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Forums - Gaming Discussion - EA's Strategy to Counter Used Games Sales

Galaki on 25 February 2010
Rainbird said:
Galaki said:
They are doing it wrong.
This will drive more people to piracy.

As opposed to people buying used? That's just the color making a different sound, they're one and the same to EA.

Are you saying buying used games equate to piracy?



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nightsurge on 25 February 2010
c0rd said:
nightsurge said:
Exactly. I mean used games are only ever like $5 cheaper than the new price until they are 2 years old or so, so why not just buy new?

Uh, where are we buying our used games? I occasionally buy used, and it sure as hell isn't only $5 cheaper than new.

I'm not really a fan of this strategy, as it makes the original copy worth less. When the used games are worth less, the copy you potentially want to sell is worth less (you'd get less money from reselling if you were dissatisfied with the copy if you used your code). More of the original game's value moves to "unsellable," whether it's due to additional content or not.

I was hoping their strategy to counter used game sales were something more along the lines of... oh, something like making the game worth keeping! That's how it always used to be, the only difference today is the companies can't seem to support themselves with current costs. I don't see why that should be affecting used games, of all things...

All major game sellers:  Amazon, Ebay, GameStop, etc. the used prices are only ~$5 cheaper until the game becomes so old that it hits bargain bin of $10 or less.



Rainbird on 25 February 2010
Galaki said:
Rainbird said:
Galaki said:
They are doing it wrong.
This will drive more people to piracy.

As opposed to people buying used? That's just the color making a different sound, they're one and the same to EA.

Are you saying buying used games equate to piracy?

No, I'm saying that economically, there is no difference for EA whether you buy used or pirate.



strunge on 25 February 2010
Davey1983 said:
Sorry, but this is a jerk thing to do. This is not a reward for dedicated fans-- this is an attempt to screw over a portion of the fan base. $15 for two maps if I buy used? Ridiculous.

How many people who buy used are going to actually know about this-- I'd bet not many. Most people will probably buy the game and later realize that EA has held back content. This will only upset customers.

it doesn't screw anyone over, it protects their own interest.  EA is in the business of making money on their games that they spend money to make and when you buy used they don't make money.  if you choose to buy used, you are voluntarily accepting that you will have to pay for the additional content. 

until ignorant buyers are revealed to be victims of the speculative situation you propose, it is irrelevant. 



Galaki on 25 February 2010
Rainbird said:
Galaki said:
Rainbird said:
Galaki said:
They are doing it wrong.
This will drive more people to piracy.

As opposed to people buying used? That's just the color making a different sound, they're one and the same to EA.

Are you saying buying used games equate to piracy?

No, I'm saying that economically, there is no difference for EA whether you buy used or pirate.

A product is only worth as much as the customer willing to pay.

Why should a buyer worry about a company's bottom line?



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Games4Fun on 25 February 2010

If you like that companies games you should want them to stay a float. Of course this has its limits too.



Akvod on 25 February 2010
Words Of Wisdom said:
Kasz216 said:
Akvod said:
Davey1983 said:
Sorry, but this is a jerk thing to do. This is not a reward for dedicated fans-- this is an attempt to screw over a portion of the fan base. $15 for two maps if I buy used? Ridiculous.

How many people who buy used are going to actually know about this-- I'd bet not many. Most people will probably buy the game and later realize that EA has held back content. This will only upset customers.

The dedicated fans already pre-ordered the Limited Edition.

$70 used ($15 DLC-5 discount) vs $60 new.

And it's not held back content, as it was never on the disc. It's DLC, it's something completely extra.

 

Would you simply be happy if EA made it so that everyone had to pay $15 for the DLC? Way to try to drag everyone down with you, since you're too cheap to buy a game new and support DICE.

 

It's a GIFT, that they're giving to those who aren't willing to stuff Gamestop's coffers so that they can give "Power to the player".

That's a completely meaningless distinction.

For all you know it could of been held off the disc to be DLC.

Exactly.

If you ask for a chicken sandwich I give you a chicken sandwich without the chicken and then turn around to give you the chicken fillet on the side then am I giving you a gift or what you should have gotten in the first place?

Yes, but that argument only holds if the assumption that EA deliberately held off stuff as DLC is true. And that assumption is based off of no evidence whatsoever, but simply mistrust and cynicism.

And WoW, your analogy is bad because you're arguing that EA isn't giving the whole package (the chicken). My point is that EA has already given you the entire chicken sandwich. A used and newly bought disc have the same exact content on it. It is only that EA is making the price of the extra DLC $0 for those who bought the game new, and $15 for those who bought it used.

 

So let me ask what I asked before. Would you simply be happy if EA made it so that everyone had to pay $15? I'm sure you guys would have all changed your tune, drop the assumption that it was witheld content, and see it as something extra.

 

All you guys are asking for is entitlement to get what others got for their loyalty and dedication.



Akvod on 25 February 2010
c0rd said:
nightsurge said:
Exactly. I mean used games are only ever like $5 cheaper than the new price until they are 2 years old or so, so why not just buy new?

Uh, where are we buying our used games? I occasionally buy used, and it sure as hell isn't only $5 cheaper than new.

I'm not really a fan of this strategy, as it makes the original copy worth less. When the used games are worth less, the copy you potentially want to sell is worth less (you'd get less money from reselling if you were dissatisfied with the copy if you used your code). More of the original game's value moves to "unsellable," whether it's due to additional content or not.

I was hoping their strategy to counter used game sales were something more along the lines of... oh, something like making the game worth keeping! That's how it always used to be, the only difference today is the companies can't seem to support themselves with current costs. I don't see why that should be affecting used games, of all things...

Original copy=New Copy. You can scan the disc of a used and new disc, and they will have the same exact content and data in it.



Rainbird on 25 February 2010
Galaki said:
Rainbird said:
Galaki said:
Rainbird said:
Galaki said:
They are doing it wrong.
This will drive more people to piracy.

As opposed to people buying used? That's just the color making a different sound, they're one and the same to EA.

Are you saying buying used games equate to piracy?

No, I'm saying that economically, there is no difference for EA whether you buy used or pirate.

A product is only worth as much as the customer willing to pay.

Why should a buyer worry about a company's bottom line?

This is just EA looking after that bottom line. If they don't alert consumers to this in some (writing it on the box or whatever), then we can cry foul. But unless there is no obvious way that people will be told, I think it's fine.



Akvod on 25 February 2010

I'm outraged by the misinformation in some comments of other sites. Re-read my OP please, I'm gonna go edit it.