There seems to be a lot of confusion out there regarding what Microsoft's policy on used games really is. After months of seeing many rumors become true for the PS4 and Wii U as well as the X1, it was only natural for many of us to assume the worst when second-hand information from many gaming-media outlets seemed to confirm the rumor that the new Xbox console would not allow consumers to trade, share nor buy used games.
Let's be fair however, as far as this topic, nothing official has been said by Microsoft directly to us beyond few things like these: http://news.xbox.com/2013/0... (6th question). I understand Microsoft has had us "core" gamers feeling abandoned with the lack of exclusive games for the last part of the generation (plus things like the Kinect 1 that didn't really target us to begin), so at any sign of a bad move, most lash out against them. I do believe Microsoft does plan to allow users to trade/sell/buy used games in some way but I am also certain that the traditional game trading system we're used to is gone.
Consider this: you buy a new game and obtain a digital license for such said game where the ownership of this license can be transferred. Let's say you go to your friend's house taking the game with you: you sign into Live and play. If your friend wants to keep on playing the game, s/he could either buy her/his own license or simply (in the best case I'm hoping for) be given away your license if chosen to (which would be given back to you based on word-of-mouth just like the lending of any game). You could also trade your game for another one or an agreed amount of Microsoft points with any other user a la more advanced version of "Steam trading." What if you can't or don't want to trade with anyone yet still desire to get rid of the game? Could you still go to (for example) GameStop and sell it? According to GameStop President Tony Bartel, you can ( http://onforb.es/12sGpaU). How would this work? Possibly like you would with any other user. You'd give your license to Gamestop who would then become the owner and who would also compensate you with games, Microsoft points or cash (which would have to be done at a local store).
So why make the regular game-trading system more complicated? Well, it would definitely be frictional and drive away consumers. In addition however, and since transactions with retailers would be done trough Live, it would be possible for the publisher to make profits from used-game sales but still keep second-hand retailers around such as GameStop/FYE/etc. If this indirect way of making profit were to offset enough the profit from people giving up on Xbox for making matters alien and complicated, then it would have been a successful move.
There cannot be success without risk and Microsoft has already taken bold risks in the past (starting 7th gen with Live even as an underdog and introducing the negatively received Kinect). I know I'm just speculating and playing devil's advocate here but beyond that I'm simply trying to picture a sound scenario. In truth, we have no idea what Microsoft is planning and how it would work or if they're willing to keep such system with the backlash we've given them at all. Regardless of what they may end up implementing, nothing will be set in stone until the whole market reacts with their wallets after the X1 and PS4 have come out, and we "core" gamers are definitely not the whole market.
Nintendo may be working on a brand new Legend of Zelda game featuring Zelda as the main character, based on a new rumor.
It works
The cycle of hatred can't always be exactly the same
Maybe in one reincarnation the Hyrule family name their son Link in honour of Hylia's chosen hero and some village woman name their daughter Zelda in honour of Princess Zelda from the old tales of the lands past.
This rumor, or variants of it, appears pretty much every time there is a gap with a non-announced Zelda game in the works. So I would take it with a grain of salt."
That said, I have always wanted a game where you play as her. Not exactly a "Zelda game", mind you, I always see her making more sense in something like a city builder/management or strategy game.
There's a rumor that another Zelda Musou game in the works. I'd sooner believe that one over this.
A character select screen would work just fine. If RPG developers, with far more complex gameplay everything, have been able to do this, why is Nintendo still dragging their feet?
This ain't Baldur's Gate nor Morrowind, so lets get to it already.
Here is a look at the Closed Alpha for the game in action.
Keep in mind that regardless of your stance or interest in this, be it good or bad; the ToS agreement makes it so you can't leave negative reviews once accepted.
Land on any planet in Star Citizen currently and you’ll be greeted by things like weather patterns, flora, and very possibly a derelict or two. What you won’t find are any animals, however. That’s going to change with alpha 3.23’s release, as CIG has finally put together two animals to populate certain planets. That’s not quite three, but it’s more than one!
Two brand-new animals? Fantastic. This game should be ready by the time the Vault Dwellers come out from their Vaults Two Hundred years after the Apocalypse.
Any minute now...
Delusional....I didn't see a single good point made in your entire argument. Not one. All you did is reiterate what we already know about how this used-game lock-out will work, and then you try to claim that it is somehow ingenious.
I'm scratching my head at your "logic". I suspect you have a bad case of MS fanaticism, if you think these are good points...
Anyone who buys an XBox One is funding the death of gaming.
There's no other way of putting it.
Go ahead and pay $60 for a physical disc that comes with Microsoft's gracious permission to play that disc on your console. Go ahead. Burn down everything that makes gaming wonderful. Destroy the very concept of a "legacy" console that you can take out in 15 years to play with your kids.
You draw at least one incorrect conclusion. There is no way that Microsoft is going to allow users to transfer their licenses so freely. I users could do that then there would be no reason to restrict their usage. If I could just transfer my license to you, then I don't have to give Microsoft or anyone else a cut. I could just give you my license to Gears and you could give me your license to Halo and we both keep rolling. The whole point of this entire excercise is to eliminate that type of transaction so the Microsoft can get a cut.
I guess I will write my own blog about my theory.
P.S.
Microsoft is going to be vague on the issue until AFTER E3 because they don't want the gamers to know the truth. They want their faithful Xbox live subscribers to fall into the trap. So they are not going to give any clarity by E3 because the media machine would broadcast it to the heavens and ruin their strategy.
Honestly if Microsoft and other big gaming companies wanted to get a cut of the used game market they could do it a better way without having to rely on such a silly system.
They could buy back their consumer's games and offer a better price than Gamestop. Why go to Gamestop and buy a used copy of Madden 14 for $55 dollars when you can get a used copy from EA for $45 with free shipping?
Bullshit strategy is bullshit!
MS is really hellbent on taking over the second hand market.