Why do people think buying a game new supports the developers?

[aba1]

When you buy a game new all the money still goes to the store just like if you bought it used. The the store buys a bunch of games from the company that produces the games and after that the store makes all the money so even when you buy a game new none of that money goes to the developers so why do people always think it does?

Are people just misinformed?

 

[RanD00M]

Because the developer makes money from the royalties that they get for each copy sold.
Are you just so misinformed as to not know that?

 

[aba1]

Because the developer makes money from the royalties that they get for each copy sold.
Are you just so misinformed as to not know that?

maybe on steam or XBLA but not in a store.

 

[DarthRiko]

I use Steam. There is no store-to-store supply with Steam. When I buy a game, my money goes directly to Valve and the developers that make the game.

 

[Seventh Actuality]

What.

The developers get more money the more new copies are sold, that's how.

 

[rje5]

No. The store buys copies based on demand. They could only by 20 copies and hope to sell them, and then resell all the copies people trade in. But if there is a demand for 200 copies, the store has to buy 200 copies instead of 20. That gives the PUBLISHER more money. The developers get paid before the game comes out, and they don't make any more or less money if the game sells well or poorly. But if the game sucks and doesn't sell, the publishers may lay off developers. So yes, buying new gives the developers a better chance of not getting fired.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

The game store pays the devs to sell a copy of their game. They do not, however, pay the devs to stock used copies of the game. A store could effectively sell a game multiple times, but the devs only get payed once for it.

Thus, more games sold new=more money for devs. Every time you buy a used game, its 100% profit for the store you bought it in.

 

[Treblaine]

When you buy a game new all the money still goes to the store just like if you bought it used. The the store buys a bunch of games from the company that produces the games and after that the store makes all the money so even when you buy a game new none of that money goes to the developers so why do people always think it does?

Are people just misinformed?

Yeah, but the store only bought a load of games because they knew a lot of people would then buy the games from them. And when a game sell out they order an even larger shipment. More money to the people who made the game.

ITT: people who don't understand basic economics.

 

[Fiad]

Let's think about this logically. Just stick with me here.

The Dev sells 100 copies to Gamestop, the Dev gets paid for 100 copies, Gamestop sells the 100 copies, but buys back 20 of them. The next shipment Gamestop wants to still have 100 copies, so now they only buy 80 from the Dev. The Dev gets paid for 80 copies, Gamestop will once again get paid for 100 copies. That is a 20% step down in the money the Dev gets.

 

[rje5]

Developers > Game Store > Consumer

If there are loads of people buying a dev's games then the store has to order more copies in = the dev's get the money for that order.

If you buy a game you are essentially giving a percentage of that money to the dev's.

YOU are misinformed.

*Edit* OP is an idiot.

Not quite. As far as I know the developers get paid the same salary year round, regardless on what they're working on. The more money a game makes (new sales), the more money the PUBLISHER gets. If a game doesn't do well, the publisher may lay off developers, but that's not guaranteed. So buying new does support developers, in a roundabout way. But in reality is supports the publishers more than the developers.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

Developers > Game Store > Consumer

If there are loads of people buying a dev's games then the store has to order more copies in = the dev's get the money for that order.

If you buy a game you are essentially giving a percentage of that money to the dev's.

YOU are misinformed.

*Edit* OP is an idiot.

Not quite. As far as I know the developers get paid the same salary year round, regardless on what they're working on. The more money a game makes (new sales), the more money the PUBLISHER gets. If a game doesn't do well, the publisher may lay off developers, but that's not guaranteed. So buying new does support developers, in a roundabout way. But in reality is supports the publishers more than the developers.

The Developer's EMPLOYEES get paid a salary. The company itself makes money based on its profits. And its those profits that pay the employee's salaries.

The publisher doesn't "own" the developer. The publisher just agrees to market the game and produce copies of it in exchange for a cut of the profits.

 

[JochemDude]

I don't think it's required to explain what everyone before me already did, but economics aren't you strongest suit are they.

 

[MrFluffy-X]

yeah man wtf are you talking about!? Business is were you buy stuff and sell it at a higher price...by your logic if we didnt buy games the deveoplers would still make a money...

Maybe i'm reading it wrong?

 

[Hamtier]

Developers get royalities from the publisher based on sales,
if a store sells a game new,they need to restock it at some point,gaining the publisher more money and thus the developers more royalties.

 

[The Funslinger]

When you buy a game new all the money still goes to the store just like if you bought it used. The the store buys a bunch of games from the company that produces the games and after that the store makes all the money so even when you buy a game new none of that money goes to the developers so why do people always think it does?

Are people just misinformed?

Yeah, but the store only bought a load of games because they knew a lot of people would then buy the games from them. And when a game sell out they order an even larger shipment. More money to the people who made the game.

ITT: people who don't understand basic economics.

I know how this feels. When I was eleven, I had to explain the difference between a national economy and the global economy and the value of different currencies to my older sister. Who now works for a big pharmaceuticals company.

 

[JYzer]

Because the developer makes money from the royalties that they get for each copy sold.
Are you just so misinformed as to not know that?

maybe on steam or XBLA but not in a store.

No see because on Steam all the money goes to Gabe Newell's pie fund and on XBLA it all goes to Bill Gates so he can set the dollar bills on fire while cackling in a demonic, yet nerdy, way.

Derp thread of the day this.

 

[ZeroMachine]

This is just hilarious. OP HAS to be a troll.

Fail troll is fail.

And I never say that.

 

[Agent Cross]

Damn people. It's one thing to correct someone when they're wrong, but how many insults do you have to throw at the OP!

It's never wrong to ask a dumb question (even though that was more of a statement), everyone has probably asked the same dumb question before you. Unfortunately for you OP, everyone else that's already asked this question before you seems to be self-entitled enough to call you a troll/idiot.

I. Am. Disappoint.

-1 for the Escapist community. *walks away shaking his head*

 

[Something Amyss]

When you buy a game new all the money still goes to the store just like if you bought it used. The the store buys a bunch of games from the company that produces the games and after that the store makes all the money so even when you buy a game new none of that money goes to the developers so why do people always think it does?

Are people just misinformed?

The sales impact whether more of the game will be bought, which doesn't happen if those games just sit on the shelves. It also affects whether future games will be purchased in great numbers or not.

What, you thought Gamestop buys all the copies it'll ever own of a game before launch? Or Wal-Mart?

The money for the game bought at retail compensates the store for the purchase they made, yes, but it certainly doesn't end there. That compensation justifies or, in the case of games that just sit on a shelf, fails to justify it. If your last title was sitting on the shelves collecting dust until you were forced to cut the price to move it so you ca recover valuable shelf space, you're less likely to buy the next one.

You may not be directly supporting the developer, but you are definitely supporting the developer.

 

[ChildofGallifrey]

What.

The developers get more money the more new copies are sold, that's how.

This

You'd best add some argument of your own here friend. You can, and will, get modded and warned for a low content post.

OT: If I remember right, the split on an average $60 game is (roughly):

30%, or $18 to the publisher
15%, or $9 apiece go to the marketing and development team
20%, or $12 apiece go to the console company and the retail store

I'm sure these aren't official statistics, so take it with a grain of salt.

Edit: Source - http://unrealitymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/game-pie.jpg