Is it ethical to disallow the use of used games?

Pixel Enemy's William Pelegrin takes a look at used games then weighs up the pros and cons.

[Run_bare]

Used games has values, not that I buy used games, but I trade in alot of games for new ones.

If used games has no value, that means I can't trade in anymore and that is sucks, especially in today's economy.

[MikeMyers]

Which is why we need that cycle to continue. If people buy less games then less risks will be taken by the industry.

The best way to curb companies from implementing blocks for used games is to make it illegal.

http://www.playstationlifes...

Ownership is such a gray area. We can buy and sell goods all the time from cars to clothing to books. So now that it is digital form they want to take away that. If they make it legal to sell those digital goods then this would be a non-issue. The problem with digital goods is they are an exact replica of the original. So there is no depreciation factor other than online play if they took down the servers. That's why people buy new cars, older ones break down or need repairs. Older games don't follow those same guidelines. Still, you should be able to own digital goods.

[Neoprime]

Yes it is wrong, retailers need that money, and it create jobs for our economy, we already don't have jobs for people in this country why take away more when we need more, it's not even about greed anymore but just pure stupidity and control.

[FlameBaitGod]

You think companies care about creating jobs lol. They close stores all the time because they don't make the money THEY expected. The majority of companies who file for bankruptcy do it because they don't reach the estimates they had projected, not because they where losing money. They just file for bankruptcy and form a whole new entity.

[Neoprime]

If they have no retailers they can't sell anything physical.

[Lifebanisher]

hmmm ok mr article maker you try and be a Game developer and see how people pass around your finished product without giving back money to you and then answer me is it ethical?

[xXxSeTTriPxXx]

Couldn't have said it any better tbh.I love gaming so I support the people who make it possible.

[BanBrother]

I agree and disagree. It pisses me off when people buy a used game instead of the 'new' one, as they are being cheap trying to save $5. Another thing though is that not everyone can afford new games, and the restrictions will effect all of us.

I always buy used, unless I can't find a 'new' version of an older game. So, someone like me who buys 'new' is penalised, as if I want to lend it to a friend/brother, I can't.

Maybe developers should reward people who buy new instead of punish all of us? And I don't mean cut content that would have otherwise been in the game and pass it off as 'bonus' content. At the end of the day, developers/publishers should set clear goals with their game and how much they are willing to invest. Set realsitic sales numbers etc.

[Philoctetes]

Of course it is. People buy and sell used cars all the time, and nobody thiks anything of it. There is no ethical difference between buying a used F-150 from its current owner and buying a used copy of GOW3.

It would be differen if we were talking about downloading a copy of a digital file from a server someplace, but as long as we're talking about the resale of physical media, there's no ethical issue involved at all. You own it and it's yours to resell if you can find a buyer.

[Lifebanisher]

well if you put it that way i guess i'll have to agree with you. i just wanted to see how people would react to my comment if they were put on the developers shoes. for us it will be ethical, but for the developers and publishers it will be a lost sale which for them is not ethical at all, cause it's just like piracy a lost sale and piracy is considered stealing but lending your stuff or reselling well it's not the same as piracy, but it is still hard to come with a conclusion if it's ethical or not.

[JasonKCK]

What does ethics have to do with used games?

[creepjack]

Why isnt anyone discussing the severe impact on new game sales a ban on used games will bring? More and more publishers are REQUIRING larger and larger sales numbers, and if you take away trading in used games towards new ones, then its a guarantee that new games sales will suffer , quite a lot too.

[Jakens]

I say that used game sales have a large impact on new game sales but that impact has yet to be measured.

[N0S3LFESTEEM]

Well people don't reuse condoms... why would they reuse games. Just use your Microsoft logic. Duuur...

[FlyingFoxy]

if a console cuts off being able to read used games, then they can go screw themselves. They already do stupid things by charging for new maps in some games, or modes to alienate other players from playing online.

Does not bother me much because i'm a PC gamer, but that is irritating as hell. it's like when i heard about people having to pay for L4D2 and Portal 2 content on the console versions when i had all that free like it should be.

Too much BS going on and i don't want that to spread even more to the PC either.

[sdozzo]

Ethics play no part in this discussion. All about money.

[aLucidMind]

It is unethical and stupid. Used games give people the opportunity to buy a game they normally wouldn't for cheap. If they like it, a responsible and considerate person would then buy the next game from that developer new.

Example: I bought Mass Effect used and loved it. So I bought ME2 new on-release and loved it; did the same with ME3.

Another; I've played Final Fantasy 8-10; loved them all. Bought 10-2 new, it was okay. Bought 12 new, it was okay. Bought 13 new, Square Enix lost my business. I bought 13-2 used and plan on doing the same with 13-3. However, I am willing to give them a chance as a producer due to their recent quality games they've produced and not developed.

People, I feel, should use the used gaming market as a gateway into whether or not they will currently give a developer their business rather than their sole source of video games. It's why companies are basically going "fuck the gamers" while Gamestop only offers $10-$15 on a game that came out literally the day before.

[gazgriff2k12]

the world is run on greed and profit. human beings are seen as consumers not human beings with rights

[OhMyGandhi]

I believe in this economy, that used games have their place. They are an OPTION, and they should stay that way. I believe that games simply cannot be sold for 60 bucks, and with the wave of streaming capabilities coming from next gen consoles, they better be reasonable in their pricing.
90% of the time I do not buy on day 1, with the exception of a few high profile games like Uncharted, God of War, Halo, Gears of War and Metal Gear Solid. Often, when a game has a shorter campaign, and I do not wish to pursue it's multiplayer modes, I'll wait for the inevitable price drop.

It's bordering on unethical to remove a fundamental method of purchasing power from gamers, without a doubt. While Gamestop reaps the rewards by buying back a 60 buck game for 15-20, and selling it for 54 or so bucks, THAT's unethical.

[DivineAssault]

Its unethical.. Sony is giving devs the option to block them or not & the leaks say MS is ALL install titles like the PC.. I like renting & buying used games so if theyre blocked nx gen, ill be disappointed

[2pacalypsenow]

Nope everything has a used market cars/clothes/movies/shoes etc. Its good for the economy