Used Game Lockouts?

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

Accounting for inflation games have only gotten cheaper over time.

[RockyRan]

Yeah, even without inflation they've gone dirt cheap. That is, if you're not picky about getting games at launch.

Edited March 29, 2012 by RockyRan

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

I'm talking MSRP.

 

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/10/an-inconvenient-truth-game-prices-have-come-down-with-time.ars

[RockyRan]

Oh, I know that, but in addition to MSRP there's also the massive price drops that happen mere months, sometimes weeks after the games come out.

[Mister Jack]

That really depends on the popularity of the game. I'm not counting sales in it, either, just normal prices.

[Thursday Next]

I don't believe that either console will go new game only. The only way to do it would be to have the console dial-home to authenticate the software. Only 2/3 tops of MS consoles are connected. The PS numbers won't be a world away from that. You're going to shrink your user base hugely by not having pre-owned games.

 

Also, never mind which console Gamestop employees will recommend, specialist retailers may refuse to stock the machine altogether. The PSP Go had all these issues, which is why the Vita has physical media. For Sony to unlearn that so quickly would be surprising.

[deanb]

Yeah I'm calling bollocks on the rumour.As they said the PSPgo for them was an experiment, one that the results from have led to the Vita having carts, and I can see the PS4 continuing to be pretty open with it's media and games. I wouldn't be surprised if they've done quite well from the PS3 being region-free and having any region store open to gamers as long as they've got the cash. Going back on a lot of that would be pretty stupid. Locking out used games only works if MS, Sony and Nintendo go into collusion. Which I'm pretty sure has the potential to be 1. highly unlikely 2.highly illegal.

[Thursday Next]

There seems to be a perception that publishers think "used game = bad" that's not really an accurate picture. It's more that someone who buys a used game clearly has money, and is also clearly willing to spend that money on games, but publishers aren't seeing any of that money. The challenge is to get money out of that person to the publisher without pissing the customer off and turning them from a used game purchaser into a pirate.

 

Providing post launch content is one way of doing that. Some studios prefer to see used game purchasers as potential DLC consumers rather than lost retail purchase consumers. There's even some feeling against Online Pass the argument being that if you don't let someone play online for free in the first place then it is very difficult to convert them into someone who is foaming at the mouth for every DLC drop.

[Yantelope V2]

Yep, we can't have people playing games without paying tribute to EA.

[TheMightyEthan]

I got Fallout 3 used but then bought every piece of DLC that dropped for it, so overall I doubt Bethesda's too unhappy with me.

 

And yeah, I agree that this rumor probably isn't true.

[Thursday Next]

@Yant: "EA can't have people playing EA games without paying tribute to EA." You make it sound like it's a weird or somehow "wrong" attitude to have to want to get paid for your work.

 

@Ethan Precisely, there's a number of people within EA who see used consumers in just that way. EA may not get the initial cut of the base game, but to be honest, we probably make more money out of someone who buys second hand and gets all the DLC, than buys new and doesn't get any DLC. (I have no numbers to back that up and if I did, I wouldn't be able to share them).

[Yantelope V2]

@Yant: "EA can't have people playing EA games without paying tribute to EA." You make it sound like it's a weird or somehow "wrong" attitude to have to want to get paid for your work.

 

What bothers me is that publishers like EA are creating new restrictions on content and somehow acting as if it's not a huge money grab. It's the mentality of "we deserved this anyway" even though historically that's never been the case with any media via first sale rights.

 

EA and other publishers are attempting to remove customers first sale rights and at the same time attempt to play the victim. I think that's the sham. Quit pretending like you're the ones who are being victimized here.

[Thursday Next]

I'm not sure if you're reading what I'm writing the way I'm intending for it to be read. Here's a point by point summary:

 

1. Not everyone at EA likes Online pass. In fact some are dead against.

2. Not everyone at EA thinks "Used Purchase = Bad".

3. Some people at EA see people who have purchased used games as customers who are equal to first game purchasers and should be placed on an equal footing with regard to access to online gameplay.

4. Some people at EA feel that the goal should be to engage all (including second hand) consumers and get them to want to buy DLC by making great games, rather than to hobble the experience of second hand purchasers and force them to buy an Online Pass.

 

I'm not sure which part of that is pissing you off, but I'm not getting drawn into a row about it so you can drop the aggressive tone.

[Yantelope V2]

I guess what I found funny was when you said "The challenge is to get money out of that person". Yes, that is the challenge. We all know it is and accept it. EA doesn't say this. They say that online pass extends the life of games or provides more features or some other marketing garbage. EA says the always on DRM is because of the multiplayer aspects of games. EA complains about how used game sales hurt them and so forth. It's all marketing double speak and that's what irritates me.

 

If EA were just to simply say "The challenge is to get money out of that person" and leave it at that I'd be fine because at least then we're all being honest and then gamers could be indignant about it and go on paying EA tons of money.

 

Edit: Sorry if I was overly aggressive. I feel like I defend EA a lot too in other threads like the piracy thread. EA has a business to run and they're trying to make money and I don't begrudge them of that. Customers also have the right to not buy EA's stuff if they're upset and that's cool too. I just wish we'd all be a little more honest on both sides. EA will wring more money out of customers if they can and customers will continue to be pissed off and pay EA at the same time.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Yantelope V2

[Battra92]

One point I think a lot of people are missing is that used games, actually in a way stimulate the new game sales. I'm going on anecdotal evidence but I've seen people in Gamestop trade in last month's big game toward the purchase of this month's new game. Heck, Gamestop even has promos to get people to purchase new games using trade-ins of old games.

 

Gamers on a limited budget will not be able to keep plopping down $60 for the new title every month and I would think you'd see less sales. People who were used to paying $40 or less for a used copy of a game won't suddenly become $60 customers. One of the reasons that music piracy was so rampant in the late 90s was that the music industry was charging $15+ for a copy of a CD that was comprised of two good songs and 11 filler songs. Consumers know what they want and will react accordingly. Prices will have to go significantly lower.

[Yantelope V2]

Well, it also turned out the music industry was engaged in price fixing as well. I got a check from a class action suit for $8 over it.

[Thursday Next]

@Yant: That's not the be all and end all though. It's doing it and leaving the customer happy about it. When I bought the Sazh DLC for FFXIII-2 it was in a large part because I really enjoyed the game. It was almost like tipping the waiter. I still haven't played the Sazh DLC, but I don't regret the purchase at all.

 

@Battra: A good point, I'd be interested to see what the lack of availability of used games did to sales (I'd be equally curious to see what effect a magical piracy free world would have).

[Yantelope V2]

You liked FFXIII-2!? So much for being civil!

 

But yeah, I mean, if you're worried about keeping your customers happy then good. Keep them happy with good content and good service. Don't try to appease them with marketing BS that's pretty transparent as it only makes people like me more irritated.

[Thursday Next]

Unfortunately, there are always going to be some people who believe that customers are stupid. So that culture of "spin" isn't going anywhere. Hopefully EA can bring the quality and content too so that the spinners have less to do.

 

This Sim City thing does make me wonder though.