200°

Why gamers would benefit if Sony and Microsoft dropped used games

Digitally Downloaded writes: "But the simple reality is that the second hand games market is a problem, and Sony and Microsoft would be wise to stamp it out. Long term, it would ultimately benefit us as gamers, too."

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digitallydownloaded.net
NYC_Gamer4527d ago (Edited 4527d ago )

How does blocking used software benefit customers?the person bought the physical copy and should be able to sell/trade in the product as wants..It also means that we could no longer borrow games from our friends&family members.I'm okay with not being able to trade/buy/sell digital software but it's a whole different story when it comes to hard copy...

MattS4527d ago

You'll get more and better quality games as publishers don't have to compete with their own games.

jimbobwahey4527d ago

Ahahahahahaha. Get a load of this guy and how naive he is!

If you honestly think publishers would make better quality games if there was no used market you're completely and utterly delusional.

Do you know what would really happen? We'd actually see worse games. If they knew customers could not sell their games on after buying them, and there was no threat from the used market, publishers would start putting less and less effort into games. More bugs and glitches from less strict QA, even more of a heavy focus on DLC (because they know people can't sell their games) and lower quality all round.

As we've seen from this console generation, publishers will do absolutely anything that they can to screw over their customers. To see some idiot actually try to defend the disappearance of the used game market is utterly depressing, because I had faith that people weren't that foolish.

Kamikaze1354527d ago

That's true. Gamestop has been around for quite some time and their primary income comes from used games. Imagine taking that piece of the pie away from Gamestop? I'm sure publishers would get a lot more money coming in. More money = more games.

DragonKnight4527d ago

The problem isn't used games. Even without specialty stores, the used market exists online through eBay, craigslist, kijiji, etc... People will always look for the better deal, it's up to the publishers to provide actual value for the dollar because people are willing to spend more money as long as they are getting their money's worth. All of us could write up lists of $60 games that should not have been $60 for what they offered, and that's on the publishers, not the users.

Then you have these publishers making deals with stores like Best Buy, Gamestop, or Wal-Mart trying to get people to pre-order games when the stores like Gamestop are the biggest problem for publisher bottom lines.

Removing the used game market will not bring forth higher quality games. What will in fact happen is developers will know that there's nothing for the consumer to do if they don't like a game they bought but to throw it out, so they can easily phone in the development. This will be responded to by a fundamental shift in buying practices by the general user base, and developers and publishers will lose a lot of money.

Guaranteed there wouldn't be any price drops either. What would be the point? It would be a basic violation of consumer rights to be rid of the used game market.

da_2pacalypse4527d ago

that's a hunk of bologna!

I wish publishers would realize that I can afford half of the games I get day1 because I'm able to take advantage of trade promotions and pay off my preorder with a traded in game.

If they take out used game sales, I would buy a larger portion of my games later down the line... and I know I'm not the only one!

theBAWSE4527d ago (Edited 4527d ago )

Anyone who thinks used games are a problem is crazy just as it is paying to play a game 'you have bought at full price which is online capable for a machine you have already bought connected to a broadband you already pay monthly for' ONLINE!!!

....simple answer as with the example I have just given why companies hate used games?.......GREED

yeahokchief4527d ago

Dunno why he has so many disagrees.

Get rid of the greedy middle man parasite Gamestop.

You should be able to give your copy or sell it to someone else, but it should be illegal for there to be COMPANIES to profit off OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK.

They are screwing customers and creators of the games. They are a problem.

1. Publishers make more money to put more of that money into the games

2. New IPs are less of a risk because more people will be actually buying the games instead of waiting to find out what everyone else says about them and then buying a used copy

3. Less content has to be packaged separately into DLC since profits off the actual game are 100%. Not to say that there still won't be pricey dlc, but at least they dont need to use it so much as a tactic to get money for their work.

I could go on, but why bother. Get rid of Gamestop next gen!!

jmac534527d ago

I agree with dragonknight. I would buy a lot less games and really have to research which games are worth my money. Microsoft and Sony will sees their attach rates plummet if they implement this tech. Both companies really need to wait until consoles are digital download only which will probably be the generation after and this used game problem will work itself out. It would be a mistake to force it on us now.

nukeitall4526d ago

Blocking used physical games sales is taking away your rights, reducing competition and making publishers richer.

I don't see that as positive at all. In fact, it very much mirrors business software where you buy a volume license, get a lock in, can't resell it, and have to pay exorbitant prices for it.

3-4-54526d ago

no. They will just pocket more money.

jmc88884526d ago (Edited 4526d ago )

No it doesn't. Quality isn't determined by amount of revenue.

Good games that are well made are better games.

Taking away used game sales will not effect this one bit.

Money doesn't equal this. Same thing in hollywood. Bigger budgets doesn't mean more sales or a better movie. Or else Waterworld would have been the best movie of the 90's.

There's also no guarantee the budgets would go up any faster than they are already if used game sales were removed.

Why can't people think anymore? Teaching for tests apparently. Except every correct answer is 'none of the above'.

Whether a game is good or not is determined by those that make the game, not where it sits on the shelf opened or wrapped.

That just effects how much money is returned to the shareholder on wall street as they decide whether or not to sell the stock and open a short position.

rainslacker4526d ago

You know the irony, the better games aren't the ones getting turned in right away(within a week according to the article) for the 2nd hand market, at least not in sufficient quantity to make that big a difference on bottom line sales. They command a high trade in price even from GameStop because people want to keep them and play them.

This article made a lot of assumptions, namely in the prices go down because of the used games market. That is completely untrue. Games go down in price because sales aren't as predicted, and retailers and publishers want to push out what product is already sent out in order to possibly sell more. Also newer titles on sale tend to sell better than older titles on sale.

Also, if the only option for games is the new market, you can expect them to stay higher longer, which according to your article is what you want.

I'm all for publishers and developers making their due, but I am more for consumer rights and advocacy. In the end, the consumers should come first, and it's up to publishers to find that happy medium where the consumer is willing to support them. The first step in doing that is making games that people want to play and keep longer. The 2nd hand market has nothing to do with game quality, it never has, and it never will.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 4526d ago
aceitman4527d ago

If any of them do this I won't buy either of the consoles

delboy4527d ago

But they will do this, and you will buy it,stop lying yourself.
I remember reading same story's on the net for dlc, online passes, and drm pc games.
The truth is that there are millions of people that have no problems with any of these things mentioned.

4527d ago Replies(3)
showtimefolks4527d ago

i am against this but you would be naive to think publishers won't find another way or making some of that money from used game market back

used games sales is a huge issue first of all accept that 100%, and don't give me this crap about well i buy games so i should be able to trade. Issue isn't you its the people will will pay gamestop 54.99 for a used copy than extra 5 for a game that was just released to its developer/publisher.

i don't believe this gen anyone will block used games sales but you better believe there will be more online and offline passes too. Kingdom of Amular had a Single player pass in a way where if you buy the game used you won't be able to get the single player missions unless you pay $9.99

expect online passes to go to $14.99
expect many AAA games to have single player content blocked codes.

gamers only see their side and compare gaming to used car or music industry when its not the same. buy most of the games new even if you are buying a year after release.

and by year 2020 when new consoles are in the market expect a 100% digital only

see both sides of the coin before you decide who is right or wrong

QD said heavy rain was sold about 2 million but than there was an extra million or so who bought the game used to play. so wouldn't sony be happier if game actually sold 3 million? would QD get a bigger budget for their next game?

jmc88884526d ago

People forget though that already in Germany there are gov't officials sniffing around Steam and forcing them to allow used game sales or trades.

So while 'gamestop' might be screwed, the overall practice of selling games is not going to go away just because of digital games.

Eventually it might even allow for trading games, though I expect a period where digital only game systems might not have this feature that first generation.

Though at 34, I haven't traded a game to a friend in decades. Was a big thing with NES/SNES, so I expect kids and to some extent through college for it to be a big issue. But for anyone reading this, it probably won't be, because by the time it happens, you all should be out of college.

soultecc4527d ago

whoever disagreed with you are complete braindead morons

badz1494527d ago

but I do occasionally too bought them used when I found a good deal here and there. so...it's a nice way to save money sometimes.

but blocking used games also means blocking me from sharing games with friends, right? so...HELL NO! if they are still gonna do it, let Microsoft do it and Sony...you just stay out of it for now, damn it!

Veneno4527d ago

Exactly. It would be complete retardedness iF BOTH companies blocked games. The one that doesnt wins the console race as soon as it starts.

Dont ever listen to any idiot journalist that supports this shit. They get free review games.

Flavor4527d ago

THQ produced triple-A single player games like Darksiders. They are now bankrupt.

Oh_Yeah4526d ago (Edited 4526d ago )

If blocking used games means lower prices, I'd gladly accept it if the price was cut in half to say 30$ for a new AAA game. After all you can't sell it, lend it, trade it, etc.. So I think 30$ sounds about right.

matchu_peechu4526d ago

The fact that they are eliminating used games is good! They are eliminating competition WITH THEMSELVES. Although consumers don't like this idea since they have to pay more out of their pockets, they will get a better return on their investment since buying new games will bring in more profit for producers, which will in turn lead to better quality games in the future (we'd hope)

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 4526d ago
4lc4pon34527d ago

i dont even care if they block used games. ill buy both consoles anyways. 65.00 for a game is not that expensive unless your jobless or just poor. Plus gamestop is trash good riddance

jimbobwahey4527d ago

Since you seem quite happy to bend over for anyone and throw your cash around like a clueless buffoon (or is it your parents money?), would you mind giving me $50?

No big deal right? I mean you're not poor are you, so you might as well hand it over.

4lc4pon34527d ago

i dont have parents and its my money. I dont have some low budget job. It has nothing to do with bending over.

If you want $50.00 maybe you should get a job or a real job

Soldierone4527d ago

65 isn't, but 130 is. 260 is. The problem isn't people not buying games at all, its people not being able to buy more than one game a month.

"AAA" releases have lineups of games with 3 or 4 games A MONTH, you can't buy them all....

suicidalblues4527d ago

I just bought heavenly sword for 7 bucks used. Care to explain to me how banning used games would've benefited me? I guess I could've bought it new from Amazon for around a hundred bucks, I mean I'm not jobless....

DragonKnight4527d ago

I have a job and I still want your money. Clearly your responsibilities are at an absolute minimum which would explain your foolish attitude towards a price hike for games. Some people have things like families and grown up expenses to take care of. We can't all evade the tax man Mr. Capone. How's your syphilis doing?

CyberCam4527d ago (Edited 4527d ago )

LOL! Good one DK... Maybe one day he'll grow up and have a family with responsibilities!

I make 6 figures a year and I still struggle with the cost of gaming purchases, after shelling out money for cost of living, supporting a family's needs, plus paying for one child's in University and another going in 5 years time.

I've seriously cut down on my gaming habit to the point where I seem to only game on PC's using Steam (for the thrifty gamer). Paying 1/4 of the price of a AAA game, with a little patience, which goes a long way on the pocket book.

Plus, instead of me purchasing only one copy I can purchase 4, for my LAN at the cost of 1 console copy.

Games seem to be better on the PC because of the modding community. They fix things that developers seem to give up on, a perfect example is Far Cry 3, the PC & console version are vastly different because of the modding community.

squarecircle4526d ago

You're comment was; ignorant, demeaning, selfish, careless and oblivious. Congratulations.

Enjoy your job while it lasts in this decaying economy.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4526d ago
deadfrag4527d ago (Edited 4527d ago )

Capitalism sucks ass!People must have the choise in there hands; from the moment i buy a game that product is mine to resell or do what the fuck i would want to do;i pay for it!Not everyone is rich and $60 or £39,99 or 69.99€ for a game its very expensive in my view!

Megaton4527d ago

What is the president of EA writing for digitallydownload.net?

Funky Town_TX4527d ago

Some people just don't get it. All games should not be $60 when they release. I only buy AAA games with lots of replay value for $60. Some dev/pub should be ashamed for charging $60 for a game. If we take game stop out of the equation then the pub makes more money and the games should go down in price, and we should get better games.

Soldierone4527d ago

Games should be 40-50. 50 for the games we know will sell, and sell well, and 40 dollars for the games that want any sales around those big titles.

C-Thunder4527d ago

Yeah, if you remove the cost of retail, they could lower prices. Of course, they could just leave the prices the same. Look at dlc, how often do those prices drop? Never or rarely and when they do its usually for a limited time. Why would anyone think that would change now? I find it funny people rag on places like GameStop for trying to make money while giving people a deal (maybe not the best but still something) but are fine with Microsoft and whatever unnamed publishers that are supporting this move monopolizing your options and hoping they'll be generous and lower prices.

Soldierone4527d ago

"If they remove retail"

Then why are games still 60 dollars on PSN and Xbox Live, heck even the publisher's own stores (Origin) sell the games at full price with taxes now. These same stores will keep selling the game for full price (with the exception of oddball sales) years down the road when that same game is maybe 20 bucks at retail....

You can't blame retail, its the publishers that wanted the price point and wont change it. They wanted it because "it was too much to create a game" Yet we get rehashed games every year using the same engines and sometimes the same assets.

CyberCam4527d ago (Edited 4527d ago )

The argument of games being too expensive to develop is a bit misleading... usually about 60% of the cost goes to advertising. I just can't understand that COD keeps costing 100 mil to make when all it is, is a new coat of paint on the old wall. You can't tell me that they paid their devs 50 mil for 2 years of work.

He's some basic math;

Let's say that have 100 devs at say $100,000/yr (give or take some make more, some make less)

That's around $10,000,000 give or take a few $100,000.

For 2 years that around $20-$30 million, and they already have the all equipment (dev kits etc.) paid for.

Where's does the other $70-$50 million go?

Funky Town_TX4527d ago

I don't mind downloaded games from PSN or Xbox Live, but I don't want to pay $60 for a DL game that I can't trade in or share with a friend when I'm done playing it. Give me a new DL game for $40 and I just may DL more games.

Show all comments (80)
180°

Xbox Mass layoffs Are Expected To Hit On July 2, 2025

The previously rumored mass layoffs at Xbox are expected to happen on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, according to a new rumor.

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twistedvoxel.com
11h ago
lukasmain7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

They will have fired close to 20,000 people all up after this round of lay-offs coming, since the ABK deal announcement in January 2022. Shocking really

January 2023:
Microsoft laid off 10,000 employees, which was a significant workforce reduction.

January 2024:
Approximately 1,900 gaming employees were laid off following the Activision Blizzard acquisition.

May 2025:
Microsoft announced a further 6,000 layoffs as part of an organizational shift.

June 2025:
Additional layoffs, including 650 in the gaming business, focused on corporate and support functions

6h agoReplies(2)
Obscure_Observer6h ago

"They will have fired close to 20,000 people all up after this round of lay-offs coming, since the ABK deal announcement in January 2022. Shocking really"

It's not that shocking considering these numbers aren't just Xbox numbers as you're deliberately trying to make it seem for some reason.

Interestingly, another no shocking fact is that whenever Microsoft releases its quarterly earnings reports, you're quick to point out that those numbers aren't exclusive to Xbox. Yeah... go figure.

Ganif4h ago

They also fired around 2500 people across Microsoft's gaming divisions and Zenimax shortly after buying it, and before they closed down 4 studios including Arkane and Tango.

I remember Satya boasting about how compassionate he was for splitting the list 50/50 across the two companies.

3h ago
Obscure_Observer1h ago

"They also fired around 2500 people across Microsoft's gaming divisions and Zenimax shortly after buying it"

Bring your sources. I´ll wait.

Hereandthere4h ago

Let's hope its not as bad as socials are making it, good luck to those that unfortunately lose their jobs.

4h ago
Lightning774h ago

Could be not as bad could be horrible. But it's Ms so I'm expecting the absolute worst.

-Foxtrot3h ago

Sometimes I feel like they brought in Sarah to take the heat away from Phil.

Phil has always stuck his nose into everything Xbox related when it's something positive or at least neutral but as soon as they went the multiplatform root he's stood back and let Sarah do most of the talking in terms of PR. Now they are doing the same with layoffs.

The person who should be let go is Phil himself.

RhinoGamer881h ago

Phil and his inner circle of circle jerk bros like AG.

Obscure_Observer1h ago

"Phil has always stuck his nose into everything Xbox related when it's something positive or at least neutral but as soon as they went the multiplatform root he's stood back and let Sarah do most of the talking in terms of PR. Now they are doing the same with layoffs."

You have no idea what you´re talking about.

*IF* Microsoft decides to address the upcoming layoffs, Matt Booty will be the one in the spotlight since he is the president of XGS.

Phil will probably be on some bs drama later doing interviews telling people how "devastated" and "sorry" he is for those affected while wiping away his tears with money.

Sarah is the President of Xbox (hardware) so she will be better off taking care of hers business and let both Matt and Phil face the backlash.

Show all comments (18)
240°

‘I think Xbox hardware is dead’, says Microsoft gaming veteran

One of the founding members of the Xbox team has questioned Microsoft’s multiplatform gaming strategy, and said they believe the Xbox hardware business is effectively “dead"

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videogameschronicle.com
2d ago Replies(3)
Goodguy012d ago

Think that rumor that they'll still make a new console but at a profit at $1000 will be true though. The series consoles will remain their cheap alternative throughout next gen I would say. Keep in mind that game pass and pretty much going 3rd party is their main focus. They want to bring xbox everywhere.

2d ago
GamerRN1d 8h ago

If they don't maintain some kind of console presence, I think they will lose gamepass subscribers and just become a 3rd party publisher who eventually sells everything off

Cacabunga1d 7h ago

Xbox games are releasing on all platforms. Who needs this hardware? PS or PC is all you need

Flewid6381d 5h ago

I've never owned an Xbox in my life and I have GamePass.

thorstein1d 4h ago

The only Xbox I owned was the 360. I have gamepass for my PC.

GamerRN23h ago

Majority of Gamepass users are currently on console...

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 23h ago
crazyCoconuts1d 6h ago

Even if they could get it down to $800 for a box that can run with comparable performance to a PS6 (at, say $200 cheaper) the population of people willing to buy such a thing would be so limited.
It would be the worst of both worlds.

2d ago
Futureshark1d 17h ago

A slow, painful and public death too.

Show all comments (66)
300°

Looming Xbox layoffs threaten Microsoft's reputation

Even as the company sets out to overhaul the very definition of Xbox, cuts at its studios risk creating a negative image reminiscent of EA's worst era

Read Full Story >>
gamesindustry.biz
Jingsing4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

I appreciate the article but this guy must be living in a delayed universe, The reputation was ruined 10+ years ago and hasn't recovered since. As such people have voted with their wallets and stopped buying Xbox products in large amounts.

YourMommySpoils3d ago

Their reputation was lost way before that. From the moment Microsoft said they entering the console business, we all knew it would be a downgrade.

Bathyj2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

That's not true at all the OG Xbox had drive and they had hunger and they wanted to accomplish something. It was a great console.

they didn't quite reach their goals and they gave up prematurely because they couldn't win. It was halfway through the Xbox 360 when kinect released and that was when they lost their way and we're a rudderless ship ever since

Agent752d ago

In all fairness, Xbox had some great games with online play, Xbox 360 even better. Xbox consoles started to die with the Xbox One. Ditch consoles for the PC and PS.

YourMommySpoils2d ago

@Bathyj hard to compute ay. Xbox was never better than a PC and that's all they ever were. A demo box. Doesn't get more true than that.

4d ago Replies(1)
isarai4d ago

What reputation is this threatening exactly? 😂

Lightning774d ago

Rumors of Turn 10 being either shut down or hit with massive lay offs is on the horizon.

The issue is MS will do something right only to do something very, very wrong. And they do this what seems calculative at this point. Doesn't matter what they do the Investors and leadership want more and more money an endless bottomless pit of purr insatiable greed. A company that acts like it's broke or hurting is what really, really infuriates me. They've surpassed apple again well over 3 trillion who acts like they're a million dollar company is fk stupid. Pivots and changes for no reason and can't do things for more than a year with out a pivot or changing their metrics.

Christopher3d ago

That would be really bad since Phil just hyped up next year as a big Forza year at Summer Game Fest.

1Victor3d ago

@christopher: “ That would be really bad since Phil just hyped up next year as a big Forza year at Summer Game Fest”
The key word big can be ether good or bad 🤷🏿only time can tell

DarXyde3d ago

First Forza being generated entirely via AI?

If any company would do it, it'd be them.

Nacho_Z2d ago

Isn't the point that it's irrelevant how profitable MS is, the suits have decided it's time that the Xbox division started making them money. Hence the layoffs, the pivots.

hennessey862d ago

That wouldn't surprise me, as motorsport has been heading down hill since the great number 4. Where as playground have consistently put out better games. I think the two studios will be merged under playground games banner.

3d ago Replies(2)
Show all comments (63)