EA games decides they're not hated enough

[Stark]

Well I'm in AU, which may be a different market.

However, I haven't really compared new/used price trends; it may indeed be that used prices hit bottom once the new versions are gone from the shelves. Then again, Oblivion GOTY is a shitload more expensive than Oblivion used...

[GuppyShark]

They've already been doing this for Madden, the Online Franchise mode requires an activation key that comes in the box.

Maybe this time they'll include the online code in the Australian release?

[Norade]

Huh? Used game prices drop like a stone after launch; EB even puts up little charts. If you wait for the constant used game sales you can easily save 50% on a game, especially if it was widely sold but shit (like ODST) or is a pack-in game everyone trades (like Pure or Batman).

They aren't exactly $5 less than the new ones anymore? It was like that for years. I don't buy many games anymore period, so I'll admit that I'm working off memory, but it used to be that if a new game was $54.99 then the used was 49, and stayed there til the price of the new one went down. If that's changed than I apologize, and could see why it might not hurt as much as I'd thought.

Drone you're retarded, don't argue shit that you know nothing about...

Used games six months after launch, unless they're a huge his can be lower priced by $20 over new copies. Even less if you get them from a pawn shop.

[Losonti Tokash]

Huh? Used game prices drop like a stone after launch; EB even puts up little charts. If you wait for the constant used game sales you can easily save 50% on a game, especially if it was widely sold but shit (like ODST) or is a pack-in game everyone trades (like Pure or Batman).

They aren't exactly $5 less than the new ones anymore? It was like that for years. I don't buy many games anymore period, so I'll admit that I'm working off memory, but it used to be that if a new game was $54.99 then the used was 49, and stayed there til the price of the new one went down. If that's changed than I apologize, and could see why it might not hurt as much as I'd thought.

Drone you're retarded, don't argue shit that you know nothing about...

Used games six months after launch, unless they're a huge his can be lower priced by $20 over new copies. Even less if you get them from a pawn shop.

Seriously. I got Metro 2033 for like $30 a week after launch. A new copy is still $60.

[Drone]

They aren't exactly $5 less than the new ones anymore? It was like that for years. I don't buy many games anymore period, so I'll admit that I'm working off memory, but it used to be that if a new game was $54.99 then the used was 49, and stayed there til the price of the new one went down. If that's changed than I apologize, and could see why it might not hurt as much as I'd thought.

Drone you're retarded, don't argue shit that you know nothing about...

Used games six months after launch, unless they're a huge his can be lower priced by $20 over new copies. Even less if you get them from a pawn shop.

Seriously. I got Metro 2033 for like $30 a week after launch. A new copy is still $60.

That's a big change then, like I said, I haven't bought games in a while. Interesting to know, don't need to call me retarded cause I wasn't aware something had changed.

[Losonti Tokash]

That's a big change then, like I said, I haven't bought games in a while. Interesting to know, don't need to call me retarded cause I wasn't aware something had changed.

I'm not the one that called you retarded, but at the same time it isn't something that's changed. Used game prices have been like that for at least 10 years.

[Drone]

That's a big change then, like I said, I haven't bought games in a while. Interesting to know, don't need to call me retarded cause I wasn't aware something had changed.

I'm not the one that called you retarded, but at the same time it isn't something that's changed. Used game prices have been like that for at least 10 years.

Not in my experience, and considering I assistant managed a gamestop from 02-04 part time, I um think I'd know at least that recently. and you're right, you didn't call me a retard, apologies.

[Norade]

That's a big change then, like I said, I haven't bought games in a while. Interesting to know, don't need to call me retarded cause I wasn't aware something had changed.

I'm not the one that called you retarded, but at the same time it isn't something that's changed. Used game prices have been like that for at least 10 years.

Not in my experience, and considering I assistant managed a gamestop from 02-04 part time, I um think I'd know at least that recently. and you're right, you didn't call me a retard, apologies.

You are still an idiot for wading into a conversation with old knowledge that is very wrong. Maybe gamestop was gouging people on used games, but EB and pawnshops still existed. One company =/= average prices and you're a retard for not realizing that and assuming the world worked like the one outlet you worked at.

[Drone]

You are still an idiot for wading into a conversation with old knowledge that is very wrong. Maybe gamestop was gouging people on used games, but EB and pawnshops still existed. One company =/= average prices and you're a retard for not realizing that and assuming the world worked like the one outlet you worked at.

EB's prices were identical, it's how chain stores work, they price match to compete, and they're the same company now and have been for 5 years. Pawn shops do nowhere near the volume and aren't really involved in the reasoning behind this decision, but since you're calling people retards I'm sure you knew all about that.

The point is that the first six months are where the vast majority of the sales are made on EA sports games, the subject of the thread, and they're priced only $5 lower than new for that time period at this point.

[Mr Bean]

To back up what Drone has said, Gamestop and EB games have been the same company for several years now. As for "Pawn shops" that's regional. Want a slightly used gun or a TV? See our fine pawn shops. Want a used video game? You gotta me kidding me boy, get dat shit out of here. This here is a godamn pawn shop not an arcade. (Maybe it's state law but the merchandise they take at pawn shops is very limited here in Ohio/Kentucky. I know I've seen Pawnshops in North Carolina carrying video games but that was the SNES days and they don't today last time I was back to my old home town and stopped by the local pawn shop in 2007.

Giant stuffed moose heads? Yes
Video games? GTFO
They will however still accepted systems just not games.

More to the point seems a good time to link to the study a few days ago from Newzoo which used survey techniques to try and discover how much an impact the used market has on over-all sales.
http://www.gamesindustry.com/about-newz ... rketreport

Cut to the chase, it's nearly 50% of every dollar spent on video games is being sent on used copies of said video games. That includes income from MMO subscriptions. That's 100% publish/deveolper free dollars. And EB/Gamestop make this money via methods Drone has already mentioned.

Understand the genius, from Gamestops prospective, the guy who goes out and buys Madden 20xx day 1. Plays it for two weeks then trades it in for 30$ (60$- trade =30$ for what was in essence a two week rental) works for them since that trade in is only good towards more Gamestop purchases. And with the down economey people are much likely to be frugal, say buy two used games that are 30$ instead of the new 60$ game. I don't know if you've noticed, but it takes forever for new game prices in Gamestop to hit the 30$. Game sit at the 60$ and 50$ for months. All the while the used copies are being cycled again and again.

[Stark]

Pawn shops sell games fine here; they're just not very good for getting credit. I've got some of my cheapest games from pawn shops.

[Starglider]

I'm more concerned that other companies might think it's a good idea and start adopting the practice themselves.

It is a good idea and more companies are starting to adopt it. The number of people who decide to pay $5 more for a new copy will almost certainly exceed the number of people who decide not to buy the game because they will get slightly less for it at trade in.

I'd be surprised if they don't get sued over this simply for trying to go over Microsoft's head and wring out more from playing on Live.

Don't be ridiculous. Microsoft has veto power over anything published on their console; the approval process to get a title out is grueling. You can be completely sure Microsoft is 100% on board with this, and if the experiment goes well this tactic will go on their best practices list for other publishers to follow. Sony will be exactly the same.

It may be the case that property ownership laws need a major revision to account for software, rather than the seeming trying to extend existing concepts onto it.

Yes, equating IP to physical property is a bad idea. Frankly the legalities are almost irrelevant though; they trail a decade or more behind the reality of what's happening in the market. The reality is more and more publisher control over how you run your software (or in their minds, 'their' software).

If I ever played ME2 I wouldn't give a fuck about the Cerberus network.

AFAIK the only significant thing you lose by not having the free DLC is the 'amazing jumping tank' vehicle sections.

if the model of digital distribution is used, we'll probably pay less for games new, then we will used.

Hahahaha you're a hopeless optimist. Publishers are being pushed to do this not just because they're greedy bastards, but also to cope with the constantly rising production costs of games without raising prices.

[Vendetta]

Used games six months after launch, unless they're a huge his can be lower priced by $20 over new copies. Even less if you get them from a pawn shop.

Seriously. I got Metro 2033 for like $30 a week after launch. A new copy is still $60.

When I was in Game yesterday. Metro 2033 was £25 new, £23 used. That's not an uncommon difference. New games plummet in price after a couple of months on the shelves. F'rexample, Nier was only released a couple of months ago and Game/Gamestation were flogging it for £15 earlier this week (out of stock now, sadly, would have got it for that price).

I've gotten games cheaper new than most places sell them used by a bit of canny shopping (Hell, I got Mirror's Edge brand new for £3 last week).

[weemadando]

At every stockist of used games that I visit (EB, Game, JB), I can regularly find NEW versions of games for cheaper than their pre-owned counterparts, because they never bother shifting the pre-owned price until long, long, long after the fact.

[Norade]

The market must be vastly different here in Canada then, here every pawnshop has the same selection of used games you can find at any game outlet and for vastly cheaper. They may lack quantity of titles for people to buy, but if you want a used game chances are you can get a copy a few days after launch for nearly half price. Even places like EB, and video stores will slash used game prices before the new copy drops in value to put some extra cash in their pocket.

[Vendetta]

Here the used games retailers want to squeeze every penny out of a used copy, they make it trivially cheaper than a new copy because they know that the difference will be enough to tempt someone, and that means more profit for them.

[weemadando]

Here the used games retailers want to squeeze every penny out of a used copy, they make it trivially cheaper than a new copy because they know that the difference will be enough to tempt someone, and that means more profit for them.

Yeah, same in Australia.

NEW = 119.95
USED = 114.95

FUCKING BARGAIN.

[Stofsk]

Here the used games retailers want to squeeze every penny out of a used copy, they make it trivially cheaper than a new copy because they know that the difference will be enough to tempt someone, and that means more profit for them.

Yeah, same in Australia.

NEW = 119.95
USED = 114.95

FUCKING BARGAIN.

Don't go spending that five dollars all at once.

[Drone]

Here the used games retailers want to squeeze every penny out of a used copy, they make it trivially cheaper than a new copy because they know that the difference will be enough to tempt someone, and that means more profit for them.

Yeah, same in Australia.

NEW = 119.95
USED = 114.95

FUCKING BARGAIN.

It still amazes me that they get away with charging Aussies that much.

[Mr Bean]

Here the used games retailers want to squeeze every penny out of a used copy, they make it trivially cheaper than a new copy because they know that the difference will be enough to tempt someone, and that means more profit for them.

Yeah, same in Australia.

NEW = 119.95
USED = 114.95

FUCKING BARGAIN.

It still amazes me that they get away with charging Aussies that much.

What are they going to do? Drive across the border to another country and buy em cheaper?
We have this discussion about Ausy's fucked up pricing every time their's a steam sale or Gamestop has an actual sale rather than their traditional we have to many used games times to sell the stock of shit no one will buy like PS2 copies of Madden 2002 in 2009.

[Alphawolf55]

I wonder though, do you think we'll move to a subscription model at some point where we pay like 40-60 a month for a membership and unlimited gaming and be forced to watch something like a commercial or something before playing games for individual game developers to remake their money.

[Isil`Zha]

now if they give 25$ trade in credit on your 60$ game and then turn around and sell it used they can make another 25$ if they sell it for 50$.

They'll pay you $1-$3 for the trade-in. I went one time to sell a ton of my games - about a third of them they'd only buy from me for $0.99, and only a few as high as $2.50 or $3. Many of those games were sitting on their used games shelves already, for $30-$40.

I said never mind and ended up selling them on ebay for at least 10x the pocket change they were going to buy them from me for.

[Genii Lodus]

I think it's a good move because I'd rather see even the behemoth publishers like EA make more money from their games than some retailer which contributes nothing to the games industry. I've had such a backlog of games for so long that I rarely get round to playing anything until at least 8 months after it was released. Even then you can usually buy a new copy of the game online for less than you can find it second-hand.

I've read some of the hilarious gamer-rage people on Kotaku's views on this, the ones that crack me up the most are along the lines of "this is EA fucking over their customers". EA's customers are those who buy the game new, they make nothing from second-hand sales so why the hell should they pay the running costs for servers for these non-customers?

In the UK I've found Game especially bad for pricing second-hand games just below the new version and trying to aggressively push the second-hand copy on people at the till. It's a fairly sleazy tactic but so are it's attempts to sell god-awful third-party accessories and shovelware to clueless parents. The net effect of this will simply depress the second-hand price on the affected games; new buyers are unaffected, second-hand buyers who don't want online actually get a better deal and those who want to play online can get at for probably the same total price as current second-hand pricing. Developers will make more money and the retailer loses out. I'd be pretty happy with that outcome.

[Isil`Zha]

It does screw over people that like to rent, especially those with something like Gamefly - that means you can only rent it once, for a week, and be able to play it online.

I see this easily turning it a slippery slope where core gameplay is completely locked down without paying up. Something like the ridiculous DRM scheme that the PC version of Assassin's Creed 2 does.

[RogueIce]

Why? The game industry loses a shitload of money through the used game markets and if the model of digital distribution is used, we'll probably pay less for games new, then we will used.

I would love to see this happen.

Given the recent thread about Steam trying to redownload games/patches/whatever (even when you tell it NO to automatic updates) I'd be leery of this.

Still, putting aside that this may be a particular bit of stupidity on Steam's part, it still bugs Hell out of me when I buy a digital game and only get five downloads before you have to rebuy it. Or other such limitations.

Now, if they were all like Gamer's Gate where you buy it once and get unlimited downloads and reinstalls, I wouldn't mind. I'm just worried that, well, they won't.