Train2Game students may already be aware of the methods game developers are using to encourage consumers to buy new copies of their games, rather than second hand versions that are available at retail.
Some include bonus content when the game is bought new, others require a code to play online which comes with a brand new version of the game. Some even believe digital distribution is the way forward.
However, recent rumours suggest that the next generation Xbox console won’t play second hand games at all, and that’s welcomed by Volition Game Designer Jamson Durall.
“Personally I think this would be a fantastic change for our business and even though the consumers would be up in arms about it at first they will grow to understand why and that it won’t kill them,” he wrote on AltDevBlogADay.
“The used games market is significantly impacting the revenue we receive. I think what most consumers don’t realize is that every time they buy a used game, there is ZERO money making it back to the Game Developers. All of those profits are going directly to the re-seller and making it more and more difficult for us to continue making higher quality products.”
“People often don’t understand the cost that goes into creating these huge experiences that we put on the shelves for only $60. They also don’t seem to realize how much they are hurting us when they buy a used game and how pirating a copy is just plain stealing.” Durall continued, before adding that if something isn’t done to combat the sales of second hand games the games industry “is going to fall apart”.
Train2Game students can read Durall’s AltDevBlogADay post in full here.
His name may be familiar to Train2Game students, as he spoke to us in a massive interview about Red Faction: Armageddon last year. Durall also revealed some excellent advice about how to get into the games industry.
But what are your thoughts on his views on second hand games? Do you understand his concerns as future game developers? Or do you believe that the industry just needs to adapt to second hand sales?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
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I find it disturbing that this industry acts like it has never done well for itself or made profit with pre-owned games. Everyone takes a woe is me approach and in turn we give more power to people like Ubisoft to sell digital copies of their games for £49.99. Getting less for more money doesn’t work right with me and holding back content with DLC codes is just another way of making the users experience uncomfortable and irritating. Especially when the profits do not go to the developers, they go to the publisher. There is no direct financial link to a developer unless they’re an indie developer. They get paid to do a job and thats as much as most will get out of the proceeds.
These kinds of moves only serve to destroy peoples interest in video games because you are taking up the users time and making the experience of getting into a game as painful as possible before they even reach the main menu. Maybe day one DLC and lock-out codes along with preorder bonuses that keep content from a majority of players is what’s causing people like me to buy a heck of a lot less games. I can certainly vouch for myself on this.
Finally to end this rather unhappy rant, let’s get real about preowned games. There have been countless franchises that a preowned game has served as an entry point for me that has ended up with me grabbing sequels and the like day one. Long term is much more important than short term and to act like $60/£40 isn’t a lot of money for something that most likely won’t have a demo version to try, is an absolutely absurd and greedy point of view. Maybe if Armageddon was worth any kind of premium price tag, it would have done well but as for listening to this preowned fighting garbage, I’m afraid he can cry me a river.
I Agree with what Aaron said. The way he has just explained it has changed my original perspective. Game companies shouldn’t expect people to buy their games digitally with a higher price tag if they don’t even release demos prior to game releases or at least on or after game release.
I think we could potentially be seeing a Boycott on authentic copies.