THQ: Buying used games is cheating

[QUOTE="Vari3ty"]

Well maybe if they didn't charge $60 for every freaking game used games wouldn't be as much a problem with them. I swear, only the games industry can get away with this BS. If you bought a car used, would the original car manufacturer get money? No they wouldn't, because someone else already purchased the car. This industry just annoys the crap out of me, and I don't see it changing anytime soon.

mudman91878

If you think that is a legit analogy then you have no clue what you're talking about. Used cars and used games are totally different. Digital media has an infinite lifespan which is the problem and it's also the reason your car analogy does not apply.

Maybe console gamers will realize that used games are a cancer to the industry. They constantly talk about pirates and PC gaming and then they'll go and screw the publisher by buying used games just like pirates screw the publishers by dling games.

I don't get console gamers. It's such a simple concept...give money to the people who made the game, not gamestop.

Digital media has an infinite lifespan? You got to be kidding me. If anything, digital media has the shortest lifespan of any product out on the mass market today. How long will it be before the games people buy today become obsolete? Not long at all, I would think.

This whole "Online Pass" stuff is BS

People are buying your games used Devs? That means you need to put out a better product

[QUOTE="mudman91878"]

[QUOTE="Vari3ty"]

Well maybe if they didn't charge $60 for every freaking game used games wouldn't be as much a problem with them. I swear, only the games industry can get away with this BS. If you bought a car used, would the original car manufacturer get money? No they wouldn't, because someone else already purchased the car. This industry just annoys the crap out of me, and I don't see it changing anytime soon.

Vari3ty

If you think that is a legit analogy then you have no clue what you're talking about. Used cars and used games are totally different. Digital media has an infinite lifespan which is the problem and it's also the reason your car analogy does not apply.

Maybe console gamers will realize that used games are a cancer to the industry. They constantly talk about pirates and PC gaming and then they'll go and screw the publisher by buying used games just like pirates screw the publishers by dling games.

I don't get console gamers. It's such a simple concept...give money to the people who made the game, not gamestop.

Digital media has an infinite lifespan? You got to be kidding me. If anything, digital media has the shortest lifespan of any product out on the mass market today. How long will it be before the games people buy today become obsolete? Not long at all, I would think.

its not additional restrictions and charges... people look at it all wrong, like something is being taken away. The truth is you don't own it, so its not being taken away. They are selling you a game, and buying new ADDS content on top of that now.savagetwinkie

That sir, is bull****. Complete and utter such. I can tell by the texture.

People look at it that way because they used to have something and now they don't. That is the very definition of having something taken away. Whether or not you legally owned the game is irrelevant.

I do not understand your line of thinking. Since it's a license and you don't own the product you seem to believe it's ok for publishers to enforce whatever sort of nonsense they please.

What kind of proper incentive do they have other then additional content... Good DLC takes a while to create and doesn't really help as much as you'd think it would. Think of a 8-12 hour game, people could be done with that in the first week of ownership, and it could take 6 months for a really good add on... savagetwinkie

Other than "additional content"? Actual additional content. I believe Alan Wake did this. If it helped in a significant manner I do not know however.

It's not my job to solve their problems, but that's an approach I would approve of.

Is buying a used car cheating? No. Is buying used clothes cheating? **** no. Is FORCING people to buy something new for it to work cheating? Yes.

I'm getting sick of these greedy publishers.

That sir, is bull****. Complete and utter such. I can tell by the texture.

People look at it that way because they used to have something and now they don't. That is the very definition of having something taken away. Whether or not you legally owned the game is irrelevant.

I do not understand your line of thinking. Since it's a license and you don't own the product you seem to believe it's ok for publishers to enforce whatever sort of nonsense they please.McStrongfast

Ok so when I before I bought bc2 I owned all the VIP access items where upon purchasing used they took it away? Thats complete nonsense... The dev and publusher own the rights to the game and can decide which content to sell, you don't own any of it, so they aren't taking anything away.

Your not entitled to this content, and they've made a game and decided to give additional content. If you bought it new you get it free, if you buy it used you don't and its an optional cost and its not required to play the original game.

There is no punishing or restrictions there...

Other than "additional content"? Actual additional content. I believe Alan Wake did this. If it helped in a significant manner I do not know however.

It's not my job to solve their problems, but that's an approach I would approve of.

McStrongfast

Its all additional content, that comes free with new games i don't see the difference from alan wake to other games that give map packs on release. Its all content, and all additional to the base game...

meh. i've no problem with not getting some of the online features when i buy used. as long as i can play the single player campaign. Ontain

I have to agree 100%..... THEN AGAIN.... the prices are too high. If they make money from used game sales then they should lower the price!! WIN WIN...

I wonder how the people defending it would reacting if car manufacturers started inputting codes into their new cars that deactivate it when you sell them, allowing used owners to only drive 40 mph unless they pay an additional fee the the manufacturer in order to unlock going faster.

It's the exact same thing.

Also, people who are defending them for "acting like a business that wants to make a profit", well, they should stop getting mad at consumers for "acting like consumers who want to save money." :|

selling ANYTHING used does not make money for the original seller. I dont see how it is any of THQ's business. If i want to sell a game i own , i will. If want to buy a used game from someone i will.

Videodogg

This is how the world works but some people can't understand it. Once the Game or license to the game is bought it NO LONGER belongs to the publisher therefore they deserve Zero money from any future transaction involving this piece of software. It is your right to sell forward anything you buy and the day that changes will be a sad day indeed.

[QUOTE="Videodogg"]

selling ANYTHING used does not make money for the original seller. I dont see how it is any of THQ's business. If i want to sell a game i own , i will. If want to buy a used game from someone i will.

EG101

This is how the world works but some people can't understand it. Once the Game or license to the game is bought it NO LONGER belongs to the publisher therefore they deserve Zero money from any future transaction involving this piece of software. It is your right to sell forward anything you buy and the day that changes will be a sad day indeed.

THQ primarily deals inthe PC market, so it's not like you can trade in your PC games for new ones...I'm not sure where half the folks on this thread are coming from. But used games DO subtract from new games sales, especially in the state the world is in now.

So they get back at the players by cheating them out of online play? Oh and tossing in a playable Chris Masters (LMAO) for SvR 2011? They can do better than that...

[QUOTE="darthogre"][QUOTE="TerrorRizzing"] you payed for the disc, you dont own the game. The game is a bunch of code, not the disc. Otherwise yourse saying you own the code, which you dont.

TerrorRizzing

Heck in my country the law wont even help them against piracy unless someone is selling pirated copies. In the usa piracy is illegal because those huge corporations kept at it until it was.

Piracy is like getting the recipe to make a big mac, you only have information. Now if I started making big macs and selling them, different issue. In my country the fact that its so easy to use the information to play a game or music is irrelevant, its the same thing to them.

If they could outlaw used sales, they would... but they cant.

People sell games to buy new ones. I dont see the problemTameFan

[QUOTE="TameFan"]People sell games to buy new ones. I dont see the problemCajunShooter

Making bad games is worse.IronBass

Ok so when I before I bought bc2 I owned all the VIP access items where upon purchasing used they took it away? Thats complete nonsense... The dev and publusher own the rights to the game and can decide which content to sell, you don't own any of it, so they aren't taking anything away.

Your not entitled to this content, and they've made a game and decided to give additional content. If you bought it new you get it free, if you buy it used you don't and its an optional cost and its not required to play the original game.

There is no punishing or restrictions there...savagetwinkie

Bad Company (New)
$60
All maps available on release
Four(?) additional Conquest maps released for free
All of them accessible by everyone (friends, family members etc.)

Bad Company 2 (New)
$60
Five out of eight maps available on release
Zero additional maps
Four maps accessible by everyone (single-use, single account code)
Lowered second hand value (VIP costs $15)

If you can not see how this makes things worse for the end user (for new and used users alike) and understand why people dislike this sort of treatment, I'm just gonna stop talking with you for real. Because then this is obviously pointless.

They make enough money as it is because $60 is too much for a new game. I suppose in some cases you're getting what you pay for, but most games aren't worth $60. I buy games used whenever I can because we shouldn't have to pay that much for a new game.

I wonder how the people defending it would reacting if car manufacturers started inputting codes into their new cars that deactivate it when you sell them, allowing used owners to only drive 40 mph unless they pay an additional fee the the manufacturer in order to unlock going faster.

TreyoftheDead

Whatever, Its not like I value any publishers opinion or feelings.

ActicEdge

[QUOTE="TreyoftheDead"]

I wonder how the people defending it would reacting if car manufacturers started inputting codes into their new cars that deactivate it when you sell them, allowing used owners to only drive 40 mph unless they pay an additional fee the the manufacturer in order to unlock going faster.

Teufelhuhn

[QUOTE="TreyoftheDead"]

I wonder how the people defending it would reacting if car manufacturers started inputting codes into their new cars that deactivate it when you sell them, allowing used owners to only drive 40 mph unless they pay an additional fee the the manufacturer in order to unlock going faster.

Teufelhuhn

Haha, teuf, you looked way deeper into my comparison than I did. Not that you're wrong.

As much as I dislike this practice, as it limits my choices when bargain hunting, I can't fault them from making it. If I were them, I'd make it to. I guess the only way Gamestop can stop it is to throw in free X-Box Live points cards and PSN cards to combat it, but I don't see them ever doing something like that. Either that or drop the prices of their used games to compensate, which will in turn lower trade in prices. Either way, it's bad news for them.

[QUOTE="Ontain"]meh. i've no problem with not getting some of the online features when i buy used. as long as i can play the single player campaign. Jipset

True, but how long before they start making codes to be able to play the single-player game as well? Knowing the game industry, I wouldn't put it past them.

No one would play your games THQ if we couldn't buy them used lol JK

Do they even have any good games under their belt?

As much as I dislike this practice, as it limits my choices when bargain hunting, I can't fault them from making it. If I were them, I'd make it to. I guess the only way Gamestop can stop it is to throw in free X-Box Live points cards and PSN cards to combat it, but I don't see them ever doing something like that. Either that or drop the prices of their used games to compensate, which will in turn lower trade in prices. Either way, it's bad news for them.

TreyoftheDead

Might wanna read this (not just you, but anyone who believes gamestop will be hurt by this):

http://www.gamepolitics.com/2010/05/21/gamestop-039looking-forward-online-pass039

I didn't mean to target you, just that your post was convenient to quote.

Edit was just to clean up the quotes a bit. That's all

Third edit was to make link clickable and I found a better link than I originally posted... Sorry for all the edits.

[QUOTE="savagetwinkie"]Ok so when I before I bought bc2 I owned all the VIP access items where upon purchasing used they took it away? Thats complete nonsense... The dev and publusher own the rights to the game and can decide which content to sell, you don't own any of it, so they aren't taking anything away.

Your not entitled to this content, and they've made a game and decided to give additional content. If you bought it new you get it free, if you buy it used you don't and its an optional cost and its not required to play the original game.

There is no punishing or restrictions there...McStrongfast

Bad Company (New)
$60
All maps available on release
Four(?) additional Conquest maps released for free
All of them accessible by everyone (friends, family members etc.)

Bad Company 2 (New)
$60
Five out of eight maps available on release
Zero additional maps
Four maps accessible by everyone
Lowered second hand value (VIP costs $15)

If you can not see how this makes things worse for the end user (for new and used users alike) and understand why people dislike this sort of treatment, I'm just gonna stop talking with you for real.

you're not entitled to online... if its a new game what you bought before has nothing to do with it... and what your buying now if they chose to give more value to a new copy then thats the dev's right. You spend a measily $5 extra to buy a new copy, support the dev, and get $15 dollars worth of extra content or more functionality out of your game, without spending $15 dollars.

and bad company 2 released with all its maps available then they reworked a couple for different game modes, its not like the maps are 1:1 between rush and conquest, theres alot more area in rush...

They make enough money as it is because $60 is too much for a new game. I suppose in some cases you're getting what you pay for, but most games aren't worth $60. I buy games used whenever I can because we shouldn't have to pay that much for a new game.

GeoffZak

[QUOTE="Teufelhuhn"]

[QUOTE="TreyoftheDead"]

I wonder how the people defending it would reacting if car manufacturers started inputting codes into their new cars that deactivate it when you sell them, allowing used owners to only drive 40 mph unless they pay an additional fee the the manufacturer in order to unlock going faster.

KungfuKitten

Honestly, I think Gears of War 2 took the best route. Instead of taking out entire features like online, offer up a lot of exclusive bonus content up to first time buyers that people who buy used games will have to pay far. Gears of War 2 offered the classic map pack, but publishers could go even further than that. Offer up the first DLC free, or a free DLC program for certain releases that everyone else has to pay for. This wouldn't completely get rid of paid DLC, it would just offer extra stuff like new costumes, new weapons, and other stuff free to first time buyers.

Or hell, even exclusive modes in the online play, giving used gamers only standard death matches and team death matches to play online unless the fork over more money.

i never buy used games. i personally think you really should actually support the people who made it. Thats sort of logical is it not? i mean atleast like piracy most people don't openly say that its ok. you can't possibly think its ok to just buy something without supporting the people who made it. dkdk999

i never buy used games. i personally think you really should actually support the people who made it. Thats sort of logical is it not? i mean atleast like piracy most people don't openly say that its ok. you can't possibly think its ok to just buy something without supporting the people who made it. dkdk999

Piracy is stealing and illegal, buying used games is paying for a product and legal, even if the developer/publisher isn't getting any of that money. In our market we are allowed to buy and sell used goods, so it's not the same thing at all just because it has one common thread.

And I think it is ok to have the right to sell and buy used products, there is nothing wrong with it at all.

[QUOTE="dkdk999"]i never buy used games. i personally think you really should actually support the people who made it. Thats sort of logical is it not? i mean atleast like piracy most people don't openly say that its ok. you can't possibly think its ok to just buy something without supporting the people who made it. TreyoftheDead

Piracy is stealing and illegal, buying used games is paying for a product and legal, even if the developer/publisher isn't getting any of that money. In our market we are allowed to buy and sell used goods, so it's not the same thing at all just because it has one common thread.

And I think it is ok to have the right to sell and buy used products, there is nothing wrong with it at all.

[QUOTE="savagetwinkie"]

its not a punishment, and you can buy new games several years after their release... unless they suck so much no one bought the new copies in the first place which likely means there aren't many used.

Regardless buying a disc gives you a license to use certain content, and buying a new copy might come with a license to add content for it on your account. Yes its attached to the original owner and if you buy a game 4 years later for $10 and they have some add on content for a few bucks its still not like your going to have paid $60 for it.

There is no difference with game content when you buy new vs used so basically the publisher wanted to give some incentive to buying new and differentiate new from used copies other then the condition of the jewel case... I really don't see a problem with this unless your poor and you need 100 people to chip in to buy a game.

McStrongfast

You don't see why people would have a problem with additional restrictions and charges?

What they should do is give actual, proper incentives, not the above. Or support the game with proper DLC to make people hold onto the game. Or why not both.

How about going back to the expansion pack mode of selling extra content instead of nickel and diming gamers over a map here or a weapon there?

There is nothing wrong with incentives either. Offer something to those who buy new, but make sure a game is complete on release instead of holding back stuff to add by bits and pieces later and often at a cost.

You won't really catch me buying a new game unless i really really want it, i always buy used....

if i get locked out from online oh well sucks to be me then, i'm sorry but alot of these game are not worth $75 here in canada that's with tax in. that's just my opinion.

You're right about the comparison. But I don't think it's right for THQ to care less about their customers to increase profit. I'm sure there are people who never buy new, but I'm also sure there are plenty who buy used and new. That's a big part of why people are not liking what they see here. It wasn't necessary before, and now it is? Maybe ninty was right about new technology and dev costs.

KungfuKitten

So, by that same logic, librairies are the dirtiest, lowest, worst, most cheat-iest places in the world.

Same with Amazon and Ebay.

[QUOTE="KungfuKitten"]

You're right about the comparison. But I don't think it's right for THQ to care less about their customers to increase profit. I'm sure there are people who never buy new, but I'm also sure there are plenty who buy used and new. That's a big part of why people are not liking what they see here. It wasn't necessary before, and now it is? Maybe ninty was right about new technology and dev costs.

Teufelhuhn

As mentioned, people who buy used and people who buy new aren't two warring factions. Myself I buy new and sometimes sell used. To get more money to spend on things like new games.

The tradition continues of gamers not giving a damn about the publishers and developers of their games, while also expecting to be catered to the utmost extreme. rolo107