Why Game Developers Should Shut Up About Used Games

Ssquared22 writes "It may feel like a rip-off to some, but you've got to admit that paying $30 for Gears of War 2 sure beats paying $60! Game publishers and developers may not like it, but people are going to trade in used games for new games and those old games will be sold back to other people. There's nothing game developers can do to stop them, and companies like Gamestop continue to laugh all the way to the bank. In an article at Crispy Gamer, David Thomas dissects one of the most critical issues in gaming today: used games and merchants (online and brick-and-mortar) who specialize in this 'sleight of hand.'"

Comments

I hate the used games.

[MaWeiTao]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Anyone who buys used games from Gamestop and their ilk is a sap. Anyone who believes they're sticking it to developers and publishers by doing so is an even bigger sap. Used games from these retailers is one of the biggest sucker deals I've seen in years, $5 to $10 off games with battered, dirty cases, missing instruction manuals and worn, scratched discs. Even more ridiculous is how little they offer customers for used games.

I can't count the times I've seen used games at Gamestop going for more than a new copy at Target. If you're a truly discerning shopper concerned with saving money you'd go online where the best deals, by far, can be had. I don't think waiting a couple of days for delivery is going to kill anyone.

This is not to say I have some kind of problem with used games. Not at all. But if you're buying used games for a deal, which I presume most people are, then you should be shopping on eBay because that's one of the few days to find a good deal. And even better option is to just the game.

But the fact is that there are such good deals to be had online that there's virtually no good reason to buy a used game. Even new games can be had for about $5 off, at least, which is how much Gamestop is charging for the same game used. The way I see it, if a person is so impatient that they have to have a game immediately then they really aren't all that serious about saving money. If I don't think a new game is worth $60 then I don't buy it. I wait until prices have dropped.

The only people being screwed by used game sales are the consumers themselves but only because they allow themselves to be screwed. I remember as a kid collecting a bunch of old Atari 2600 games we had laying around and taking them to various pawn shops to make a few bucks to that in turn I could buy some Sega Master System games. I went from shop to shop trying to find a good deal, but in the end I gave up a decent number of good Atari games to end up with a single, average SMS game. Live and learn.

Re:Great advertising for new versions!

[CelticWhisper]

I guess you could point to all the wonderful F/OSS games that are out there, like... wait.

You mean like Nexuiz, Tremulous, OpenArena, Battle for Wesnoth, PlaneShift, Oolite, Cube, Sauerbraten, Frets on Fire, NetHack, Torus Trooper, TuxRacer, VegaStrike, and Warsow?

Or did I dream all those?

Re:Great advertising for new versions!

[kklein]

WHAT??? You mean fundamentals of capitalist economics apply to video games, music, film, TV shows, and other media as well as physical goods??? But... But... I don't like paying for things!!!