1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

News Take-Two hates second-hand sales

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by CardJoe, 30 Jan 2009.

  1. CardJoe

    CardJoe Freelance Journalist

    Joined:
    3 Apr 2007
    Posts:
    11,346
    Likes Received:
    316
  2. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

    Joined:
    21 Jan 2003
    Posts:
    23,925
    Likes Received:
    655
    Maybe they should start trying to make games that people want to keep, rather than forcing them...
     
  3. shigllgetcha

    shigllgetcha Minimodder

    Joined:
    3 Mar 2008
    Posts:
    2,031
    Likes Received:
    87
    second hand sales are gamers saying they beleive they are being charged too much for games.
     
  4. naokaji

    naokaji whatever

    Joined:
    8 Dec 2006
    Posts:
    1,879
    Likes Received:
    10
    Increase replay value = less second hand sales.
     
  5. Bauul

    Bauul Sir Bongaminge

    Joined:
    7 Apr 2007
    Posts:
    2,173
    Likes Received:
    38
    DRM was always about second hand games, not piracy, if you ask me. Despite the fact its completely illegal to prevent second hand sales, (right of first purchase and all that), I can't see the publishers stopping doing this any time soon.
     
  6. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

    Joined:
    20 Nov 2005
    Posts:
    12,838
    Likes Received:
    1,933
    Erm.

    Big bag of **** you is on its way to their offices.

    Charge me through the nose for a game, and then tell me I can't trade it for something better?

    Make a better game :/

    I don't recall anyone bitching about the insane PS2 second hand market that was, and still is, quite a large section of my local store..
     
  7. reflux

    reflux What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    28 Mar 2008
    Posts:
    74
    Likes Received:
    0
    I'm clearly not alone in thinking this is a load of garbage. I really hate how greedy these big games companies have become.
     
  8. UrbanMarine

    UrbanMarine Government Prostitute

    Joined:
    7 Aug 2008
    Posts:
    1,135
    Likes Received:
    19
    TT hates babies too! The 2nd hand game market has been around a long time and now they complain. I remember buying used PC games back in the day before they got anal about cdkeys and online play.
     
  9. Nicb

    Nicb Let's discuss among ourselves

    Joined:
    12 Nov 2008
    Posts:
    211
    Likes Received:
    4
    What!? I agree with Krikkit, make games we want to keep. Almost everything is resalable. If they come up with a "solution" to this "problem" I think what it will do is make more people read Bit-tech and similar places for reviews before purchase not increase sales.

    Great..... now they want us to have lifetime commitments to games. When I knew that a game was great I bought it new in pride. (Example: God of War), when games had OK reviews I would buy them used.

    I believe the cycle increases sales. How many times have you taken in all your crappy games to get some money for the new game with awesome reviews? So thanks to people that buy used so people with limited money can buy new!

    Most of the games I see for sale used with substantial discounts are hard to buy new anyway. If there is a recent game thats used at GameStop with a $5 discount, I'm going to buy it NEW cause I think its worth it. I think most people do this.
     
  10. WildThing

    WildThing Minimodder

    Joined:
    26 Jul 2007
    Posts:
    824
    Likes Received:
    20
    +1

    Once I buy a game I want to know I can sell it on incase I don't like it or like naokaji says, it has no replay value.
     
  11. Kúsař

    Kúsař regular bit-tech reader

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2008
    Posts:
    317
    Likes Received:
    4
    T2 is trying to fight disappointed customers and fuel their anger even more...
     
  12. Flibblebot

    Flibblebot Smile with me

    Joined:
    19 Apr 2005
    Posts:
    4,824
    Likes Received:
    292
    I've said it before, and I'll say it again: every industry has a secondhand market. You don't see book publishers jumping up and down about secondhand sales, you don't see computer manufacturers throwing a hiisy fit; that's because secondhand sales are an accepted and (as Bauul pointed out above) legal part of life. Hell, even the movie studios accept secondhand DVD sales.

    In this respect, they're no different to other manufacturers. They may shout and scream about server costs, but if that really is such a burden on your bottom line, you should include the lifetime server costs in the budget for the game, and if that leaves you out of pocket, adjust your pricing accordingly.


    In short, my message to game publishers: stop crying and get a life.
     
  13. skpstr

    skpstr What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    9 Feb 2004
    Posts:
    119
    Likes Received:
    1
    I went into my local Game the other day and they had GoW2 in the pre-owned stand for £34.99, yet it was brand new on the shelf for £29.99. They even had the Special Edition in both stands, £39.99 for the 2nd hand and £34.99 brand new.

    It made no sense to me or maybe I'm just getting old and I'm not "with it" when it comes to pricing. :)
     
  14. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

    Joined:
    21 Jan 2003
    Posts:
    23,925
    Likes Received:
    655
    QFT.

    Many times in the past I've bought a game which had OK reviews simply because I knew I could trade it in afterwards if I hated it. I've also taken a big stack of old games to get them traded in for something new and shiny too.

    The trouble with a lot of places is that the pricing is crap. Very often there's no saving on used games compared to new games, even months after the new games are out. If you ask me, that's a stupid way to do it.


    I sympathise with developers, I'm sure piracy is an issue, and they're trying to squeeze every penny they can from their releases, but something as draconian and daft as this can't and won't work.
     
  15. johnnyboy700

    johnnyboy700 Minimodder

    Joined:
    27 May 2007
    Posts:
    1,554
    Likes Received:
    18
    I find the second hand market a great way to pick up old games I missed first time round. Its also helpful for replacing lost or damaged games thay have been deleted, I got System Shock 2 for a tenner after I loaned my original copy to someone and they trashed the disc.
     
  16. lewchenko

    lewchenko Minimodder

    Joined:
    17 Dec 2007
    Posts:
    369
    Likes Received:
    5
    Ive often seen 2nd hand games in the GAME store for more than the new price! Lazy staff dont update the 2nd hand prices when they have a special deal on the new games (which tend to be time limited)

    I rarely trade my games though... they give you £12 and then sell it for £30-£35. You are probably better off selling them and buying them on ebay in that case.

    Ive noticed that HMV are also doing it now as well.
     
  17. Lepermessiah

    Lepermessiah What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    1 Feb 2008
    Posts:
    566
    Likes Received:
    1
    GREED, when you buy a second hand car FORD does not geta second sale, please. this is ridiculous, it is amazing how greedy game devs are becoming (Right Epic?), between this, DLC ripoffs and MS charging a fortune for stuff that should be free on Xbox live (Like changing your gamertag).
     
  18. devdevil85

    devdevil85 What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    29 Nov 2006
    Posts:
    924
    Likes Received:
    0
    ameliorate = the act of making better; an improvement

    c'mon, I'm not alone in this....
     
  19. Ninja_182

    Ninja_182 Enginerd!

    Joined:
    2 Apr 2002
    Posts:
    460
    Likes Received:
    0
    I generally buy new anyway but surely decreasing the gap between cost new and cost used is going to help a bit.

    I said it in the Epic thread as well. Games manufacturers need to grow up. Car companies dont go about getting all arsy about the 2nd hand market where arguably most of us get our cars anyway.

    Stealthy edit: Sorry Lepermessiah didnt see your post up there :p
     
  20. metarinka

    metarinka What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    9 Feb 2003
    Posts:
    1,844
    Likes Received:
    3
    the only other market I know of that tries to limit second hand sales are textbooks which increasingly use online portions of content that has to be unlocked and is time limited (the length of a semester) preventing second hand sales, but lets not get started into the cash cow that is collegiate text books.

    back to the issue, I agree it is strange that devs are trying so hard to stiffle the sale of their product on the second hand market. I don't think it's fair to make a broad jump to other markets such as cars. AAA title games are huge capital investments (50+ million USD) that only have a very small window where they generate returns. There is a huge risk of taking a triple AAA to market from a strictly buisness perspective. Which is why you see so many sequels and canned Ideas, no one wants to dive in the deep end of something experimental. From a buisness perspective they are trying to increase profitability which Is the goal of just about every buisness.

    I think MMO's or games with integral online content are seen as a way to increase sales and profitability, look at blizzard's World of warcraft, nearly impossible to pirate, and it generates millions of dollars a month in subscription fees, I bet it is probalby the most profitable computer game ever made.

    final note, there is not always a legal right for second hand sales. Contracts and services can be legally binding and may not be transferrable to a third party, for instance a single seat of some custom engineered software may be $100,000 and as part of the contract stipulations it may not be transfered or sold to a 3rd party without developer approval. I doubt it would be legal in the average EULA for consumer software to prohibit second hand sales, but you technically don't "own" any games you have the cd for, you own a limited use liscence and your proof of purchase is the physical disk.
     
Tags: Add Tags

Share This Page