Comments on: Why Next-Gen Gaming Consoles Will Let You Play Used Games

By: PJR

PJR — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:13:00 +0000

You know, if i buy a car, tv, house, computer, or even a pair of scissors – when i dont need it anymore, i can sell it. How much of that money went back to the people who originally made that it?

NONE

I am so sick to death of idiots complaining that “oh no, the developers get left out” when it comes to sale of second hand/Used games. Its idiotic and to come down on the side of “yeah, we should stop it” is moronic.

The reality is with software (unlike the ppl who make cars, tv’s, houses and scissors) you can make it once and sell it a million times – so if anything software dev’s have it pretty good.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 09:14:00 +0000

I guess that would restrict the game to either someone’s online account or to their specific console?

By: Jacob Kirchheimer

Jacob Kirchheimer — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:32:00 +0000

“My iPad and iPhone don’t allow used games and they seem to be selling just fine…”
you consider ipads and iphones as gaming mediums?

“The only people who care are those without internet connections, who are living 10 years in the past.”
I, for one, have a slow internet connection (30kbps average) and so it takes a very long time to download patches, dlc, etc. and you’re saying I live in the past? because I’m poor? honestly I could punch you in the face right now. also, I don’t buy used games because I have slow internet, I buy them because they are cheaper than new ones.

“Physical media is dead.”
I prefer physical media because it’s more concrete, I love the feeling of popping a disc (or cartrige was back when) into my console. but maybe that’s just me.

By: Jacob Kirchheimer

Jacob Kirchheimer — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:12:00 +0000

my thoughts exactly

By: Jacob Kirchheimer

Jacob Kirchheimer — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:11:00 +0000

they could make you use something like a one-time only online key, but a one-time only “play this game” key

By: evilsushi

evilsushi — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:21:00 +0000

The only way I could see this working if they slashed the initial retail price to $15 or $20 then reduce it further as it gets older. People aren’t going to to pay 50+ dollars for a game if they know they can’t sell it later or trade it for something else. The used game market subsidises the original cost for most consumers. Someone buys a new game for $50 plays it for a while then sells it for $30 dollars. Spending a real 20 dollars, as the game gets older it gets cheaper and eventually it is sold in the bargin bin for a 1$. In the end the real price for that game was probably 80 to 100 dollars. This 80 to 100 dollars indicates that the publishers could probably make twice as much money by selling the game for cheaper but to more people by limiting the secondary market and mimicking the devaluation scale as the game gets older. This is essentially how steam and other download services work anyhow. I think people would allow the single sale game console mareket if it was wrapped in the right incentives. This could be tested out by giving consumers a choice, the fully priced resellable version or the much reduced price but non-resellable version and see which sells better. This could have worked for other media too but I think it is too late for that market. The CEOs didn’t understand the role that the used CD/DVD (more so in DVD) market played in price and wanted to charge full price for something that was considered less convienient in that it couldn’t be re-sold.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:07:00 +0000

How would they prevent the use of used games? How are they going to recognize used from new? Also, how are they losing out, because every used game in the world was originally bought by someone, right?

By: Jdryner

Jdryner — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:33:00 +0000

IMHO, if Sony (and other console makers) were smart, they could offer a ‘buyback’ program, offering discounts on new games (hard form, or downloadable), they could compete directly with resellers.

By: RealMajor

RealMajor — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Lol sorry I have to say it ^ ^ LastQuestion? do youre parents know that you are talking to strangers in the internet? and when yes what the think about it?

Dont you know that kids shouldnt talk to adults if no allowed, specially strangers ^ ^ LMAO

By: RealMajor

RealMajor — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:22:00 +0000

Hello Mr. ^ ^ whats about real RL wow that has really awsome grafics, brainiacCGPU ;-) yu know

but thing is yu cant turn it off and on hwo u would maybe like.

Back to serious. Open the window, not the WinOS, take a deep calm breath fresh air and count donw from 10.

Hey Dude maybe you cant imagine but 50 years ago there was no transistor an no computer cellphone and so on, was all build on GE mighty tubes and now ask again
LastQuestion:
” People can say they’re not going to buy it, but what else are they going
to buy and play? Going to stay on the 360/ps3 and play crappy 3rd party
titles?

And imaginge 100 years ago, no radio, no electricity, no cars, was all en steam based ;-)

go now an read some books instead of all whole day long retarding video gaming, or get at least outdoors with ur bottom make some activities… nagnagnag aso

By: RealMajor

RealMajor — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:22:00 +0000

Hello Mr. ^ ^ whats about real RL wow that has really awsome grafics, brainiacCGPU ;-) yu know

but thing is yu cant turn it off and on hwo u would maybe like.

Back to serious. Open the window, not the WinOS, take a deep calm breath fresh air and count donw from 10.

And imaginge 100 years ago, no radio, no electricity, no cars, was all en steam based ;-)

go now an read some books instead of all whole day long retarding video gaming, or get at least outdoors with ur bottom make some activities… nagnagnag aso

By: Nodice

Nodice — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:28:00 +0000

This article is silly. You acknowledge that the hardware is sold at a loss and yet make the argument that the hardware “sale” (giving money away) is more important for them from a business standpoint than protecting the profitability of software, where they actually make their money.

By: diddy5584

diddy5584 — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:56:00 +0000

Actually EA is the biggest supporter of this movement and they make some of the biggest profits in the industry… battlefield3 hit 5million sold in a couple of weeks, so that thought process is invalid and yes EA owns that . What they want is to take the power away from the end user so they can make as much money as possible. The downfall that no one has stated is that prices decline the way they do because there is competition from used games. Take away that competition and it is 60 bucks till the new version comes out. The only person that loses is the end user.

By: Carney3

Carney3 — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:40:00 +0000

Except that you know very well that gamers would turn that into what amounts to a rental model. Buy the game, finish it in 3 days, return it, pay nothing. Even better, if you haven’t finished it, buy it again from another store, keep going, then return again.

By: Uplift_Humanity

Uplift_Humanity — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:47:00 +0000

It’s a dangerous world these companies are envisaging — one where our rights become virtual and modifiable at-whim.

These companies have been creating fantasy worlds, that they’ve fallen into one — and lost touch with reality.

What’s the problem with selling used games? Didn’t they already earn the full-cost on the game when it was first sold?

Should we also outlaw the selling of used cars, and anything used? They’ve drank some crazy kool-aid.

I will not buy a console that prevents playing used games, or one that has a “pay-per-play” model (eg, you pay $20 to play 5 times — or similar restrictions). NO WAY.

By: Uplift_Humanity

Uplift_Humanity — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:36:00 +0000

Yup, those poor car manufacturers lose thousands of dollars every time a used car is sold.
How very sad.

I’m sure some congressman can write some legislation to protect those poor manufacturers.

How awful, isn’t it?

I’m even thinking of boycotting all charities and the Salvation Army, because every time you donate used clothes the needy, the clothes manufacturers lose big money. My God, we need legislation to stop needy people from getting reduced-cost or donated items.

Make the poor and needy pay full-retail so stores like Macy’s don’t suffer. No more donations – it’s spoiling our companies, and making them work harder (which I think is unfair).

By: natehow

natehow — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:28:00 +0000

If they blocked used games I also wouldn’t be able to take my brand new game to a friends house without lugging my expensive console along…

By: Paranoimia

Paranoimia — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:05:00 +0000

“Why else would Sony have sold the PlayStation 3 and its many features at a loss for so many years?”

Because, as I’d expect you to know since you’re writing about it, the bulk of the profit from console gaming is not in the hardware, but in the sale of games and the associated license fees. Console hardware is often sold at a loss or minimal profit because the license fees on games are where console manufacturers get the bulk of their money. It’s also why console games cost more than their PC counterparts.

And that’s why they want to cut down on the sale of used games. If they sell the hardware at a loss, and only 1 in 3 people buy ‘new’ games, they’re in serious trouble.

If you enjoy gaming and want to keep the industry going, buy your games new, it’s as simple as that. If you can’t afford new games on release, just wait a few weeks and buy it new when the price drops.

By: MB

MB — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:03:00 +0000

I’d rather still have my choice to have physical or digital versions. Plus “unlimited” bandwidth at home is a thing of the past. So while you’re downloading, 50+GB/month of games and everything else I hope you’re prepared to pay the fees assessed by bandwidth overage charges from your ISP. iPad/iPhone apps are small compared to next-gen games that go on Blu-ray discs. I don’t see digital downloads being a primary option until 100+mbps is readily available and affordable in most households with at least 150GB download/mo limits.

By: MB

MB — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 01:54:00 +0000

There would be an Anti-Trust case. Given that they would be 1) destroying a billion dollar used games market 2) causing thousands of lost jobs 3) killing a lucrative game rental market and 4) taking consumer choice away all just to pocket more money for one interested party that’s already being paid.

By: MB

MB — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 01:51:00 +0000

Not to mention the high cost of bandwidth overage charges from your ISP.

By: Johnnie

Johnnie — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:32:00 +0000

I certainly hope so.

Let’s look at reality though… there’s no shortage of companies that go to such extremes to prevent piracy, that they stop paying attention to common sense. Frankly in those cases I start to sympathize with the pirates…. when the companies go to such extremes that they break the laws of common sense, they become criminals themselves even if no court would find them guilty. I think a broad section of the population feels the same way.

By: Mr Itch

Mr Itch — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:17:00 +0000

My iPad and iPhone don’t allow used games and they seem to be selling just fine…

This ‘used games’ issue is an albatross. The only people who care are those without internet connections, who are living 10 years in the past. Digital Distribution is the future. Physical media is dead.

By: Mr Itch

Mr Itch — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:15:00 +0000

My iPad doesn’t allow used games and it seems to be selling just fine…

By: LawdNikon

LawdNikon — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:00:00 +0000

I dont see it happening either but i DO think that if it did they would most certainly have to drop the prices as aprehension on paying full price for games you cant resell would defintiely prevent many customers from buying them on new release.
MY big question is whether or not they will allow you to play PREVIOUS GEN games? I hate building an entire library of games for your console and not being able to play them on the new device. Its not like we wont buy the new games when they come out becasue the user experience on them will be so much greater. We just want to be able to have one console for the catalog we’ve spent so much money buidling :( Im a gamer but I dont want a stack of consoles lying around just to play my old favs

By: Any

Any — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:58:00 +0000

Drop the prices of the new ones and the used will become less appealing!

By: The_Moonkeeper

The_Moonkeeper — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:44:00 +0000

Preventing used game sales would attract too much attention from piracy developers. Look what it did to Spore.

By: KF

KF — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:01:00 +0000

Simple solution, retailers must be forced to accept game returns with the first 48-72hrs of purchase. A good chunk of used games are ones that are not worth the media there copied on.

By: bibleverse1

bibleverse1 — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:34:00 +0000

Why do consumers buy used games? To get a deal of course! Gamers dont buy used games to screw a developer. Honestly, prices are too high and show no signs of abating. Would banning used games bring lower prices to the consumer? Developers should work to produces more DLC (no more horse amour). Work hard to get that 59.99 from a gamer make them want to give it to you with no questions asked. I dont hear developers that sell 100mil first day sulking about used sales.

By: Martial

Martial — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:20:00 +0000

Ok I see.

By: Martial

Martial — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Nevermind. Used games will be linked to PSN and Xbox Live accounts rather than the consoles. So I think we can change our consoles and still keep playing our old games.

By: LastQuestion

LastQuestion — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:45:00 +0000

I disagree. MS and Sony don’t have any risk involved. People can say they’re not going to buy it, but what else are they going to buy and play? Going to stay on the 360/ps3 and play crappy 3rd party titles?

By: Eleeflyguy43

Eleeflyguy43 — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:40:00 +0000

is there a software licensing agreement in the game that limits it to one console, one user? if so, then yeah, block games. if not, then boo hoo software developer. my imorssion was that, ince a game is purchased, the developer has no right to dictate who uses it, even illegal immigrants,Al Qauda, Best Buy, or Games Stop

By: Haris Radzi

Haris Radzi — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:11:00 +0000

Bah, I knew it those rumors were false. Dont even give a shit about it since it could have been made up by some forever alone author to seek attention

By: Haris Radzi

Haris Radzi — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:11:00 +0000

Bah, I knew it those rumors were false. Dont even give a shit about it since it could have been made up by some forever alone author to seek attention

By: Haris Radzi

Haris Radzi — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:11:00 +0000

Let me guess, you’re probably a kid lives in US

By: Bob

Bob — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:12:00 +0000

And this is why I don’t even mess with consoles and get stuck buying new copies of computer games all the time… They already do that with PC games, why not do that to consoles?

By: Patriot Games

Patriot Games — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:42:00 +0000

Sadly, developers and publishers will NEVER reduce the price of games, even if the cost of printing discs and packaging products is completely eliminated. You see this if you go online to purchase digital copies – the digital price is the same cost as the retail box (in most cases).

By: Patriot Games

Patriot Games — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:32:00 +0000

Chevy doesn’t get a share of the money when I sell my truck, why should a game company get a share when I sell a used game? I bought it. I paid for the liscense(s) included in the cost of the game. I should own ALL rights to that disc and anything on it, providing I don’t alter the code (which is the only part the developer should own) or illegally make a copy of the game (it IS illegal to make a copy of my Chevy truck, after all).

Don’t give me any crap about intellectual property or ‘server’ costs. CoD:MW3 made a billion dollars in 16 days. They also have their “Elite” service (paid-in-advance service for content). EA charges for online play for used games (online passes cost at least $10 if the original code has been used) even on PSN where the service is ‘free.’ If I sell BF3, I stop using the server for that game, while the new “owner” picks it up – no change in server population occurs – but EA gets 10 bucks if the new owner wants to play online. That is direct theft – forced payment for something that has already been paid for by the initial buyer.

Publishers and developers should crack down on ‘modded’ hardware and ‘burned’ copies of games, where they actually lose real money, instead of harassing those that buy used games legitimately.

European-style copyright laws are detrimental to the USA.

Common-sense says that if I buy it, I own it.

By: mjw149

mjw149 — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:10:00 +0000

They’ll block used games. Publishers and developers are less interested in developing expensive AAA titles. They’ve got the power in these negotiations, because they’ve got to incur the cost in developing better games.

1. Some console games already do this by moving more and more features to DLC.
2. PC games work like this (Steam, same thing).
3. iOS works like this (though of course you can have games on many devices in that system).

If they don’t build a used game activation system into the console, publishers will just move everything to dlc anyway, and it will continue to be haphazard and confusing, which isn’t consumer-friendly, either.

Don, it isn’t emotional to point out a trend and point out that among Sony, MS and Nintendo, no one is strong enough to push the publishers around and now the retailers can’t get their backs because they’re dying.