Why the hell are people still reselling pc games?

[koops128]

So while I don't have access to my 360, I decided to bide my time by ordering a physical copy of L4D on the PC off of half.com. Not being a PC gamer at all, it was only when I tried to install it that I fond once someone else has registered it, it can only be used for that account forever. I contacted the guy who sold it too me and he said he had no idea such a restriction was in place. So I'm giving it back and getting a refund, but there's one thing that really bothers me.

There's 6 copies of L4D being sold at half.com. All used. None of the new owners will be able to play them. This is just one steam game being sold at one internet auction site. Their must be at least several dozen pc games that are like this. Shouldn't pc gamers selling their games know about this? Shouldn't someone tell them? Personally I think it should say on the box that it's not for resale.

 

[Bags159]

They should. I'd say he was trying to scam you but you're getting your refund so I guess he was just misinformed. Generally any time a PC game is tied to an account you shouldn't expect to be able to resell it.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Are you so certain they don't know?

Besides, the discs are technically valid as they do contain game data. Using that data is just locked behind a server. It walks a fickle line between business ethics though.

 

[Danceofmasks]

You can resell a lot of pc games ... some, however, come with less content.
For instance, you won't have the cerberus network (and all the stuff that comes with it) in Mass Effect 2.

For the most part, however .. it's pointless to buy used PC games.
If they're at least functional, that's more for lending it to your friends than anything else.

 

[Saelune]

Another reason why I like consoles better. Put in and play is nice. (Was gonna say it was better, but then I realized pro's to installing)

 

[Itsthatguy]

Generally any time a PC game is tied to an account you shouldn't expect to be able to resell it.

Lesson no. 1 in buying steam games in the real world.

See that box you just bought, yeah that box, look inside. See that bit of paper with a long string of numbers and letters. Thats what you paid for. Everything else is for looks and speeding up the install slightly.

Also the inability to resell would probably be mentioned in the steam ToS. Too bad almost nobody bothers reading it, just like almost nobody would bother reading the little bit at the bottom of a pc game box saying CANNOT RESELL.

 

[hayaineko]

I'm surprised that they haven't added unique keys on the consoles yet. Weren't developers complaining about the loss they were receiving due to rentals? Or was it a piracy thread that I am mistaking this for.......

 

[Aris Khandr]

I'm surprised that they haven't added unique keys on the consoles yet. Weren't developers complaining about the loss they were receiving due to rentals? Or was it a piracy thread that I am mistaking this for.......

Too many consoles are sold to people with no internet access at all, or dial-up at best if they do have it. The CD Key would render the game unplayable for them. I imagine that as broadband becomes more common, we'll see something similar.

 

[hayaineko]

Too many consoles are sold to people with no internet access at all, or dial-up at best if they do have it. The CD Key would render the game unplayable for them. I imagine that as broadband becomes more common, we'll see something similar.

Sigh.. I have a nack for not putting in my thoughts correctly. I meant for it to say, a unique CD key for Multiplayer, seeing as thats what most console gamers rent them for. Its also what gets the most play time out of a game, so they could do basically what the PC does for Rome: Total War where you need a CD Key to play Multiplayer, but not Singleplayer.

 

[Aris Khandr]

We actually are starting to see that, and yes, the goal is to limit rental and used copies.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

It really depends on the game. If you do your research before buying, you're usually fine. Buying a used Steam game is just asking for it, but I buy relatively recent used PC games all the time. My most recent purchase was Battlefield 2, which I received with a working CD key, even though both the game and the key had most definitely been used before. There are really only a few DRM systems that don't allow the license to be transferred, and those are usually pretty obvious cases, like Valve games.

 

[Xan Krieger]

It's ok to resell the old PC games, the ones from before the era of Steam. As for the newer ones, I guess you could say buyer beware. The people selling Steam games used are people who recognize that there's a ton of people who don't know about the whole needing a one use CD key. It's sure as hell unethical but it's not illegal.

 

[Nutcase]

The people selling Steam games used are people who recognize that there's a ton of people who don't know about the whole needing a one use CD key. It's sure as hell unethical but it's not illegal.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Depending on what they say about the game, and the jurisdiction, it could very easily slip into fraud.

 

[Aethren]

You're trying to pick up L4D used?

Even though you can get it new on Steam for the exact same price?