Poll: Do you buy pre-owned games?

[TikiShades]

I used to get pre-owned games, but if I can help it, I won't now. I never knew that GameStop made all of the money from those sales (I never thought about it, to be honest), and since I really don't like GameStop's "trade in your games!" policy, the less money I give them, the better.

If you're curious, I traded in about 8 games or so one time--nothing too expensive or popular at the time--and only got about $12-$14 of in-store credit. The worst part was that within the next two weeks or so, they had a deal where you'd be getting a 50% bonus to any games you trade in. I could've actually gotten a game if I had waited. dasjkf

 

[fix-the-spade]

Yes, yes I certainly do, from Ebay and Amazon mostly, never from high street stores.

When I do it, I like to imagine Bobby Kotick silently crying in frustration, haunted by the knowledge that someone is spending money on Activision games and that he can't touch a penny of it.

 

[TheCommie12]

whether I buy used games or not mostly comes done down to who the publisher is.

If it is an activision published game, then yeap, happily buy it used. Any one else, I'll try to find a new copy.

 

[natster43]

Yes, not often, but yes. Usually if there isn't a new copy or if the game is older.

 

[AwesomeNinjaPowers]

Yep. Genrally older games that I may not of seen or been interested in enough when they came out new to lay down £30 for them.

 

[J-dog42]

If I bought every game new then I would only be able to get three or four games a year. This year, I have purchased three new games this year, Portal 2, Battlefield 3 and Saints Row 3. Plus I got given LA Noire, but that doesn't count because I didn't pay for it. The point is, I have played Mass Effect, Bioshock, Borderlands, Splinter Cell Conviction, Red Faction: Armageddon, Blazing Angels, Saints Row 2 and many more. There was no way I was going to afford all them new. Also, as a result I now have Saints Row 3 on preorder. A move which wouldn't have happened, had I not purchased Saints Row 2 preowned. So they still win in the end.

 

[PAGEToap44]

I've bought one. The Orange Box. A good deal really, 5 games in one for £20.

 

[Idsertian]

Regularly. Why? Price usually. £60 is just way too much. Also EA. Unless it's a new game that I could do with reviewing, in which case I either try and get my boss to wrangle a review copy from somewhere (pretty hard, given our site is so small), or I bite the bullet and hand over my sou...sorry money to the devil.

 

[TehCookie]

I almost always buy used. By the time new games come down to $20 in price they're impossible to find. If I want to support the devs I'll buy new, but it has to be a pretty damn good game for me to spend $60 on it.

 

[Xanthious]

Heh, well "buying" at this point isn't really what I'd call it. I bought a used game a year and a half ago. The next week though I returned that game, thanks to Gamestop's no questions asked return policy on used games, for another game I wanted to play. Then the next week I returned that game too for another game and the next . . . well you get the point. Needless to say I've made it a point to make a trip to one of our local Gamestops every weekend to exchange my game and I'm proud to say that I've legally played every console game I've wanted to play in the past year and a half for a one time fee of 55 dollars. Who said gaming is an expensive hobby?

 

[Snoozer]

£60 for preowned for wait a few months and play it for £20...no real competition really.

As for Extra credit's plan for games to have half on the disc and half as DLC do that the developers get something from everyone who ever owns the game, forget that idea. Terry Pratchett keeps most second hand book shops open (at least in the UK) and never sees any money from all those second hand sales, same with films, why are games developers so special?

If "the medium" wants to be taken seriously, then maybe "the medium" shouldn't be pillocks.

can I make a point that the cost of writing a book is a lot smaller than making a game. Its the same reason you wont hear that piracy being the same problem with written media. You cant and shouldn't compare the 2 different mediums.

That may be true, but does it change the legal situation? No!
It's legal and they really shouldn't try to make it immoral just because it serves their prupose. The costs are higher, but so are the game prices.
I would really like to see some numbers on that issue. As far as I know, the game studios are making profit and they can pay their employees. It's pretty much like hollywood, they produce save shit, make their money and then complain that it isn't more.

 

[Stormfire Rebellion]

Only through Ebay from another gamer if I can't find a new one, but usually I'm pretty good about staggering my 'games-to-play' list a few months behind new releases, since studies and work still keep me busy enough for game time to be more of a day-off or study break luxury than a 'whee look how much time I have and all these games to play through' joyous binge...soon though...just finish thesis and....I'll be broke and looking for work.
But I still won't buy from Gamestop. Local, independent Gaming stores though, yes, if only to support the local nerd-haven.

 

[Gudrests]

Yup. But not when its like $5 less than brand new. At that price I would rather buy it new.
I will buy used if its like $10-20 or if its something rare and hard to find.
But yeah, I got a whole fucktonne of PS2 games for like $5-10 each used.[footnote]Back when PS2 was in its prime.[/footnote]

^^ dis guy got it ME2 for 14 bucks when the new version of it was 40....WHATTTTTTTTT...word

And I always ask to see the cd becuse I've gotten a CD once that looked like someone went iceskating on it before returning it.

 

[krazykidd]

I voted no since the only games I'll buy used are from years back in the previous console generations.

I don't consider a $5 saving worth it for a second hand copy.

This . But i usually buy second hand copies of games for ps2 or ps1 ( yup i'm one of those guys that don't care about graphics) . Also , rarely do i buy games new for the full price of 60$ , i usually wait till the price drops to 30 $ or 20$ . Does that hurt the gaming industry?

 

[mgirl]

No, I have had problems with pre owned games in the past, so I avoid them now. Generally, I just wait a few months after the initial release of new games, and get them cheaper in stores or just wait for them to go on sale on steam. Either way, i avoid pre owned as much as I can.

 

[CoL0sS]

Almost exclusively. Games here are pretty expensive ($100), so I'm limited to few sites that deliver games to this East Bubmblefuck that is my country (namely game.co and shopto.net). Lately it's been hard getting my hands on games I want to play since most of them are out of stock. Oh well, there's always Steam.