Poll: Buying Used Games is just as Bad as Pirating

[Xrysthos]

As far as the developers go - and they're the ones that should be entitled to the money - piracy and buying used games is just as bad. They lose a potential customer either way. Sure, some people would pirate a game that they otherwise wouldn't play, or buy a used version for that matter, seeing as it costs less, and thus justifies the purchase, but in many cases it's the "loss of potential customer" holds.

And I don't approve of more money to the middle man. It's their fault that piracy is a problem in the first place, at least partially, trying to maximize profit and keeping the customer base chained to a model of distribution that became obsolete when someone invented a post carriage capable of transporting things that wouldn't fit in a saddle bag.

 

[Akai Shizuku]

First of all i find it funny how people say that they buy used games because they cant afford a new one. Games are hobby, expensive - but still a hobby, You cant afford it, tough luck, You can live without it.
It is pretty much the same pasudo-argument used by people pirating said games/movie/whatever else, on the most basic level its exactly the same. I dont have money to buy somehting fully legally so i look for ways to get it cheaper.
Another thing is all the comparing to used cars. Maybe You didnt notice but a used car is by default, slightly to heavily inferior to a new one. The engine wont work that well, it may have scratches, bad paint job or other defects. When you get a used game the little 0 and 1 making the data dont get smaller/deformed over time. Sure the disc may be damaged but then You just got scammed, live and learn. Thats the difference between physical goods like cars/toasters and intelectual property.

For some of us, gaming isn't just a hobby; it's all we really have in life.

 

[Deleted]

This thread fails. "Poll", there is no poll. And buying used games is fine, it encourages people to visit game shops and not try to steal the game data.

I had a poll but there was a bug while posting the OP and it vanished after a few minutes!

Someone pirated it!

 

[captain_Bubblebum]

Maybe if games were sold for a cheaper price (I'm talking xbox 360 and ps3 prices) never went more than £30 or the equivalent in usa$ or australian$ then gamers wouldn't feel like they have to trade in their game in order to afford the new one. They would just have to save a little bit extra for another new game without having to trade in their latest purchase.

As a PC gamer I'm shocked/sickened at the prices 360/ps3 gamers have to spend on a new game.

Less trade-ins combined with an equal less need to buy a used game due to low moneys in the bank would balance out things for the publisher and developer. Heck, the publisher/developer might even rake in more money because gamers won't be put off by the stupidly high price tag so sales will increase (New sales).

 

[Mozza444]

Honestly i always buy used games.

They are half the price and work just as well.

But i see your point, it does damage the industry.

But ey, who cares! Cheap games for me!

 

[Keava]

For some of us, gaming isn't just a hobby; it's all we really have in life.

*rolls eyes* There are freeware games for that state of soul and mind

 

[Iwata]

What a bunch of nonsense... I buy used games, and I buy brand new games. It all sounds like a shallow excuse to make someone else feel better about not paying for their games.

 

[Deleted]

What a bunch of nonsense... I buy used games, and I buy brand new games. It all sounds like a shallow excuse to make someone else feel better about not paying for their games.

In terms of game developers getting their money, there is no difference between used games and pirating.
This ins't a thread about Pirating vs buying NEW COPIES!

 

[Enigmers]

Used game sales reflect the overall crappiness of the game. It has to be returned to be used.

Games are subjective, you can buy a great game but it just might not be your cup of tea, so you return it.

 

[captain_Bubblebum]

Agreed, the thread is about buying used games BEING JUST AS BAD AS pirating.

For those who think buying a used game is wrong - I ask you this - is giving a game away to someone to keep for free wrong?

 

[Deleted]

In fact its even worse financially but better economically. [sub]I know what those words mean so I can use them.[/sub]

Pirating is free and detracts one sale from the Devs. But with used games, your money goes to someone else (which is morally the right thing.)

To say pirating is hurting the industry more than used games is to be wrong. Because the only argument against Pirating is that it hurts the industry. Otherwise you shouldn't care what people do with their lives, used games are just as bad.

Ooooh, lemme guess you pirate games right?
And by this thread you're saying "oh, people who buy used games are just as bad, so like, pirating is okay and stuff".

Gimme a break

No I'm saying they're both somewhat bad, but the same regardless.

 

[Gindil]

@Katana314

Can you explain why it is bad to buy a used game? I don't understand why it is seen to be bad.

I know that we feel things are good and bad because we are told so, but why is it bad? I really don't understand it.

It doesn't make any difference and I shouldn't be stating this but I am a games developer and if a person bought my game from another person (again, as long as it's the full game and not a knock-off copy) and even though I would not receive any money from the transaction I do not see it to be wrong.

I would actually be happy that someone is playing my game.

That's very good for you; the South Park creators take the same mentality about their show. However, this also depends on levels of success. Most game developers are not very lucky; about 70% of games that make it to the market are unsuccessful and don't cover their own development costs. Then the publisher makes up the difference with games like Modern Warfare which earn 500x its development cost.

The end line is that game developers usually need a lot more money to keep afloat than people realize. If about 30 people buy a game for $50 in one day, that may just about cover the daily salary for every person in that company. If 60 people buy the game, but half of them are buying it from the first half, that's still the same amount.

Even beyond staying afloat, sales determine a developer's future. It doesn't matter if you loved Grim Fandango enough to buy it used; tough luck because that decision, in 1,000's of people, results in the publishers for that developer deciding "Well, that game was a failure. Let's can the team."

Now I understand you, thanks man. Good explanation.

I want to interject for one moment. After Square made FFX, they had a massive layoff of employees, who had to find other programming jobs. Our society is fairly mobile with odd exceptions such as Valve or Infinity Ward. Programmers, designers, writers etc, usually find other jobs fairly quickly be it EA or something else within the industry. I'm not beholden to have any of them keep their jobs simply because I decide that I don't find their game worth the retail price at day one. If I like a game, I buy it. Whether that's 10 years down the road or two, I don't see why I should try to hold their jobs in that interim.

 

[Iwata]

Well, from now on we know, watching movies on free-access television is bad, because no money goes to the producers. Unless you're buying the DVD, you're as bad as anyone who downloads them off the internet.

Ahhh... now I feel better about myself.

 

[SilverUchiha]

I buy new because I try to get the game on release so I can play it right away. However, buying used is my preference. I honestly don't care about the developers too much. The fact its used means that someone already put the money towards the company, they just got bored of it or moved on. Me? I'm cheap and figure that if I can get a better deal, why not?

On that note, past year or so, hit a Steam High where I'm buying a larger percentage of games through steam if available (and typically the older games). A lot of their older games are damn cheap and were pretty good at release (half-life and psychonauts). Why not, right?

 

[GreeBo]

If companies want people to buy new, then they need to come up with a compelling reason to want something physical, instead if just some code on a disk.

They are attempting to do this with special edition box sets etc with some success. Fanboys will buy it just to get the plastic baterang or whatever.

If you want my money (and lord knows i've giving the gaming industry lots so far) then make something I absolutely HAVE to own. Buy 3 "Gold Level" EA titles, get a special Xbox Theme free!.. or maybe get a rare, well designed tshirt.. whatever. I've got 100 ideas like that which would work on me and my gaming peers. Give the buyers some incentive to get into a store and pick up a physical box or be lazy and don't and understand people only want the code, which they can readily download and hack. You will not beat hackers with DRM.. period. It's a dead end.

Used games won't be a factor because the cool stuff will long since be pilfered by the original owner. You will decrease used sales and increase new.

Don't go after those who are hard-core pirates. They arn't going to give up. They are also in the minority. Go after those that are sort of on the fence.. they pirate because its easy and there is no real reason to buy new when you can get the same thing for free with ease.

Marketing alone will save you.

 

[Divine Miss Bee]

i'll confess to having never thought of it before. i feel kind of bad now, because i never buy new games.

 

[Indecizion]

meh i dont think its the same as pirating but its not really right either the game companies should decide weather or not its right and if they agree then they should make some money from it too imo.

 

[Cornish]

Personally, I don't consider selling or buying second hand games as bad. Regardless of how a company may suffer under it; and frankly there's other way to resolve those issues, because as it stands retailers make the biggest profit of the games and only about a tenth of the sale goes towards the developer.

If I choose to sell (and I often do) a game I own legally; I feel that it's my right to, I've paid a decent amount of money for the product and now that I'm done with it I can minimise the financial damage and let someone else enjoy it for less money. Why should I care about a developers financial issue if the industry is overcharging me with every new purchase?

Frankly, I can save about 15 to 20 Euro on each purchase by not purchasing within Europe, why would I care about a industry that's trying to rip me of?