Should selling used video games be illegal?

Okay, okay. I don't really mean that question literally. I definitely don't think the sale of used video games should be illegal. I was just thinking though - since pirated games hurt the industry (and I'm not disputing that), and that in and of itself is often given as a reason for them being illegal, shouldn't the reselling of games that you are done playing also be illegal? After all, that is one less sale the game developer makes. Every time you buy a used game, you are getting that game without paying the developer for their work. Sound familiar?

Just to be clear, I don't really have an agenda here. I just think it's an interesting point.

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_Tobli_

It has to do with used game sales, but most of that doesn't seem particularly relevant to my post.

It has to do with used game sales, but most of that doesn't seem particularly relevant to my post.SpaceMoose

Hmm well shows how how making this illegal would hurt retailers.

Hmm well shows how how making this illegal would hurt retailers.

_Tobli_

What your saying really doesn't have much affect on the industry so it shouldn't be illegal. Say for some reason you bought a used game from a friend or whatever, I'm sure a) the game has been out for a while b) you weren't willing to pay full price for the game anyway and c) the amount of people who would buy a used game, rather than a new one is minimal compared to the amount of people who would buy the game new.

But I do understand where you're coming from and there is some validity to your argument.

What your saying really doesn't have much affect on the industry so it shouldn't be illegal. Say for some reason you bought a used game from a friend or whatever, I'm sure a) the game has been out for a while b) you weren't willing to pay full price for the game anyway and c) the amount of people who would buy a used game, rather than a new one is minimal compared to the amount of people who would buy the game new.

But I do understand where you're coming from and there is some validity to your argument.

WhOOmpa260

im not sure about where you come from? but in the UK trade-ins are big business for example a shop network called CEX would simply cease to exist if selling used games was illegal cause everything they sell is a trade-in. GAME (a shop) which is the biggest games retailer in the UK a vey large part of all there stores are devoted to traded in games aswell. You speak o fbuying used games as if its something that just goes on every now anda again between mates. It Is massive business for many games retaileres.

plus it isnt an arguement TC was putting forward as he said, just pointing out one of those odd logic things with the laws.

Very interesting point. X360PS3AMD05

I agree,I never thought about this tell now...and I cant sleep!.

It's a good question, but I don't think it is quite the same. Piracy benefits no one but the end user. Selling used games benefits the end user as well as a retailer.

If selling used games was not allowed, it would effectively end my time as a gamer. I don't have the money to buy all the new games that come out. I have about 60 games for Xbox. If I bought all of them new, even at $40, that adds up to $2400. I've paid a fraction of that. Some of the games I've bought have been new, but other than Halo 2 at full price (mistake) I haven't paid more than $20 for a game.

Many end users would lose out, in addition to the retailers.

I have always wondered that too. But it's legitimate practise and there's nothing the video game companies can do about it.

Well, actually, they can. CD Keys, online registration and forcing an online account (like Phantasy Star) is a way to minimize, but not totally get rid of people reselling games.

If you want to ban the sale of used video games, then you have to ban the sale of everything used. Cars, for example, are the exact same thing.LukeAF24

When was the last time you quit using a car after a month because you had already gotten all of the entertainment out of it that you were going to get?

A used game, under most circumstances, is functionally equivalent to a new one. If that was the case with cars, many car manufacturers that are still around may well indeed be out of business.

Also, the fundamental difference between digital media and other products is that with digital media, the manufacturing cost is almost trivial compared to the product design. It would be as if the only thing you really needed to use someone else's car was a design speculation; when it comes to software, the design and the product itself are nearly one and the same.

no, because then you might as well outlaw lending a video game to a friend. It's basically the same thing.smg-9_point_5

Yes and no, since it is far more likely a used game store will have some particular game you want.

It's a good question, but I don't think it is quite the same. Piracy benefits no one but the end user. Selling used games benefits the end user as well as a retailer.

If selling used games was not allowed, it would effectively end my time as a gamer. I don't have the money to buy all the new games that come out. I have about 60 games for Xbox. If I bought all of them new, even at $40, that adds up to $2400. I've paid a fraction of that. Some of the games I've bought have been new, but other than Halo 2 at full price (mistake) I haven't paid more than $20 for a game.

Many end users would lose out, in addition to the retailers.

muthsera666

In my view it doesn't matter if the retailers would lose out. Why are they entitled to a profit at someone else's (the game developer's) expense? Going back to the piracy comparison, suppose some pirates were selling pirated games. I don't think many people would take seriously the argument that it should be legal because otherwise the pirates and some end users would lose out.

(I'm going to reiterate that I don't actually think it should be illegal; I buy many used game myself.)

The difference is that when you sell a used game, you no longer have the game. As opposed to pirating, which involves making copies of the game. MrGeezer

Let's take this to the extreme end: Suppose it was possible to legally transfer ownership of digitally downloaded games over the internet. Let's say I want to play, just for the sake of example, Orange Box, and let's say we effectively are able to cut out the middle man, such as GameStop, so we are generally able to buy and sell a game for the same price. I buy it off of someone used. I play it until I am bored with it and then resell it for the same amount, let's say via PayPal. I want to play it again a week later, so I buy it off of someone else who is currently bored with it. Then I sell it again, and so on...

Should that be legal?

[QUOTE="MrGeezer"]The difference is that when you sell a used game, you no longer have the game. As opposed to pirating, which involves making copies of the game. SpaceMoose

Let's take this to the extreme end: Suppose it was possible to legally transfer ownership of digitally downloaded games over the internet. Let's say I want to play, just for the sake of example, Orange Box, and let's say we effectively are able to cut out the middle man, such as GameStop, so we are generally able to buy and sell a game for the same price. I buy it off of someone used. I play it until I am bored with it and then resell it for the same amount, let's say via PayPal. I want to play it again a week later, so I buy it off of someone else who is currently bored with it. Then I sell it again, and so on...

Should that be legal?

Sure, as long as there is a way to ensure that you aren't buying a game once, keeping it, and then using that game to make 20 copies that you then send to 20 different people.

That's pretty hard to enforce though, which is why it's illegal.

no, because then you might as well outlaw lending a video game to a friend. It's basically the same thing.smg-9_point_5

that's actually illegal with PC games at least.