http://gamepolitics.com/2010/05/11/developer-labels-used-games-worse-piracy

This guy makes the case that used games are as bad for the industry as piracy.  I see his point but what do you guys think?  I mean, surely it's not as bad since you're supporting the retailer who ultimately tracks the games sales and buys more new copies of something that's selling well. I personally avoid buying used games unless they're so old that it's out of print and the developer/publisher won't see much of a difference in terms of revenue at that point.

There is already a long thread on this topic. Yes used games does compete with new game sales which is why every time I go to Gamestop to buy a new game they will offer me to buy a used copy instead if they have one.

 Games this generation was increased by $10 to help pay for the high developing cost. Yet it seems raising the games to $60 didn't increase revenue (at least not as much as they had hoped). Also with the bad economy today $60 is about the same as $50 four-five years ago. What happening is more people is buying and trading used. Good for Gamestop but not so good for developers. Developers has to find ways to reward those who buy new with bonus material and online service.

Used games are the only protection we gamers have against crappy games as in if a game has long term value gamers will not trade it in. Most reviews are not trust worthy, the only reliable source of information is word of mouth and that itself depends a lot on personal taste. Piracy is a completely different thing altogether and if the industry doesn't want us to trade they will have to make better games, period.

To hell with the industry.

People have the right to resell bought products and that's it! They should make games that people want instead of whining about used game sales.

Their aim is to make trading used games illegal and if they can't do that they will promote other things like they are doing now with cloud gaming were you pay for a game that you never own. In other words they are trying to squeeze all they can from the core market while mainstream floks to free online flash games. Problem is gamers want value for money but instead we are getting full priced games that we finish in a couple of sittings and they complain when we trade them in to get some value back?! The question is, how long will it take before the core gamers flip the middle finger to them and bugger off somewhere else ?

more then you think, less then we're lead to believe

exactly. the industry will continue it's slow death as long as the companies expect the customer to bend over for them and take whatever the industry gives them.

I think used sales very well could be hurting the industry more than piracy. Publishers are just going to have to get over it though. The consumer has a right to sell their property. End of story.

Hurting the industry, yes. Hurting gaming, no.