Game makers strike back at used game market

[Spiritwarrior]

Buying and selling used video games has become a fact of life for many consumers -- but if game publishers get their way, it's about to become a lot more difficult.

One 2009 estimate puts the size of the used game business at about $2 billion, representing about one-third of all annual game sales. That's a big deal, especially for market leader Gamestop, which is thought to get over 40% of its profits from reselling traded-in games. Major retail chains like Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon have all dipped their toe in this lucrative market over the past year.

But while it's a serious earner for retailers, it's a complete bust for game publishers, who make nothing from secondhand sales of video games. They're looking for ways to get a piece of the pie -- or, failing that, to take the pie away altogether. Here's a few of the tactics they're using to make buying and selling used games harder for consumers.

More on this story

It may be bad for game publishers to see most of their daily profits disappear, but on the good side the consumers are saving a lot more buying used video games.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

those greedy game makers, they better not do anything that they might regret later.

 

[RedCarpetSugar]

Game developers have always complained about this.

Who's next? Record labels?

 

[froggyboy604]

If they put DRM (Digital Rights Management) on games like paid online download entertainment shops then I see a lot of people going back to gaming with classic games like the PS2, Gamecube, and Xbox since they have a lot of used games.

The game makers should just focus on finding other ways to capitalize on their games like online downloadable expansion pack purchases, in Game advertising (Virtual Billboards like in Need For Speed and BurnOut), and affiliate marketing for their websites for games, etc instead of just depending on game purchases for income.

 

[GracefulAssassin]

While they are striking about this, people are downloading the games illegally. They should worry about the more important things like that.

 

[GenericGamer]

They should set lower RRP's then. If someone can't afford a full price game they're likely to go for pre-owned. I hardly by pre-owned unless it's psp though because it's a lot harder to wreck the psp disc than it is for other console discs. Otherwise I just wait for sales.

 

[Black Angel]

Well, if the games weren't so damned expensive to begin with, then there wouldn't be people buying them used. I'm sorry but if the person who originally bought the game no longer wants it, then they should have the right to sell it back to the store. The store it was sold too should have the right to sell it to someone else.

These people have made their money from the person who initially bought the game. Why are they complaining about the additional money they receive?

What would they do if everyone just stopped buying the games altogether, just to prove a point? We are in a recession for crying out loud, that being said, while it is understandable that they must charge what they do for profit, it doesn't make sense for the average buyer to drop that kind of cash on a game. Some people can, and should be able to purchase a used game at a fraction of the price of the original.

I truly wonder what'll be next.. automakers cracking down on the sale of used cars?

 

[froggyboy604]

I think this is one of the reasons why digital game downloads are popular with game makers since they are harder to resell, and share with friends.