General Category > General Discussion
Supporting the publishers?
mojoeskateco:
I try and support devs as best I can and will buy new if it's a game I really want to play now or if I know I will want to play it in the future and it's a niche title that needs sales to ensure more games of this type are being made.
i.e. I bought Etrian Odyssey IV for the 3DS even though I don't own the system yet. I know I'll play it eventually and I want more games like this to be made.
I also agree that a used sale doesn't equate to a lost new sale.
What I wouldn't mind them doing is having some sort of nominal fee (say $3 - $5) to activate a used copy of a game.
i.e. with the new Tomb Raider, I don't want to pay $60 as I have lots of games I can play while it drops in price, however, I would be cool with paying $20 used next year and paying $5 to activate it so that the devs still get paid.
The main issue I see is that when a console generation ends (i.e. PS3 to PS4) and they take away network support to register these games.
Perhaps after they pull the plug on the network the fees could just not apply anymore.
If the industry wants to maximize their profits then they should make games that are so interesting that I just HAVE to play them right away. For me, it was Ni No Kuni as I had been waiting forever to play a JRPG with a large world map that appealed to the old school roots of the genre.
mojoeskateco:
--- Quote from: UncleBob on March 12, 2013, 10:18:50 AM ---There's no way it's a 1:1 ratio by any means. But there's a definitive loss of sales - and when ArtStop GameStop puts the used copy next to the new copy at 10%, there's absolutely no way you'd ever convince me that the majority of people who are willing to buy new Call of Duty for $55 would draw the line at spending $60.
Considering GameStop is the main force behind this practice, it's obvious that it works - that people are willing to forgo new for used at such a small discount.
As for your Tomb Raider situation, would you be wiling to buy a new copy when it eventually drops to $40? $20? How much of that would have went to the publisher/developer vs. buying it used now for $40?
Again, I'm not saying one should *never* buy used or that they should feel guilty for doing it or anything - I'm just saying that it needs to be recognized what is going on.
--- End quote ---
I cringe every time I overhear a Gamestop employee try and push a used copy for $5 less on a customer that has asked to buy a new copy of a game.
At a difference between $60 and $55 I'd always take a new copy over saving $5. They also try and add a few bucks for scratch protection to the used game and people take it which makes it even closer in price to a new one.
One thing I will say is that at least some of those used games were traded in to purchase new titles so the devs are seeing some cash there. I know lots of people that aren't collectors who rely on those used trade-ins to fund future game purchases which is why banning used games completely could lower new sales.
Moviefan2k4:
I really think the companies should quit trying to control the retro market. Digital downloads started because they weren't making money on 20-year-old carts to begin with. If I have a used copy of a game, and I sell it, that shouldn't be the developers' concern. If people want to continue supporting them after 20+ years, use the download. Otherwise, keep away from the carts.
Beastman1975:
the scratch protection warrenty gammestop sells is a joke if you do happen to use it chances are your just goin to get a used disc back ( which may or may not be in good condition ) if they do still have a new copy of some games 6months later it will be surpirsing , and i dont buy the agument they devs are loseing money because of used sales, nine times out of ten people trade in their used games to buy the new game because of trade in bonuses , and like others have said for what is basically $5 savings ill buy new over used anyday, the problem is development costs have risen astronomically in the last 20 or so years so the profit margin is alot less than these companies want so they point thier finger and say "Hey we are losing moneys because of ..." this is also why you dont see that many experimental ideas in games and everything is a COD clone they cant afford not to sell X amount of copies in this day and age . and Sony is still mum on if the ps4 will play used games or not ( i hope to god they dont do it , it would destroy alot of jobs )
Superchop:
I wont argue the fact that devs and everyone need to get paid and in the case of indie game makers every sale does count. But I also understand that for there to be a used copy someone did buy it already so the sale was already made. And if people are actively searching for used copies due to price differences then imo its safe to say that they werent gonna shell out the money anyway for the new version.
One recent example for myself is Asura's Wrath. I loved the game and I did want to buy it new...but the price new to me was never justifiable considering that to get the real ending id have to spend an extra 15 or whatever it was on the dlc. So I ended up buying it used and bought the dlc together for less then what the game ws going for new. Now I wouldve loved to support the dev and all but at the same time why shoukd I be supporting them when they like to release games that are in a way incomplete and charge us an arm and a leg to make it complete
Im not saying I do this with all the games because I much prefer to buy new, but these companies cant expect everyone to buy new alk the time considering that nearly everygame has a lot of dlc or people find that for 60 bucks the game isnt worth it.
In the case of gamestop I woukd never buy a used game for a measly few bucks less then what I can get it new but if the price difference is big enough to make it worthwile then I would get used.