Topic: Blocking used games...

[Inccubus]

So I wake up today to a rumor on Magicbox that the next XBOX will "require an always-on Internet connection, an effort to block used games."

This seems like it would be an insane move. Besides killing sales of their own console, they'd be directly in conflict with Gamestop which makes most of it's money in reselling games. Most people can barely afford the systems themselves, if they had to dish out full price for every game then that would severely restrict the games they can get. That's nuts.

[VladCT]

I think the suits might be obsessed with potentially huge immediate profits...which is virtually goddamn impossible. Sometimes I question their sanity...and their intelligence.

[Dark Nemesis]

If this is going to be true, then i'm 100% sure that i want buy a new console for the next years of my life.

[TheCruelAngel]

I can understand, because developers should see some of the money from sales where Used Games cut them out of the equation (it would be different if Game Stop paid little royalties to the devs/whatever for each used game sale) and it's really unfortunate.

I don't think an always-on 'net connection is the right way to go about it...but I've also heard rumors that the next XBOX and Playstation (Durango and Orbis, I think?) may cut out physical sales and be online only. Or at least, I thought I heard that once? It could just be wishful thinking on my part. It works for Steam and the PC market. So why the heck not?

So, mixed feelings on this. I support methods to circumvent used game sales, since that takes money away from a couple of Fat Cats down in Texas and potentially back to investors, developers, publishers, etc. who actually went to the effort of creating something for consumers. However, I never think an "always online" approach is the best way either. I think Activision kind of had the right idea where multiplayer could only be accessed from a new copy of the game, or by purchasing an online multiplayer access pass. Gamestop could still sell the game used, and consumers could still purchase the used game and enjoy the single player campaign, but if they wanted to hop online and continue playing (because they really liked the single player or w/e) then they could purchase the pass and enjoy!

Again, it's about where you want your money to go to. Fat cats down in Texas who want to buy the latest Ferrari and continue paying 90% of their employees crap wages (I used to work at Gamestop, can you tell? ) or developers, publishers, investors, etc. who went to the effort, and to some extent risk, to create a new product for you to enjoy and where any profits they receive may be used so they could create something else for you to enjoy. I know my stance on the subject, and I know it probably isn't the popular one, and I'm pretty biased about it...but it's my stance and I'm stickin' to it!

Don't worry, I won't think less of you (if you care) if you disagree with me, since I know a new game really isn't the most reasonable purchase someone can make. And if someone is done with their game and wants to get rid of it, why the heck not buy it off them? Better than letting it sit around doing nothing, and now you have a chance to enjoy it too!

[son_the_vampire]

wow thats terrible... its like they have a dartboard of stupid ideas and think its good when they come up with one! i just know that if such a move is made, i will give up entirely on future console purchases and finish my dream oldies collection

[X]

I think the reason why they want to have an 'always on-line' console is so they can efficiently used that XBOX security connect thingy and spy on you to make sure you're not violating 'their' regulations about media. It's all a part of a much bigger picture and I can already see the individual puzzle pieces falling into place...

[TheouAegis]

That's almost as stupid as my boss going to Dollar Store and selling stuff she gets there fro $3 or going to Fred Meyer and buying store brand products and marking them up. I know that's not really the same as businesses trying to prevent used gaming, but it's still a greed-makes-stupidity issue.

Also if it's internet always, then the console companies can charge how ever much they want in cuts from the DLC for from the game developers in exchange for the service of hosting the games.

[Ratty]

As I talked about in this topic http://castlevaniadungeon.net/forums/index.php/topic,5740.0.html the DRM on the next Playstation could be just as bad or worse than always online DRM, depending on how you see it.

The big game companies seem to be run by people who don't know or don't care about the way the game market's ecosystem works, particularly in such down economic times. People can't afford to buy many new games, so they sell/"trade in" their finished games to get money to buy new ones. Second entries in series often sell better than the first one, why? Because used copies of those games circulated and helped build a following for the franchise. Hell how many people here were introduced to the Castlevania series through a used game that was already old, then went on to buy new entries in the series? And that's just a small example. Cutting out used games = less money to buy new games from many consumers, and a greatly reduced window for franchise building.

It reminds me of the old Hollywood conventional wisdom that sequels should always have much lower budgets than originals because the audience would inevitably shrink with each entry. Finally after decades they realized that thanks to re-showings, television and home video/rentals audiences for a franchise could actually grow inbetween the times an entry was initially released in the theater. And that making quick cheapie cash-in sequels might have actually been what was killing audience interest.

[Abnormal Freak]

I'm actually hoping that both Microsoft and Sony implement these rumored prevention tactics, because I wanna see those chumps fall hard.

[Ratty]

I'm actually hoping that both Microsoft and Sony implement these rumored prevention tactics, because I wanna see those chumps fall hard.

Well the thing about that is it won't really hurt Sony or Microsoft, their gaming divisions are miniscule parts of the company they could just snip off.

[Munchy]

Yeah, if these rumors come to fruition, fuck that noise. Makes the decision to stick with Wii U much easier.

[TheCruelAngel]

Yeah, if these rumors come to fruition, fuck that noise. Makes the decision to stick with Wii U much easier.

 

[Inccubus]

I can understand, because developers should see some of the money from sales where Used Games cut them out of the equation (it would be different if Game Stop paid little royalties to the devs/whatever for each used game sale) and it's really unfortunate.

I couldn't disagree more. That is greed plain and simple. You make a product, you sell it for the best price you can, and you move on. If someone is done with your product and wants to try to recover some of the cost by selling it to someone else that's their prerogative. I find this notion as ridiculous as the thought that not opening a store for one day counts as *lost* profit. It isn't. Time isn't money.
Can you imagine the price hikes this would generate? Because I can guarantee you one thing: if Gamestop had to pay the original creator of the product a kick back for reselling that cost would go straight to the consumer. It would be a bad precedent. It would mean you don't really own what you bought and paid for. Can you imagine if you sold your car, but were forced to give part of that to the manufacturer? What if you want to sell your house, but have to give a percentage to the original architect? F~U~C~K T~H~A~T.

Again, it's about where you want your money to go to. Fat cats down in Texas who want to buy the latest Ferrari and continue paying 90% of their employees crap wages (I used to work at Gamestop, can you tell? ) or developers, publishers, investors, etc. who went to the effort, and to some extent risk, to create a new product for you to enjoy and where any profits they receive may be used so they could create something else for you to enjoy.

You're making a huge assumption about where any extra profit will go. There are fat cats running most of the big game developers too and also drive Ferraris. Not to mention that if you ask the average little guy who is DIRECTLY responsible for the creation of a game they'll probably say that they did it for the love of what they do, not the potential profit.


PS- That pic made me lol, so +1.

[KaZudra]

Looks like pirating will be all the rage on consoles, I mean, MORE than what it already is.

and they blame bad sales on PC, Xbox360 jailbreaked can play 50% games weeks before release.

[Abnormal Freak]

Well the thing about that is it won't really hurt Sony or Microsoft, their gaming divisions are miniscule parts of the company they could just snip off.

Oh, I know--just tired of seeing them in the gaming market. If we could have one consolidated system for once, I think that'd be rad. We certainly don't need THREE options.

I just hope The Last Guardian gets released first. :o