How about you give more games replayability, so gamers don't have to shell out $60 for a 5-hour experience? Games with built-in multiplayer get this naturally, and genres which don't lend themselves to multiplayer obviously need to have a longer story mode. See Metal Gear Solid 1-3 and RPGs for examples of the latter.
Oh yeah, and f**k this guy.
Why don't developers understand that when someone buys a copy of a game used, they most likely weren't going to buy the game new at full price anyway. Therefore, they didn't lose a sale at all. It's the same stupid argument with pirating. Just because someone downloads 100 albums doesn't mean that person would have bought those albums instead. No sales were lost. FU THQ.
- Toyota doesn't get any money when I buy a used RAV4 on Craigslist.
- SONY doesn't get any money when I buy a used PS3 on eBay.
- Simon & Schuster don't get any money when I buy a used book at a garage sale.
- Pulte Homes doesn't get any money when I buy a house that they built in 2003.
- Warner Bros. don't get any money when I buy a used CD.
- Paramount doesn't get any money when I buy a used DVD.
This is how commerce works in the modern world. You make your money on the original sale. Period.
The difference is that when you buy a used car, you expect a worse experience. The car already has some wear, may have had some work done, and it isn't expected to last as long as a new car.
Used games, however, you're getting everything (historically, of course). There's no penalty to buying used games. To borrow Penny Arcade's reasoning on the subject, if you buy a used game, you are not a customer of the developer. They do not care about you. You do next to nothing for them and you sacrifice nothing.
OK, how about this?
I buy a loose cut emerald. Should the miner, cutter, and original jeweler get a cut of the resale?
It will last forever, it doesn't depreciate, 20 years from now it will still be a pretty rock that I can enjoy again and again. Being a very hard mineral It will last forever (unlike the video game that won't run on the computers built in 2110).
What possible argument can you make that the makers of an item have a right to profits after the first sale? It's a rip-off pure and simple.
Bioshock, Fallout 3, the Grand Theft Autos, some/most of the Final Fantasies, ANY good sports game, ANY good FPS with decent online play.... these are just simple examples off the top of my head about games that have tons of replay value. Even the more structured games can be enjoyed over and over.
You can slop s**t on a disc and expect people to repeatedly pay $60 for it unless they're going to get more than 6 hours of fun. There are WAY too many A-list games out in the industry right now for gamers to spend $50-70 on every single one of them.
Make the best games, and you'll be up to your ears in so many pre-orders you won't worry about used sales.
How so? The game was purchased legitimately, and resold. There is still only a single copy of that game (no duplication or piracy involved), so who cares if it changes hands after the original purchase? They still get the market share from having that person playing the game. Think about it, if someone is selling off the game they purchased, it's because they won't be playing it anymore. I guess THQ would prefer to have no one play their game at all.
Used game sales help keep a franchise alive. There is also the possibility that now that person who bought the one game used will buy the next version of that game brand new because they "just have to have it now".
If THQ really wanted to make their game long lasting, they would bring out those games once every few years and have roster updates. I'm pretty sure WWE 2011 will be damn near identical to WWE 2010. Instead of bringing out WWE <insert year here>, why not bring out one WWE game and have updates for the new wrestlers or uniforms? Want to encourage people to not sell off their game, give them a reason to keep it (mods or addons do wonders to increase the lifespan of the game). Only when they come up with a great new way to handle the wrestling mechanics should a new game get released. They are the one's who are really cheating the industry, not the gamers.
Besides that, it just makes the company look like a giant douche. Good job THQ, keep f**king that chicken.
But if they buy a game used (and it is awesome) the customer is more likely to purchase future games new. Usually what happens is people buy a great-looking game new and find out it sucks or has annoying DRM and vow "never again." Maybe this is why THQ has a problem with sales.
Next step is to make the game only playable at all after the one time code has been used. It would eliminate the used market all together. This is just a testing the waters step in that direction.
Let them know how you feel buy NOT buying games from companies that do this.
A) No one here should buy this game -- New OR Used. Send a clear message that we WILL NOT stand for this bulls**t.
B) If game companies are really concerned about resale, the ball is in their court. Charge $20 for a new game instead of $60, and I'll buy new every time. $60 is just WAY too much to risk on every damned game that comes down the pike.
louiscipher777Aug 24, 2010Buried
this is why I simply will not buy games that do this crap. Imagine if car manufacturers decided to do this... or home builders.
shauncorleoneAug 24, 2010Buried
How about you give more games replayability, so gamers don't have to shell out $60 for a 5-hour experience? Games with built-in multiplayer get this naturally, and genres which don't lend themselves to multiplayer obviously need to have a longer story mode. See Metal Gear Solid 1-3 and RPGs for examples of the latter.
Oh yeah, and f**k this guy.
dolomite808Aug 24, 2010Buried
This is a big f**k you to the consumer. If the game isn't selling enough new copies, then it isn't a good enough game.
funkariusAug 26, 2010Buried
Whats that THQ? You dont want me to buy your games? No problem.
nspriggsAug 24, 2010Buried
This...was a mistake. f**k THQ for this.
samplane123Aug 26, 2010Buried
Ah it's OK, THQ, I won't buy any games with your name involved again then!
THQ never crapped out anything but shovelware anyway.
kahilmAug 26, 2010Buried
Why don't developers understand that when someone buys a copy of a game used, they most likely weren't going to buy the game new at full price anyway. Therefore, they didn't lose a sale at all. It's the same stupid argument with pirating. Just because someone downloads 100 albums doesn't mean that person would have bought those albums instead. No sales were lost. FU THQ.
rwhittak3Aug 26, 2010Buried
I guess I'm cheating the authors and publishers when I buy a used book too. Won't stop me from doing it. f**k that guy, what a douche.
chewie67Aug 26, 2010Buried
This is just part of business.
- Toyota doesn't get any money when I buy a used RAV4 on Craigslist.
- SONY doesn't get any money when I buy a used PS3 on eBay.
- Simon & Schuster don't get any money when I buy a used book at a garage sale.
- Pulte Homes doesn't get any money when I buy a house that they built in 2003.
- Warner Bros. don't get any money when I buy a used CD.
- Paramount doesn't get any money when I buy a used DVD.
This is how commerce works in the modern world. You make your money on the original sale. Period.
tiitarAug 26, 2010Buried
The difference is that when you buy a used car, you expect a worse experience. The car already has some wear, may have had some work done, and it isn't expected to last as long as a new car.
Used games, however, you're getting everything (historically, of course). There's no penalty to buying used games. To borrow Penny Arcade's reasoning on the subject, if you buy a used game, you are not a customer of the developer. They do not care about you. You do next to nothing for them and you sacrifice nothing.
awitodAug 26, 2010Buried
OK, how about this?
I buy a loose cut emerald. Should the miner, cutter, and original jeweler get a cut of the resale?
It will last forever, it doesn't depreciate, 20 years from now it will still be a pretty rock that I can enjoy again and again. Being a very hard mineral It will last forever (unlike the video game that won't run on the computers built in 2110).
What possible argument can you make that the makers of an item have a right to profits after the first sale? It's a rip-off pure and simple.
kisaAug 26, 2010Buried
Libraries are socialist institutions! Authors and publishers should rally against them!
/s
firesightsAug 26, 2010Buried
Bioshock, Fallout 3, the Grand Theft Autos, some/most of the Final Fantasies, ANY good sports game, ANY good FPS with decent online play.... these are just simple examples off the top of my head about games that have tons of replay value. Even the more structured games can be enjoyed over and over.
You can slop s**t on a disc and expect people to repeatedly pay $60 for it unless they're going to get more than 6 hours of fun. There are WAY too many A-list games out in the industry right now for gamers to spend $50-70 on every single one of them.
Make the best games, and you'll be up to your ears in so many pre-orders you won't worry about used sales.
tntbassAug 26, 2010Buried
The used game market cheats them?
How so? The game was purchased legitimately, and resold. There is still only a single copy of that game (no duplication or piracy involved), so who cares if it changes hands after the original purchase? They still get the market share from having that person playing the game. Think about it, if someone is selling off the game they purchased, it's because they won't be playing it anymore. I guess THQ would prefer to have no one play their game at all.
Used game sales help keep a franchise alive. There is also the possibility that now that person who bought the one game used will buy the next version of that game brand new because they "just have to have it now".
If THQ really wanted to make their game long lasting, they would bring out those games once every few years and have roster updates. I'm pretty sure WWE 2011 will be damn near identical to WWE 2010. Instead of bringing out WWE <insert year here>, why not bring out one WWE game and have updates for the new wrestlers or uniforms? Want to encourage people to not sell off their game, give them a reason to keep it (mods or addons do wonders to increase the lifespan of the game). Only when they come up with a great new way to handle the wrestling mechanics should a new game get released. They are the one's who are really cheating the industry, not the gamers.
Besides that, it just makes the company look like a giant douche. Good job THQ, keep f**king that chicken.
deadlikeoscarAug 26, 2010Buried
But if they buy a game used (and it is awesome) the customer is more likely to purchase future games new. Usually what happens is people buy a great-looking game new and find out it sucks or has annoying DRM and vow "never again." Maybe this is why THQ has a problem with sales.
yunusAug 26, 2010Buried
Next step is to make the game only playable at all after the one time code has been used. It would eliminate the used market all together. This is just a testing the waters step in that direction.
Let them know how you feel buy NOT buying games from companies that do this.
theghoulAug 26, 2010Buried
Done buying games from those assess.
chewie67Aug 26, 2010Buried
A) No one here should buy this game -- New OR Used. Send a clear message that we WILL NOT stand for this bulls**t.
B) If game companies are really concerned about resale, the ball is in their court. Charge $20 for a new game instead of $60, and I'll buy new every time. $60 is just WAY too much to risk on every damned game that comes down the pike.
rizzosbackAug 26, 2010Buried
All of which you buy used and thus you're never their customer!
vektuzAug 26, 2010Buried
Whats funny is they'll still charge 60 bucks for it.