I don't do second hand games. I never have - and I don't think I ever could. The UK is no different to the US in that respect - walk into a retailer such as Game or Gamestation (now owned by Game) and they'll give you tuppence for a trade-in. Then they'll turn around and put it in their window for near the full price of a new copy (in the case of recent releases). Of course for me, being the way I am, I hate getting something second hand (unless it's free) so with the price of second hand games considered - it isn't an option for me anyway. I'm also not the sort to sell games, I collect. Maybe I'm just being a bit snooty - but it seems the consumer is being shafted from every angle.

Unfortunately there aren't many other options for those of us that want rid of our old titles, eBay, car boot sales and a sale to a friend are just about the only viable means I can think of (with the latter being rare). So it is understandable how many go for the safe option, albeit one where you're getting screwed. The buyer wants to feel safe in their purchase, retailers provide that, while eBay can seem like one huge uncertainty to newcomers.

While this does go on, we do have a choice and don't have to part with near to r.r.p for a second-hand game. Developers do not have a choice; they get paid once for each game sold and so see nothing from second-hand sales, where a game might change hands several times.

Steve Ellis, director at Free Radical (Timesplitters series) spoke out a few days ago (found here at MCV)

I can't imagine going into PC World and buying a pre-owned copy of MS Office. It just wouldn't happen. The logical conclusion of this; the retailers' ultimate goal is that they only ever sell one original copy of any game and then they pass it around between everyone who wants to play it, keeping all of the profit for themselves except for that initial sale. How can that possibly be fair?

Sale of second hand PC games is almost non-existent of course because, like MS Office, each copy has a CD Key - rendering any multiplayer component useless. In the case of Steam activated, and entirely multiplayer games like World of Warcraft - second hand just doesn't work. This is the reason (along with piracy) why so many new titles have found their way on the Steam platform, each copy is locked down to one user account.

Could it be that in future, the same will apply to consoles? Perhaps developers would like to see the erradication of disks altogether? I would feel rather uneasy about that - if the consumer is forced to buy without a retailer, then we will be charged whatever they deem fit - with no alternative. It already happens with the 360's Live Arcade and Wii's VC. Of course, for the retro games on those platforms, the only alternative is the second-hand market. So what to do?

I'm in agreement with most developers that claim the current system is flawed, but I wouldn't want to see this empower electronic distribution or a lockdown on every copy I buy. For games no longer in print - the second hand market should be there, but for new titles I expect gamers to know better than let these retailers rip you off.

So what do you think about second-hand games?