Thursday, February 07, 2013

Console Post (follow-up)

Several of you e-mailed and said (correctly) that Microsoft hadn't officially announced that used games wouldn't be allowed with the new console.

Also, Sony hasn't officially announced it, either. They just have a patent for a workable method.

You guys are correct, in that sense. It's also entirely possible that Microsoft just launched that as a trial balloon, to see the reaction. Happens all the time.

We all know, though, that this is coming. There is a continuum that we can see stretching into the future, and used game sales disappearing are clearly, definitely, on that continuum.

Now, if this was a fair exchange, I'd have no problem. If PS4 or 720 games were $29.99, and they couldn't be resold, then no problem. I'd even borderline be okay with $39.99.

Does anything think that's going to happen? No. What we're going to get are $59.99 games that are $54.99 if we download them. There's a price decay built in after the game launches, obviously, but that's going to be our day one reward.

Remember, gaming companies have said for years--and bitterly--that used games are KILLING their profit margins. Please remember that when these new consoles launch and we get $5 in exchange for not being able to resell a game.

What's ironic about me being so pissed about this is that I almost never trade games in. I don't resell them. But there's something so inherently unfair in getting jacked around (again) by these mega-companies who can't manage their own shit that makes me go Hulk rage.

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