Wal-Mart Enters the Used Game Fray 129
eldavojohn writes "It's a simple model — you buy used games for a third of the price of a new one from patrons. Then you turn around and sell the game for two-thirds the normal price to other patrons that have not yet enjoyed the title. Such has been the model for stores like GameStop. The great part about that business is a recession can sometimes help their market, as gamers look to save a few bucks any way possible. Well, today Wal-Mart launched kiosks in 77 of its stores that vend used video games. Looking like a RedBox DVD kiosk, these automated machines are full of bugs, but spell trouble for businesses like GameStop. This should also pique the interest of used-game opponents and provide a bigger target for them to go after if they get the politicians on their side."
Bigger target? (Score:3, Interesting)
This should also pique the interest of used-game opponents and provide a bigger target for them to go after if they get the politicians on their side."
I have the feeling that even the likes of Blizzard or Electronic Arts would think twice about giving Wal-Mart a hard time.
Re:Excellent (Score:5, Interesting)
Except its only for consoles, which means the DRM wont be an issue. The summary should specify that it is console only, but it doesn't.
Re:People still buy used games? (Score:3, Interesting)
Well, in this case you might as well send the $45 to The Pirate Bay, rather than Walmart, as the publisher and game developers won't see a cent of it anyway.
Old used games are awesome. (Score:2, Interesting)
Having a place to buy older games like PS1 or SuperNES games is valuable to the gaming community. Places that sell games you can't buy anymore! Our local video store sells these games for $2-$5. Sometimes they are scratched but you don't feel ripped off. And it gives you an opportunity to play these awesome games you forgot even existed. Except the older games are incredibly easy and you end up feeling stupid for taking two weeks to wrap it the first time.
Re:People still buy used games? (Score:2, Interesting)
I'm not saying it's ok. I'm just saying I would rather as a book publisher have you save your limited resources to spend on one of my books instead of going to a used book store and spending money there.
75% of the used game price disappears into Gamestop. As far as the game ecosystem is concerned that money is gone. Your customers are expending their limited teen dollars on a product that in no way what so ever brings a profit.
If instead of buying and reselling 2 games these teens pirated those 2 games and simply purchased a third new the publisher would make more money than if they threw their money into the big bonfire that is the used game market.
Re:People still buy used games? (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't really agree with this point. It makes sense for multiplayer games, but a lot of single-player games (like films and TV shows) are very enjoyable to play once, but become less enjoyable when you play them again. Given the choice between playing them twice, or playing them once and then playing another similar-quality game once, the second is more fun. Think of them like books and DVDs; lots of people buy these and sell them second-hand because they never watch a film or read a book twice.
Even a great single-player game like Monkey Island or Grim Fandango is only really fun to replay after a few years, and it makes more financial sense to sell the game after you played it the first time then buy a second-hand copy a few years later when it costs a fraction of the price; you pocket the difference in the price and don't have to store it for the intervening time.