Used Games in the Gaming Industry
Outright piracy is one thing. People taking something that isn't there's is indefensible on most any measure.
But then, there's this "problem." Yes, another publisher complaining that used games is somehow losing the video game industry money.
I see several problems with this view: one of them being that THEY HAVE ALREADY GOT THEIR MONEY. Every used copy was once sold as new. The publisher got their cut from that. If someone for some reason decided to give that game away, to a Gamestop or to a friend, it doesn't mean that they lost a sale.
Which brings up the line of thinking: that games are selling to customers. It seems to me that they are thinking that they are the brick & mortar store; that a customer lost is a sale lost.
But this isn't true, because publishers are selling copies of the game.
It does not help their case that for AAA titles, common sales figures are around the same to that of summer movies. This doesn't including used titles, these are brand new, shrink wrapped copies. Of console games, which means that the DRM factor of PC games don't count in the used vs new issue.
Now, I don't tend to buy used games. That's because most of the time, it's just a $5 discount, not worth the potential risk of damage and probable loss of manuals and game covers (yes, that is actually of importance for me). But with things like discontinued games, I'll easily look toward the used bin. And I would rather have that option for those people who would like the discount, as well as the discount that comes with selling the games they don't play.
The reality I see is if the used market just went out of business next week, it wouldn't help the industry. Those people who buy used would then just wait for the game to go into the bargain bin. Which means that rather than having the game being sold at the full price, and thus fueling the used game stores with copies, they'd risk losing profit.
So message to the video game industry: double check your goals. It isn't to sell to customers; that's the stores. Your goal is to sell copies. And that is exactly what is happening at Gamestop.
But then, there's this "problem." Yes, another publisher complaining that used games is somehow losing the video game industry money.
I see several problems with this view: one of them being that THEY HAVE ALREADY GOT THEIR MONEY. Every used copy was once sold as new. The publisher got their cut from that. If someone for some reason decided to give that game away, to a Gamestop or to a friend, it doesn't mean that they lost a sale.
Which brings up the line of thinking: that games are selling to customers. It seems to me that they are thinking that they are the brick & mortar store; that a customer lost is a sale lost.
But this isn't true, because publishers are selling copies of the game.
It does not help their case that for AAA titles, common sales figures are around the same to that of summer movies. This doesn't including used titles, these are brand new, shrink wrapped copies. Of console games, which means that the DRM factor of PC games don't count in the used vs new issue.
Now, I don't tend to buy used games. That's because most of the time, it's just a $5 discount, not worth the potential risk of damage and probable loss of manuals and game covers (yes, that is actually of importance for me). But with things like discontinued games, I'll easily look toward the used bin. And I would rather have that option for those people who would like the discount, as well as the discount that comes with selling the games they don't play.
The reality I see is if the used market just went out of business next week, it wouldn't help the industry. Those people who buy used would then just wait for the game to go into the bargain bin. Which means that rather than having the game being sold at the full price, and thus fueling the used game stores with copies, they'd risk losing profit.
So message to the video game industry: double check your goals. It isn't to sell to customers; that's the stores. Your goal is to sell copies. And that is exactly what is happening at Gamestop.
posted by SeanM at 11:17 AM
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