Haha well thanks. Guess I'll have to do some searching around me. Also, I thought you could only buy Counterstrike Source on Steam... or was it just one of those empty boxes with a steam code inside, like Fallout: New VegasOwyn_Merrilin said:Oh don't get me wrong, I only know of two mom and pop gamestores near where I live, one of which no longer sells PC games at all, and the other of which I've never actually been inside, just heard good things about from friends. I buy almost all of my used PC games at local record stores, with the occasional game that turns up in a thrift shop. Next time you see a local store that sells CDs, go inside and see what they have -- you might be surprised. There's one near my apartment that sells books, records, CDs, DVDs, Bluray Discs, and videogames of various sorts. They don't have the greatest selection of videogames, and you have to be careful what you buy -- the last time I was in there they had a copy of Counterstrike Source -- but you'll occasionally find a gem. I wouldn't go there looking for anything specific, but what they have is almost always within the impulse buy range.Faladorian said:Yeah, I happen to live in the middle of a GameStop jungle... Hell, they reluctantly sell new PC games.Owyn_Merrilin said:Depends on how old it is and what the developer uses for DRM. I buy used PC games all the time from record and thrift shops. Case in point, I picked up a complete copy of Battlefield 2 for $5 a couple of weeks ago. For the most part, unless it uses Steam or Games for Windows Live, used copies still work -- the only real trouble is finding someplace that sells them.Faladorian said:Hello, PC gamer here.
No way to buy used PC games so no.. couldn't even if I wanted to.
Edit: I forgot VHS and audio cassette tapes. Record stores are great.
It had discs and a steam code, but in this case, the discs were almost certainly coasters, because I'm sure the code had already been used. Most of Valve's games get disc releases, at least initially.Faladorian said:Haha well thanks. Guess I'll have to do some searching around me. Also, I thought you could only buy Counterstrike Source on Steam... or was it just one of those empty boxes with a steam code inside, like Fallout: New VegasOwyn_Merrilin said:Oh don't get me wrong, I only know of two mom and pop gamestores near where I live, one of which no longer sells PC games at all, and the other of which I've never actually been inside, just heard good things about from friends. I buy almost all of my used PC games at local record stores, with the occasional game that turns up in a thrift shop. Next time you see a local store that sells CDs, go inside and see what they have -- you might be surprised. There's one near my apartment that sells books, records, CDs, DVDs, Bluray Discs, and videogames of various sorts. They don't have the greatest selection of videogames, and you have to be careful what you buy -- the last time I was in there they had a copy of Counterstrike Source -- but you'll occasionally find a gem. I wouldn't go there looking for anything specific, but what they have is almost always within the impulse buy range.Faladorian said:Yeah, I happen to live in the middle of a GameStop jungle... Hell, they reluctantly sell new PC games.Owyn_Merrilin said:Depends on how old it is and what the developer uses for DRM. I buy used PC games all the time from record and thrift shops. Case in point, I picked up a complete copy of Battlefield 2 for $5 a couple of weeks ago. For the most part, unless it uses Steam or Games for Windows Live, used copies still work -- the only real trouble is finding someplace that sells them.Faladorian said:Hello, PC gamer here.
No way to buy used PC games so no.. couldn't even if I wanted to.
Edit: I forgot VHS and audio cassette tapes. Record stores are great.![]()
Gamestop doesn't just make a profit from used games, they make HALF OF ALL THEIR PROFITS from used games:Beautiful End said:Yes, Gamestop gets a profit for selling used games. What did you expect? Someone has to benefit from it. This isn't about 'sticking it to the man' anyway. Besides, half of the used copies they sell end up on the Defective pile because of players who can't get to play said used game for whatever reason, whether it is because they don't know how to control the characters, play the game overall, because it freezes or whatever. So Gamestop doesn't benefit as much as you think they do. Believe me, I know.
As a matter of fact, I do work there. I do hate the idea of giving gamers about a dollar for a game. Heck, I even feel ashamed to tell them how much they're getting and I even go as far as suggesting to sell their game instead to a friend or online or something.greggor said:Gamestop doesn't just make a profit from used games, they make HALF OF ALL THEIR PROFITS from used games:Beautiful End said:Yes, Gamestop gets a profit for selling used games. What did you expect? Someone has to benefit from it. This isn't about 'sticking it to the man' anyway. Besides, half of the used copies they sell end up on the Defective pile because of players who can't get to play said used game for whatever reason, whether it is because they don't know how to control the characters, play the game overall, because it freezes or whatever. So Gamestop doesn't benefit as much as you think they do. Believe me, I know.
http://www.gamefront.com/half-of-gamestop-profits-come-from-pre-owned-sales/
So yes, I think they benefit as much as anyone thinks they do. It's more likely that most people have NO IDEA how much they benefit. They wouldn't be in business without the used business, put it that way.
Yes, gamestop offers a service, and they should benefit from it, but this is far from benefit, its a monopoly that basically rapes gamers because they have no other choice. Even a brand new game sold back to Gamestop on release day has them getting paid $30 or less, and Gamestop selling it for $55. They are paying you 30 dollars less than retail, and selling it for 5 dollars less. Does that sound right? No, it just sounds like your only choice. They make as much as you do on the transaction, and it's YOUR GAME. It's bs and not worth defending.
Luckily online trading sites are starting to pop up to combat this, I'm using http://gamestaq.com right now, and getting twice what GameStop would pay me in store credit. I won't even think about how much cash they would offer (25% less, always). I'm also selling directly to other gamers, with the website taking a small fee, something like 5% as opposed to basically a +90%-150% fee at GameStop. Plus I don't have to leave the house even, let alone enter their stores and be bombarded with up-sells and subscriptions etc.
It sounds to me like you work there, everyones gotta make a living, but as a gamer you should not be supporting this mistreatment of your fellow gamers. I'm not saying you should quit, but don't go defending their horrendous practices aimed at lining their pockets.