Game makers strike back at used game market

[Hefemeister]

Game makers strike back at used game market - Plugged In - Yahoo! Games

Buying and selling used video games has become a fact of life for many consumers -- but if game publishers get their way, it's about to become a lot more difficult.

One 2009 estimate puts the size of the used game business at about $2 billion, representing about one-third of all annual game sales. That's a big deal, especially for market leader Gamestop, which is thought to get over 40% of its profits from reselling traded-in games. Major retail chains like Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon have all dipped their toe in this lucrative market over the past year.

But while it's a serious earner for retailers, it's a complete bust for game publishers, who make nothing from secondhand sales of video games. They're looking for ways to get a piece of the pie -- or, failing that, to take the pie away altogether. Here's a few of the tactics they're using to make buying and selling used games harder for consumers.

So what soon I will not be able to sell a used car, dvd, clothes without giving profits to the original manufacturer?

 

[Slaymate]

Send all of your profits to me

 

[Druid]

That is really ***.

 

[Harper]

Second hand PC Game sales has died about long time ago in Australia. Sure, there are some shops where and there that still do it. Eg. Games Traders, Revolution CD. But they are dying out. Especially now with things like DRM and Steam/Live Accounts. As soon as those games are sold, the store will not take them back. Problem is that DRM for PC gaming is killing PC Gaming. PC game section in most of the major chains are next to no existant now days.
In all honesty I do feel sorry for some of the people that are not computer litterate purchasing a game and just mis-reading the specifaction. Or over looking the part that says "Internet Connection Required To Activate" when they don't have an internet connection. (yes, I know a few)

Consoles games on the other hand is a different story. However i am firm believer that it's only going to be a matter of time before console games are going to be shipped with a serial number and then bound to an user account. Or worst still, bound to your hardware. And the problem is that from the looks of it, it would see to be starting all ready.

In a way, although I don't like it, I can see where the game devs are getting from. What I do hope to see is that with DRM and these one time use activation keys they might start lowering the price of games.
I don't like it, but linking the game to an account I do see at justifiable. However what I don't like is Limiting installs. OKay, most people with a computer will most likely not know how to format a computer and install windows. However if you are some one like myself (or many of the other tech-heads here), we are most like formating and swapping around OSs every few week/months.
I do remember loosing one of my installs on Bioshock due to a Vista messing up rather badly.