Epic: One-use codes 'didn't have the impact we wanted'

Gears of War 2 was one of the first titles to include a one-time use code for customers who purchased new copies of the game - now a common part of the games industry - but Epic has revealed this initiative wasn't as successful as the developer wanted.

[Inside_out]

.
"If we can create a game that has so much content when you look at it - arcade, arcade campaign, horde, and beast, and competitive multiplayer across dedicated servers - we feel like if we can keep the player's disc-on-tray, we can keep people holding onto the game, they won't be turning it in and therefore there won't be as much availability for used copies."...

Isn't common sense grand. If your game sucks, nobody will buy it. If you make a 4-6 hour game like GOW, people will trade it in by the millions. If you launch your COD wannabe military fps at the same time as the highest selling, best looking and playing FPS this gen, people will trade in your game anyways, on line pass or not. The store will sell it for 10 dollars less with pass included. Forcing people to buy DLC BEFORE the game is even out is just a pathetic, desperate cry for help. EA knows this but they don't care...just pay up and shut...O_o

Attacking those who can't afford $60-80 day one and trying to embarrass them for buying something used will come back to bite you in the A** my friends...it always does. I saw this show before with the music industry...lol...when they wanted $30 for 7-9 songs. aahhh, what ever did happen to CD's. :)

[rabidpancakeburglar]

"Attacking those who can't afford $60-80 day one and trying to embarrass them for buying something used"

Where are you getting that? Developers just want the money that they deserve for making a game which is going to the retailers. There is no bullying and there is no expectation that it must be bought day one.

I'm not sure if I may have misinterpreted you though.

[Micro_Sony]

Dont give inside out any attention - he is a lost soul on N4G that feeds off responses from his negative comments.

[gamingdroid]

Music to my ears! A developer that gets it!!!

All online passes do is reduce the community size, put a up-front dollars into the publisher and damages long term profits (less people buying sequels).

Epic just became my favorite developer of all time! Not only are they making a fantastic game, chock full of content, but shares my opinon. Full 110% support from me (although I already buy all my games new).

[shaun mcwayne]

if developers are pissed that they dont get any money from used games then they should buy our used games back and resell it themselves problem solved.

[Corrwin]

I don't see how it could be difficult to just mark each disk with a serial number (Microsoft used to insist on 1GB of space on each disk just for copy protection, so we know it can be done).

If developers insist on punishing 2nd hand buyers, the least they could do is make the process seamless.

All we should expect to see on putting in a disk for the first time is either:
"Thanks for buying the game", or
"Since this game disk has been registered by another user, some features will be disabled. Click OK to pay for the money-gouger pack".

I know it sucks, but they could at least pretend to like first-hand buyers instead of making them type in a bloody code.

[theonlylolking]

How about lets not have any of that crap?

[Corrwin]

Too easy. The publishers would never go for it.

But wouldn't it be nice?

[gamingdroid]

Yeah, I'm a paying customer. How about the publisher punish the retailer instead, like refuse to ship them games....

Why am I being punished for being a consumer? Why are publishers restricting my freedom to use my game?

Online pass is BS, and publishers don't need the money. Great games sell well period!

[OC_MurphysLaw]

The single best way to fight used game sales was summed up on one sentence by Epic: "I'm hoping just through the success of the game, and people wanting to hold onto it, we won't run into the same problem."

Dear publishers/developers...this is the one and only true way you will ever fight used game sales. Great games are held on to... shit games are not. Uncharted 2, Halo Reach, COD:Blops, Forza 3 and BFBC2 are all games I have held on to. Why? because they are good and have good value over the long haul.

[nightmarex121]

All those games you mention have multiplayer though but like example god of war 3 which focus on just only single player they get the bad end of the stick, developers shouldnt put multiplayer and horde mode just for the sack of it so people will keep it.

[gamingdroid]

Make the game longer and harder. Have leader boards and challenges. Promise free content to down the line so people will hold on to their disc longer. Give discounts to loyal fans that played the game the first week.

Essentially extend the value of the game, but screwing over your customers to get at someone else is not the solution and reeks of disrespect!

[nightmarex121]

Well god of war 3 had challenges room, and obviously god of war games has super hard mode chaos mode. Well they already have costume in the game instead of them charge it though. Collectibles and much more epic campaign from beginning to end. But those little things can help here and there but not a big scale.

[SwiftShot]

Most people trade in there games at one point or keep them. Ive seen games traded in the day of release.....so some people u can never satisfy. I buy my games new, unless they been out for some time.
Id rather save $20 on used, not all games interest me online wise. If they do then new it is. :)

[DARK WITNESS]

Overall I would say Epic are on the right track.

Games that I love I do not trade in. Even if I hardly play them.

I bought Halo CE back in 2002 and i still have the very same copy of the game. Games like GTA4 and Red Dead Redemption will never be traded in.

I still have games like Otogi which I can't even play anymore but I still will not trade them in.

Give us a great game with Great content. Give us real value for money, and we will value the game and treat it the same.

Push out crap, rip us off with crap DLC, cage us in with stupid dlc rules and we will treat the game in the same light; Like the pile of Sh$^t it is.

[sickpup]

One time use codes are also referred to as included DLC. It is standard with almost every major game. People buying these games used know that unless it says DLC included or something along those lines do not buy it if you need the content. Online-passes, which are compared to in the article, are totally different. They both are codes included with the new copies of the game but DLC is an added bonus item and not required to play the game. The online-pass is required to access features of the disc.

"I think the online pass is another way - EA has really taken to that, and I think they're having success. At least in the States I haven't heard a major outcry, whereas maybe here it's a little less popular."

I found this quote from the article hilarious. If they think they are having success they don't read the forums enough. The majority of comments towards online passes are negative and I am suprised the publishers doing the pass system have not been sued by companies who rely on used rentals like Gamefly, Blockbuster, etc. It basically is an attach on their business because no one will rent multiplayer games if they have to pay $10 extra on top of the rental costs.

[hazelamy]

he hasn't heard a major outcry?

is his sticking his fingers in his ears going "lalalalalalala"

or is he just taking some of molyneux's crazy pills?

and you just try an online pass on a game ms are publishing, you and ms will get torn to shreds.

[DeeBee]

Simple solution, publishers open their own game stores and/or buy out gamestop. But then again the simple solutions are often the ones they totally overlook ... like making a good game in the first place that isn't completed in 6 hours with no replay value.

[hardandsloppy]

Most people are gonna trade in their games at some point anyway, and generally buy a used copy of a game with the money, or pre order a new one. What developers should do is lower the price a bit and then there will most likely be more sales.

[Kaos_Vll]

"For new players it doesn't affect them, so it only affects the people who are buying used copies," said Fergusson

I hate when I hear/read this lie. It DOES affect NEW players that own more than one console. Even when I buy my game new I can only access the FULL (SP/MP)game on ONE console.

I know not everyone owns multiple consoles of the same brand, but I can't be the only gamer that likes to game both in his living room and bedroom w/o dragging his system to and forth. Online passes and the like AFFECT EVERYONE, not just used buyers.

How intelligent does one have to be to realise this?