GameStop: Used Games are Good for the Industry

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yeah, IT's good for them. Not really US the customers.

Take in a $60 new game to get told they will give you $20 or so then they resell it for $50.

Take in an older game, and get told you will get less than $10, then they sell it for $20-25

 
Let's see. The average gamer who sells a game to GameStop uses 70% of what he gets back towards a new game, while the person who buys that used copy spends 0% towards a new game. That 35% of the money the developer wants.

I'm sure it's good for GameStop, but not necessarily good for the dev's.
 
I havent stepped into a store to buy a game in years

I give my money to steam because they have earned my love and trust
 
[citation][nom]bystander[/nom]Let's see. The average gamer who sells a game to GameStop uses 70% of what he gets back towards a new game, while the person who buys that used copy spends 0% towards a new game. That 35% of the money the developer wants.I'm sure it's good for GameStop, but not necessarily good for the dev's.[/citation]

Thats not 100% accurate we can use the same argument that is used with people who pirate. The average person who pirates would not buy the software even if they couldn't get it for free.

The same could be said here the average customer would not buy the new game if they where having to pay full price for said title instead of getting a % off. Today's games are so hit and miss its impossible to judge them before playing them.

I wonder how many people would cut back on buying new games if they knew the following

1. They knew it had no value after it was purchased (cant sell it back).
2. They knew they would have to pay full price for said title.

One other thing that has really hurt the industry as a hole is EA Games and Blizzard with there lack luster Block Buster Hits being complete trash. I wonder how much faith people have lose which makes the above even more true then before.
 
If they think everyone is going to spend $60 on new games then they are sadly mistaken. I'll spend it on must have title, but other than that I'll wait 6-12 months and be happy with cheap Steam games.

LOL. It would be kinda messed up if console makers try make a disc/game unique to the first console it goes into. Talk about killing the used game scene. I wonder if Gamestop could even exist in a few years if they did that?
 
While I hate Gamestop's handling of trade-ins, the CEO is right on one thing. Used games ARE a net positive for developers. They let more people play the games, and give devs more exposure. The simple fact of the matter is that there aren't ANY games worth a $60 base price + DLC for everybody.

If they really want to crack down on used game sales, they'd better be super aggressive in pricing relative to demand. And judging by how haphazard pricing is on Xbox Live and PSN, I'm not optimistic. It's more likely they'll do a piss-poor job and I'll end up buying far less games for the new consoles.
 
bad argument is bad... so they sell back a game and 70% of that credit goes to a new shinty game... but then they try and force used games on you and usually its like $5-10 bucks less htan the new game and good luck convincing them to ell you a new copy if they have used copies there i've left a gamestop without a purchase (but with names of employees and store numebr to write to the store and better buisness burue abotu thier refusal to sell em a enw copy i was looking at on the wall and knew they had in stock)

used games are a cancer i mostly only get some whackamole games on consoles but am so sick an tires of game stop even if it is a must have or a motion sensor game for kinect i want i will wait the extra time and buy it online... gamestop can't go out of buisness fast enough imo
 
I dont even understand the reasoning for people to purchase used games from Gamestop/EB Games in the first place. Considering that when you trade the game in, you get say... $20. They turn around and resell it usually only $5 cheaper than purchasing it brand new, so in all reality, you may as well purchase it brand new and not risk running into the "Disc not readable" a few hours in!

It's utter stupidity. The concept is good, trading in your older titles that you don't play anymore, but the way Gamestop/EB Games does it is a ripoff in itself. They have no leg to stand on with this argument unless they're going to at least be willing to give gamers half of what they're going to resell the game for. It's not the best but at least the company can still make a profit and the gamer isn't getting absolutely ripped off....

... Only slightly.
 
Used games are not good for the industry--they're nothing for the industry. They're good for Gamestop, and they're good for people unable to afford new games, or unwilling to pay the (often times exorbitant) "new game" price (I'm a fan of the latter)

How odd for a business to claim that their biggest cash cow for their business is "good for the industry."

My view on used games: Those selling have paid the developer. Those buying them probably had no interest in buying them new/full-price in the first place, so it has a net zero financial effect. But I do agree, despite my pessimism of it coming from Gamestop, that there are important secondary/collateral effects of keeping used game sales going--the main one that comes to mind is someone not buying a big-title game at debut price because they weren't sure it was worth the money, only to find out they enjoyed the used game immensely--they may be more likely to buy a sequel/other game from that developer on-release at full-price. I could kinda see that argument. But I think GS is overstating their impact.
 
The digital age of streaming and digital downloads of games will eliminate used games. Stands to reason it is hurting game manufactures who face losing a sale of a new game to a sale of a used game. Gaming is dying off slowly anyway as money keeps flowing to different avenues of tech. Their is only so much money to be spent of gaming and still buy other things. I think online gaming is becoming more apparent because of broadband coverage and I think renting or subscribing services means you pay for what you use. I see a time as in music subscriptions and other content that we don't own anything. We simply pay a fee to use it.
 
"It's understandable, but car manufacturers don't receive royalties from second-hand sales at car lots either."

This Quote I believe sums up this whole “Used Games hurts the developer’s” argument. I don't see GM, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, BMW, Mercedes, VW, etc.… complaining that a car dealer is selling used cars and not giving them a cut back to them. (Manufactures actually give dealers incentives to sell used cars.)

When I buy a product, it is mine period. What I do with it afterwards, selling, trading it in, pooping on it then setting it on fire. It is no longer the concern of the developers, publisher’s or manufacturers anymore. The idea that I purchased a licensing it to play game is crap, the idea that I do not own the content I just bought crap. It’s a common rule of commerce that has existed since the dawn of civilization. I bought the said item whether in trade or in currency and whether said item is physical or digital, that item I just purchased is mine to do as I wish.

So to help the industry pull their heads out of there A** here is some good ideas (common sense) for the developers to bring growth back to the industry.

1. Start making better games and not crappy knock off or ports. Be original and take chances

2. Tell Publishers to eat it. Example, EA you do nothing but suck the life and money out of the industry.

3. Again Stop going for the quick buck and make good games. If it’s good, people will buy it, if it sucks and it is overpriced. People will pirate it, Plan and simple.
 
It is obvious that very few people use Game Stop and judging from the responses, very few even have a half truth clue about what goes on.

Yeah, for the most part the most you are ever going to get, base trade in value for your game is 40%. (The newer the better)

Just a quick example for people who may want to see some actual factual information from someone who takes advantage of this.

First you really need to be a “Power-Up Rewards” member if you are looking to trade games in.
You get an extra 10% in trade in value per title and you save 10% on used titles. (this stacks with most promotional offers)
You almost always get an extra 30% trade in value if you apply it to a soon to be released game. (Stacks with the PUW 10%)
A lot of the time they run promotions before the B2G1F that increases the trade-in value by 50% (does not stack with the PUW 10%)

With that being said, Take FFXII-2 for example. Game Spot guaranteed me a $30 trade in (before promotion, 1 month after the games initial release date.)
You apply 10% to $30 = $33, then it compounds the bonus 30% on top of the $33 and they gave me $42.90 trade in value for the game. (TBH you would be hard pressed to sell a copy of FFXII-2 used for 40 anywhere else.) I ended up using the TIV and purchased ME3 and did the same thing with that game 2-3 weeks.

I can’t recall the last time I paid more than 30 dollars out of pocket for a new PS3 game that was full price.

This is the key thing to remember, The only requirement you need to meet to get the extra 30% bonus is to preorder a qualifying game, ($5 min.)
(If you don’t want the game, go back in a couple days later and cancel the pre order, you still get the extra 30% bonus.)

Almost every game I own for the PS3 (120+ titles) was pre-owned and purchased through the B2G1. I rarely buy used games above $20 dollars, and when I do I get an equal value game for free.

Used titles have a 7 day return policy, and Game Stop quite frequently runs B2G1F (used games only).

I cannot tell you how many times I have bought games, and returned them completed within the 7 day window and parlayed that money into other games. You can literally rent games for free from Game Stop for a week if you front the money. (I am a trophy whore so I work the system)

At the end of the day, they have served me very well and I know how to get the most out of their policies.
 
[citation][nom]HotRoderx[/nom]Thats not 100% accurate we can use the same argument that is used with people who pirate. The average person who pirates would not buy the software even if they couldn't get it for free. The same could be said here the average customer would not buy the new game if they where having to pay full price for said title instead of getting a % off. Today's games are so hit and miss its impossible to judge them before playing them. I wonder how many people would cut back on buying new games if they knew the following1. They knew it had no value after it was purchased (cant sell it back).2. They knew they would have to pay full price for said title. One other thing that has really hurt the industry as a hole is EA Games and Blizzard with there lack luster Block Buster Hits being complete trash. I wonder how much faith people have lose which makes the above even more true then before.[/citation]

I said 35% of what they want, not what they would get, and I forget a big part of that too. That is 70% after on the used sale discount. So it really is more like 10%-15% that the developer gets. It wouldn't take many of those buying used to buy new, in order for the developer to come out on top vs GameStop's current system.
 
I've discussed this issue extensively on another post on this site. This will be my last post on this for a while.

At the end of the day, developers need to make money. Many are not. If your alarm bells aren't ringing yet, then let's play a game. Find me a publicly traded developer who has been doing well over the past few years. EA Games, Ubisoft, THQ, Nintendo, Sony, all have done poorly. I bet if Microsoft released separate component data on video games, they'd report doing poorly as well. The only publicly traded company that seems to be doing well is ActivisionBlizzard... and yet, Vivendi wants to sell their majority stake. Something smell fishy when a parent company wants to sell the most profitable game publisher/developer in the industry? I think so.

Now, just for fun, look at game stop's financial statements and see how well they've been doing comparatively. Yeah, bet you got a kick out of that, right?

Do I think that used games are the only reason that the video game industry is tanking as a whole? Heck no, but let's not kid ourselves into thinking they're saving it.

Also, everyone uses the car analogy as a defense for used games but it's quite possibly the worst analogy in the second hand market to use because it's completely different economically.

It differs in price and consumer group. It differs in frequency and volume of resales. It differs in the fact that condition of cars matters much more than the condition of games. It differs in life cycle and selling window. Let's also not forget the fact that you need to own a car to benefit from it, where as after you beat a game, you've pretty much already absorbed all of the utility you'll ever get out of it.

The business models between cars and games are also completely different. Car manufacturers (and by extension dealers) make money off of replacement parts, service, and car loans. They tend to make very little actual profit off the sale of a new car (except for the luxury dealers). In other words, they have a constant stream of income AFTER the sale of a car. If a person sells the car used, the next owner will typically need parts, service, and car loans as well.

On the flip side, game developers make their money through the initial sale and not through subsequent services. They've been switching to more of a service model (DLC, call of duty elite, pay-to-play, and micro transactions), but you all know how well gamers take to being nickled and dimed.
 
I think charging 60 bucks for games like real steel and Blackwater is what hurts the industry.

I used to work at gamestop during my college yrs at the time they sold used pc games. I remember getting the memo to stop buying and selling used pc games. People were bringing them back cause the key code to activate the game didnt work for various reasons for example activation limits were reached.

I never trade in anything at gamestop for credit unless its during the 50% xtra trade in credit. And only buy when its 2for1. You have to be desperate to trade for cash as you get chump change in return.

Still the best deals I ever made was in the private market. This summer found a ps3 slim 120 gig and 6 games for 75 bucks at a yard sale.
 
[citation][nom]SDSUMarcus01[/nomIt differs in the fact that condition of cars matters much more than the condition of games. [/citation]

That's not true. If a game is in bad condition I won't purchase it because chances are, it won't work.

[citation][nom]SDSUMarcus01[/nom]Let's also not forget the fact that you need to own a car to benefit from it, where as after you beat a game, you've pretty much already absorbed all of the utility you'll ever get out of it. [/citation]

Not true as well. If you beat a car, you've pretty much absorbed all of the utility you'll ever get out of it, either.

I'm just yanking your chain. Your post was valid I just wanted to point those out 😛
 
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