The War on Used Video Games

Once we prepare for the coming wave of next-generation systems, we ought to be anticipating improvements on all the great things we associate with the current crop of systems. Moving forward we expect better graphics, faster processors, and more engaging games, you get the idea. But not precisely what we're anticipating will be a progressive movement for gaming. At the least, in terms of Sony and Microsoft are involved, you are able to wave goodbye to playing used games on the systems. Although these are just rumors at this time, it wouldn't be surprising should they came to fruition. It's very plausible, especially when taking into account that several game publishers have previously fired shots at the used game market.

Most notable is Electronic Arts(EA), who became the initial publisher to institute the practice of charging gamers, who bought used games, a fee to gain access to codes that include the game. To elaborate, Downloadable Content(DLC) codes are incorporated with new copies of a specific game, and only with those codes, can that content be accessed. EA expanded its project to add playing used games online. Gamers would are in possession of to pay $10, along with the cost of the used game that they purchased, to be able to have usage of the online the different parts of their game. Ubisoft has since followed suit, requiring an on the web pass because of its games as well. You are able to identify the games which require an on the web pass because they bare the "Uplay Passport", logo on the box.

Ubisoft decided they'd take things a step further and implement Digital Rights Management, a practice more regularly related to DVD or CD anti-piracy efforts. Assassin's Creed 2 was the initial game to be affected by this practice. To be able to play the PC version of Assassins Creed 2, gamers are needed to create an account with Ubisoft and remain logged into that account to be able to play the game. This implies that should you lose your internet connection, the game will automatically pause and make an effort to re-establish the connection. However, if you're unfortunate enough to be unable to reconnect to the web you'll have to continue from your own last saved game; losing any progress you might have made since then. This could be the case for all of Ubisoft's PC titles, regardless of whether one playing single-player or multi-player. While Digital Rights Management has been used to combat DVD and CD piracy for quite a while now, this can mark the very first time it's been useful for a movie game. In light of Ubisoft's implementation of DRM, Matthew Humphries of Geek cautions that it's feasible that eventually, even console games will require online registration to be able to play them.

So what's the explanation for all of this? Based on Denis Dyack, the pinnacle of Silicon Knights, the sale of used games is cannibalizing the profit of the principal game market. He also claims that the used game market is somehow causing the price of new games to rise. His proposed solution is to move far from physical disks and embrace digital distribution. Essentially he'd prefer to see services like Steam or EA's Origin replace traditional hard copies. You can find even rumors that the X-Box 720 will embrace the exclusive use of digital downloads and not use disks at all. Whether Microsoft will in truth follow-through with that plan remains to be seen.

You could argue that Sony has laid the groundwork for preventing used games from functioning on the future system. At minimum, they've already made quite an endeavor to produce used games considerably less desirable. Kath Brice, of Gamesindustry.biz, reported that the latest SOCOM game for PSP, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3, will require customers who purchase a used copy to pay a supplement $20 dollars to get a rule for online play.

I'd prefer to see some quantifiable evidence to support the claim which used games are in fact hurting the sales of new games at all. Without some actual facts, it sounds if you ask me like a whole lot to do about nothing. Case in point, within 24 hours Modern Warfare 3 sold 6.5 million copies, grossing $400 million dollars in sales. Correct me if I'm wrong however, you haven't heard Infinity Ward complaining about the used game market and it affecting their bottom line. That's likely because they're too busy counting their money earned by creating games that individuals actually desire to play. Imagine that. Maybe the problem isn't which used games have a poor impact on the sale of new games but, the issue is instead that game developers need to produce better games that gamers are willing to pay full price for.

I think, don't assume all game is worth $60 mainly because it's the suggested retail price. Looking at things objectively, don't assume all game is created equally, therefore don't assume all game is worthy of costing $60. 메이저사이트 whether it's because that one game failed to generally meet expectations and live up to the hype or since it lacks any type of replay value. It's ludicrous to argue that gamers should pay top dollar for every single game especially if they often turn out to be horrible disappointments, like Ninja Gadian 3, or they're riddled with glitches like Skyrim.

I suspect that the War on Used Games is only a money grab by developers, upset that they're struggling to profit on a very lucrative market. To place it in dollars and cents, in 2009 GameStop reported nearly $2.5 million dollars in revenue from the sale of used consoles and used games. And not merely one red cent of that profit reaches the pockets of game publishers. Greed whilst the motivating factor for the declaration of War on Used Games is transparent. Especially if you think about that when GameStop began separating their revenue from new games and used games in their financial statements, EA thereafter instituted their $10 dollar fee for used games.

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