[Akalabeth Angel]

That's not really an argument now is it.

The thing is, it really is an argument, because the computer game resale/trade thing doesn't exist and has never existed. You can't restrict something that doesn't exist. If you're complaining you lost options, it's your fault for never utilizing them, otherwise people might have actually fought for your options.

Really?
That's odd because I remember going to computer swaps back in the 1980s.
I still have a dozen or more computer games I bought second hand online from Ebay and other sources. Heavy Gear 1+2, Renegade Legion Jacob's Star, Oni, Master of Orion 2, Homeworld 1+2, Dawn of War, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, Sands of Time, etcetear. The last two by the way were bought from EB Games, in the same way that people buy used 360 and whatever from EB Games.


People didn't fight for their options because most gamers don't have principles. If they did have principles they would not apply two different standards to two different companies but they do that ALL the time.

[Mongoose]

I know GameStop hasn't carried used PC games in many years, if they ever did.  And yes, you can grab used PC games off the usual online third-party sources, but you certainly can't via the normal retail channels for such.

[Akalabeth Angel]

Well EB Games certainly did, which invalidates NGTM's assertion that the used computer games "never existed".

The lack of used games being carried at Gamestop probably coincides with the launch of Steam or shortly thereafter.

[NGTM-1R]

That's odd because I remember going to computer swaps back in the 1980s.

If you had anecdotes and evidence, then you'd have evidence.  The last time I was able to buy a used PC game in a store was in 2002, when I picked up a copy of MW2 Mercs I could almost not run. The resale market's not there. The assertion that Steam killed it is at best spurious. You can't go around just making claims like that; you've got to back them up.

[Luis Dias]

It has probably something to do with this thing called "piracy"...

[Akalabeth Angel]

That's odd because I remember going to computer swaps back in the 1980s.

If you had anecdotes and evidence, then you'd have evidence.  The last time I was able to buy a used PC game in a store was in 2002, when I picked up a copy of MW2 Mercs I could almost not run. The resale market's not there. The assertion that Steam killed it is at best spurious. You can't go around just making claims like that; you've got to back them up.

Ah, so the "re-sale/trade thing" never existed and yet you bought a used game in 2002?

Odd. You do know the definition of never do you not?


What Steam did or did not kill off is irrelevant to me.
What's important is that Xbox One is doing the same thing that Steam is doing in function. The circumstances of when these measures are implemented is completely irrelevant.

And there is one difference from Xbox One to Steam, that is, the used game block was OPTIONAL. That is not the case with Steam.

[Scourge of Ages]

It has probably something to do with this thing called "piracy"...

Probably. Because it was always so easy to copy PC games, used games probably lost a lot of value (to resellers), so that made the market much smaller. Whereas with consoles, up until now, you needed the original disk to play a game (or it was at least a lot harder to pirate them).

Because you couldn't play without the disk, resellers were more comfortable paying half-way decently for used games.

(again, speculation, but it makes sense)

[Swifty]

If you had anecdotes and evidence, then you'd have evidence.  The last time I was able to buy a used PC game in a store was in 2002, when I picked up a copy of MW2 Mercs I could almost not run. The resale market's not there. The assertion that Steam killed it is at best spurious. You can't go around just making claims like that; you've got to back them up.

The resale market was definitely there at least on eBay and Amazon. I remember buying Homeworld, Hitman, Quake II, Quake III Arena, Rainbow Six, SWAT 4, Red Alert, Starcraft, Mafia, and a bunch of flight sims, all used on those two services. The resale market for PC games definitely exists even today for older games and I don't think you can argue otherwise. Steam really did kill the resale market for newer games that rely on Steamworks. Before, at least CD keys were transferable. Now, they're forever locked to people's accounts.

[Scourge of Ages]

I think, if anything, GoG killed the used PC games market. Why pay tens of dollars plus shipping for a game on ebay when you could get it for $5 on GoG and have it forever, with no worries that the disks might break.

The last used game I bought was Wing Commander 4. It's still sitting in the shipping box now that I bought it on GoG.

Incendentally, would anybody like a free copy of Wing Commander 4 in retail box with everything inside?

[Grizzly]

I remember buying WC4 and 3 on the flea market a few years back, in their respective fully equipped boxes. I was a very very happy man.

[jr2]

As far as Steam killing used game sales:  All you need to do is create a separate Steam account for each game, with a separate e-mail address created for each account.  Sell the game = after receiving the $$, change the password to the Steam acct to something temporary and send it to the new user, who can then change the associated e-mail.

The reason I say separate e-mail is that Steam probably only allows one associated acct for each e-mail address.  Even if they allowed multiple, that would be stupid as they now have proof of your selling the acct. 

Yes, it works.  My current Steam account started this way, with a purchase of BF2142.  I'm not interested in re-selling my Steam games, so I just added onto the account as time went on.

[Phantom Hoover]

yes, and steam will come down on you like a ton of bricks the second they figure out what you're up to

[jr2]

Hmm.  Well I got BF2142 in 2007?  ... you can't make a business out of it, but I think you could pawn off the occasional game that you didn't really have any interest in ever re-playing.

[The E]

Hmm.  Well I got BF2142 in 2007?  ... you can't make a business out of it, but I think you could pawn off the occasional game that you didn't really have any interest in ever re-playing.

Last time I checked, my steam account was worth somewhere north of 2000 Euros. I am not going to use some weird scheme that would theoretically allow me to trade on games if it means risking my main account.

Besides, recent rumours say that Steam may be working on implementing a "borrowing" feature that would allow you to at least temporarily transfer ownership of a game to someone else.

[FlamingCobra]

I think, if anything, GoG killed the used PC games market. Why pay tens of dollars plus shipping for a game on ebay when you could get it for $5 on GoG and have it forever, with no worries that the disks might break.

The last used game I bought was Wing Commander 4. It's still sitting in the shipping box now that I bought it on GoG.

Incendentally, would anybody like a free copy of Wing Commander 4 in retail box with everything inside?

*raises hand*

[Dragon]

Wow, that's gonna be worth quite a bit these days. My father still has the original disks and the manual for WC4, as well as WC3 with the manual and Victory Streak (strategy guide and feelies).

[Scourge of Ages]

Wow, that's gonna be worth quite a bit these days.

You don't say....

jk, if FlamingMamba can swing the shipping, it's his.

[crizza]

One quick question: Is it true that I won't be able to play Xbox360 games on the Xbox one?

[The E]

One quick question: Is it true that I won't be able to play Xbox360 games on the Xbox one?

Yes.

[crizza]

 
That sucks...well, then there is no need to buy it.