Used Games vs. New Games

I'm trying to completely understand the argument for not buying Used games in favor of New games. As I understand it, the argument is that when you buy games New the majority of the money you spend goes directly to the developer/publisher, but when you buy games Used all that money goes to the store you're buying from. My confusion comes in with my understanding of how games change hands between the manufacturer and the retail store. It was my understanding that if a Gamestop wants 500 copies of RE5 they have to pay the developer/publisher for them and then hope they sell all 500 copies, at a price mark-up, to make their money back and turn a profit. If my understanding is correct then isn't the argument of Used vs. New kind of a moot point? Or if my understanding is correct, does the problem come in with the idea that if stores aren't moving New inventory but doing business in Used inventory then they won't be ordering more New stock? Which would mean, in that case, that the developer/publisher is getting screwed out of funds that way too. Can anyone clear this up for me?Potemkin2005

look at it this way, GS sells 500 new copies, and those all get traded in and they sell them all again, used, only they make money off of the 500 used ones.

now, if they had sold 500 new ones, then bought another 500 new ones from teh company and sold them, the company that made the game gets more money.

especially when they sell used games for only about 5$ under the price of it new.

My confusion comes in with my understanding of how games change hands between the manufacturer and the retail store. It was my understanding that if a Gamestop wants 500 copies of RE5 they have to pay the developer/publisher for them and then hope they sell all 500 copies, at a price mark-up, to make their money back and turn a profit. If my understanding is correct then isn't the argument of Used vs. New kind of a moot point?

Potemkin2005

I don't know if this is exactly how it works (thought it makes sense). Even if this is the case, in a macro sense, if a used market exists, it could reduce the demand for new games. With your used market, GameStop will only be ordering 400 copies of Resident Evil, since they know that 100 of their customers will sell/trade the game back to them, which GameStop gets to sell again, which is basically what you say here:

Or if my understanding is correct, does the problem come in with the idea that if stores aren't moving New inventory but doing business in Used inventory then they won't be ordering more New stock? Which would mean, in that case, that the developer/publisher is getting screwed out of funds that way too. Can anyone clear this up for me?

Potemkin2005

Some people in the gaming industry have decried used games as "destroying the industry." Complaints I've read centered around how retailers promote and prominently display used games as much as new games.

That's free enterprise, though! There's a used market for many products out there. I'm pretty sure that the pricing structure for games has taken into account revenue "lost" to used game sales.

Most of used games in stores are the old ones and new copies (of that specific game) arent coming anymore. For example, two weeks ago I bought Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, used. How could I buy a new MGS2 these days????

Most of used games in stores are the old ones and new copies (of that specific game) arent coming anymore. For example, two weeks ago I bought Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, used. How could I buy a new MGS2 these days????

Freezing_Knight

I do the same thing. Sometimes you can't buy new.

Used game is good way to insure you money is not going to the game company.

If you are angry at them and think they don't deserve your money.... but you wanna play the game, then used game is good option.

As a consumer, used games don't really do their justice. The money you save is hardly difference maker, but the condition of the game might be quite worse compared to new game (especially if the manual shows signs that it has been wet... who knows where it has been?).

No real strong reason to get used game in other words, unless it's old and the game is difficult to find.

Also new games are avaliable right away but used game takes time before you can find one. If you don't mind waiting, then it is still pointless to get used game since you can just wait for the game price to drop and get brand new game for the price you are satisfied with and you are secure with it's condition.

If you want to buy used game, go right ahead. It's your money so you are entitled to spend it the way you want. There is no moral choice here, as you are not doing anything illegal. If game companies moans about it, it means nothing. They are just whining. Every product released in the world gets sold used (well except for few things like food, condoms, etc... hope those aren't sold used...) somewhere and none of those companies make money from used items. However, I'd say buying used game is not exactly being a smart shopper.

I consider the condition of the disc a moot point, because I'm going to look at this disc in the store, and if it's ****ed up, I'm going to ask for a different one. When buying a used game, I also pick through the boxes and manuals to get the nice looking ones. There's always a ****-load to choose from for any major game at my GameStop.

People wouldnt need to buy used games if they there were sold at a reasonable price: 20-30$ _AbBaNdOn

then why have a seen used copies of games for $5 less than it is new? how is a $5 difference make it a reasonable price?

Also until we are allowed to return video games for full purchase price in CASH game developers and retailers can go screw themselves because most games are CRAP and not worth the plastic they are burned into. _AbBaNdOn

Then dont buy crap games, if you dont buy them the second they come out this shouldnt be an issue if your smart enough to do reasearch.

I could give you my arguements, but I could never top this.

First of all, why is it some moral imperative that we pay the developer for their game? Most transactions involving used products put zero money in the manufacturer's pocket, so a case would have to be made against the resale of used items in general, which would be completely ridiculous. Those with little money need their thrift stores, for example.
Second, the analogy of buying used to illegally downloading is flawed for the following reason: with console and handheld games, at least, there are limited copies of the game in circulation, so not only is someone paying for the physical product, but that person is also paying for the transfer of the licence to play the game from the seller. The total number of people able to play the game remains constant. With illegal downloads, there is no limit to the number of copies in circulation and there is no transference. The number of people able to play can increase without bound, without a dime going to the developer for additional copies obtained.
Thought experiment time. Consider two groups of people: one has bought all the copies of a game that have been produced, and the other wants these copies of the game, but doesn't have any. Each copy of the game was purchased already. The money already went to the developer. Let's say that the used market exists and the second group bought all the copies of the aforementioned game from the first group. If it is said that the developer should get money out of this transaction, it would be the case that consumers are, in total, paying the developer more than the total price of all the copies of the game. This is not a pay-for-ownership model of business.
Asking whether buying used should be made illegal looks to me like the question of whether or not all game business should take place under a pay-for-use model instead of a pay-for-ownership model. Why should that be the case?
Angry_Beaver

If I really like what a certain developer has been doing or am a big fan of their games I'll support them by buying new. If I can't stand what a particular developer is doing to the industry or a company (like Capcom and Ubisoft) but I still want to play some of their games then I'll rent them instead.

I did that with the recent PoP game and will do that with RE5 as well.

Good luck finding Chrono Trigger for Super Nintendo new...

I'm not saying it CAN'T be done, I've seen a couple, but is it really necessary?