Developer has solutions to stop pre-owned game sales

Destructoid writes: "David Braben, founder of Frontier (Lost Winds, Thrillville) has some interesting ideas that developers can use to avoid consumers from trading in their games to get newer ones. In an interview with DevelopMag, Braben proposes that 'struggling' developers should utilize unique box codes or create single-use incentives.

'Another option would be to offer extras - or even part of the game itself - packaged in with the game as a unique code on a scratch-card. If you do this, then those extras could only be obtained once.'

Braben ultimately concedes that downloadable is really the only route to go in terms of avoiding pre-owned sales, considering that consumers can do nothing with them other than keep them on their hard drive. Personally, I utilize the pre-owned system at popular retailers heavily. Without that sort of system, I wouldn't be buying the amount of games that I do. And I have to say, it's not like the majority of the games that I own are real champions in their genre. I'm still ticked off that I bought Puppy Luv: Your New Best Friend.

What do you guys think about this? Should developers try to black out retailers with their product with special codes and giveaways? If every developer were to start doing what Braben wants, how would it affect you?"

[Silogon]

I never buy used. It's a waste of effort in the end. Developers don't see the rewards for their work and you're supporting a system with air money. Sony or Microsoft isn't going to be jumping up and down because you're playing "said" game on their system unless you paid for it.

And when I said "paid" I mean at the new tag price. No one wins when Madden on Ps3 sold more used copies than madden on xbox 360 does new.

For instance. <This is a hypothetical and it doesn't mean it will. It's an example. Don't get all huffy puffy with me.

[Alexander Roy]

Yeah, because every place still sales factory sealed copies of Final Fantasy VII, Super Mario World and Metal Gear Solid.

Once the presses are stopped, the number of copies available begins to decrease. They break, they are lost. At one point, there aren't any new copies on the shelves anymore. If you can tell me which store sells all the PSX games I bought used off of eBay and Amazon, I'll gladly re-buy them.

[MazzingerZ]

Konami already did something like this, at least on the PS3 version of PES 2008...you registered to play online and the game was locked to that info to play online so anyone else buying a used copy of the game wouldn't be able to play online unless they had the original user's info

I really don't care if they do lock the games, here in Europe there're not rental services like Gamefly or others in the US so I do only purchase games and check very well if the game is worth my money...this wouldn't affect me...I think Gamespot, Gamefly ,etc would suffer more than gamers as those companies are really usurers when it comes to buying your used games to only resell them for a price close to the normal...

thinking about that I'd happy if this became true, just to see how Gamestop would react to that...pre-owned games makes a good percent of their yearly profit

I WISH THEY INSTEAD SHIPPED A CODE PER GAME TO EVERY RETAILER SO THEY COULD ONLY SELL THOSE GAMES THEY ORDERED FROM THE DISTRIBUTOR AND LET GAMERS RESELL THEIR GAMES VIA EBAY OR WHEREVER.

[Caxtus750]

why does everyone say there are no rental services in Europe?

There are at least 4 top names here in the UK for example. I am sure there are others in other European countries too.

UK: Check Gameflirt and Game Monster. Even LOVEFILM do games.

Google if your friend.

[Panthers]

What is dumb is that Gamestop will sell a used game for $5 cheaper than new and people go for it. Gamestop is winning twice because they sold the game twice, and consumers lose because they can only sell it to gamestop for $30 or less.

If I ever sell a game, it is on Ebay and I only buy new.

[Pr3-M3d_G4M3R]

Developers hear me out..Sue Gamestop! They are the ones making..correction: Gouging the profit out of both used and new games.

[player911]

This is them wanting more of your money. They see you buy a game, play it, and sell it to someone else. They don't get paid for the second transaction.

How about you get your hands out of my pocket and make games. Developers already get their money from the first game. I don't know what entitles them to think they should get paid for every owner of a single copy.

Sheesh. For every human born, there's 5 more to take his money.

Here's a solution: Make a game good enough to keep so people wouldn't have the need to sell it.

[Tempist]

Um, shouldn't the developers be going after the publishers and telling them they don't like the idea of used games. Yeah I see it as selfish of the developer to A) demand you shellout as much money as you can for their products and B) are in a way dictating how you are to use your property.

There is no simple solution, but there are solutions. Publishers can easily pressure GameStop to hold off on used games sales of new titles for like 60 to 90 days simply by threatening to cut off their supply. They can also limit the copies they ship to them. It's really the trade-in system.

But all and all if devs wanted to stop this then they could make better games cheaper (Patapon was made to be sold for $20) Wii games don't seem to suffer as much as 360 / PS3 games. If anything the dev/publisher royalties system needs an overhaul if devs are making money only based on sales.

[Zerodin]

It will just get more people to resort to piracy.

[Pain]

ie u buy game for +$60 and gamstore gives u $10... and they RE-sell it for $25..bring it.

[Marcello]

get on with making Elite 4

You arent ever gonna stop 2nd hand copies of games PERIOD !!

If you want ppl to hold on to there games then make games worth holding on to like i do with games like Final Fantasy & RE4 for instance, i havent sold them simply cos once a year i dust em down and play them during a game drought.

Braben`s idea sounds just like another sort of DRM, we dont liked to be forced into things, its human nature. Personally i dispise DLC unless its free & availiable to everyone.

[ChampIDC]

Yeah, the only games I buy new are the ones worth paying full price for. As you said, developers should make games worth spending the money and holding on to.

[Tarasque]

This guy is a complete douchebag, do you think ford or chevy is whining and crying about pre owned sale's or trade in program's or how about boat's or movie's or appliance's or clothe's. What about auction's and yard sale's. If i seen this guy in public i would probably....ok i am not going to say it.

[gaffyh]

I think it should actually be illegal for devs to do stuff like this. Part of the reason I prefer buying disc based games than PSN or XBL games is that there is a resale value if I get bored of the game (even if it is not much, it is better than nothing).

[thePatriot]

making the best game possible? I will never sell my mgs games or shadow of collosus, okami and so on. heck, I might even get burried with them just in case nobody sells them after my death.

[Pr3-M3d_G4M3R]

Okay so whats going to happen when the hard drive is filled up? Do they really think consumers are going to delete a $50 game? Making everything digital will have absolutely no production costs for discs, etc so the games better be a cool price of $20

[gaminoz]

Say for example you buy one of his 'coded' games for the Xbox 360. Your 360 gets the red light and dies and you have to buy a new console. Then you can't use the game you paid for and have to buy another copy to get a new code???.....This will only encourage piracy. Look at PC.

Codes and download-only games may cut down the secondhand market but I think this is wrong. I will not even play half the games I do without the second hand market. I can't afford a lot of games at $100 AUD a game. That means I won't play any sequels of that game either or maybe get excited about their next projects if I haven't had the chance to enjoy the first game....so ultimately they risk getting nothing from me.

[Daishi]

Gaminoz you hit the nail on the head about PC. With no second hand market more and more people have resorted in piracy, making the console market even more desirable to devs. I understand that people want to make a profit but doing something like this will only cause spite. What happens when they want to get rid of split screen co-op unless you have two discs? Sounds crazy but the dollar, yen, ext. makes people do crazy things...

[Alexander Roy]

Haha, man, that guy had me laughing. Well thought out, Sherlock. Really, it's a genius masterplan. I approve your intelligence.

Wait, this reminds me of something... This reminds me... Isn't there already something that uses a unique combination of digits and/or numbers... Oh yes. PC games. Just good that there is no piracy whatsoever with PC games, because nobody has these codes.

F'ing morron.

Say hello to keygenerators for console games.

[InfectedDK]

My words..

[Mr_cheese]

I don't see the point in stopping pre owned games. It just gives buyers that choice of affordablity if need be

[m-s-8-2]

I understand the desire to stop it, I just don't see how it can be done.

Personally, I won't buy a used game unless its a PSX game that is no longer available at regular retail, as i'd rather spend the extra $5 and support the company who actually put the time and money into developing it, instead of giving the douche who owns gamestop a nice $30 profit for keeping it in their back room for a few days.

[Tarasque]

Would it be ok if ford told you, "You cant trade your expedition in cause there is a code for the vehicle you can only use once" or "You can't buy a used car you have to buy a new one cause you have to get a code". There is no reason not to be able to buy pre owned game's same as movie's and such.

[ElementX]

It would be funny if next next-gen systems have burners inside them that label each disc when it's first played so it only works with your specific console MAC address or serial number

All they'd need was a proprietary device which burned your SN or MAC address onto the TOP of the disc instead of the bottom. That way it would be more difficult to burn on a PC, or possibly use an embedded chip in the disc

[VampHuntD]

If you want to stop preowned sales, make a game that no one ever wants to let go. Then it'll never be traded in.

As far as how it would affect me, I hardly ever buy used or sell games so it really wouldn't. (I hate buying used and getting a beat up disc for $5 less than the retail cost).

[meatnormous]

Most of the time you don't even get the manual, the case has more stickers on it than a little girls dresser. If anything it makes me want to buy a new copy instead of the used one.

[VampHuntD]

Very much agreed, I can't stand all the stickers and lack of manuals either (Not that I ever read them unless I'm bored). If I buy a game, I make sure it's worth the money first and after that it'll more than likely stay with me until the end of time. I still have psx games (that I sometimes play! YIKES!)

[Revvin]

Trading in at stores only helps the store owner. Gamers get ripped off with trade in prices, at least that is true in the UK. You might get £15 for a game on trade in and then see it back on the shelves marked up at a few pounds less than the cost of a brand new version. "make a game that no one ever wants to let go" even classic games like Gears of War, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, Metal Gear Solid 4 get traded in. In the long run I think it will only end up hurting the end user as publishers increase costs to cover the money lost in sales to trade-ins.

[Silogon]

In my honest opinion no current gen game should be allowed in a used game shop for buy, trade or sell. All there is to it.

Ps3, xbox 360 and wii games should, under no circumstances, be bought, sold or traded in at Gamestops, EB games and so forth and so on. It is only hurting the industry more and more. current gen games should also not be allowed on amazon and ebay, either.

I think all games should go through a 5 year cycle before they are allowed into the used market.

[Oner]

So your saying that people shouldn't have the RIGHT to do with their property as they wish then? Because it sure sounds like it...and I for one (and am sure MILLIONS of others) wholeheartedly agree that once I PAY my money for it that it's mine to do with as I please and absolutely NOBODY will change that no matter what.

[meatnormous]

I never buy a used game from EB or Gamestop cause of that sticker they place on the spine of the case and they are way too overpriced. I do buy alot of games off of ebay and have sold alot of games on ebay. I know if I download a game off of steam, psn or wii VC, I can never sell it. That hurts the actual value of the game. Only the games that are of great value to me stay with me forever.

[IaMs12]

Well dude how the heck do you think USED games get USED?? people buy them NEW so its not really hurting the industry at all really... id say keeping them at such a high price for 5 years you say (thats little much) would hurt the industry... people wouldnt want to pay 60 bucks for a game that is 2 years old already! when newer better ones are around the corner... i like going to gamestop and buying Original Xbox games for 3-10 bucks lol i got both Max Payne games for under 4 dollars... we still enjoy them :)

[Fanboy Slaughter]

Granted I personally don't trade in my games anymore, I'm glad everyone else does. Because just about every game in my collection is a used one, simply for the fact that they cannot be found any longer.

Buying a used game gives collectors a chance to pick up a masterpiece that someone else either didn't like or was overlooked. Not to mention it also gives someone more incentive to buy a game when it's used at $19.99 instead of buying new at $50 or $60, and if that person likes the game, more tham likely when either a sequel comes out, or if they end up liking games from that developer, maybe they'll then think it's worth it to buy their next game new.

[Revvin]

It seems that in the US then the cost of a traded in title is fairly priced. What I was gettign at in my post above was that in the UK shops such as GAME and Gamestation will take your trade-in and give you say £15 or so depending on the age of the title of course but then it will go back on the shelf at around £37 which is just a few pounds short of the £39 brand new price for the same title.

[m-s-8-2]

Its the same way here in the US. Look at the Gamestop website. The have the trade in value of MGS4 at $25, and I can guaran-damn-tee that you wouldnt find it for anything less than $55, used, in their store.

[Tarasque]

Wow, MGS4 is already in the bargain bin brand new for 37 us dollar's in japan?

[Fanboy Slaughter]

I was just using $19.99 as an example, but sadly enough, if a game is rated bad enough, or if it generally doesn't sell well, despite being almost-brand new, it will sell used for $20 and new ones will still be $50 or $60

[Harry190]

Uncharted and Burnout Paradise,great condition for cheap. Best deal I ever made. amazing games. Truly amazing.

[Reibooi]

This is a real problem in the industry and finding out a way for a developer to prevent used game sales would put alot less pressure on studio's as every copy being sold is going to them instead of the shop selling the game. This is one of the many reasons devs don't take chances on anything anymore if they can't guarantee a profit they may as well not try. Personally I don't buy used games I like to support the dev making the game and not the annoying clerk trying to get me to buy 20 things i don't want.

[m-s-8-2]

You aren't supporting some annoying clerk, he's just some average guy working some horrid retail job to pay the bills. It's not like he works on commission or anything.

[Tarasque]

Do you buy all new vehicle's also? To support ford or chevy or whoever? Do you buy all brand new movie's? Do you go to yard sale's or auction's? If someone goes to give you a couch do you say NOOOO! i buy all new furniture to support Ikea. If you are going to imply that theory to game's then you need to apply it to everything in your life

[Tabasco]

stop kidding yourself cars which cost thousands of dollars are on a completely different scale than games and cannot be compared. Stop using exaggerated comparisons to help you weak point.

[Tarasque]

Exactly, more of a reason to do so. So much more money on the line. It's the point of the matter doesn't matter how much money it is, still the same principal. What about movie's? Or even rented game's and movie's they are losing on all the sale's for that. They don't get a kick back from rented game's, just from what the video store buy's from them.

[Lumbo]

rental copies cost EXTRA, don't tell me you actually believed that the rental stores just use regular retail copies for rental *facepalm*

Rental licenses are way more expensive as retail versions. Hence the rental firm pays for being allowed to rent the title all the time.

Additionally you hardly see any normal music or movie store putting traded in stuff right in your face in the best showcases. Gamestop does exactly that. Not only that, the clerks will try to sell you the used game before the new one, as the earnings are HIGHER on the used games.

Guy buys MGS4: $60 retail - gross market price = ~ $10 earnings (max)
Guy hands in used MGS4: gets $20-25 for it
Gamestop actively sells that version to the next customer: $50 pre-owned price -$25 buyout = $25 earning
The guy who bought the pre-owned version comes back to trade in his $50 MGS4: he gets $20, GS sells it again for $50
So far GS made $65 from a %60 retail priced game that made $10 to the devs. And repeated reselling will only rise that margin.

the problem is not the used games sales via ebay or vertical markets, thats not a problem at all. The problem is when the specialty stores for games make it their primary business to resell single game copies over and over again. That smell awfully like rental to me.

[Crazywhitie]

Here's away to stop people from trading in games they own, Make Better games.. if the game is so fun people won't trade it in... you put out trash and wonder why people don't want it

[Reibooi]

@m-s-8-2

By supporting the store by buying used games keeps them in business therefore allowing that clerk to keep his job which is therefore supporting the clerk. I don't know if they get a commission but clerks at gamestop HAVE to ask you if you want the used copy or if you want this game or if you wanna subscribe to some random magazine. That is the reason I stopped shopping at those stores.

[Mikelarry]

then shut ur trap, go to the drawin board and make a game consumers wont want to trade. it makes me laugh when i see articles like these. some developers wana be lazy and feed us garbage games but they dont want us to trade those garbage games in.if developers keep gving us crap games like beowulf the game, spiderman 3 the game, iron man and the list goes on what do you expect us to do keep ur crap like a trophy. please you cant stop us consumers so dont even try

[FantasyStar]

How about making a game worth paying full price for? Like MGS4! If there's a truly foolproof way of stopping 2nd hand games, places like Gamestop and Gamecrazy would go bankrupt.

[m-s-8-2]

The local used game store nearby had a few used copies of MGS4 for sale when I went in there a little over a week after it was released. The quality of the game doesnt make a difference. People will always buy, play, finish and resell them almost immediately.

[Tarasque]

Actually i wouldn't even buy a used copy of MGS4 sorry. I am glad i gameflyed it.

[JD_Shadow]

Many people also trade games in if they played it to death and there's nothing else that they really want to do with the game. It's not always because they think a game is sh!t.

Didn't know if you knew that, and I thought I might want to get that point out for everyone to see.

[PainisCupcake]

The only reason developers and publishers want to get rid of pre-owned, is that they get no money on the resale of the games.

@ What you disagreeing for? That is the reason.

[zypher]

well, i'm all for stopping the sell pre-owned games. it's bad for development studios (who are already under financial constraints as it is), which will ultimately end bad for gamers. plus, i'm not too keen on making a purchase that will result in 100% profit for a company like Gamestop; private companies, yeah, but not Gamestop. Gamestop usually employees some of the biggest fanboys imaginable, and usually offers nigh nill incentive to even purchase pre-owned, seeing as they only knock off $5 max from new prices. and thats assuming you can actually find a pre-owned game in good condition: most pre-owned games at Gamestop have horribly scratched discs, don't have the original box, and don't have manuals. i'd rather just spend the extra $5 for a new copy in mint condition.

about the only advantage i can see in selling pre-owned games is for older games that aren't in circulation anymore. even still you can usually find what you're looking for on ebay, and that's going back as far as the NES era--most new/used outlets don't even sell games from the pre-sixth-generation era, leaving ebay as your only option for fifth-generation and prior.

[Fanboy Slaughter]

I can't say I agree with stopping the sale of used games, but I am indeed all for the fall of Gamestop.

By principle alone, I don't shop there, and I don't need to worry about missing any used treasures, considering that Gamestop catches on to price trends very quickly and will change the used price of a game accordingly.

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on Xbox? $80 used, saw it a year ago for $25, they probably bought it for $5 credit.

And I guess now MGS:TS is going for $60 used at all EB and Gamestop, and they took it off their internet inventory.

And yes, I hate their fanboy employees that gave me that sh!t-eating grin whenever I bought a PS3 game, or a game THEY didn't think was good. But I DO support the likes of Gamecrazy and Disc Replay, who give fair prices on both ends (trade-in and resale.)

[madjedi]

Gamers that want used game sales to stop should have their consoles stripped from them, gamestop cheats you, and resells games for to much ect.

Shutup, i don't care if you signed a blood oath to never support gamestop as long as you live, you can find some good games used for $15-$20+ at gamestop and other places.

You can pay 49.99 and 59.99 for each and every new game you buy, me i dont mind getting a used game for 15-20 dollars less that is in good shape.

Alot of times games aren't worth 50 or $60 they should be 29.99 or 39.99 when released, kane and lynch rings at bell.

Maybe i am lucky that my gamestop has several employees that are ps3 owners, and yes they still ask the standard questions, doesn't bother me though.

[JD_Shadow]

Do you really know the situation about the guy who you're blasting for working there. They're also paying for college, rent, etc. They need the job just as much as you must need your's. They are trying to follow the rules as much as anyone else who has a job follows theirs. And don't try to use that "just get another job" thing with me. The way our economy has become because of such an incompetent president (at least in the US) because of this unjust, wrong war in Iraq, it's WAY too hard to FIND one that is a VERY good paying on (not that there is anything wrong with working at GS, mind you).

Plus, I really don't see a huge deal with trading games in, personally. Game developers still get a cut of the profits from the trade ins (assuming you use the value to buy a new game). This just sounds like something the RIAA and the MPAA would say to me.

[apoc615]

Its hard to support places like gamestop when they wanna charge almost new prices on used games but then they dont wanna pay us hardly anything for used games.I dont use these places anymore.

[Aclay]

I never trade in any of my games, I keep all the games I buy. I like to build up a gaming collection, so selling or trading them makes no sense to me. Plus, I've always found time to play games that I haven't played in several months or a few years all over again.

[f789790]

Which sucks since I cant sell anything I buy on there. Luckily I have only bought the Orange Box and Flatout 2. These games just sit on my computer because I cant sell them.

[DethWish]

"Developer" ..

David Braben is a fkin legend!

[pow3r of t3h c3ll]

does this guy work for EA games cus it really would not surprise me.

[rbanke]

Where do you think those used games come from? They come from people who buy the games new. If people couldnt sell a game they bought that would also impact sales. Alot of people buy games more often because they know they can sell them off when they are done in order to help pay or another new game.

Keeping them from selling their games may also keep them from buying new games as often as they do now.

[Guitarded]

Give that man a cookie. He doesn't need anymore bubbles.

[pcz]

if you re-sell your games to a game store you will be ripped off.

[Tarasque]

Anytime you sell anything do you get all of your money back?

[n00bzRtehgey]

ive never sold a game, but DMC4 may be that first game. what a waste of 60 bucks! shows you must always use your gut when it comes to buying new games. don't buy into the hype. you droids could have saved lots of money, too, what with turds like lesbian sword, lair, haze, and MGS.

[Funky Town_TX]

Great games will always be purchased new for me. It's the ones that should not cost $60 that I will not buy new. Why should all games cost $60 new? Not all games are equal in quality. All other things in retail are priced based on quality. I would pay $60 for Killzone2, Gears2, and other games that are worth it, but for soo games I refuse to pay more than $30 for them.

[IaMs12]

Its true why should we pay $60 bucks for a game (90 in others more and less)??!? i mean DVD new are what half that now? even less... and they spend just as much even MORE money making the movie then Devs use to make games... thats why i always either buy used or wait for the price to drop... except on Gears 2 lol i got excited for that one since i liked the first and i know that the price wont drop for a good year just like Halo 3 is still 60! ah its sellings that why... i mean come on Bioshock is half that now and its newer! and just as good game

[LiquidRex]

The gamestop near me are total 360 fanboys. They wear 360 hats, keychains, and shirts. It's really pathetic.

I got into a argument with them once for trying to tell customers that 40% of PS3 and Wii's have hardware problems. They also told this poor old man buying GTA4 for his son that buying the 360 bundle was the only way to play online. lol

[Funky Town_TX]

Kinda reminds me of the GS next to me and their love for the PS2. It also sound like the guys at Bestbuy that told customers not to buy 360's because the day the PS3 launched all 360 game dev would stop, and that the 360 would die.

[IaMs12]

This will never stop, even if they made a game that everyone would love why? because not everyone will love the same game! its human nature everyone is different... For example, Lots of people like Halo but then again lots hate it because its another FPS... same with MGS i have no interest in it right now because i have not played the originals at all... maybe once but didnt hook me at the time (that was when FPS games were starting to spike so they were the new hit thing for me lol) if i can find an Orginal PSX one somewhere that wont cost me an Arm and a leg ill buy it lol

[JD_Shadow]

The Essential Collection has MGS 1, 2, and 3 (2 is the full substance version, while 3 is only disc 1 of its subsistence version). 1 is the orginal PSX version. The second disc of 3 (should you decide to seek that out) has the MSX versions of Metal Gear 1 and 2 (I think it has 1 on it, I know it has 2 on it).

[Lew_Ijgee]

Instead of taking a crap on us, the consumer, they should attempt to have a law passed that requires retail shops and corporations to have special licensees or royalty deals in order to resale used games.

In other words go after Gamestop (and others) instead of us.

[N2NOther]

They do have special licenses to say used games.

[ScottEFresh]

LOL if I buy something I should be able to do whatever the F I want with it. Plain and simple as that. Now go F yourself.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Without a pre-owned system some people couldn't afford to game.

[Lumbo]

I bet Mr Braben has nothing against people getting used games via ebay or vertical markets. But when you get a "used game" industry like Gamestop where sales personnel actively tries to sell you the pre-owned before the new one you have to see that this is a grossly unfair business involved in the developer user relation.

As said before, neither private to private sales nor ebay are the problem here. Its the commercialized used goods market that sell you both the new one, AND the traded in one at insane prices. Imho Gamestop should be classified as RENTAL store and forced to pay rental licenses for their games to the gross market.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

In the US where the economy isn't all the great atthe moment, gaming is still expensive. IMO they just need a system where they can't sell pre-played games for a certain amount of time, say 6 months to a year for popular titles. I wouldn't want to see a game like Turning Point, Vampire Rain, Haze, or Lair at $60 3 years after release. Blockbuster video holds off on the pre owned sales of some movies do to studio request, we just need that for games aswell... IMO

[kingme71]

What's next, ID tagging weapons on the battlefield so they can't be used by anyone else? Oh wait... I really need to get out of the house.

[N2NOther]

Tell you what...Stop making games that last 8 hours and have zero replay value and I'll stop buying used games. Very rarely do I buy single player games that I know I'll beat in a few plays. That's when I buy it used so I can not only save a lot of money (on average about $10 or more than a new game) but I can return it in 7 days. If not I can trade it in and have only payed about $20 for the game.

And all you that criticize the workers at Gamestop, yes, they're doing they're job. I don't know if you've never worked but EVERY job has something called rules and performance expectations. These come down as mandates from bosses. If you don't do the mandate then you don't have a job. It's that simple. So every time those kids ask you for a magazine subscription, a reserve, or used game, it's because they have to.

And if you think they should get another job, maybe they should, but getting 15% off of new games and about 25% off used games, when you're a gamer, is hard to pass up.

If you want to spend $60 on a game that only offers $5-8 hours of game play, or worse, sucks, or if you want to keep your games forever then that's on you. But don't criticize those of us who use services like Gamestop or any other pawn-type shop where we can actually reap some reward.

So you paid $60 for the game. You trade it in for $30...That means you only paid $30...Not bad.

[Colombia]

I am all for stopping resale of games, it hurts the industry and its one of the main reasons why studios struggle and dont give a s*^^ about their final product. I also thing they should price their games according to how good they are. Paying $60 for games such as sonic sucks. They should be honest to themselves and price their games according to their quality.

[Mai Dong]

I can empathize with a developer who puts his heart and soul into a game only to see a lot of used copies sold, and the money doesn't go to the people involved in creating it.

I can also empathize with gamers who don't have money to drop 60 bucks on every new game that comes out, and with employees at stores who depend on people wanting to buy used games, such as GameStop and Blockbuster. What to do, what to do. My vote is to let people buy and sell used games.

[unjust]

Not all these guys care about creating the greatest game sometimes they care more about the paycheck and rush games out leaving 60 dollars less in our wallets.

[rmatott]

i only buy and sell my used games on ebay, anything else is just a rip off. ebay ftw, ebngames trade in prices FTL

[Horny Melon]

sales of new games to drop. I would buy a lot less games if I couldn't trade in my old ones. What's next they going to prevent people from renting games?

[unjust]

Make games that warrant me paying 60 bucks then people wouldn't sell them this also goes for content in a game. Example if I was to buy Vampire Rain a lame excuse for a game its unfair to charge me 60 dollars for a game that is horrible. This guy also made Lost Winds for the Wii a bad game for the virtual console so go figure he would be the one to say this utter crap.

[unjust]

Bill Pullman

[Mars Attacker]

This would suck. I usually sell my games on eBay and get a lot more money than a trade-in. Without the money from sales on eBay, I'd buy a lot less games. Lets face it: only AAA games are actually worth $60.

Somehow I don't think this will happen...

[IaMs12]

I do not see anything wrong in the industry right now.... its been like this for how long since the beginning and all the industry did was grow even more...

[cooke15]

Its my game, I can do whatever I want with it.

[Mr402]

Case in point is the now discontinued Xbox. Everyone knows the 360 has crappy BC. I was glad I didnt turn my original Xbox in when the 360 was released. Cause now there is a huge library of used xbox games out there that are dirt cheap. In fact Gamestop is running a buy two get one free deal as I type. You cant beat a 5 dollar game which you passed up when it was 50.

One thing that is pissing me off is the rare game trade. You have cats out there selling a copy of the original Silent hill for 50 bucks???? If konami was smart they would release a dlc version of the original psx hit and let me buy it that way for 10 bucks. Since I cant bring myself to play and beat the other titles in the series till I own the first one.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

As an ex-Gamestop employee...

...I have this to say.

If you can't find it new, buy it used! How hard is that? A lot of games are hard to find used, let alone new. I mean, all of the Silent Hill's, the Fatal Frames, Okami, and some other rare gems...they're not easy to find.

If it's a PS3 or DS game, there's no purpose to buy it new unless it's for a Christmas gift or something. Blu-ray's are incredibly hard to scratch and, obviously, nobody ever breaks a cartridge.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Fine...I'll spill.

I may or may not know a couple of things happening at Gamestop right now.

1) They're realizing that sites like Gamefly and stores like Best Buy are giving gamers a lot more money for their games. When customers start to realize this, it's curtains for Gamestop.

2) By selling to the inner-city demographic, they're getting more reserves, more subscriptions, more trade-ins, and more unfed children who will grow up to become heroine addicts.

3) They're modernizing everything...making it easier to find things, easier to spot the "deals". With the gaming community growing like nobody's business, they know they can do whatever they want...for at least a little bit. They will suck you dry.

4) Honestly, the reserve system isn't bad. It's an easy way to pay off a game over time, instead of all at once. Most people don't have 60 bucks lying in their pockets at all times.

[Enigma_2099]

F*** you.

[IPlayGames]

Must most of there profit of selling used products.

They only get a small percent off the sells of new merchendise.

So not to drag it out no used sales = no retailers to sell new games and i dont trust online stores so that would suck.

[xplosneer]

the ONLY solution to this in my eyes is to reduce the RETAIL price of games. There's no incentive to go out and buy a Used game for $25 when the thing new is $30. But it becomes a WHOLE different story when it's $60 new. THINK STUPIDS!!!

[StrboyM]

first game that does this...i'm boycotting it!!...if devs have the right to do whatever they want with a game ( like forcing me to own it forever) F$#K tham, what if my brother (who lives in philly- im in NY) wants to borrow it? then what. what if I break my ps3/xbox? and have to get a new system?

[PS3Freak]

THat is BS, What the hell is wrong with buying used games. Many retailers do it. Also how could they lock games, when some of them are used as rentals. Do they want the first person who registers it online to be the only one who can use it? that doesnt make F!cking sense.

[psycho360]

Ridiculous idea from the genius who gave us ELITE. Loved the game on my c64 and amiga. Anyway, curtailing sales of used is not a good idea. To reduce losses what can be done is that companies/stores selling used copies should pay some kind of trading fees to publishers/devs but not reflecting the cost on the selling price.

[wolf581]

OK OK I M MARRIED
THE MONEY I TAKE HERE IN GREECE R VERY LITTLE..........
I MUST PAY BILLS,RENT,FOOD,CLOTHES,CAR INSURANCE ETC.......

IF I HAVE TO PAY 70 EUROS FOR A GAME THEN I LL BE OUT OF MY HOME..............
SO I KNOW A STORE THAT I CAN TRADE MY GAME OR BUY A USED ONE FOR 20-35 EURO OR

SO A F.......G DEVELOPER CANT DENY THIS TO US I WISH I HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THEM ALL NEW BECAUSE I LIKE THE SMELL BUT WE ALL MUST HAVE R COMPROMISES EVEN THIS I.......T DEVELOPER ..............

[Closing]

It's like saying people shouldn't be able to sell their used cars. Totally ridiculous.

[Ttam]

I just cant see this happening......