Posted on: Monday, January 7th, 2013
Posted in: News
Comments: 92
Used Games, Nevermore.
A new patent from Sony sees gamers angry and Gamestop hurting.
Used games have been the target for publishers and developers alike for years now. Many among them have claimed that the second-hand games market is as damaging, if not more so then piracy as it actively takes a paying sale away from supporting the creators, where as piracy cannot be proven to do so. Where each person stands on the issue is as varied as there are people on the planet, but it seems Sony has taken the first step towards ensuring the second-hand market is ‘suppressed”.
“As a result [of the design], the dealing of electronic content in second-hand markets is suppressed, which in turn supports the redistribution of part of proceeds from sales of the electronic content to the developers.”
Now what is key to note about this, is that Sony hasn’t said they have used, or even will use this new patent. Though the mere mention of this patent getting approved has already caused damage in the second-hand market. GameStop, love-em or hate-em, saw a steep drop in its stocks, losing $1.67 per share, and while that may seem small there are billions of shares in GameStop. While the numbers did rise back, yet did not completely make back the loss, the sharp decline illustrates that the investors are worried about the company’s reliance on the sale of used games.
So should we as consumers be worried and perceive this as some darksign for the future? Personally I don’t think so, while the system sounds scary, and by all rights it is, I doubt Sony would ever actually implement the system as it would give a massive advantage to Nintendo and Microsoft who won’t use it. The truth seems to be, while the wording in the document contradicts Sony’s own statements, this is a protective patent which will allow Sony to pursue anyone else that has a similar idea. It also points towards the ability to lock content based on time played, so we could see a resurgence of rentals but powered through Sony’s own database as opposed to Blockbuster or Family Video.
Sources: Escapist Magazine – Sony Patent
Escapist Magazine – Gamestop Shares
Game Rant
GamesInustry.biz – Gamestop
Full Patent
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92 thoughts on “Used Games, Nevermore.”
We need used games. I know so many people who search everywhere for stores that have old used games. I play alot of old goodies like Dark Cloud, Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy, Gauntlet Dark Legacy. I hate going into a store and seeing Iron Man 2 and Terminator Salvation and Star wars Kinect for 50 or 60 dollars
i personally think we should support the developers and publishers. gamestop is the only one making a profit off of used games not the people that make the game in the first place. its sucks because of it a lot of teams are being disbanded (THQ is a good example). also going back when it was $30 dollars a game was back when it didnt take a lot of people to make one now your talking about 100s of people involved in one game so yeah $60 is worth it and the millions of dollars that they would earn (if the game sells) doesnt just go the the developers
If we can no longer buy used games and are forced to rebuy license agreements, I will stop buying games alltogether and get as many peeps as I can to help start my own company. I am sick and fucking tired of this crap. Developers don’t want used games? Really? How bout going back to $30 a game then dicks. $50 and $60 for a game now is ridiculous when so many games released now suuuuuuuuuucccckkkkk. Aliens Colonial Marines anyone?
Worth pointing out that plenty of people buy games new with the intention (or backup plan) to resell / trade in / etc if and when they get bored or annoyed by the game.
Isn’t it possible this will hurt their sales instead of helping them, because less people will pay full price knowing they cannot get half of it back? If so I doubt they would carry on using it.
Ok this is enraging is it not enough that england offers game creators huge tax breaks and that a game rrps at atleast £39.99 now im not claiming to be an accountant or privvy to the costs of making a game but for the millions of sales worldwide you dont need a maths degree to know they are creaming alot of change, and then we have the dreaded dlc taking more of our hard earned money and our only saving grace is now on the line. Hell alot of my mates can only afford to buy games second hand. But it doesnt just end there what if i buy a game and wanna go over to my mates and play it now im gonna have to take my console with me, next theyre gonna shut down the rental market as sony and propbably microsofts greed continue to grow. Now i know ive been ranting for a bit now so i will end this by saying if this does happen i will boycott next generation consoles and i would urge you all to do the same
Wont just ruin Gamestop. It will ruin Gamefly, And some video stores that are still left. Will ruin some people just starting out with video game stores . Sure they will have old stuff but forget about the new stuff.
I heard exactly the same thing about Microsoft, not Sony.
Sony patented it
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2013/0007892.html
Microsoft did not.
This doesn’t affect me. I always buy my games new, usually on sale but new.
Anything that screws gamestop is a win in my book.
This is a way to push consumers to digital only in disguise.
Great another idiot that doesn’t see people will lose their jobs.
You know, I was gonna flame you for being a (insert insult here) that lives at (insert deprecating remark of living space here) person, but instead, no. Imma just say this. Some of us don’t get finances handed to us, we have to work hard for each penny. Some of us have kids, a spouse, and responsibilities that makes buying a new copy of a game sometimes untenable. Maybe you should think about that.
One can hope that the dark forces that be will not win this conflict. Dark times, forevermore..
I disagree with you that sony will never use this. They will charge Microsoft and Nintendo to use it. Once they all agree to use it they will all f*** us triple penitration style.
If Sony actually did this I wouldn’t just make sure I never bought another Sony product again I would go out of my way to make sure they die as a company. Trying to eliminate the 2nd hand market is not acceptable for any reason ever, to even conceive such an idea is despicable I shall treat it as a rumor for now as I refuse to believe that even Sony would be this stupid.
And this is why old games still kick new one’s asses. Before, games were made to have fun with them for hours and even if you beat them it was fun to grab the controller just to have that fun again, now if it doesn’t make money it’s shit and fun goes to the developer’s pocket. Take for example Capcom, the SNES was their time of glory, they made money quite easy with no back stab to their client, now with the DLC on, it’s all “Buy it to have it full”, and it’s not even ” DLC extras”, is part of the game. So fuck SONY, I’ll buy a WiiU or a NextBox. FUCK YOU SONY!
You do realize that Microsoft and Nintendo will be in on this too, right? It’s profitable, and all three of those corporations only care about profit. They’re hardly different than EA, they just have a better rep.
lets say if sony and microsoft goes ahead with it .there is nothing to worry about .I mean i picked up darksiders 2, hitman absolution and resi 6 ,all brand new on ebay for £40 thats like $60 . my option is simple if that goes through ill only buy titles that im a big fan of . and the rest il will not bother about
for example Dmc on release is like £42 ill wait 5 months and ill get it for £15 or £10 if ill get lucky . we’ll have to shop around more to get most for our money and I dont see no point of buying a game on release its just too
expensive
I don’t ask the Universe for reasons to hate Sony Corp. I’m just thankful for the days when they fall right into my lap…
joe you made me want a Xbox 360 and i hope i’ll make the money to buy it soon.But I want to know which game is the best to play with the rest of Angry Joe Army.
Well unless they make game prices correct for each country (new game in USA cost 60$ with avg. 2000 to 2500$ salary, while in few europe countries from western part, game costs 60€ and salary is mostly about 500 to 600€) they cant expect lower piracy and/or second hand (why should I buy new 60€ game, when I can get it from second hand like 2 weeks later for 30€ ?)
This is like the gaming industry is taking a smoke break from the the DLC rape and tells you wait till you see what I got in store for you next. I only buy games used unless its a company & game I support bc let me tell you CAPCOM man I still have characters on sfXtekken that I still have not used but there on my screen teasing you. Give me a break I’m only buying games brand new to show that im supporting what you do VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET.
Maybe if game companies now days didn’t attempt to blatantly rip off their consumers I wouldn’t feel the need to buy so many used games and this wouldn’t be as big of a problem. Just food for thought.
Game stop could end this very quickly by not stocking any Sony Products in their stores and bringing back the legacy system resales that they stopped doing years ago.
I’m inclined to agree with you the creators of the games as well as the publishers have already seen profits from the original sales of said games and so should no longer need to worry about those things. it’s the thinking of short term profit Vs long term gain.
Only now read the post.
Point 1: isn’t Sony on the record as installing rootkits on users computers?
Point 2: you know, some of the greatest and most enduring works of art (think renessaince) were not made in the manner of an artist making an ultra-easily copiable work and then charging people for it. It was done the other way around – a patron had money they wanted to spend and then they invited artists to make art for them.
Since computer games are an artform (whatever various people say), the problems of software piracy, DRM, second hand market and many other will only ever be solved when people adopt a renessaince style patronage of game makers and pay for the games to be developed, instead of paying to have an already developed game.
And for the record, I firmly believe there is a market for midle men in this. Think Kickstarter. In some time (probably after yet another game market crash and a string of bankrupcies) the gaming landscape could very well be populated by private, for-profit companies which will solicit money from the public on behalf of game makers which will make games and then make them public. Public in the sense of “free-as-in-free-beer”.
This tactic is pure bullshit.
Companies nowadays are too focused on profit, they are acting so that any current and possible source revenue in the game goes to them. Instead of making the gamer pay again to activate the game why not make a deal with the resellers so that companies are given a comssion?
This measure only aggravates piracy since gamers will think “Mmm, should i buy this game for 40$ and then pay more 10$(hipothetical value)? Maybe it would be much less of a hassle to simply download a pirated copy”
I was talking about this with a friend who is into patents and copyright and he told me that maybe what Sony is aiming for is to get a bit of the pie from the second hand market in this simple way; maybe they would have some sort of online activations for games (say $10) so that Gamestop and the other relasers would have to sell the used copies at amuch more reasonable pricepoint for recent used games (say $35).
So, for buying a game like Far Cry 3 which is less than 3 months old would breakdown like this, instead of paying Gamestop $50 for a $60 game you would probably pay Gamestop $35 and then do an online activation for $10…maybe the resalers would already have a program in place where the used game is actualy ready to be activated without your input.
This actualy sounds kind of fair for Sony and the developers of the game; this way they would get a percentage of the resale, and this would come out of the reseller sites
Got to say that I wouldn’t mind used sales dieing out if it were replaced with something like steam. Truth be told even the “cheap” games at gamestop look outrageously expensive in light of download sales. I bought both recent batman games within six months of release for less than $10 on my pc… and have hundreds of games I would never have even had the opportunity to rent at the cost I bought them at. I also wouldn’t be surprised if free to play options became more the norm as well. Still as things are now.. they should stay.. but I’m not sure that the next gen would be as well served by doing the same ol same ol as they always have. If it were myself.. I’d offer both physical and digital.. but discount downloads and offer sales that puts gamestop to shame.. do it the healthy way.. compete.
This war on used games is really starting to get annoying. That’s how I get most of my games because last time I checked I’m not made out of money!
Anyway I’m sure Sony won’t have the guts to follow through with this but if you’ve looked at there past “ingenious” ideas like: PS1 & 2 games no longer being compatible on the PS3, the PSP witch…didn’t really go anywhere, giving the PS3 motion control with a controller that looks like a glowing dildo, the possibility of the PS4 being shoe horned in like the Wii U, and the PS VISTA (a.k.a FAIL!). You’d probably think they would do something that stupid, but they won’t (hopefully). Now EA that’s a different story! Those bastards have been pushing for this for some time and if they succeed…I don’t even want to think about that.
PS1 is compatible with PS3. But PS2 games are compatible with PS3 trough PSN Store.
Bottom Line folks:
Despite the fact that Microsoft also considered these patents, Sony will NEVER implement these unless Microsoft also does it. Otherwise, most gamers will forgo buying any new Sony platforms.
EVEN IF SONY AND MICROSOFT DO IMPLEMENT THESE PATENTS, another company like Valve or Nvidia (who’re already in the process of developing their own consoles) will swoop in with their own consoles to fill the old gap that Xbox and Playstation leave behind.
The only way that this sort of thing will become the future of gaming, is if big game corporation lobbyist are able to push to make used game sales illegal. At which point, there will be nothing anyone can do about it and everyone will have to follow the patent.
A court ruling over the sale of a software package has set a disturbing new precedent that could effectively be used to outlaw used games in the United States.
Not long ago, Software developer Autodesk had successfully won a case against defendant Timothy Vernor, blocking him from being able to legally sell a program called AutoDesk on the grounds that the software’s End User License Agreement “significantly restricts the user’s ability to transfer the software and imposes notable use restrictions.”
Similar EULA warnings can be found in videogames (such as the now infamous, Diablo III), with Electronic Arts explicitly stating that it grants you the right to play a game, it does not sell you the game itself. If EA worked up the balls to take GameStop to court, there is now a precedent that suggests EA would have a strong leg to stand on in blocking the sale of secondhand games. This, of course, would have to be settled and decided upon in a supreme court, but it’s in no way inconceivable.
My guess is that the patent is a fell-safe, a cushion that Sony and Microsoft are both putting in now, on the pretense that something like the above happens.
So your biggest worry shouldn’t be the patent itself, but about CEOs like Kenzo Tsujimoto from Capcom, John Riccitiello of EA Games and Robert Kotick of Activision Blizzard games. It will be THESE people who end up forcing laws like banning the sale of used games. Not Sony or Microsoft.
Also, saying Sony or Microsoft would want the ban of used video games, is like saying Dell or Apple would want the ban the sell of software. The consoles are there to play the game. The console companies will offer features, such as online capabilities, software updates, software maintenance, and ease of programming for the developers but on the consumer part of things, they want more gamers playing their consoles. Used games is good for their business because it allows a more varied demographic to play video games on THEIR consoles.
This patent isn’t for their end… its for the game developer end of their service. It is a feature that, obviously, the video game DEVELOPERS are pushing on the console giants to have ready… just encase.
In an ideal reality, you would be right. Here, however, these companies make more money from the selling of games than they do from selling consoles. Pricing SH games would be profitable.
Valve and (as far as I can tell) Nvidia also will make their consoles DVD-ROM-less. This means that games will be downloaded online and will be tied to the connected user. Basically, just what Sony is trying to do.
Lets be honest though. We all knew the end of CDs were coming. It was bound to happen eventually. I mean, Arcades were also big at one point too. But unless you’re a pizzaria that specializes in kids parties, you’ll not find an Arcade anymore.
for the record, i know of several still successful arcades near where i live, moreover, arcades are still really popular in several countries (notably japan)
with the announcement of valves console the piston i get the feeling this may be more of a reality than previously thought. either that or it will turn into a dysfunctional family fight over a will, never pretty.
Aaaaand this is why I got a 360 instead of a ps3. Sony talked about this crap in the ps2 era, and they finally pulled the crap. F U S O N Y !
Microsoft has the same patent and even did it before Sony…
Rofl, fail…
Я должен сказать, если одно из имен лиц бренд консоли сделать это, я, конечно, пойду в игровых ПК или остановки игры в целом
(I must say if one of the name brand console makers do this, I will certainly go into PC gaming or stop gaming in general.)
I have no problem paying full price for good games. When they are just so so releases I buy the used copy.
So my advice is intended for game developers. To make the most money just release good games and the used game market will not even be a issue.
On another note I am glad I stopped my support of Sony with the PS2. Don’t think I will ever buy another system they release.
Anyone who’s played Everquest or heard about Kerafyrm (the games big boss) and how it was dealt with shouldn’t be surprised by Sony’s dick moves. Kinda funny (shitty) how they keep screwing people who buy their fucking stuff. Maybe Joe shoulda waited a few days,,, this might of made the gaming controversies of 2012 list. But hey, it’s Sony. They’ve had a lot of practice doing shit like this. Can’t say i’m totally surprised.
In a way i don’t really care, sure i buy used games, but mostly from sites like amazon and ebay, and then it’s mainly old games. Gamestop (at least in my country) has been ripping people off for years offering little to no value for traded in games, while overpricing their own games. New games in my country can run up to 96 dollars, while they’re much cheaper on the various internet sites, even the domestic ones.
Wow, where do you live? If you have translated the currency correctly, that is very expensive.
this won’t just affect gamestop sales, games with this implemented would be impossible to play used period (unless they offer some way to unlock it, knowing sony, it would probably be full retail)
wait so if i dont know if i want to buy a game 99% of times i call a friend to borrow it from him then if i liked i will buy it but sony is stupid enough to “suppress” this…. i dont think it will go through and if it does there will be war… well not war but you got the idea
yep still not buying a ps3 or 4. Might pick up a ps2 slim to play all my old SMT games. man, I want to play shadow hearts covenant again.
Meh, used sales will exist, and Sony sure as hell wont do anything crazy like this with Vita’s ABSOLUTE FAILURE and Nintendo’s growing dominance..
Honestly, while I don’t think Sony is stupid enough to implement this, even if it does come to pass, how long before someone figures out a way around it? There are programmers on the internet already salivating at the idea of trying to crack this.
This will never happen. seeing how most gamers are collage kids or even most games are sold on sale for holidays and game stop normally dos a sale with used games. This system is useless and flawed if you ask me not to mention if sony can’t get good launch titles they will have just wasted money on a useless DRM for there system, no marketing agent would look at this and think its a fantastic idea if he also was looking twords memory space and download speed for most places.
people are overreacting ALOT. theres tons of patents being filled daily with this type of stuff, but it doesn’t mean it will be used now or ever, its just a patent!!! seriously this will be some kind of fail safe for sony if things goes too wrong on the future, but for now this patents are like “i had an idea and i want to keep it mine” and not ” this is what we’re going to implement”.
Er… I… don’t understand what exactly I’m looking at…
What is this patent supposed to DO exactly?
IF! it goes through and sony decides to use it, it will mean your wont be able to play used games on the ps4
I’m with some of you. The fact that they took this patent doesn’t bother me one shred. I agree that I don’t think they will truly implement it.
What would bother me is, if they did, most people would STILL BUY THE CONSOLE! How can you blame the company for selling a product that benefits them, instead of the customer who buys it regardless of whats wrong?
Pervasive DRM is the way of the future unfortunately. Get used to it or start pirating everything, which will only make this worse in the long run and cost jobs. And let me clue you guys in: its not the CEO or the big names that would lose their jobs because you stole a copy of Skyrim. Its the little guy who does modeling, or the guy doing debugging.
Pirating hurts everyone. Used games benefit no one but the retail store. I honestly have no problem paying whatever the DEV wants me to pay.
Think about it this way: you make something, and sell it in stores for 20$. Someone then resells it for 10$, depriving you of that 20$ purchase. You asked for 20$ and instead people decided they thought YOUR WORK was less valuable than what you placed it at.
Comeon, do you guys work for free?
DRM IS EVIL, dont get it twisted. Its an unfortunate reality however. If you really hate what a company is doing, follow my advice: don’t buy from them.
10 games made = company wants to make 600 dollars
9 games sold at full price = company made 540 dollars
games sucks balls
6 games are traded in = customer makes back $120 from gamestop
5 used copies resold = Gamestop makes $250
Company still made 540 dollars from that 540 they pay there employees.
Problem?!?!
YUP…What this guy said. I’ll simplify it for you.
Every used game..whether it be from Gamestop/EBay, etc., at one point or another, at some point in its life cycle, HAS ALREADY BEEN PURCHASED AT FULL PRICE!!!!!!!!!! The game HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR!!!! They have already made their $60 bucks…. So screw them….
But not buying their consoles and game is the only way to hurt the big names and CEO, sure there will be collateral damage but who cares really?
I’m not going to pay big bucks for a piece of shit DRM laden game just to preserve the job of some guy who made the concept art, I’m no chump.
The problem with this is simple, if sony does this then gaming as we know it will be destroyed or sony will be ousted from the market do to revenue loss. The reason I say is this because used games exist for a reason and that reason is that the cost of new games is over priced and as such gamers seek a way to aquire their luxury at a cheaper price, hence why steam is popular on computers, If sony reduced the cost of their new games by 25 percent they would see an exponetial increase in sales especially with the fiscal cliff passing(It went into effect and no body caught that it did, just instead of payroll taxes going up SS taxes went up to an average of 1000 dollars per year) the problem no one is addressing is that the public at large just doesn’t have the money to spend anymore so they turn to the used market where they can still get their fix for a cheaper cost. One of the benefits of a recession, eventually people start saving and cut spending, now if our government could only take the lesson from the working poor.
To be honest I don’t see what’s bad about this. I hate the fact that Gamestop makes tons of money off used games without giving ANY of it to the to the people who made it. They’re essentially making the most profit out of stuff they didn’t even make. It’s basically stealing credit. Even though I can’t sell my used games to other people or let people borrow my games because the console sees it as “used” I don’t really mind. I rather Gamestop lose a big part of their profit market because they don’t deserve it.
There is more vendetta than logic in that statement.
umm, I never got why Gamespot is so “evil” in the eyes of some. They give lazy people a super easy method to get rid of their old games, and they give you credit for them so you can buy new games… and that’s somehow so horrible and greedy? No one is forced to give their games away to the store for a pittance, and everyone knows full well the store is going to take the game in and mark it up… that’s how a business makes money.
For those who feel the Gamespot trade value is not worth it… they are free to keep all their games, whether they use them or not, and receive nothing for them. Or they can put in a little extra work and sell them their-selves for a bit of extra money…. so again, what’s wrong with this?
Well first. Me trading in a game I paid $60 for to only get $9 in store credit is a rip-off. Secondly, they take that game and put it on the shelf for $54.99. That’s a +$45 profit for THEM and THEM ALONE. They do not give ANY part of that money to the developers/publishers that sold them the game before.
When Gamestop purchases games grom the publishers they often by them in bulk. So it’s easier to explain this, let’s say that buying them in bulk would imply that they basically paid $30 per copy. So when they sell it for $60, they make a $30 profit. The publisher that sold it to them makes $30 profit per copy.
So let’s say they bought 80 copies of Black Ops II for $2,400. That means Activision gains a $2400 profit while Gamestop ALSO gains a $2,400 profit once all 80 copies are sold. But what happens when say 30 people return their copy. Let’s say they give $9 back per customer. That means they gave back $270 in total. They put each copy of the game on the shelf for $55. Let’s say all used copies sell. That is a $1650 profit and Activision sees NONE OF IT.
You really think that’s fair? You really don’t think that’s being greedy? Then you’re honestly blind.
While Gamestop’s business practices are highly questionable and the fact that they keep all of the profits from used games is quite honestly bullshit, obviously something is wrong with this. For one this means that you will NEVER get to trade back your game because it’s going to be useless. Another problem is the fact that you will NEVER get to share/borrow games with your friends. What’s next, the fact that if something happens to your console rendering it unable to fulfill its purpose, what then? They’d alienate the old and to be honest, expected possibilities that we had with our games.
I think it’s pretty clear though that the problem is Gamestop not giving the devs, publishers, etc. money for used games. In order to stop this something should be done about that DIRECTLY, not to get off topic but it’s like banning weapons and imposing strict laws upon them to stop murder, when you could ban(though you can’t just ban Gamestop from taking the money from used games, but of course something can be done to directly stop that) murder and impose strict laws on that?
I think my final argument here would be the fact that using this patent would more than likely cause a larger outcry from Sony fans and gamers in general. It might hurt gamers more than Gamestop if not hurting gamers second to Gamestop. They’d indirectly do something that hurts their fans and would in one way or another ironically loose money. But I just have to put the emphasis on the way it would inevitably hurt players. Sony as one of the largest companies involved within this medium should see this. Many fans will probably just see it as a cheap cash in, no matter how justified. – 111axa1
Then don’t shop their frankly. But it’s not yours or the gaming companies choice what I do with my property. If Buy a game it’s my property, and I can chose to resell it, or gift it, or sell it to a friend. A business is a business.
Any new game that’s $60 dollars will net you around 30 from gamestop. I got 35 in store credit for skyrim in 2012 (as opposed to being offered only 25.00 in cash), 30.00 cash for Far Cry 3, 25.00 in store credit for AC Revelations in 2011. They sell WET for 6.99 now, and I got 3 bucks for it, plus 4.00 for Bayonetta, plus an extra ten dollars for a special offer they had going on. I made out the same if I had sold the games myself on craigslist or amazon. If you are going to use an arbitrary number for gamestop trade in prices, don’t use the exact same number from an anti-gamestop trade-in commercial ($9.00).
Not to mention, when they buy your games from us, us often being young adults dressed like idiots with uncombed hair and smelling like an 3 day COD binge, they take them SIGHT UNSEEN. They don’t test it, they hardly look at it – they give you money or credit, and you walk away or apply it to a new purchase, no questions asked. If you personally bought an item off craigslist sight unseen, I’d say you deserve to get cheated, and yet Gamestop does this all the time, and often with a return policy (though limited in many cases, still better than dealing with “all sales final” from craigslist.)
Instead of trying to “curb” used game sales, or second hand sales, maybe Sony, MS, Nintendo, etc should seriously consider getting into the used game business. Xbox Arcade and PSN is good place to start, but if they were serious, they’d offer their games at competitive prices, as opposed to $10+ over what other vendors like Amazon or Gamestop offer.
I guess we should ban used book stores and car lots as well…? What about giving clothes to the Salvation Army when your done with them? Think of all the profits Old Navy and Ralph Klein are missing out on, oh dear it makes me sad
err wrong name, Ralph Klein being the former premier of Alberta haha… who am I thinking of…? Calvin Klein probably…
Except, you know, there is a reason they are called separate stores like a used book store and the Salvation Army. They strive solely on used materials. Do you see a used video game store any where? No. Gamestop buys straight from publishers as well as profitting off of used products. It’s greed.
It will affect more than just your target of random petty vengeance, missus.
Troggy why don’t you put up an actual argument rather than just repeating the same, “u just have a vendetta/hater,” line. If you can’t do that then please just don’t say anything.
Old Navy and Calvin Klein both profit off of stuff they by from the manufacturers not by used clothes. Furthermore, I’d be fine with Gamestop profitting off used games if they actually gave half or more of the profit to the publishers/devs who actually made the damn game.
Please don’t ignore the fact that Gamestop is not the only thing affected, pointless vengeance seeker.
You sound foolish and unwilling to accept common business practices used across all markets.
Yes. Evil Gamestop and their evil reselling of used games!!! Damn them! …. Oh wait.. you mean there are other game stores then Gamestop? REALLY!?? Ones that offer more inhouse credit for trades? NO WAY!
Srsly people. Don’t like gamestop? Go to another game store and stop your bitching. OR! *gasp* sell your games online.
katherine, By your logic flee markets, used car lots, The Salvation Army and garage sales are evil too. Here is the fact as they should be, When you buy a product, you should have the sole exclusive right to re-sell that product to whomever is going to buy it. Period. End of line.
The fact that software companies have banded together and decided that you are only “leasing” their product has turned the whole free market idea into a screwed up mess.
Aghh … so close, if this had been introduced just a week or two earlier this would be like number 2 of Angry joe’s top 10 gaming controversies.
We have a good contender for the 2013 list at least.
if there is one, like how he did top 10 anticipated games for 2011, he dropped that, and I think he dropped top 10 most disappointing games, so this will likely be the last top 10 gaming controversies
He didn’t drop most anticipated, I help him write these, its just people don’t seem to have any patience which is annoying.
Couldn’t agree more.
I don’t like what Sony is doing…but on the other hand… fuck gamestop… I hope they crash and burn!
Here You have another sick patent idea. This time from Microsoft – feat. the Kinect: http://www.ghacks.net/2012/11/07/microsoft-applies-for-big-brother-drm-patent/
Heard about this, really sucks.
Love the irony in the picture being from Gears of War (360 exclusive) ^^
Seems highly illogical that Sony would implement a system like this. But we’ll have to see what the future holds. Used games I understand can be an annoyance to publisher’s and developer’s though. But there are other ways of “battling” them. I personally only buy used games that you can’t find new anymore.
I used to buy second hand games back in the PS2-GameCube era, but haven’t done so since. I’m a working 29 year old man. If I want to play a game, I’ll make sure my money goes to the developer/publisher, as much as possible, and not to some greedy retailer. I also have never pirated any game (or movie or song for that matter), because that’s the same as stealing.
Developers work very hard on video games. If you as a gamer enjoy their products, it’s only natural you pay for it. That’s the way I see it.
Please tell me you’re joking.
Just because you can afford to purchase every game at full price doesn’t mean everybody can. I have a job but supporting my family and paying bills is more important than supporting a video game developer. If the game is worth the $60 price tag (most aren’t) then I’ll save my money and buy it new. If the developers don’t like it they can either drop their prices or actually make their games worth $60. I’m getting tired of developers and publishers throwing all of their problems on us.
Please…..not to defend Gamestop but tell me this.
Whats the difference between Gamestop and a used book store ?
Should those used book stores be given away a portion of there profits
to the publishers ?
I’m not saying everyone should follow my example. I’m well aware a lot of people can’t afford to buy everything new. This is just my personal view on the matter.
So you only buy your games straight from the Sony and EA store? Don’t be naive Ocean. Walmart, ToysRUs and every other retailer is making just as much profit. And I have even started seeing used games at Walmart now.
Also, how do you buy a game that is more than a few months old? Regular retail stores don’t keep games much past their initial release window. If You want to buy anything from 2010, good luck at a traditional retail store.
We don’t have that problem here in Belgium. Most games are available in stores for as long as 2-3 years. And as I said in my original post: I want my money to go to the developer/publisher “as much as possible”. I’m well aware that retailers make profit by selling new games. Difference is that buy buying used games, the developer sees no profit from that… at all.
Look, I’m not trolling here. This is just my personal opinion on the matter. I won’t force anyone ever to follow my example. Do as you please.
I think you make a good point and people are not understanding you very well for whatever reason, which is partly their fault and yours. I totally agree with what you are saying. I hate how this is going, and I am a bit of a hypocrite because I do get games without giving as much as possible to the publisher, even though I am resentful of that fact. It just needs to be more practical to buy games that are fully priced and they need to be on shelves a little longer to give people who don’t jump on games the year they are released a chance to buy them. Sadly, from a marketing point of view doing this may not be as profitable.