Microsoft to Drop the Banner Hammer on Used Games With "Xbox 720"

[Tarvaln]

I. Xbox 720 -- Death of the Used Game?

Perhaps most interesting, the Edge report claims that Microsoft is preparing to come down hard on the used game market (a market customers love, but developers/console-makers hate because they don't get a cut).

Games will be sold (optionally) on physical media -- 50 GB Blu-Ray discs (surely Blu-Ray kingpin Sony Corp. (TYO:6758) is pleased with that). But to play the game you will have to have your console connected to the internet. And each game will be uniquely associated to your Xbox Live account. While the hacker crowd may be able to come up with elaborate workarounds, for most users that spells essentially a death sentence to second-hand or used games.

Source

I read this and thought. "Man, that sucks. I won't be able to get used games anymore." Then I thought, "Oh yea, I don't buy used games anymore. They are almost as expensive as new game games now a days."

I was just wondering if people will miss getting used games if this rumor is true. I don't think I will myself. It has been years since I bought a used game. This is purely due to the fact that the games I wanted to purchase were only $5 to $7 dollars cheaper used vs new.

 

[American Gunner]

This is already being discussed in the Xbox 720 specs thread.

 

[Tarvaln]

Yea, I just saw that. I think that topic should be left for the discussion of hardware specs as the OP intended. This topic is more for the opinion of the used game market and if it will be missed if the rumors are true.

 

[Tom]

used games can cost a lot less after some time goes by.

 

[Jeffg010]

Just about all my games were used on the Xbox so I'll be passing on the 720. I think this will push more people to get older game on steam. I pretty much switch over to steam to play all my games.

 

[American Gunner]

Just about all my games were used on the Xbox so I'll be passing on the 720. I think this will push more people to get older game on steam. I pretty much switch over to steam to play all my games.

So you felt like developers didn't deserve any of your money?

 

[Pheran]

Of course this whole thread is just going to be a repeat of this one.

This rumor isn't exactly new, despite the recent republishing.

 

[CVSiN]

Will be boycotting consoles completely this next gen.
speak with your wallets.

I for one buy 99% used and the rest are Gamefly.
I will be going back to full time PC gaming if this comes to light.

 

[purbeast0]

Just about all my games were used on the Xbox so I'll be passing on the 720. I think this will push more people to get older game on steam. I pretty much switch over to steam to play all my games.

not sure wtf steam has to do with current consoles.

Will be boycotting consoles completely this next gen.
speak with your wallets.

I for one buy 99% used and the rest are Gamefly.
I will be going back to full time PC gaming if this comes to light.

so basically you are someone who doesn't put money in the devs pockets anyways, so i'm pretty sure you will have not have an effect on the industry.

 

[CVSiN]

not sure wtf steam has to do with current consoles.

nothing we are talking about the next gens.. and he is right.
why buy a full priced over priced console game when I coulda have rented it or bought it used.

Steam blows even current games out at below half price at times. why use anything else?
especially with the new TV mode.

 

[Skel]

This is seriously one of those I'll believe it when I see it things. I have a hard time believing that either of them would cut out that market like this. They may start tapering it back more and more, but I doubt a straight cut off like that? With Sony not following suit? Serious doubts.

 

[American Gunner]

Will be boycotting consoles completely this next gen.
speak with your wallets.

I for one buy 99% used and the rest are Gamefly.
I will be going back to full time PC gaming if this comes to light.

Developers will not miss you at all since you didn't contribute anything useful this genereation. Good bye.

 

[CVSiN]

not sure wtf steam has to do with current consoles.



so basically you are someone who doesn't put money in the devs pockets anyways, so i'm pretty sure you will have not have an effect on the industry.

you do realize Gamefly has to buy those right? and they buy thousands..
still paying and supporting the industry..

and supporting companies that rely on that ability.

Used games and rental games are a HUGE part of sales.
you kill them and the game makers end up losing even more.

 

[CVSiN]

Developers will not miss you at all since you didn't contribute anything useful this genereation. Good bye.

no but there are MILLIONS of gamers like me that do use rentals and buy used.
without those sales will plummet.

You alienate gamers like me you alienate a good portion of the market.

 

[Dumac]

Next gen consoles require an internet connection? Wow, thats annoying. Half the use of consoles is bringing them on vacations or places with no internet. Will there at least be an offline mode type of feature?

 

[American Gunner]

no but there are MILLIONS of gamers like me that do use rentals and buy used.
without those sales will plummet.

You alienate gamers like me you alienate a good portion of the market.

They get one purchase on a game that is rented out several times. They see no money from used game sales. Just how is cutting that out going to make their overall numbers plummet?

 

[American Gunner]

Next gen consoles require an internet connection? Wow, thats annoying. Half the use of consoles is bringing them on vacations or places with no internet. Will there at least be an offline mode type of feature?

I was watching a video on IGN and they brought up a good point about this. What happens if your internet is out, then you can't play at all? That is the only problem I have with this report. I have had times where my internet was down, and to think that I couldn't play some single player stuff during that time would suck. But I have also seen reports saying that this is false and that they are "waiting" to see what Sony says when they release their info.

 

[purbeast0]

nothing we are talking about the next gens.. and he is right.
why buy a full priced over priced console game when I coulda have rented it or bought it used.

Steam blows even current games out at below half price at times. why use anything else?
especially with the new TV mode.

no one knows how this new steambox is going to be, but we could speculate all we want. no one will know for sure. me personally, i don't want "pc" games for the living room, which is all that steam in the living room would be. if i wanted to play pc games, i'd play them on a pc.

steam doesn't blow current console games out of anything, because i can't even access steam on a console.

but i don't want pc games, i want console games that i can play sitting back on my recliner with a controller in my hand.

steam is irrelevant to the console market at the current time.

 

[purbeast0]

no but there are MILLIONS of gamers like me that do use rentals and buy used.
without those sales will plummet.

You alienate gamers like me you alienate a good portion of the market.

yeah we'll agree to disagree. nothing either of us say will convince anyone elsewise.

regardless if there are MILLIONS of gamers like yourself, the industry is at it's peak right now and has been growing year over year. i personally think that if they did this it wouldn't hurt the market much at all.

i'm pretty confident that these MILLIONS of gamers like yourself, there will be more than enough of them that will end up purchasing games new if that is the only way they could play the games.

enough to the point the sales from these companies like gamefly and redbox would even out or surpass it. i'd also be shocked if gamefly and redbox paid $60/game.

 

[purbeast0]

oh and just so everyone knows my opinion, i don't think this will be a reality at all. i think this is all just rumors and speculation. but if it did en up happening i wouldn't care at all, as i very rarely purchase games used. when i do it's just older games. but they are usually ones that aren't even in print anymore. if this is using broadband to distribute the libraries of games, then i wouldn't have to worry about not being able to find a copy of a game.

 

[Dumac]

no one knows how this new steambox is going to be, but we could speculate all we want. no one will know for sure. me personally, i don't want "pc" games for the living room, which is all that steam in the living room would be. if i wanted to play pc games, i'd play them on a pc.

steam doesn't blow current console games out of anything, because i can't even access steam on a console.

but i don't want pc games, i want console games that i can play sitting back on my recliner with a controller in my hand.

steam is irrelevant to the console market at the current time.

I have to disagree with you there, since a large portion of steam games are also on consoles and have full controller support. I have a PC hooked up to an HDTV, and I sit back and play Steam games on the couch using a 360 controller + big picture mode.

The great part is, games are way cheaper on steam. I got The Walking Dead Season 1 for $12, compared to 25-30 on consoles. Arkham City, Alan Wake, Alice, Dead Space 1 and 2, Darksiders 2, Dead Island, Dark Souls, Mark of the Ninja, Dreamfall, and a bunch of other games I am forgetting can all be purchased for half as much, or less, than on consoles.

A lot of people don't like hooking up their PC to their TV, so many steambox can help them there? I don't really need one, since my PC suits me just fine.

 

[American Gunner]

If MS would do a better job at sales prices on their digital stuff, I doubt anyone would even mention steambox. Especially since steambox won't let you trade in games or anything.

 

[CVSiN]

If MS would do a better job at sales prices on their digital stuff, I doubt anyone would even mention steambox. Especially since steambox won't let you trade in games or anything.

you can kiss your trade ins goodbye as well with the new 720.

and Steam offers NEW titles at half off at times.
I've picked up huge name games a week after release at half off if you catch a sale.

 

[Dumac]

If MS would do a better job at sales prices on their digital stuff, I doubt anyone would even mention steambox. Especially since steambox won't let you trade in games or anything.

Well apparently neither will the 720

 

[purbeast0]

I have to disagree with you there, since a large portion of steam games are also on consoles and have full controller support. I have a PC hooked up to an HDTV, and I sit back and play Steam games on the couch using a 360 controller + big picture mode.

The great part is, games are way cheaper on steam. I got The Walking Dead Season 1 for $12, compared to 25-30 on consoles. Arkham City, Alan Wake, Alice, Dead Space 1 and 2, Darksiders 2, Dead Island, Dark Souls, Mark of the Ninja, Dreamfall, and a bunch of other games I am forgetting can all be purchased for half as much, or less, than on consoles.

A lot of people don't like hooking up their PC to their TV, so many steambox can help them there? I don't really need one, since my PC suits me just fine.

i'd guess that you're in the minority if you have a pc hooked up to a hdtv. especially one that is a "gaming" pc.

all of those games you mentioned aren't "pc" games in my eyes either though. those are console games ported over to pc. and all of the games you mentioned are all old games (at least the ones i am familiar with), so of course they are going to be cheaper now.

in general though aren't pc versions like $10 cheaper than console ones, at launch?