WHY are used video games bad?

[tehweave]

I need to know this. I buy used video games all the time. I have collections of old games from old systems, yet still I see developers getting mad about used video games and the fact that they're worse than piracy:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/110171-Fable-3-Dev-Used-Games-Sales-are-More-Problematic-Than-Piracy

Is it just because people are buying and re-buying old copies of games? Do the developers want part of that cash? Are they that greedy that they sold the game once, now they want to sell the game again and again and again? I remember hearing that some game developers are thinking of inputting serial codes for old games that need to be re-purchased every time the game is re-sold at a used game store. Oh yeah, there's no way that can backfire.

No, seriously. What's the deal? Is it just a money thing?

 

[PlasmaFrog]

Don't worry, it's only developers(publishers) looking to fish more cash out of your pockets.

 

[gigastar]

The simple problem the developers/publishers have is that every time one of thier games is preowned and bought again, they lose money because they dont get paid for the game being preowned, and the guy who bought it preowned now isnt going to buy a fresh one.

So yes, it is a money thing.

 

[LostCrusader]

Bioware has been hard at work with these codes already, having a one time use code for some content for both Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 2. I think that they need to just get over it, or drop the original price of the game so that people aren't waiting for a used copy.

 

[tehweave]

The simple problem the developers/publishers have is that every time one of thier games is preowned and bought again, they lose money because they dont get paid for the game being preowned, and the guy who bought it preowned now isnt going to buy a fresh one.

So yes, it is a money thing.

Good to know that all it is is companies being greedy. Thanks!

 

[MasterV]

Don't worry, it's only developers(publishers) looking to fish more cash out of your pockets.

Yup. Used game sales.....scratch that. Used ANYTHING sales are perfectly legal and in no way a bad thing. You only hear complaints from bad-mediocre developers who can't make a good enough game to justify you buying it full-price or, after doing that to keep playing it and not take it back.

In short, they want to guilt-trip you into buying their crap full-price.

 

[Braedan]

I don't know what more can be said besides "I own this piece of plastic, which is not regulated by the government, therefor I can sell my own property"

Anyone who tells you otherwise wants your money.

 

[Woodsey]

Greedy?

If people were using my product, of course I would hope that I actually saw the money from each person using it. That's not greedy, that's called wanting to be paid what you are owed.

 

[Strain42]

It is essentially a money thing, there's actually an episode of Extra Credits that goes into this subject a little bit deeper.

But like they said in that episode, if you go buy a new game from GameStop or something, only a small percentage of that actually goes to the developers of the game. If you buy a game used from GameStop, none of it goes to the developers.

So yeah, used games may be awesome for the player because they're cheaper, they really don't do the developers of the game any favors. I only buy used games if it's something I wanna play, but don't really have all that much support for.

If it's a game company you're trying to support and want to see more from them, it helps them out a lot more if you buy it new.

Like right now, I'm part of the crusade to help get Ace Attorney Investigations 2 localized in the states. The best way to do this is to try to convince people to pick up new copies of any of the AA games (yes, it hasn't been an easy task)

 

[yanipheonu]

Because devs don't make money off it.

That said, it's just a fact of life devs are just going to have to live with. It's part of the reason DLC is more common these days.

 

[Jordi]

The simple problem the developers/publishers have is that every time one of thier games is preowned and bought again, they lose money because they dont get paid for the game being preowned, and the guy who bought it preowned now isnt going to buy a fresh one.

So yes, it is a money thing.

Maybe those developers/publishers could take a look at [font color="red"]literally any other industry[/font] and see how deal with this extremely common and legitimate phenomenon.

It is essentially a money thing, there's actually an episode of Extra Credits that goes into this subject a little bit deeper.

But like they said in that episode, if you go buy a new game from GameStop or something, only a small percentage of that actually goes to the developers of the game. If you buy a game used from GameStop, none of it goes to the developers.

So yeah, used games may be awesome for the player because they're cheaper, they really don't do the developers of the game any favors. I only buy used games if it's something I wanna play, but don't really have all that much support for.

If it's a game company you're trying to support and want to see more from them, it helps them out a lot more if you buy it new.

Like right now, I'm part of the crusade to help get Ace Attorney Investigations 2 localized in the states. The best way to do this is to try to convince people to pick up new copies of any of the AA games (yes, it hasn't been an easy task)

Don't you think it is kind of odd that when we buy games, we are apparently supposed to worry about who is getting our money, but if you buy anything else you don't. I mean, if I buy a used car, nobody is going to make a big deal about Wayne Enterprises not getting any of my money even though they built it. Why is it different with games?

 

[standokan]

It´s ALWAYS a money thing, Devs are just worried about getting nothing off second hand games.

 

[Strain42]

The simple problem the developers/publishers have is that every time one of thier games is preowned and bought again, they lose money because they dont get paid for the game being preowned, and the guy who bought it preowned now isnt going to buy a fresh one.

So yes, it is a money thing.

Good to know that all it is is companies being greedy. Thanks!

It's not really a matter of being GREEDY, it's just a matter of trying to make money, which is essentially the point of a business. Imagine you had a lemonade stand, you worked hard to make your lemonade, and when it becomes a day old, you give it to another stand to sell for two cents cheaper (lets say it costs a nickel)

Now everyone is buying the three cent lemonade instead of the nickel lemonade. It's still lemonade that YOU made, the person selling it didn't do any of the work, but they're getting the money.

It's not being greedy to be mildly annoyed by that. Businesses are supposed to make money, it's what keeps them from going under.

 

[Trogdor1138]

Don't worry, it's only developers(publishers) looking to fish more cash out of your pockets.

What this guy said.

They seem to think they're unlike any other product in the world. You don't see these arguments for movies, books etc. Once again another thing that only hurts the consumer by inputting things like online passes which end up backfiring. If your game is good enough then people will buy it, maybe they should wonder why so many used copies of certain games are on the shelf literally days after launch.

They love finding new excuses to make you feel guilty about buying used. Just like the music and film industries trying to guilt you about certain things. Do you really think that money is going to the artists behind the work you love?

Also, I live in Australia, I'll start buying new games here when they start charging reasonable prices. Thankfully Play Asia has me covered now...

 

[Lucane]

They don't care so much about older games it's more about the revolving door of newly released titles being bought then sold back to pay for something else(A full price new one in certain cases.) While someone buys their product used not netting them anything even if trade-ins helped pay for the original purchase in the chain of events.

 

[Inkidu]

I don't think you have the right to call them greedy for it per se, but second-hand retailers, not just private sales, are a fact of life. Now, withholding content or creating extra content to get people into buying a new game is lame. Seriously, by a new car or we'll withhold the brakes unless you pay extra.

I think they have the right to get their money. It's their game, but I don't think that people should be punished for buying second-hand.

 

[MRMIdAS2k]

Because some **** in a suit doesn't like us going "No corporate wanker, I won't pay £40 for this game when i think it's worth a quarter of that, i'll wait til the price comes down"

if they get rid of the used games market, all games will then be new, and they can charge whatever they want for them.

then they'll wonder why their shit games don't sell, blame packaging, and go DL only.

then they'll blame piracy, and sulk as they go out of business.

 

[Inkidu]

I don't think you have the right to call them greedy for it per se, but second-hand retailers, not just private sales, are a fact of life. Now, withholding content or creating extra content to get people into buying a new game is lame. Seriously, by a new car or we'll withhold the brakes unless you pay extra.

I think they have the right to get their money. It's their game, but I don't think that people should be punished for buying second-hand.

 

[run_forrest_run]

Of course it's a money thing. Greedy bastards. My apologies for that outburst of aggression, It's just that all the games I buy are pre-owned.