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Khuutra on 29 January 2012
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Lord Ciansworth said:
Khuutra said:


Malarkey. The primary difference between used video games and say, used books, is that used video games are a better value proposition. They're above a certain threshhold of cost where saving anything is preferable to having a mint copy, which isn't usually the case for a $20 hardcover novel. Now, you get into the range of a $200 textbook where you can save 30% or more by buying used, and you'll notice that the used textbook market is absolutely tremendous in comparison to the standard used book market.

Neither textbooks nor (many) video games make a compelling enough argument for long-term ownership or buying a game new versus second-hand. If companies want to battle the second-hand market, they need to make their games something that people won't want to sell, or that they want to buy new. Offer the consumer a better value proposition, and that battle is already won.

Not sure why what I said is malarkey, seeing as your point seemed to supplement mine rather than directly challenge it. Also, what about any of that invalidates the right of the developer to attempt to shrink the used market in order to protect their investment?


The size of the used games market does not represent an endemic threat to the producers of games, it represents a value proposition that isn't high enough to most consumers. Disposable games are what gives rise to the used games market, and if game makers worry about the size of the used games markets then their games have to be less disposable. There' nothing inherently wrong with trying to combat used game sales, but of all the companies I've ever seen in this industry, very few ever get it right: and that's by making it so that each game represents a higher value proposition.

I mean, CHrist. Look. New Super Mario Bros. Wii and (especially) Mario Kart Wii have sold about as well as any Call of Duty ever, yet as a reseller I've seen less than 10% the number of used NSMBW and MKW as I have any Call of Duty. You know why? They were better value propositions, and they weren't disposable.

FIghting the used game market, in itself, is aiming at the wrong target. Make people want to keep your games. That is the only avenue to success.