Pre-owned games banned? Are you cool with that?

[Lordmarkus]

Pc gamer here so I'll stay ignorant as always and say that it wouldn't bother me one iota. I haven't bought a new game for nearly 3 years that wasn't locked to some kind of service, Witcher 2 being the exception. It feels like 95 % of all new PC games have steamworks, and the rest 5 % use Origin, GDWL or Uplay.

Of course It isn't good news for anyone but after years of shoddy consoleports, piracy-accusations, DRM and service-locked games I cannot feel any pity for consoleplayers if this becomes a reality. At least you get games that are built for the platform and that they fucking work on a shoddy internet connection.

 

[everythingbeeps]

Yep, I'm perfectly cool with this. Doesn't affect me one bit, and as an added bonus I get to be entertained by all the whiny entitled cheapskates who think that if they can't afford something it means it's too expensive.

 

[Tohuvabohu]

As someone that almost always buys my games new and never resells them, this wouldn't really make a difference to me.

I'm not "cool" with the idea. I'm not cool with it being the only option from now on.

But when it comes right down to it, it hasn't killed me when I've been doing it already and it definitely won't kill me now.

I don't think it's as bad as people make it seem. The shitstorm this is stirring up is very amusing to me.

 

[RJ 17]

My problem with used sales goes to a personal level where I see old stores die out because of sleezy GameStop tactics and marketing. From a storechain that lied to me and treated me like shit several times by now.

Now that is an argument that I can accept. You don't like used games most specifically because you have to deal with the most prominent used game store out there: GameStop. I've heard a lot of horror stories about these places, but at least from my personal experience: I've never worked there so I can't say anything about employee life, and every time I've gone to my local GameStop I've been treated with courtesy and respect. So all I can assume is that like with making generalizations about anything else: you can't generalize that every GameStop store is filled with a bunch of jerkoffs. My pre-order games are always on time, the guys behind the counter seem knowledgeable and qualified for the job of "videogame salesman" in ways that go beyond acne count, I just honestly can't say I've had a bad experience with GameStop. Not saying that others haven't had bad experiences, but for my part I've been treated well.

 

[Atrocious Joystick]

Banning used games seems kind of radical, and sort of illegal in any free state really. I wonder though, is it already illegal to resell games and other patented stuffs with a profit? Can I buy a copy of a game for a dollar and resell it for two? (let's say primarily in the US which I guess is where a ban on used games would take effect)

Although frankly, I don't get used games. I don't have anything against them morally, you can resell a car why not a game. But frankly, if you're gonna get ahold of a copy of a game in a situation where the developer behind it gets no money there is probably some cheaper way that the industry is already trying to crush and will hate you for using as well. Not that I would ever write anything in any way speaking positively of such a thing in any situation. I'm a good christian I am.

 

[targren]

Well, so what? If they actively try to convince people giving the money to them I see a problem in that. Would be less of a problem if they weren't so fuckin succesfull with that so that they kill other gaming stores.

Last time I checked, that's what everyone selling something does. You're advocating a cure that's far, far worse than the disease.

First, I have NEVER seen a license on console video game. ESPECIALLY not before purchase.

"Shrink wrap contracts are license agreements or other terms and conditions of a (putatively) contractual nature which can only be read and accepted by the consumer after opening the product. The term describes the shrinkwrap plastic wrapping used to coat software boxes, though these contracts are not limited to the software industry."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernor_v._Autodesk,_Inc. (A case in court that handles this situation)

Yes, I'm familiar with the concept, and that particularly screwed up court case. And by and large, they ARE mostly limited to the software industry, since most other industries that have tried to employ them have had them thrown out as "unconscionable," "unreasonable," and various other un-s that make contracts considered abusive and unenforcable.

And it still doesn't apply to console games, because they don't make you agree to any licenses before use, unlike other pieces of software.

 

[Savagezion]

You know what? Let 'em do it, then realize that game sales drop because people are unable to TRADE IN game to pay for more. This is dumb shit. Probably less than half of my games I have are used. There are a lot of people who have a solely used library of games.

Like in all the threads: I have next to no love left for used games or people buying used. You are supporting a chain of stores which are run by assholes, abuse their customers, employees and the one industry relying on first hand sales through them.

And I am also a PC gamer. I just laugh at all you nonsense prophecies about the future of consoles when games start to be bound to an account or such.

I love people who buy used because it is the ONLY reason my games retain any value. I know this is a foreign concept to someone who only experiences gaming from PC. I have loaned out my games for $30 bucks using Gamestop's system.

P.S. I support a game that is run by business men just like publisher CEOs. I have never been "abused" by them and where is the record of them abusing their employees? Is that the part where they let them check out games from them or the part where they have a better discount? Where is this "abuse" claim coming from?
As well, Gamestop isn't abusing the industry relying on first hand sales. They get more out of selling a new title than they do out of most of their used titles on the shelf. Most used titles cost $19.99 or less. Gamestop makes roughly twice as much money per year on new merchandise than they do on used. Considering that there are people that have entire libraries of used games, if used games didn't exist they probably would find something else to spend their money on. This is a pricepoint issue with the industry not a Gamestop is the devil argument. Gamestop is just the whipping boy of the industry.

You seem the type to believe everything you read on the net.

 

[Terminate421]

No but I still buy them new.

 

[targren]

snip

There are console games that let you agree to an EULA. Overall, this screwed up concept can be applied to console games and how I see the situation, it will be. I basically see two reactions following this: Enough people get pissed off to got to court so that the problem with ownership of purchased hard copies can be resolved once and for all or people swallowing it up.

There's a third: Lots of people stop buying games, which hurts the industry a fuckton more than used sales allegedly do. The publishers and their blind little cheerleaders will blame pirates, as always, but still won't have a viable business left.

 

[hazabaza1]

they want to stop indie titles,

Sorry, but, how exactly do they do this? The only indie games I've heard of being taken down is because they use copyrighted characters, and that's because of, well, copyright.

OT: It won't really effect me very much if it happens since I buy pretty much all new, but it would be a dick move.

 

[boag]

So I'm hearing rumours that Microsoft and other big time corporations are thinking of banning pre-owned games entirely. Mostly using that little code that let's the user register he game to his console only. Now I don't know about you guys but I love pre-owned games. Sifting through the pile of used games at the store and finding classics at a third the price. The only reason I can think of why Microsoft would pull this move is so they can make more money and I'm no specialist but I think they are pretty well off.
Is there something I'm missing from the picture?

No specially, because in essence this also kills out the Renting system.

And renting has always been a good way to test out the product before committing cash into it.

 

[Valdus]

No used games = mo money from me. Period. I do buy new games occasionally, but I will not be forced to spend ridculous amounts of money on mediocre games. I only buy new if I've rented and really like the game.

 

[Savagezion]

Nice troll, except for one problem. Gamestop is FAR from the only one selling used games. In fact, anyone who's got half a brain knows that you sell directly to the buyer. You get more money than GS would give you, buyer pays less than Gamestop would charge them, and maybe the site (Amazon or Ebay, e.g.) takes a small cut that doesn't change either of the above two facts.

I talked to many people over the last weeks about this topic. They always imply that GameStop is their only option. And there are still tons of people who seem to ignore internet as a way of distribition.

And right now I see in my city how GameStop, even though they give worse deals than the old specialised gaming stores and want more for their games, opened a second store and drive all the other stores out of buisness. GameStop, GAME and whatever are actually a retail monopoly, it just varies from place to place what they call themselfs.

What? WHAT? They charge more money and are driving other stores out of business because of that? Do you Gamestop crusaders even read what you write? If other game tores are going out of business it is because THEY are offering worse deals than Gamestop. Money talks.

As for the "industry", fuck them. EVERY OTHER industry on the goddamn planet has to deal with a secondhand market that nets them nothing but recognition. And the bullshit about used sales killing the industry is just that. It did just fine all the way up through the PS2 era. In fact, I think the PS2 age was one of the most prolific periods in gaming history.

I never said that used games kill the industry. But used sales are damaging the industry without a doubt. If some guy at a GameStop sees me buying a game new and talks me into the used copy for 10 bucks less he costs the industry one purchase.

And yeah, fuck the industry which delivers the game, lets support a bloodsucker like GameStop, GAME or whatever those assholes call themselfs.

I wouldn't say without a doubt because I doubt that shit heavily. You take away used sales and you throw out prospective future sales. Why does it make sense to take Gamestop out of business when they could just make games cost less? DvDs sell for 15 bucks and a straight DvD release only title can get a budget of $30 million and still turn profit. The average triple A game gets a $30 million budget. Imagine how large the gaming audience would grow if games were $20. Many businesses operate under the "volume" business model. DvDs do. I am not saying to lower the price of games to $20 but I think $30-40 is a fair price.

The only reason you're seeing this garbage now is because the console makers had to go and hook the boxes up to the internet, which gives these whiny bastards a way to dip their fingers into secondhand sales. It's a power/moneygrab that they didn't have the means of doing before, and has nothing to do with "an abused industry."

Consider your blatant apologism "called out."

Yeah, of course it's because of the internet. The internet gives the companies actually the ability to finally enforce the license areement. Durrrrrr.

Lets not support the moneygrabber that deliver the games, lets support the moneygrabber that to jack shit for us instead! Yes, I just called that out. GameStop and aequivalents do jack shit for us. They give us bad deals, sell the games overpriced to give you actual ammunition for your stupid complaints and they lie. I've been lied to from GameStop employees to get to pay more money. I have no sympathy for brick&mortar stores, I have no sympathy for people supporting their business model. If you call me a troll for that, ok.

Wow, that is a bold claim. They do jack shit for us? They have bad deals, yet you claim they are too successful? You claim to have been lied to to support your view on the internet by an employee who doesn't get any of the money they "conned" you out of for their minimum wage paycheck, so the entire system is bogus?

I can see now that your entire argument against them is not fueled by logic.

 

[Iwata]

I buy games new, but I will also buy the odd pre-owned game, if I'm tight on money or it's a rare game that's no longer available. It's nice to know the option is there. Banning it outright would penalize a lot of gamers who don't pirate games, but also cannot afford to buy new releases constantly.