Volition Dev Vs. Pre-Owned Games

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

"People often don't understand the cost that goes into creating these huge experiences that we put on the shelves for only $60."

...Seriously? Since when has 60 bucks become pocket change?

$60 is a LOT.

Game companies REALLY need to start using smaller budgets again. It's crazy how they feel they can't make enough profit off of selling $60 games.

But yeah, this whole idea sucks. With game pricing the way it is, Used Games are a necessary part of the system. It allows people to trade in their finished games for money they can use to buy the NEXT game.

If game pricing stays the way it is, and this kind of system is implemented, then people will be VERY reluctant to buy any game that is a risk for them. Ergo, cool unique games like Okami would tank even WORSE than they already do! Which is going to lead to the industry becoming even MORE safe and stale. Not a good thing.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

This. I don't need graphics to be cutting edge to enjoy a game, I still play deus ex regularly. Without a texture update. In my mind, its like food. Yes, its can be nice to have something pretty, but as long as it tastes good, I'm happy.

Graphics only NEED to be advanced enough to support the playstyle e.g. MGS3 was set in a jungle and focused on camoflage, so its graphics were as advanced as were needed. Likewise, tetris uses blocks, so its graphics are as advanced as needed.

^ I'm with this guy.

Honestly, if graphics hadn't evolved past the gamecube level, I'd still be happy. As long as the graphics looks somewhat nice, and the gameplay/story/etc is solid, I'll have a great time with the game.

Hell, I still think Bloody Roar: Primal fury is a gorgeous game, and that's distinctly last gen.

 

[Akimoto]

$60 is a LOT.

Game companies REALLY need to start using smaller budgets again. It's crazy how they feel they can't make enough profit off of selling $60 games.

Agreed. My first COD was $30. I sort of blame the advertisements and the current economy/inflation.

 

[Al-Bundy-da-G]

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.

I've already been fitted with a peg leg and hook out of anticipation.

Just got a new pc and I've got my friend to come by and help me update it. If the next playstation has this shit on it I'm either buying a Wii U or become a pc only guy.

 

[Domehammer]

I say we boycott Volition until they go under. Make them a example to other developers that gamers also borrow friends games and bring them over when they hang out. They must suffer!

OT: I would quit being a console gamer if this happened or learn how to mod a console. The fact developers are thinking this is fine is awful. I think I will buy Volition games only used though unless they try to say there sorry for expressing there view on used games.

 

[Bluntman1138]

Maybe, just maybe you console gamers would not have to pay 60$ for your new games if you would not support business models like GameStop,

Or maybe the game companies could make a game without buying Super Bowl adverts for it. Or prime time advertising slots. Perhaps we need LESS A-list celebrity voices. Perhaps we dont need Jonah Hill to be paid lots of money to make a advert for a third rate FPS that is a copy of the previous years third rate FPS. Maybe we dont need game companies to pay Soft drink companies to include codes on Mountain Dew.

You see, you can blame it all on one company or business model. And i can point it to many other different reasons.

Gamestop is not to blame. The Devs are to blame. Make a game worth $60.00, and i will buy it. I mean REALLY, how many people here thinks Fable 3 was worth $60.00? Red Faction??

Take out the used market, then the game companies have a MONOPOLY. They wont need to lower prices for new game sales, because they would have ZERO competition.

I remember back in the Mid 80's, 2 years after the Nintendo Launched, Super Mario Bros. was still full price. Without competition, there is no need to lower prices on older inventory.

 

[surg3n]

So to summarise...

''Gamers, bend over''

It's ok though, if that affects a service that you use, Microsoft will make their own version, so you'll just switch to that. Damn, it's almost like we haven't been buying pre-owned games since the industry bloody started - all of a sudden videogames are costing millions to develop, and we should be grateful that they only charge $60 for the privilege of playing it for 6 fucking hours, before rendering the disc useless. I tend to complete games then give them to my nephews or younger brother, can this self-intitled douchebag please explain this to them for me? While he's at it, maybe my 6-yo nephew will explain the concept of ownership to him.

Frankly, the entire games industry needs to learn one thing - WE keep you dicks afloat by buying games and hardware. Make that a pain for us and we'll just go an pirate your games. You guys think that your scratchcard codes are somehow uncrackable? - that nobody can write a keygen for your games, and bypass your whole dream scenario. Here's something for this developers craw... Microsoft and Sony and Nintendo have to sell the new consoles first, and how do they expect to do that while your sword of Damocles is dangling there. We are the consumers, and it's up to us if we support new consoles and new ownership models - frankly I'm happy with the umpteen consoles I already have, it's no skin off my nose. Videogame sales makes or breaks a console - messing with the whole formula is not going to end well for them, lets see if they actually enforce this.

 

[WanderingFool]

Durall admits that such a system would have its faults. Game rental companies, for example, would be rendered moot, but that could be solved by Microsoft implementing its own rental service.

Oh FUCK NO!!! Microsoft already screwed up their Games for Windows Live... Last thing we need is a fucked up rental system from them...

 

[Nashidar]

Tell you what, Jameson, the instant a AAA title gets released in Australia with a RRP of "only $60", come talk to me.

Until that day, stop talking shit.

This is so true. In Australia the RRP of a game would be closer to $90 - $100.

Ridiculous.

The Pre-owned version of the same game usually brings the price down to $70 - $80.

Still stupid.

The industry to needs to focus more on reforming international laws (stupid crap like not being able to see something on the Internet because I'm in Australia and not in the US) and changing other things (if Microsoft want to do this - allow storage on external HDDs/ NAS devices AND provide at least 1TB of hdd space on a drive that can handle NTFS/EXT3/4 ...)

Regulate prices so they are all indexed to one currency. In Australia - the AUD is above parity with USD. Yet - a game costs more here than in the US. How does that even make any sense? If its $50 USD then it should $50 AUD or less.

Those above few points are just the tip of the iceberg of what needs be reformed before even thinking about locking out the ability to play pre-owned games.

 

[Aggieknight]

Another game company volunteers to not get my money.

Seriously guys, cars are really expensive to build. If Toyota had to compete with pre-owned car sales, they would go out of business. Am I right?

How does Toyota actually compete with "used" car sales? They monetize the service stream. In fact...the smart ones give it away for free for a little while (BMW, Audi, Cadillac), then you are "hooked".

CoD Elite is a perfect example of it. The Gears of War "subscription" is a good example of it. Monetize the stream over time. Perhaps throw in 3 months of CoD Elite for free for new buyers, but used buyers have to pay for it period. Planned DLC is another example of how to accomplish this.

Unfortunately, this requires publishers to create games that people will want to play 6 months from now rather than a 6 - 10 hour experience with no replayability. That is the heart of their problem.

 

[Notthatbright]

I've never paid more than $5 for a Violition game. And I never will. Saints Row 3? Bargain bin material. Summoner? Ha. Not even worth picking up.

But that's secondary. There are unintended consequences to this. What happens when there are no more new copies of a game? All those used copies are simply collections of paper and plastic. And the always relevant hardware failure, or theft.

And then the authentication servers go down. It happened on Xbox, it'll happen on Xbox 360, and eventually whatever the next one will be called will shut down it servers.

I have games for the Xbox that require an online Xbox live pass for a system that no longer has Xbox live. (Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2, MechAsssault, etc) These games are useless.

 

[xxBucdieselxx]

This has to be the most ignorant thing I have heard of. I am with a lot of people on here. If the next generation of consoles do this, they will loose a customer, and a long time one at that. I have been playing games on consoles since the Atari 2600, and friends bringing over games, or buying used games is the only way I have played some great titles. At $60 a pop, we are long gone from the days of Xbox and PS2 $40 games new, which was much more managable. I think this analogy works best. When you go and buy a used car, whether it be from a small business, or a dealership, does the manufacturer of that car get a cut of what it was sold for used? No they don't, because they already got their money from when it was sold new. It would essentially be double dipping. All these developers seem to be bitching about used games, but last time I checked for a game to sell used, it must've sold new at one point. Money had to be given to the developer for the original sale. So this is where the double dipping comes in, they want the money for the original sale, and any other sale of that specific disc. Now I maybe wrong in this, but I can't think of another industry that does this. The whole idea of developers thinking 'we are loosing sales!' from the used game industry is just stupid. They are not loosing sales, considering that if someone couldn't buy it used, what make them think they would pick the game up at all. I can think of quite a few titles that I have played that if I hadn't gotten them used, I never would have paid full price for them. Also a dev may very well have gotten my future business on a new game, because I was able to pick up an older game of theirs used. This is just bad joo joo for the whole industry. If consoles want to do this fine, go ahead, and I can just move to PC gaming. Sure the whole used games becomes moot at that point, but hey, at least with Steam I know I won't be paying $60 for every single game I buy.

 

[spartan231490]

I will never buy a console that doesn't allow for used games, and I will never buy a game from volition studios except used. Further, if the next xbox has this feature, I might even cancel my xbox live subscription

 

[Chairman Miaow]

The only real response is GO FUCK YOURSELF, GO FUCK YOURSELF, GO FUCK YOURSELF!