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'Used' A Dirty Word in Gaming
Gamers with Jobs has a piece looking at the increasingly negative reaction the game industry has towards used games. From the article: "The problem is that the used game market has not only redefined the direction of the specialty retailer, but it has attracted the attention of the big box stores, and the success of limited test markets might eventually reshape the landscape of the gaming retail industry as a whole, edging publishers and developers out of a significant cut of the action. This as next-generation systems send development costs skyrocketing put developers in the position spending more than ever just as the biggest retailers are considering keeping more of the profits for themselves."
Buying a used game for $20 is better than buying it new for $50 only to discover that it sucks.
Besides, some of those used games are really worth picking up but they're out of print. So should we just never get the rare gems? Obviously the answer is to buy them new, but sometimes you don't realize how good a game is until its too hard to find - reference Disgaea.
How?
Take Madden 2004, slap on it new textures, make some minor gameplay changes, call it Madden 2005 and release it.
How the hell does that skyroket costs when they are using the same goddamn engine with prettier graphics and a few minor asthetic changes?
The publishers will insist that graphics sell, that you need such high-res textures that you can see the models' individual pores, that you need to get Hollywood actors to do the voices. I don't buy that. If Geometry Wars and the success of the DS have taught us anything, it's that gameplay sells.
I don't think I'm in the minority when I say that I don't play graphics.
It forces game makers to make games that have large lasting appeal. I've sold loads of games that are "beat once, throw away". There's other games with loads of features and content that I'll never get rid of because some day I know I'm gonna go back and play it some more. This can only be a good thing.
Did you know that most retailers don't make hardly a dollar on the new video games, because of the cost of them shipped? (My wife and I are opening a store to sell games, and toys and such) This is a good compelling argument for stores to take back some profit by selling used games. Most of that money for new games goes directly back to the publisher. There is really not much incentive for a store to sell new games.
...like 7 or 8 dollars on a $50 title.
Anyway, just an FYI for all the high and mighty consumers out there.
WallMart gets one of the best deals on video games, and they make under 2 dollars on a game after thier costs. This is because the margin starts out so low