GameStop President Claims Microsoft Support For Used Games

[Sheo_Dagana]

In other words...

"We recognize the value of used/rented games. Or even games borrowed from friends... but you gotta pay."

I trade games in for new games all the time, so on top of always being connected to the internet, I think I'll go back over to Sony. Not because they have a better product, but they have a product that isn't tangled up in near as much bullshit. I'd upgrade my already decent PC, but there are some console exclusives I would sorely miss.

I'm just here to play video games. Why should that be so hard?

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

My suspicion is MS will give Gamestop the option to generate new codes for used games for a cut of the deal, much the same way that EA's infamous online passes and season passes work. So on a $60 game Gamestop will sell it for $55 used with a new code. They will split this with MS/Developers. The ones who will lose will be the saps who are selling or trading in their used Xbone games, and the Gamestop buy price of those will be less than half what current games are. Gamestop won't lose any money on this deal. MS's cut will come out of the pocket of the consumer who is trading in, not theirs.

And if it doesn't work, Gamestop will just put the XBones and XBone games in that dark dusty back corner of the store where they have been keeping the PSVita's.

I doubt developers will ever see a cent of this money. The publishers will hoard it all, but they'll continue to complain about how used games are starving developers, and Penny Arcade will continue to berate you for not paying full price.

Having said that, I am waiting to see how this goes down in the EU.

 

[WeepingAngels]

inb4 hordes of people ready to ignore article contents and bash XB1 anyway.

OT: I am really really looking forward to see how they handle this. Let's hope we get something more concrete soon.

I agree, its an interesting thought that Microsoft is trying to work with the used game industry rather than fight it like developers and publishers have been doing. I guess we still have to wait for e3 to get details

They are not entitled to any money from used sales and this end run around the consumer is irritating.

Its not like this stuff is all concrete. All I'm saying is that maybe if they work something out, we won't have to deal with bullshit like dlc codes for new games

YOU, the consumer, don't even have a voice in this negotiation in the first place. You just get whatever bone they throw you.

We are going to find if Gamestop really means it when they say "Power to the Players".

Yes I do...? I have the choice to not buy their shit. Which I won't. I don't shop from Game Stop and I don't like Microsoft too much either. I have plenty of options. I can switch to only using my pc for gaming and buy all my games off Steam. I have a choice and I will go with the ps4 because at the moment, they won't be locking games to accounts in the first place and Sony has been good to me so far. Honestly, the console barely even exists yet

Yes, you have that choice and you better hope that Sony doesn't cave too.

I laughed at the whole PC thing, the used game market has already been destroyed on PC. Steam is the very model Microsoft is using with one time activation codes. The only difference is that Microsoft is "allowing" you to trade in your used games but they will devalue them to the point that no one would bother to do so and by next gen all three console manufacturers will be following Steams model (minus the sales).

Your end of the (gaming) world predictions are amazing.

I don't see how what Microsoft is doing is similar to Steam. If it was, the xbox live arcade would be filled with downloadable games that undercut retail prices in order to get you to buy something you can't resell. Microsoft thinks they can force their customers to do what they want but they can't. Wait a minute, how did this argument start? *looks back a first post* Oh yeah, I said I'm interested to see how this works out because I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WILL WORK. I'm not willing to commit to anonymous sources on the Internet and the doomsday crowd mentality people have

Also I see you joined recently. Welcome to the escapist! Its just like this every day...

You don't see how this is like Steam?

Steam:

You buy a physical copy of a Steam required game. The important part of your purchase is the activation code. You input that code into Steam and you get the option to install from the disc. Other than installation, the disc is not needed.

Xbone:


You buy a physical copy of a Xbone game. The important part of your purchase is the activation code. You input that code into XBL and you get the option to install from the disc. Other than installation, the disc is not needed.

Also, if you think the entire used game market won't be changed if Microsoft succeeds here, what do you think will happen? Remember, it's the publishers who want this and publishers extend beyond one platform.

The retail for PC is dead. You'd be hard pressed to find a copy of a steam game on the shelf now. Its all digital. The last time they did physical copies was Half Life 2.

Its nothing like steam, PC gamers don't rely on retail anymore. they just go online now.

The last retail Steam game was Half Life 2?

Maybe you can tell me how I bought a physical copy of Portal 2 and Skyrim?

 

[WeepingAngels]

inb4 hordes of people ready to ignore article contents and bash XB1 anyway.

OT: I am really really looking forward to see how they handle this. Let's hope we get something more concrete soon.

I agree, its an interesting thought that Microsoft is trying to work with the used game industry rather than fight it like developers and publishers have been doing. I guess we still have to wait for e3 to get details

They are not entitled to any money from used sales and this end run around the consumer is irritating.

Its not like this stuff is all concrete. All I'm saying is that maybe if they work something out, we won't have to deal with bullshit like dlc codes for new games

YOU, the consumer, don't even have a voice in this negotiation in the first place. You just get whatever bone they throw you.

We are going to find if Gamestop really means it when they say "Power to the Players".

Yes I do...? I have the choice to not buy their shit. Which I won't. I don't shop from Game Stop and I don't like Microsoft too much either. I have plenty of options. I can switch to only using my pc for gaming and buy all my games off Steam. I have a choice and I will go with the ps4 because at the moment, they won't be locking games to accounts in the first place and Sony has been good to me so far. Honestly, the console barely even exists yet

Yes, you have that choice and you better hope that Sony doesn't cave too.

I laughed at the whole PC thing, the used game market has already been destroyed on PC. Steam is the very model Microsoft is using with one time activation codes. The only difference is that Microsoft is "allowing" you to trade in your used games but they will devalue them to the point that no one would bother to do so and by next gen all three console manufacturers will be following Steams model (minus the sales).

Your end of the (gaming) world predictions are amazing.

I don't see how what Microsoft is doing is similar to Steam. If it was, the xbox live arcade would be filled with downloadable games that undercut retail prices in order to get you to buy something you can't resell. Microsoft thinks they can force their customers to do what they want but they can't. Wait a minute, how did this argument start? *looks back a first post* Oh yeah, I said I'm interested to see how this works out because I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WILL WORK. I'm not willing to commit to anonymous sources on the Internet and the doomsday crowd mentality people have

Also I see you joined recently. Welcome to the escapist! Its just like this every day...

You don't see how this is like Steam?

Steam:

You buy a physical copy of a Steam required game. The important part of your purchase is the activation code. You input that code into Steam and you get the option to install from the disc. Other than installation, the disc is not needed.

Xbone:


You buy a physical copy of a Xbone game. The important part of your purchase is the activation code. You input that code into XBL and you get the option to install from the disc. Other than installation, the disc is not needed.

Also, if you think the entire used game market won't be changed if Microsoft succeeds here, what do you think will happen? Remember, it's the publishers who want this and publishers extend beyond one platform.

The retail for PC is dead. You'd be hard pressed to find a copy of a steam game on the shelf now. Its all digital. The last time they did physical copies was Half Life 2.

Its nothing like steam, PC gamers don't rely on retail anymore. they just go online now.

The last retail Steam game was Half Life 2?

Maybe you can tell me how I bought a physical copy of Portal 2 and Skyrim?

That's the collector's editions and valve games. No one really buys the physical copies of the base game anymore unless you are hoping to get a collector's edition. The base games on steam are much cheaper.

Retailers don't like PC gaming, its console gamin that gets them their profit and they take space from PC games to give to console gaming. There is little reason to sell your game using the retail method anymore.

Wait.

So first you say:

The last time they did physical copies was Half Life 2.

Then when I point out Portal 2, which is also a Valve game you claim that doesn't count because it's a Valve game. WTF?

Now you tell me that if it's not a Valve game, it must be a Collectors Edition. No, I bought a physical copy of Skyrim Vanilla at launch.

There are still plenty of physical PC games being sold. Go to Target, they have a whole wall of them. Gamestop still has a shelf of them and Wal Mart has a small section. They most certainly are still being sold, some tied to Steam or Origin...some not.

Just forget it. You will not see the similarities between Steam and the Xbone tonight. Maybe in a year or two.

 

[Arawn]

I'm rather curious to how the other retailers are taking this. GameStop is of course thought of first when it comes resale of games, but there are others. Wonder if they're sweating or adopting the same "Wait and see" philosophy.