, the company promises something and doesn't deliver, etc

I could fill up a book with all the ways that this is flat out unfair but I think this will be fine for now.

 

[daveman247]

Companies: If used sales were removed, we could lower our prices!
Customers: Ok. I like low prices.
Companies: *destroy used sales* Yay!
Customers: Ok. Now what about those lower prices?
Companies: What?
Customers: You said there would be lower prices if we got rid of used sales.
Companies: Oh. Um. Yeah. Not happening.
Customers: Why the hell not?
Companies: Pirates. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx15Z9OSilY]

Exactly, i'm not sure why people think this would be any different. Rule #1 of business: Make money! Once they have the monoply they can do what they like.


Companies dont give a damn, if they can get away with back shafting you, they will until you are raw.

 

[Norrdicus]

By eliminating used sales, video game companies ensure that if you want the game, you're going to have to get it from them (well, legally, anyways.) This increases the amount of shit the customer is willing to put up with, because they have no alternative. Prices go up, and this happens. [http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Meanwhile_aa8e75_1580744.jpg]

If all that sounds a bit convoluted, think about this: Used games compete with new ones. What happens when you remove competition?

Here's the play-by-play.

Companies: If used sales were removed, we could lower our prices!
Customers: Ok. I like low prices.
Companies: *destroy used sales* Yay!
Customers: Ok. Now what about those lower prices?
Companies: What?
Customers: You said there would be lower prices if we got rid of used sales.
Companies: Oh. Um. Yeah. Not happening.
Customers: Why the hell not?
Companies: Pirates. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx15Z9OSilY]

This is less "it's funny because it's true" and more "it's sad because it's true". Publishers and devs blaming pirates for the service problems they brought upon themselves

 

[Jelly ^.^]

Eh. In Australia, we can import games for a cheaper price than the retailers can offer used titles in every case, without qualification.

 

[flying_whimsy]

I'm a big pc gamer, or at least I was until the publishers abandoned it for less pirated pastures. I can sympathize with their motives and in the last year have made a point to not purchase any used games unless new copies are no longer available.

That said, I feel as though this is actually an extension of the EULA battle between software producers and consumers: who does it belong and what is the extent to which a consumer can rightfully use an item they have purchased. Sadly, the "war on resale" is really a battle between resellers and publishers with consumers caught in the middle. That's not to say consumers are without blame: seriously, we can afford to spend 2 to 5 dollars more for new copies when shopping at gamestop; also, stop selling games to these places for pennies on the dollar).

Overall, though, I feel like the industry is going in the exact wrong direction by following the lead of software manufacturers: mark my words, someday there will be a major court case involving EULAs and the ensuing fallout will drastically alter the computer and video game industries.

 

[esperandote]

I buy most of my games used and I resell most of them so yeah I'm against it. If new consoles cap used games then this generation is the last one I'm buying a console from.

Captcha must be pro fight because it says: weasel words

 

[NotSoLoneWanderer]

It's completely pointless. Charge ten dollars less then I'll buy a new copy. Can't do that? Then I'll buy it used...unless I need a friggin multiplayer code just to play it!!!!

 

[zefiris]

TLDR - If killing used sales makes games cheaper for gamers, which it SHOULD,

Uh, nope. You clearly don't know anything about business and economy. Killing used game sales will drive prices UP, not DOWN, because it kills competition. Used games are why games are at the current price, instead of being much more expensive.