Is Buying Used Games Any Better Than Pirating?

Sarcastic Gamer - Gamestop has gotten a lot of flack from anyone who wants to try to fit in with the video game community. While I generally side against the “Screw Gamestop” uprising, something about all places that sell used games is worth thinking about.

[Hell-Helghast]

I buy used games cuz no way am i gonna give my money to a developer who delivered a mediocre game that was not completed.

[Neckbear]

The fact that it IS or it is NOT completed only goes on your personal opinion. Being "worthy" of your oh-so-almighty money comes down to what you CONSIDER that's worth it. In my opinion? A whole lot of games are worthy of the price tag and buying new. That's only MY opinion, though, and I like supporting developers because of it.

And seriously, if you feel like blowing money away like that, just buy the game new, c'mon. Buying used most of the time is NOT worth it.

Either that or pirate.

Pi-ra-te. You'll save some money that way.

[Fox01]

If buying used is as "bad as pirating" then I guess I should just stop buying and start pirating then.

[Longrod_Von_Hugendon]

Not according to the publishers. lol

[van-essa]

A sells second-hand game to B. A now has enough money to purchase another game.

A can't sell game to B. A no buy another game, A become pirate coz want another game but no money.

Which is better?

[Bloodraid]

I don't think people understand that if you buy a game used, the game was still purchased new at one time or another. That copy of the game is officially 'sold' and paid for.

Pirating produces copies of a game that isn't sold. I'm not sure why everyone seems to have such a difficult time grasping the concept.

Buying Used
A.) Buys a game new. (COPY IS SOLD)
B.) Buys game from A, used.
A.) No longer has the game.
B.) Now has the game.
- There is still 1 copy of the game, and it was sold legally.

Pirating
A.) Buys a game new. (COPY IS SOLD)
A.) Cracks and uploads the game.
B-Z) Downloads the game.
- There was 1 copy sold, but 26 people playing it. Meaning 25 copies of the game that weren't purchased new.

Really people, it's not difficult.

[jony_dols]

People tend to forget that your not supporting the dev's in anyway when you trade in or buy used games.

If you ain't gonna buy 1st hand, then buy off someone from ebay or just pirate. Because either way the people who created and published the games don't get anything.

The only people you are lining the pockets of are Gamestop ect.

[Kamikaze135]

Yeah, but like you said, if one person buys a used game, the money for the person who originally purchased it goes to the publisher. It might end up being sold and bought by hundreds of people through the years. Pirating a game is the same logic: A person buys a new copy, then uploads it and shares it. The sources of the upload was a official copy.

The process is the same both ways. However, buying a game used at a store ensures that the store continues to support publishers since they have the money to do so.

[Lifendz]

I buy used games and it's nowhere near piracy. With piracy there might be one legit sale that leads to 100s or 1000s of illegal downloads/copies. More times than not a used copy goes back to someone that bought the game legally.

Sux for the devs because of all the second hand sales but until the publishers start charging less for games, or realizing that only a few games should drop at the 59.99 price, then most people will buy a game used off Amazon or Ebay (if ur smart not Gamestop) and let the initial owner take the depreciation.

[raztad]

I'm too old to be brainwashed to think that buying used stuff is "wrong". Second hand stuff has been subject to trade since the beginning of story and it is rooted in the ideal of ownership, why comes is it now a bad thing to do?

[alex3369]

im a dirty azz pirate already so they should just be happy i would even consider buying used. to me buying new is something you should only do on or within the release date. or ill buy new if game devs would have great deals on games sometimes like they do on steam.

[Seraphim]

if you're buying used you might as well pirate. unless you're buying used from an individual who has opted to sell their copy. I'm all for personal transactions between people. But when you buy used from some store half the money you're paying for X title is going to the business you're buying the game used from. No money is going to the developer of said game. It's just as bad as pirating because instead of giving money to the developer you are now buying the game and giving nothing to the developer. Only difference between pirating and buying used @ a store is that w/ pirating no one is making money but @ a store the retailer themselves is making a buttload of cash.

[Nihilism]

People are well within their rights to buy used good, I know the developers/publishers would hate that silly little concept of OWNERSHIP to get in the way of some good ol' greed though.

If I could buy PC games used, I sure as hell would.

I've said this many times before but it needs to be said again.

Last gen and prior:

20hr campaign, online and offline Mp with bots, split screen on consoles, LAN on consoles and PC, mod support.

Now:

4-8hr campaign, online only MP with half the maps and game modes we used to have, no split screen, no LAN, no dedicated servers, no mod support + broken games on launch + DRM, + DLC cancer.

If I was gaming on consoles not only would I buy all my games second hand i'd cut Gamestop out of it, go on craigslist or something and buy some games for $5...that's about all they're worth.

[dirthurts]

But you have to research before you do. I hate the whole DRM thing...
As least (most) pc games are cheaper.

[DaBadGuy]

Do devs get money from game rentals?

I'm just wondering because if say, someone wanted to rent Medal of Honor, they would have had to buy an online code to play it.

If devs don't get money from game rentals then why don't they bitch about that. You can gamefly or go to Blockbuster (if people still do that) and rent a game for....what like 6 bucks, IDK what it is now I haven't rented anything from blockbuster in years. But anyway, yeah I would imagine there are at least a dozen copies of Medal of Honor that keep circulating while the devs don't see a dime.

If that's true then how is that different from piracy or buying used. Okay so you don't keep the game but still the devs aren't getting any money from it.

Again, idk if the devs do or not. If they do, then disregard everything I have said.

As for used.....bitch I try to buy new but 60 dollars a pop.....I got to live man, and I gotta eat at least some of the time. Get off my back. Sometimes the decision is out of my hands, like if I spot a great PS2 game I may have missed or a 360 game from like two years ago where no new copies are available. Other times....anywhere I can save, I do.

[Solidus187-SCMilk]

Is buying used cars better than stealing them?

[Blaze929]

Well, one of those options doesn't risk me going to jail and paying a ton of money I don't have. So you tell me which is better....

[DuneBuggy]

LOL.Im a used car dealer. I'd hate for this question to get posed to me and GM,Chrysler,Nissan,Toyota,Hond a,etc all want a piece of my "pirated" butt.
I have no issues in buying used games. They were purchased at least. If i elect to sell it,trade it, or give it away is my business. If i start burning copies of it and selling them is another matter.

[BannedForNineYears]

No, pirating is better, it's free.

Lolol, see what I did there? I twisted the context using the ambiguous title.

[-Mezzo-]

I'd be happy to pay full for games that are actually good or greater Sequels, example- Uncharted 2, Killzon 2, Halo Reach, Red Dead, LBP, Dead Space, God OF War 2, ME2, & many more.

But i would never pay full price a mediocre or a highly Rated same game as the last one Sequel.

[Pandamobile]

Used sales are just as bad as piracy. Either way, the developer/publisher isn't getting a dime out of it.

[big_silky]

buying a used game at gamestop leads to profit, which in turn leads to funds for gamestop to purchase/carry more new titles. the profit margin on new games is shockingly small which is why you don't see game/movie/music stores selling only new product.

most pirated games are probably copied from stolen discs that no one sees a single penny off of.

i buy used games because a)they're cheap b)i don't care enough about the hobby anymore to go drop $60 on a single game.i only buy games that i really, really want new.

[Hellsvacancy]

The same would apply to rentin games, i pay 9.99 a month for 2 games at a time, and there isnt a limit to how many games i wanna rent each month, how r the devs gonna make money from that?

[Neckbear]

Yes, and that's what the article states.

Also, quoted for truth:

"I used to pirate things and don’t feel bad about it, I buy used games all the time and don’t feel bad about it either, except now I’m wondering, “If I’m going to buy a used game, why buy it at all?”

So let’s hear it Anonymous, what is justifiable in buying used games? Why is that accepted while pirating is shunned?"

He makes a GREAT point. Both buying used games and pirating ARE THE SAME. Either way, the developer IS NOT GETTING MONEY AT ALL. At best, all you get is the sticker-filled box with probably no manual and the disc filled with fingerprints. Ugh.

[Nihilism]

I don't hear any tears from every other industry on the planet that doesn't make money from used game sales. You need ot tune out the press releases panda, you are starting to fall in line with Bobby K's monopolistic world view.

The game industry are so greedy it's sickening, the development cost/profit ratio of games if 10x that of 'blockbuster' movies. Not only should games be longer, but they should also cost half what they do not, THEY OWE US. Not the other way around.

[Pandamobile]

Used vs Piracy is a hot topic in my Business of Gaming class at university.

Both have a very negative affect on the industry.

[Bloodraid]

Right, because when you buy a game used, the person who sold it to you cloned it and still has their own copy... Makes perfect sense.

[dinkeldinkse]

Giving my old games away to family is just as bad as piracy because the publisher/developers don't get a dime from it.

[TriangleOffense]

Ill continue to buy used until developers prove to me that a game is worth the full price tag. The last game I bought new that I felt was worth every penny spent was RDR and I bought it new after renting it but games like New Vegas which I bought new based off my love for the series continue to support my actions of buying used and or renting because that was another bug ridden game that never should have been put out the way it was. My other issue with it is I prefer single player and or co-op so when a game like medal of honor comes out and offers a 5 hour campaign at best I can not justify spending $60 on it.

[Hank Hill]

Seriously?! One is legal and the other is illegal. How can they be the same? Ford don't get a dime off of used car sales either but you don't hear them complaining.

[maniacmayhem]

I was just thinking the same. All this fuss about used games and the car industry has been this way for decades.

There's nothing wrong with buying used games. If a consumer wants to buy used, let them.

[jony_dols]

2nd hand car sales is pretty similar to second hand video games
But registered car dealers pay commission to e.g. Ford on the used Fords in which they sell

Digital piracy isn't the same as car theft though.

Because if you buy a car and it gets stolen you lose it forever,
However if you buy a game and upload it to the internet, you still get to keep your own original copy, while others steal the content.

[wicko]

Nobody is comparing the legality of either action. They're just saying the end result is roughly the same. It's more of a question of ethics, and we all know that law and ethics are not one and the same.

[DuneBuggy]

jony, this is slightly off topic,but how does Ford make a commision off Ford dealers on used cars again?
A Dealer may have to pay a premium when buying a car from Ford off lease auction to have a "certified" model.Thats basically purchasing an extended warranty from Ford on it and its optional.
Ford makes money selling the parts to the dealer to recondition the used car.
Ford may be making a buck on them if they floorplan with them or the car is ultimately financed by the customer through Ford motor credit.
But Ford doesnt make a commision on a used Ford itself.
Ford is happiest when dealers only sell new ones.

[ZombieNinjaPanda]

@Hank Hill

I believe this is the best reference/non reference/ in character comment you've made yet.

[coolbeans]

To think someone can put a used game buyer at the same level as a pirate is beyond words to me.

[RedDead]

Simple enough, if the dev isn't rewarded then it's not fair on the dev. It doesn't matter if it's pirated or bought used. The devs gets nothing fot the work they put in. Pirating is morally wrong and is frowned upon and illegal. However I don't give a flying f***, imo buying a game used is just as bad.

Edit---Oh and imo, second hand dealers don't deserve money at all. Especially the prices they sell for.

[schlanz]

They aren't the same and never have been, and anyone who frequently sells their games does so in order to buy new ones.
It honestly doesn't matter jack shit whether or not the developer doesn't make money off of used sales, that's just the way a market works. There is no sense in crying over it, because its never going to be illegal (or wrong) to sell your personal property to individuals or businesses.

[RedDead]

There you go, I don't give a fuck about the law or if it's illegal, if I spend ages making something and only get a third of what I should have got through users passing it around, i'd be pissed. someone else(gamespot) makes an extra load of money off of used games sales tat they don't deserve.

[schlanz]

They are providing a service. They buy used goods and resell them, so they deserve every bit of profit they make from it. No one is stopping publishers from taking part in the used game market, its their own damn fault for leaving it all up to Gamestop to provide for that consumer demand.
Besides, Gamestop isn't the only way to buy used games. Ebay, Craigslist, ect. There isn't always a middle man, but even when there is, you cannot argue that buying and reselling a product is wrong whether its between consumers or businesses. That market relationship is present in virtually every industry, to think that the video game industry should for some reason be immune or excluded from that, and that in this one case it is "wrong", that is just a fallacy.

[imoutofthecontest]

@coolbeans
Exactly.

@RedDeadDestroyer
Hahahaha. Study business, my friend. It's not that simple, and used game sales DO benefit the developer, far moe than piracy. The difference is beyond comparison. This topic has been beaten to death, but holy damn, you could not be more wrong.

[RedDead]

Explain to me how a dev gets money from buying a used game? Gameshops get on well enough withou selling used games. How do the devs benefit from the introduction of used games sales? Sure you could use the money you got trading in for a new game but that's not helpful at all to the game your trading in's dev and i's not fair at all.

[wicko]

I call bullshit. I'd like to hear what devs get out of used game sales.

[ash_divine]

piracy and used game sells might aswell be the same thing. Because either way, devs aren't going to be paid.

[imoutofthecontest]

Hahaha, take some business classes, guys. We've been over this in the other dozens and dozens of articles about this subject. It's gamers talking out of their asses about things of which they have 0 knowledge.

Study up, earn your business degrees, then get back to me, kids.

Hint: Don't forget where the devs get their money (it's not from you).

;)

[RedDead]

You see, new copies of the game aren't bought, pre owned ones are bough instead, therefore the retailer has no need to buy any more original copies. Hence the fact that devs are losing the money they should get.

[wongway]

you should just explain it, as opposed to spending most of your post bragging about taking some business classes and dropping a hint to boost your ego, like an ass.

[Sarcasm]

Buying used games is legit. Piracy isnt.

[SilverSlug]

its the same thing, since developers and publishers don't see a dime.

[imoutofthecontest]

Wrong.

[SilverSlug]

for explaining to me why I'm wrong.

[wicko]

Well now I know you're just trolling.

[imoutofthecontest]

If you think that you buying a new game directly puts money in the developer's pocket, or even the publishers, you REALLY don't understand the flow of money in these situations.

Buying a new game and buying a used game have very similar impact on a dev and publishe, both positive.

[Thecraft1989]

Morally no but dose it make any difference to developer if download it or rent a game ? No theirs no difference to them disagree with all you like but its the truth.

[pimpmaster]

well guess its time to pirate then.

[SilverSlug]

Buy new games.

[logen99999]

there's no way i'm paying full price for a 6 to 8 hour game. like halo reach.

developers can whine about it all they want. but if they keep trying to screw consumers with 8 hour campaigns and 15$ for meager dlc then i'm all for used games and piracy.

[Rezka]

Pirating a game is way worse at least developers and publishers are being paid even though their game don't worth much anymore if its used

[Chucky2003]

no,they don't get anything,a good example is the one with the cars,if you sell a mercedes car second hand,you don't give anything to mercedes because you sold it,the same is with games,if they sell it used the developers don't get anything,so from developers point of view there isn't any difference because they don't get anything,from our perspective is good,lets face it most of the game are 4-5 hours long,they don't deserve a full price,no matter how great they are

[imoutofthecontest]

You're right! Selling books, movies, cars, and CDs should be illegal!
XD

[schlanz]

okay then.

not to mention used cars need new parts from time to time.

[gamingisnotacrime]

Is buying used cars, used houses, boats, laptops, movies etc any better than stealing?

if that question makes sense then ask the used game question, until then this is a free market and the buyer has OWNERSHIP of the unit bought and has the RIGHT to sell it, exchange it, or do as he pleases with it in a legal manner.

I sell my games on Amazon, am i a pirate? are my buyers pirates? for crying out loud, publishers are milking us for easy money and they want to control our posetions, in this case used games.

Study some economics, then come back asking better questions

[Sarcasm]

Exactly, we live in a free market system.

If these folks aren't happy about used sales of "anything" not just video games, then they should move to a communist country.

[JKL6939]

If it's on blu ray,then you still have your money's worth. But if you buy it on a regular dvd (360 and Nintendo Wii), then you are shit out out of luck. Because it will always be deteriorating, and eventually you will have to replace it

[Sidewinder-]

I asked the managers about this and they really helped me understand. (bear in mind, ive never been against pre-owned games, but i'd always prefer a new copy just to get that funky 'new manual' smell.)

Retail sales of pre-owned games are a 'service' to the people. For those who might not be able to aford full-price. For those who don't want to pay full price, at the cost of minute wear and tear.
Sure, the retailer makes the money out of them, but from the customers point of view, the whole transaction is sound.

(Everybody knows this already but...) It is the developers of Games, the publishers of games who are to blame here. They are the ones denying the few a valid pre-owned experience. Why? Because they can. There aint nothing else to it.

Of course, there is a middle ground were compromise could be made. The retailer should prossibly be required to pay a 'small' comission to the developers. (note 'possibly). I am against this for the sole reason if it were not for companies like GAME, or Gamestop or whatever, they wouldn't be getting hell-half as much money as they would if we didn't do their job for them. Advertisement, selling the shit, Getting people down for pre-orders. Theyre just greedy S-O-B's and everyone knows it.

The way I look at it is that this shouldnt be a problem, as it NEVER has been a problem in the past. Sure the devs don't mind us trading our games in to pay toward their next blockbuster, but soon as somebody wants to buy the product that was traded in to get the new game; it's a sin.

Bull-fuckin-shit.

Just be glad some devs such as Sega aint resourting to pretty, pre-owned denial schemes.

As for Pre-owned being worse than Pirating? That's just insulting to the intelligence.

[scar20]

@sonicsidewinder you deserve a bubble here you go enjoy.

[dirthurts]

They're not helping the developers, but it's not our duty to worry about them. If they push a good quality product there won't be many used copies floating around to buy. Maybe if they would cut their prices more people would buy new. Games are not cheap for most people.
And as far as piracy goes...if it wasn't for overwhelming DRM and not being able to resale pc games, I'm sure more new copies would sale.
If the developers want to profit off used games, they should sale them themselves.

[Cajun Chicken]

It's not stealing. People buy old things they don't want, that's perfectly legal in any other media. These people are called the 'opportunists'. I am glad to be one.

I will rebel to no end if the industry even TRY to shame me as much as someone copying a game and having no respect for the developers.

[theafroman]

umm you're giving your money to someone who helps keep the industry alive

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

If you buy your games from Gamefly it's a no because you are buying a game they bought. Buying rental games the devs still get thier money but if you buy trade ins they don't.

[pixelsword]

Is Buying Used Games Any Better Than Pirating?

"Is buying a used car any better than car-jacking?" Pixelsword says sarcastically, scratching his butt and letting out a loud, beer-scented burp whilst grinning at the prospect of pie.

[Phytonadione]

If we lived in a world where pirating did not exist and buying new or used were the only options, developers would profit more. When new games that have a solid online component go on sale, many of the hardcore feel the need to purchase it right away in order to get as much xp playing/scoring in the game in order to start "dominating" the competition. Either that, or to simply brag to friends about getting the game close to release. The really great games with great mutliplayer experiences do not come back to the store used as fast as crappy games, therefore would increase new game sales for said game. But with pirating in the mix, you don't have to wait for a used copy of modern warfare 10 to hit the shelf and a jillion people with the know how can start pirating on or even before the release date.

So does buying the game used and pirating the same to developers? I don't think so. I also think that places like Gamestop that do sell used games, though not a factor in putting money in the developer's pockets, do serve a purpose when advertising new games and "informing" (a term I use Paris Hilton loosely) the customer about new games, new add-ons, new consoles, etc. that do help the developers in the long run.

[denero1]

when devs stop making day 1 dlc and dlc period give me the whole game upfront then you can get all my money up front

[Enigma_2099]

Yes. We're making a LEGAL purchase of a game that apparently wasn't worth paying full price for. Otherwise we'd pay full price for it. Is it THAT hard to understand?

[DaBadGuy]

Nope.

I'll be damned if I'm gonna pay full price for Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard.

[JadedWriter]

Last time I checked a pirated game didn't mean money coming out of my bank account.

[Kewl_Kat]

Those who bought a used game, gta4 for example, will most likely buy the dlc. There's no used dlc market, and developers will at least gain some profit. If someone pirated a game like gat4, nothing's stopping them from pirating its dlc. In that case, developers gain zero profit. In my case, I bought red dead redemption used, and I'm planning on getting the undead nightmare dlc. I know the game's not available for pc piracy, but my point is that used games can still generate profit for the developer.

[TacoBurrito]

when people BUY used games, they are BUYING, when they pirate a game they're not paying.

[clrlite]

I buy quality titles new to support developers who make quality games. I don't mind spending an extra 5-10+ dollars(sometimes less) :] BTW: Yeah, IMO there are still developers worth supporting, and I am thankful. I think it's OK to buy used games SOMETIMES though.

[alex3369]

if games are that good, then used copies will probably sell much higher and have less availability. so i guess make great games and people will buy new. make crap that ends up in the bargin bin in a month then you got what you deserved.

[dvtran93]

I don't see what's wrong with this at all. Legally: first-sale doctrine protects the buyer/seller of used games. Ethically, I see no dilemma. Here's why:

Guy A hires group B to build house on Guy A's property.
A pays B for materials/labor.
A is happy.

15 years later, Guy A wants to move out and sells house to Guy C.
Guy C pays Guy A for house + property.
Guy A uses money to hire another group to build a house / buy a premade house.
Guy B moves in happily.

Why the heck should the builders get paid each time the house is sold? They were paid for their initial effort. I don't see how this is any different from games and no home builder has complained about this in the past.

Party X buys good/service Y and enjoys it. Why should Y get $ when party X sells to party Z?

Initial buyers (retail stores/rental stores/GameFly/et. al) paid for the service/goods that producers/developers offer. They are paid for their work. That's all. I don't see why they should get paid any more unless they offer a new service / good.

All used games on the market were once new games. This means whoever sold it, has money to buy more games (either new or old). It's not too different from trading. The argument is just illogical. It's like saying you shouldn't trade pokemon cards because it means that the company will make less money.

[Bromeslice]

I love the headlines that just drip with controversy, it makes me curious.

[SSKILLZ]

No but it's legal haha!! ......'-' sorry iknow it's bad for devs.

[madjedi]

So buying games used is as bad as stealing out right or pirating ala torrents, according to some of you people.

Can some of you people that are calling people that buy used games criminals(we might as well be from your descriptions) take the pathetic moral stick out of your ass, and not label countless individuals as thieves or criminals for buying used games.

And if some game developers would drop prices instead of having a yr or 2 old game not moving jackshit number wise @59.99 they might see a sales spike.

Thre is a difference between outright theft and second hand sales, learn the difference.

[Bolts]

Because I rent games from Gamefly, then *gasp* buy them used!

[hazelamy]

one is legal, one isn't.

you make those who buy preowned into criminals and they might just take the next step and turn to piracy and then the publishers definitely will be losing money.

this industry did pretty well through the recession with trade ins going on, now it's over they want to get greedy?

fuck them i say, they need us more than we need them.

[HorriblePanda]

When the brainwashed masses defend the poor little devs and publishers....who need our money...boo fucking hoo! Look at CoD same god damn game with few upgrades since CoD4 MW you bought and paid for the same damn thing 3 times and are getting ready to do it a forth....

after buying paying 84 goddamn dollars for the mess that is fallout new vegas it looks like more used games for me(I only buy games used for 20 and under were the hell am I gonna find a new copy of tails of vespeira? Or older games I missed out on?)...if these lazy ass devs can do proper. QA and make a game playable then you get my money if not then join the list of games to be bought used. And hopefuly they are forced to close for selling me a god damn 70% complete game that fucking crashes all the time and hold out the story for future dlc just to nickel and dime my game playing ass or on disk dlc that you have to pay for....

We don't owe these poor ass so called publishers and devs anything nothing at all we pay there wages if they can't perform then fuck them plain and simple give me a good game with story and a relative glitch free game and no tacked on mutiplayer and you will get my money if not and you ruin a game by making it a 3rd person shooter who peretends to be a Rpg(mass effect2) or make some lame ass online mutiplayer and cut time for singlerplayer(bioshock2) then I won't be supporting you...and keep on calling me a pirate for buying old used games and imma be a pirate

[nutbear96]

Two ways Devs can work around this:
1)make the game worth keeping! It's a no brainer! Just add multiplayer, free roam, collectables, mini-games, fun things to do, loads of side quests ect...
2)If you are getting that upset then why don't they ban gaming outlets to accept pre-owned games and trade-in's and then the Devs can collect the money for themself. Because from pre-owned games the only people that are making money are the gaming outlets and they make a massive profit on it! Usually if they give you £10 for it then it will sell for £15. That doesn't sound alot but if you know anything about buisness that is HUGE!

[kamehamehaftw]

I think legally speaking, they are one in the same.

[thebudgetgamer]

is buying a used car as bad a stealing a new one?