Glad to see you...
If the gaming industry is an automobile, and the game designers are the drivers, then that makes us, the players, backseat drivers, and we'll be damned if we're gonna let the industry keep on heading the way it's going (good or bad) without letting them know what we think. So buckle up, feel free to complain about there being no air in the back, and bring your most critical and analytical mind to the open air discussion of the current age, Backseat Gamers!
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The Games You Won't Sell, The Games You Can't Sell
Kotaku has a very interesting article regarding the increasingly popular used game market. As two of are writers are heavily invested in this (Amateria - professionally, 3N3MY - religiously), this article is very relevant and should spark some interesting conversations.
Maybe this doesn't hit me as much as people who play the consoles heavier. You can't sell your PC games anymore really so you pretty much buy them and play them and hold onto them for years (or loan them to a friend for 7 or so years).
ReplyDeleteThis appears the fault of Gamestop and the publishers. First of all, with ANYTHING physical that you buy, there is a chance that you will sell it to someone else. Unfortunatley, Gamestop has created this middleman that jacks up the costs, screwing us and the publishers in a sense. But we fall for it because it's easy and takes away the hassle of us finding someone to buy our game.
However, if a used game is $55 and the new game is $60, I'm paying $60... come on... but if anyone wants to sell me a new release for $30, we'll talk, haha...
I must say I really enjoyed this and don't really have a problem with either ways "Can't Sell and Won't Sell."
ReplyDeleteI remember reading Glen Schofield's comment about Dead Space last year and it's obvious he was frustrated and I honestly felt/feel for the guy. He made a great game and wants the rewards. Who can blame him for that? I DID buy that game at launch and still own it and "Won't Sell."
You all know I'm an avid game trader on goozex.com, but I only do so cause it's such a great way to save money and get "money" on trade ins. If games went completely digital it would be a bummer, but I'd deal. Maybe if Gamestop would give some kickback to the publishers like they should this wouldn't be as large a problem as it has become.
My ONE and ONLY problem with strictly digital games is this. What happens when there's a new console launch? The XBOX 720 lets say. If I have all my 360 games on my drive how can I play them on my 720? Will M$ not do the dick thing and let me transfer them to my new drive? Will they allow my 360 drive to plug into the 720? Will the 720 let me import my 360 games and game saves and be large enough to do all this w/o M$ charging an arm and a leg for a 250gb drive?
I'd be fine with digital games honestly. So long as I don't get screwed by the console makers.
Juniper was talking to me about Steam last night and said that everything is liked to his account. When he gets a new PC or harddrive or anything he just logs back into steam and everything transfers and redownloads. Make it that simple and I'm onboard.
I'll admit that I have an attachment to the games I buy. Many of you know that I do not trade games except on the rare occasion that they suck or I do it spur of the moment. I am pretty picky when it comes to the games I purchase and have an attachment to those that I finish. With the exception of 1 broken NES and 30 stolen NES games, I have ALL of my original purchases. This includes my (second) NES and about 15 remaining games, SNES, N64, GC, and now PS3 and 360. Heck, I even have most of my old PC games (I was with you at one point Juniper!)
ReplyDeleteI dont know if it is for nastagic reasons, or even just for display purposes but I prefer my games to be in a physical media. I proudly put them with my BDs, HDDVDs, and DVDs. AND it wasnt until I ran out of room that I took out my GC games. I guess I just have a sence of pride toward the games I own and have a hard time letting them go. Because of this, I've only traded in NBA Live 06 (cause it blew goats) and Forza 2 (which I regret) and I do not support digital downloads.