Volition Dev Vs. Pre-Owned Games

[Necrofudge]

I really like this guy's logic about the plan.

even though the consumers would be up in arms about it at first...they will grow to understand why and that it won't kill them.

I don't doubt that people will stop complaining, but it won't be because they'd "grow to understand why".

It's only because the consumer is stupid and complacent that this kind of thing slides in today's society.

Him calling it an understanding is a joke. It wouldn't be understanding. It would be accepting a crappy deal because protesting is hard and gets nothing done.

 

[Sylveria]

So what happens when the Nextbox or NextStation breaks? Do we lose all our games? Do we have to send the console away for weeks so they can transfer the games? What if the warranty has run out?

I really do not see any way that this will not just end up with piracy skyrocketing.

Not to defend this, but they'd have to tie the codes to your XBLA account probably.. which brings about another issue of you needing to have the console online at all times so XBL can authenticate your games.

But yeah, all this would do is make more people mod their console and start pirating.

Though, I totally support XBOX doing this.. cause it would be catastrophic for them.

 

[Radoh]

And I hope this happens.
I like the idea of it and hope such a thing is not just the Xbox, plus this would totally kneecap Gamestop, and anything that does that is Double Fine in my book.

 

[Sylveria]

If that happens then welcome to the world (at least an area) of PC gaming, consolers.

My thoughts exactly when I first heard about this, if all consoles go through with this I am switching over to PC until consoles pull their head out of their ass.

Rant incoming

It isn't even fair to try and ban used games,
What if I buy a 60$ game and don't like it?
What if I buy a 60$ game and finish it in 2 days?
What if the game I want to play is 5+ years old and I can't find a new copy?
What if the game I want to play is 3+ years old and the multiplayer is barren?
What happens if my console breaks? Do I get my games back?
What happens if I decide to upgrade to one of the inevitable "newer" consoles (I.E. ps3 slim)?

Well according to console developers TOUGH SHIT

To be fair yes their is a problem with used games that needs to be addressed, but shafting your consumers to get back at some other A-holes is not the way to do it.

ok
question 1 research it more
question 2 buy better games
question 3 its all gonna be downloadable, so non issue
question 4 get the newer version of it
question 5 its tied to the account numbnuts so you would get it back
question 6 thats actually a valid question, they should let you carry it across but we'll find out the answer to that if we can take downloadable games acorss this time won't we.

Stop rocking the pram

1.No matter how much one researches, there's no way to determine for sure if you'll find the game enjoyable. You can assume all you want based on information, but only in practice does one know for sure.

2. That's just ignorant and contradicts your first "solution." They could do all the research, think its good, get it, play it, and find they dislike it and your response is "lawl shouldn't have bought that then huh bro?"

3. Clearly, no its not. The gaming culture, industry, and internet framework are still a long way away from having AAA title games be readily available, affordable, and convenient via download. Yes I'm sure you have a 9000000TBPS internet connection cause you're awesome and your mom is the president and you know the mayor of new jersey, but the vast majority of people do not.

4. Nothing here. Multiplayer is fickle.

5. The network goes down. Account gets lost/hacked/suspended. The Network itself is hacked. In short, shit can happen.

6. Now you're expecting them to include backwards/cross compatibility. In an ideal world? Great, but providing that, as we've seen is not cheap and companies are moving away from it because it extends the life of old consoles if they are still in demand, even if small, years later as replacements. Wait, you just said the stuff is tied to your account, so why wouldn't it go from, for example, a PS3 to a PS3 slim? What, following your own ignorant brotroll argument from one point to the next is really that hard?

 

[cyrad]

Game companies, you should focus on a system that's beneficial to both consumers and game companies.

We're in a recession, people are struggling to keep jobs, and AAA titles are getting more expensive. If you aren't willing to adapt to your consumers, then they're are going to give their business to those that can.

 

[Leon's Hell]

So I can see at least three problems with this idea.

The used games market is for those who don't want to /can't pay full price for their games. So you leave them with either waiting a few months (people aren't likely to be this patient) or pirate the game.

The second problem is, this is Microsoft, who in the past have had issues with their products breaking. What happens when this console breaks, do we need to buy all of the games again or is Microsoft going to pay more people to deal with game migrations to other consoles? There is also the issue of them bringing a new version of the console out and it not been able to play your games right away.

Third, final and most annoying is if you want to go to your friend's place and bring some of your games. "Sorry this product is tied to one console and we don't care if you're trying to have fun."

This isn't an entirely new idea on Microsoft's part as your copy of Windows is tied to the PC you bought it for.

 

[Toeys]

i guess i could start collecting stamps or something instead. atleast then its just a matter of cost. I wouldnt have to worry about EULAs, consoles with restrictions, being online to play, corrupt reviewers and or any other kind of way publishers and devs make me as a fan of the hobby hate it for what it has become.

Unless some serious, funded and independent gamers association gets into the fray theres really nothing to do about being screwed again and again like we have been the 10-15 last years

 

[Royas]

To me, this guy seems to be an enemy of the very capitalist system that has allowed him to prosper. The creators and publishers are only half the equation in a capitalist system, the consumer is in there too. Consumer rights are, in the long run, good for the entire system. They force a level of quality and honesty onto any industry. Restricting those rights (which this definitely would!) for any reason is just plain bad for the whole system.

 

[whiteshark12]

Lower the price of your games at retail launch, then we'll talk.

 

[RoBi3.0]

Yeah, I just don't see how the used game market is killing the game industry. Since the dawn of consoles, the used game market has been alive and kicking. If used games couldn't killing the game industry in the last 30 or so year I doubt it will kill the game industry anytime during the next 30 or so years.

If I buy a used game it is because I didn't think I was worth the cost of a new game. If the only option available to me is "new game" prices then I wouldn't buy the game at all.


Someone is being greedy here-hint- it is the game development industry-

 

[jamart]

Wow, where to start huh?

"for only $60" From the UK here, but games can still range from £40-60 pounds.
In my summer I had a job, now, my minimum wage pay - just under £5 an hour, when I'm 21, this'll be £6, not a huge increase.

So, it will take anything from 7-10 hours (at £6) to earn enough money for a game, meaning about a full days work.

First off, there are far, far too many games that would take longer for me to earn the money to buy them than it would for me to finish them - that. is. just. wrong.

Around this I have my transport expenses, food, rent, utilities, etc. If I buy a used game I can get, say, 25-50% off, meaning I can actually afford their games. If the game is good, I might save up, ask for relatives to get me their next game for my birthday (for example, ME3, out a couple fo days after my birthday, my folks birthday present - they've preordered it for me).

Hell, if it's that good I'll even buy DLC for it, if the DLC isn't s**t. For example, I've bought a fair chunk of the ME2 DLC. I loved the Arrival pack.


However, on another point...

Why does the games industry have this whiny, self-entitled attitude that thinks they are different from any other industry?
Books, VHS, DVDs, Blu-Rays, Cars, Every other big industry seems to make do with second hand goods being sold, why does the game industry seem to think its consumers should act ina different way just for it?

Corollary: I would like to point out that, when I do have the money, I will buy games new from studios I think have earnt £40 of my money, and I'd liek to support that studio/franchise, but they should earn that support and not throw away good will.
Anyway, there's my rambling thoughts

 

[Isaac Levy]

Ironic that someone from a developer that is absolutely terrible at porting games from console to PC would be all for a terrible idea. Then again used games aren't such an issue on PC.. but here's hoping none of these backwards thinkers try to do anything to Steam and their always running great sales on PC games without having to go through a bull pen of nonsense just to play the bloody things like with EA ect.

 

[icaritos]

Piracy =/= about who pays or who doesn't. Piracy can also involve money payments, but none go to the original creator.

Your seriously going to say piracy and buying used games are the same. That's what your seriously going to do?
I do not even know where to begin on how wrong you are. If people actually think this, you and they deserve all the crap corporations currently and are going to dump on you.

News flash, they are. Fact of the matter is your desire to buy a game used, or the purchase in itself, did not in anyway influence the original buyer to purchase the game new. The guy that bough the game brand new would have done so even without the used games market, he is the customer and would have been regardless.

In the end of the day when you buy a used game you do not contribute any money to the industry, even if the copy was at one point brand new.

pirates = used games buyers

 

[CrystalShadow]

Right... So this dev actually thinks the retail price of a product is determined by it's development costs?

Only in an industry where monopoly pricing is the norm can you get away with logic like that without being considered hopelessly naive.

If your development costs are too high to make a profit at the sale price you are using, and your consumers already consider that price too high for all practical intents and purposes...

The obvious conclusion in any other industry would be that your development costs are unattainably high.

Oh well. I think sooner or later we're going to have to wake up to the inevitable logical contradictions involved in copyright, and rethink how it functions in relation to the rest of society.

Because as it stands anyone developing copyrighted material seems to think they're entitled to special treatment in a way that would seriously get you laughed at in any other kind of industry...

 

[tehroc]

Ooh poor developers boohoo they want to double dip on their pay. Fact is these developers have already been paid, it's called a salary. I highly doubt any Volition developer works for free and only depends on royalties.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Piracy =/= about who pays or who doesn't. Piracy can also involve money payments, but none go to the original creator.

Your seriously going to say piracy and buying used games are the same. That's what your seriously going to do?
I do not even know where to begin on how wrong you are. If people actually think this, you and they deserve all the crap corporations currently and are going to dump on you.

News flash, they are. Fact of the matter is your desire to buy a game used, or the purchase in itself, did not in anyway influence the original buyer to purchase the game new. The guy that bough the game brand new would have done so even without the used games market, he is the customer and would have been regardless.

In the end of the day when you buy a used game you do not contribute any money to the industry, even if the copy was at one point brand new.

pirates = used games buyers

That idea would be laughable to anyone who sold any kind of product other than one defined as IP.

If I have a handbag, or car, or jacket... Or games console... Or TV. Or Microwave. Or fridge... Or pretty much anything at all really, I'm entitled to sell it on to someone else.

It's a legally protected right at that, under a principle known as the 'first sale doctrine'. Look that up.
It basically means that as soon as you sell someone a product, you lose any real right to dictate what they do with it, and you are not allowed to demand anything if they choose to sell it on to another person.

Now tell me why the industries that deal in copyright are exempt from it...

Because if your argument were valid, me selling my car to another person would be piracy too...

 

[senobit]

Piracy =/= about who pays or who doesn't. Piracy can also involve money payments, but none go to the original creator.

Your seriously going to say piracy and buying used games are the same. That's what your seriously going to do?
I do not even know where to begin on how wrong you are. If people actually think this, you and they deserve all the crap corporations currently and are going to dump on you.

News flash, they are. Fact of the matter is your desire to buy a game used, or the purchase in itself, did not in anyway influence the original buyer to purchase the game new. The guy that bough the game brand new would have done so even without the used games market, he is the customer and would have been regardless.

In the end of the day when you buy a used game you do not contribute any money to the industry, even if the copy was at one point brand new.

pirates = used games buyers

No money to the industry? so I guess people selling old games to buy new ones don't count.

 

[Orange12345]

If that happens then welcome to the world (at least an area) of PC gaming, consolers.

My thoughts exactly when I first heard about this, if all consoles go through with this I am switching over to PC until consoles pull their head out of their ass.

Rant incoming

It isn't even fair to try and ban used games,
What if I buy a 60$ game and don't like it?
What if I buy a 60$ game and finish it in 2 days?
What if the game I want to play is 5+ years old and I can't find a new copy?
What if the game I want to play is 3+ years old and the multiplayer is barren?
What happens if my console breaks? Do I get my games back?
What happens if I decide to upgrade to one of the inevitable "newer" consoles (I.E. ps3 slim)?

Well according to console developers TOUGH SHIT

To be fair yes their is a problem with used games that needs to be addressed, but shafting your consumers to get back at some other A-holes is not the way to do it.

ok
question 1 research it more
question 2 buy better games
question 3 its all gonna be downloadable, so non issue
question 4 get the newer version of it
question 5 its tied to the account numbnuts so you would get it back
question 6 thats actually a valid question, they should let you carry it across but we'll find out the answer to that if we can take downloadable games acorss this time won't we.

Stop rocking the pram

Question 1 I could but there is no better way to research something then to experience it yourself, for music you could listen to a song before buying an album, for movies you could watch trailers or reviews made of clips to see if it's your sort of thing. But with games unless there's a demo (which there usually isn't) your only option to try without buying is to rent, which would seem impossible with this whole 1 game - 1 console thing.

Question 2 " "

Question 3 Oh so if I go online right now to buy any game I want it will be there? no it won't. Digital distribution will eventually replace physical copies of games but not this coming generation (at least I don't think it will, more opinion then anything)

Question 4 Not every game with multiplayer gets an updated version

Question 5 Fair enough

Question 6 What's a pram?

 

[Stormz]

I have terrible internet so what happens when I can't buy a retail copy anymore? Yeah, thats right, I have to download a 10-20gig file. This dude is a fucking moron. I also don't approve of having all of "my" games hooked to an account. I barely own my games as is thanks to digital distribution on the PC.

After this and Saints Row 3. I yet again have another developer to avoid.

 

[emeraldrafael]

I feel like if this was put up to popular vote it would go through moderately safely just cause gamestop is in the article as an example of whos getting fucked, though the hate for gamestop I dont know since they're just being a successful business.

besides, used games have already been bought so the profit is already gotten. If you want games bought new, make them worthwile buying new. I know there's no way in hell Im buying the new soul calibur game new, but I will buy it used, cause Im not adding to the profit and supporting that decision to have Douchie Daishi as the leader.

... but eh, let microsoft go ahead and do it. Then when Sony and Nintendo dont, and Microsoft suddenly sees itself struggling to stay relevant in the market, i'll have my laugh and.