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[electricpirate]

Buy a $60 game.

Play and finish it.

Sell it for $30-$40*.

Add $20 and buy a new game.

How is that complicated?

Exactly, for 99% of the people used games aren't about "Freedom" it's about price. That's why steam is so damn successful, instead of propping up a used game ecosystem, where a middleman (gamestop) keeps a good chunk of that, instead people who want 20 dollar recent games just wait for a sale and buy them there. The gamer is spending roughly the same amount of money, but they still own the game license and the developers are actually getting a cut.

Developers benefit from more players owning the game also, developers also get to leverage a larger audience of DLC/ expansion packs.

Now, this is MS here, I don't expect them to get this right. I expect them to try and prevent used game sales without addressing the underlying flaw in the model (High prices creating large amounts of dead weight), and I expect it to fail miserably.

 

[Mononoke]

Online only, no second hand games. No purchase. I don't tend to trade/sell away my games, but I'm not putting up with that sort of anti-consumer bullshit.

This x1000

I don't need gaming that much in my life. Plus there will be alternatives.

 

[Drek]

Always online probably means that XBL is going free, though. That's pretty cool. I mean, if you need to be online to use the console, I can't see them charging to go online with it.

Spoiler

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

This is why they have XBL Gold v. XBL Silver. Everyone can go online, not everyone gets to do much else.

 

[GlamFM]

This is such pure hot bullshit. None of the console makers would be suicidal enough to make used games unplayable on their system.

Or the devs and publishers are not suicidal enough keep things going like this.

Gamestop should have given the devs a cut. They are to blame.

 

[10k]

*Hugs Wii U*

 

[Foffy]

So what would be a good compromise if this is something that we can not avoid?

A good compromise, quite simply, is to not support those platforms. If that means all future platforms are exactly like that, then what I'm exactly saying is to not support new product. Give greed an inch and it will take a mile, as this generation has shown with DLC. What was often fathomed as mainstream expansion packs has turned into disc-locked material, cut assets, and a way for companies to make a $60 product cost as much as $120 if you bought the product new and all of its content.

 

[Serrato]

And even if it's a powerful console, goodbye MS, you were a good friend long ago...

 

[Nemesis121]

No rumor for that yet.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=506560

 

[Amneisac]

Sony, you have my allegiance.

As much as I love my 360 and Kinect, no way do I support a system that doesn't support the used games market.

Why are we all just assuming Sony won't do the same thing? I feel like there's equal evidence at this point to support Sony will also block used game sales.

 

[treason]

no used games .... = no nextbox. wii u / pc or wii u / ps4

 

[enewtabie]

This would definitely hurt game sales. Gamefly purchases quite a bit of games every month and Gamestop whether you like them or not helps facilitates new game purchases with it's used business. Can't see it happening.

 

[Sid]

Wasn't their a rumor of some patent for anti-used games for Sony's next system?

If MS is doing this I guess Sony will do it too,IMO third parties would have pushed them hard for this.

 

[Vargavinter]

Sony, you have my allegiance.

The report follows claims that PS4 will use NFC tech to scan and lock games to a single console.

If I haven't misread?

 

[Ecrofirt]

What I can 100% see happening is games shipping with activation codes.

If you purchase the game used, you'll have to purchase a new activation code for yourself for $5.

In response, used game prices will have to necessarily be lower (otherwise you'd potentially be paying more for a used game than you would for a new game).

It's a bad thing, but it's not such a bad thing.

 

[Tricky I Shadow]

I still can’t believe this – especially the online thing. The thing is, the more I think about it the more I’m starting to think it might actually be true. **shudders**

Always online. Damn.

PS4 was always extremely likely to be my next-gen of choice anyway, but now there's no doubt.

Perhaps you should wait and see what Sony is doing before saying something like this.

I really can't imagine MS doing this solo. Either the rumor is total bullshit or Sony is doing it too (second-hand games, not always online).

Or Microsoft is utterly, totally insane.

Agreed 100%.

 

[OriginalNameGuy]

So, if the disk is useless after that initial use then I guess that means I have to lug the console around anytime I visit a friend for a gaming session.

 

[Uno Venova]

Wasn't their a rumor of some patent for anti-used games for Sony's next system?

Patent yes, but no rumor like this that they might actually use it.

 

[Whompa]

"Microsoft’s next console will require an Internet connection in order to function"

this kills the xbox.

 

[abadguy]

I haven't seen any proof of this.

If that's the case, then Nintendo and PC are it for me.

Also, has anybody clarified the "Kinect ships alongside the new Xbox" part? As I read it, I take that as it will need to be bought separately.

Could have sworn there was a patent for it, haven't seen any patents from MS for it. Not that i believe any of these companies would be dumb enough to do such a thing.

Patent yes, but no rumor like this that they might actually use it.

So rumors>>actual patents?

 

[bishopcruz]

The other oprion would be a sort of halfway point. Throw say, gamspot, Best Buy and Amazon a bone by providing them unlock codes for sued games while effectively cutting the legs out from the craigslist/ebay market. That makes a certain level of sense, it keeps the retailers happy and gives the publishers control over the used games market.

Doesn't make it suck any less though.

 

[ThankeeSai]

If this rumour is true, it's not so much the not being able to buy second hand stuff that annoys me, it's the fact that I won't be able to rent.

There have been plenty of games this gen that I have rented rather than bought for various reasons - Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, Bioshock 2, GoW3 to name just a few.

For me, these were games that I wanted to play, but I knew that once I'd finished them, I wouldn't touch them again. No way I'm dropping £35-40 on a game when I can rent it for £5 for 5 nights and finish it within that time frame.

Bad, bad news if this is true.

 

[U2NUMB]

No rumor for that yet.

There certainly have been rumors of Sony doing this and in face I believe they have registered some technology that would work directly with the actual disc so they certainly are interested in it.

Also it would be silly for either of these companies to do it on their own. I can see them both working with the major publishers on this .. they would all be in on it.

If not then one of them will learn a nasty lesson.

 

[Hot Coldman]

I feel strongly that this is not a practice I would support. I think I said this last time it came up, too.

I do look forward to the contortions people are going to go through to justify this, though.

If this happens, I wonder if MS try and justify it at all. I don't think anyone would believe anything Mattrick says on the matter.

 

[FordGTGuy]

No rumor for that yet.

NO USED GAMES!?!?!?!?!

http://community.us.playstation.com...-COMPATABLITY-AND-NO-USED-GAMES/td-p/37234559

SO LONG, USED GAMES

http://kotaku.com/5896996/the-next-playstation-is-called-orbis-sources-say-here-are-the-details/

Sony Japan patents NFC tech to suppress second hand game sales – report

http://www.vg247.com/2013/01/03/son...ch-to-suppress-second-hand-game-sales-report/

Looks like rumors, smells like rumors, tastes like rumors must be rumors...

 

[sflufan]

What's the likelihood of this being true? Because I'm actually dreading the next generation if this is true.

Less than 1%.

 

[Boss Man]

I haven't seen any proof of this.

If that's the case, then Nintendo and PC are it for me.

Also, has anybody clarified the "Kinect ships alongside the new Xbox" part? As I read it, I take that as it will need to be bought separately.

Steam does essentially this. Except it has an offline mode that works sometimes.

The PS4 rumor has them tagging discs with your ID, which washes out used game sales but at least doesn't require always online.

 

[Ecrofirt]

This would definitely hurt game sales. Gamefly purchases quite a bit of games every month and Gamestop whether you like them or not helps facilitates new game purchases with it's used business. Can't see it happening.

They'd likely be able to go the route that the movie industry has gone with Netflix rentals, and produce special copies of games specifically for GameFly.

 

[Mononoke]

Are publishers just wildly guessing that getting rid of used games would increase their game sales? They might be in for some massive disappointment.

God forbid they lower the price of games.

 

[DESTROYA]

I feel a disturbance in the force!

 

[lowrider007]

I really can't imagine MS doing this solo. Either the rumor is total bullshit or Sony is doing it too (second-hand games, not always online).

Or the rumour is a controlled leak to test the water and tip their hat to Sony, it's not something you'd want to do alone, either way it will stir up a debate in terms of feasibility within the industry.

 

[TheLastCandle]

I love me some used games, it's pretty much the only way I can afford this fucking hobby.

Sounds just shitty enough to be true, but we'll see.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Many gamers use the money they get from games to buy new games. It isn't just affecting people who buy used. It affects people who buy new games as well.

I almost want this to happen just to see the greed smack them in the face.

People are already buying only a handful of $60 AAA blockbuster games a year, how about when everything is tied to hardware with no chance to trade in or rent something.

 

[Jacksonlee]

perhaps to compensate, MS will provid a digital renting service

 

[KimonoNoNo]

Just because a technology exists to block used games, doesn't mean it will be implemented if consumers reject it.

For instance DRM on cd was a thing at one time but nobody bought them and they died out in the market place.

If Ms/Sony do implement anti-consumer practices that people feel strongly enough about, they will just seek out alternative ways to spend their money.

 

[FairXchange]

Hope this one isn't true, at least the always online one. Not trading in games I could care less. It sucks to an extent but ultimately I wouldn't mind, but it will make buying older and rarer games more difficult in the future.

 

[Diablohead]

"Microsoft’s next console will require an Internet connection in order to function"

this kills the xbox.

What was the estimated percentage of xbox's which stay offline, something like 40%?

 

[BrokenEchelon]

If true, this is anti-consumer bullshit at levels that Steve Jobs only imagined while he was jacking off.

 

[Delusibeta]

Yes, and how many gamers who would otherwise buy games new rather buy them used because it's cheaper? It's not just about how store credits are being spent. You didn't answer the question at all, might as well be purely an opinion

I'd say this would be a smaller number than those that would be put off buying day one for full price if there isn't an option to sell the game. Don't get me wrong, GameStop stealing sales is a problem, it's just that it only appears a couple of weeks after release (once GameStop have some used games to sell), after most of the games sales have already been made.

 

[WeAreStarStuff]

I just can't see this being true.....it's hard to believe. This is some Sony $599 US hubris right here. If MS does this and Sony doesn't...........PS4 for me; guess I'll pick up a Wii U as well.

 

[1-D_FTW]

You know, I always thought Gamestop was too good to be true. I thought it wouldn't last. It has lasted a lot longer than I thought It would.

End of an era.

I'm sure a lot of you aren't going to quit gaming because of this. It's more of an over reaction right now. You're not going to quit gaming. This is addictive and fun hobby, i've had this hobby for over 20 years, i'm not going to quit. One thing is I'm going to be a lot more cautious buying games now if i'm paying full price always.

I wonder what Nintendo is going to do now. They might feel forced to come up with a simliar system to combat second hand sales.

Absolutely. And this is the consequence they just don't get. Very few games are going to sell under this system. It's going to be locked down to the mega-hits that people feel secure blindly spending 60 - xxx dollars on. Everyone else better have small enough budgets to handle the reduced sales or else they'll disappear. It's going to be indies and AAAAA games only.

The problem with hoping a Steam equivalent emerges is this: how profitable is that really? I operate under the assumption it's a nice bonus that helps pad the profit a bit. But right now the console market is the major bread winner for most games and if you destroy the pricing model there, even with increased sales, it's going to mean a reduction in revenue.

Obviously this is still a superior market for small and nimble developers who have realistic expenses and sales goals. But this is being driven by the bigwigs, and their greedy bean counters who truly think they're going to see MORE unit sales (since no leeches will be buying 2nd hand) and greater revenue per unit (since they cut out B&M middlemen). It's this reality that's going to smack them to the graveyard. Second hand sales are what allows their current pricing scheme to even remotely survive.

 

[Plinko]

If this is true for both systems I'll go out on a limb and predict an industry crash.

 

[clockpunk]

So rumors>>actual patents?

Sums up many posts across all message boards discussing this nugget of entirely-speculative "news" nicely...

 

[Mortimer Brewster]

There is just no way MS will blindly confine their consumers so much. There could be some truth in the OP but maybe Edge just worded it differently. There is absolutely no way in hell the console will be as what is described.

Microsoft recent history illustrates they ware willing to do that. The company is now run by Bean Counters and lawyers who only care about extracting everylast penny from its consumers, the visionaries are all long gone.

 

[MGR]

The general populous only have limited amount of money they are willing to spend on gaming and everybody is fighting for a piece if that wallet share. By disabling the resale of games a portion of that wallet share is simply moved from the likes of Gamespot into the pockets of publishers and developers. This will either afford the publisher the option of more aggressive pricing models (similar to Steam sales etc) or the extra money will bolster shareholder confidence in game development and we'll see more investment - which would be a welcoming side effect given the number of studio closures recently.

This would also eliminate the irritating trend of developers responsible for outstanding single player games wasting time shoe-horning a lacklustre multiplayer mode in an effort to prevent the resale of a new game. Every new player directly contributes something back to the publisher.

 

[Bel_Air_Jeff]

I knew microsoft was gonna blow it..

If this is true, sony will be moving up to number 1 again.
Nintendo following close behind.

 

[DopeyFish]

Yet somehow the music, movie, and publishing industries have survived all these years.

Movies - has box office, VHS/DVD/blu-ray (and DD), selling to cable, etc
Music - has retail (and DD), licensing, concerts
Publishing - is having difficulty, transitioning to ebook- cost of entry is comparatively low
Games - has retail (and DD)

Games are a one shot business. They can't license their stuff. They need teams of hundreds to make it work on a single piece of hardware,porting usually costs more (and is only going to get more expensive) than movie retransfers

But keep comparing it to incomparable mediums

 

[mhi]

Sounds like the reason its 'always online' is because it needs to always check if the game is 'second hand'.

How else would they check the game if not for hardware mods ? Firmwares didn't work out soo...

 

[Uno Venova]

Could have sworn there was a patent for it, haven't seen any patents from MS for it. Not that i believe any of these companies would be dumb enough to do such a thing.




So rumors>>actual patents?

Which do you want to go with first?

 

[FordGTGuy]

Or the rumour is a controlled leak to test the water and tip their hat to Sony, it's not something you'd want to do alone, either way it will stir up a debate in terms of feasibility within the industry.

What's more likely?

Microsoft using a random blog to have a controlled leak to tip their hat at Sony or this is a steaming pile of rumor?

Which do you want to go with first?

I can't believe you're saying there isn't a rumor that Sony is going to pressures used games just type it in Google....

I don't think Sony is doing it anymore than Microsoft but saying there isn't at least a rumor........

 

[DieH@rd]

HERE IS WHAT PATCHER HAS TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT OF USED GAMES IN NEXTGEN CYCLE:
http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/hhgq98/pach-attack--why-all-the-gamestop-hate-

This time, he is 10000% right.