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Microsoft Asks If You'd Be Happy With Selling Back Digital Xbox One Games For 10% (windowscentral.com)
An anonymous reader writes: A recent survey from Microsoft has asked the community whether or not they would want a feature allowing them to sell back their digital games, just like you would a physical disc at GameStop. Unfortunately, the trade-in price for said digital content is 10-percent of what you paid at the point of purchase in store credit. While this is just a survey and doesn't mean the feature is coming to the Xbox platform, it does show Microsoft is actively pursuing the idea.
As long as you're participating in this digital marketplace in which items, once purchased, have absolutely no resale value, I'd say that 'selling' them back to Microsoft for 10% of the purchase price is better than the nothing that you could otherwise get. I'm sure there are people out there who could recoup hundreds of dollars by shutting off their access to old games that they don't play anymore. I assume this would be in the form of store credit, and they could then buy access to new games with it.
Ask yourself, what's Microsoft getting from a "return" on digital goods? Nothing. Do you think Microsoft will effectively lower prices by 10%? Nah, this is just a hook to make you feel like you got a unused discount coupon except you'll never zero out the balance, like when freemium games send you freebies to get you re-hooked. If before you paid $50, soon you'll pay $55 minus your $5 "discount". And the you have another $5 discount on your next purchase, and your next, and your next.... marketing psychology 101.
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
Where basic norms of ownership and resale no longer apply because ...um... technology...yea that's it...technology..
As the old saying goes freedom isn't free. Either be prepared to constantly assert your rights and protest/vote with your wallet or get used to being treated like cattle. Your choice.