A System that won't play used games! (M$ 720)

[DarthGohan1]

Kotaku reported yesterday that an industry source claimed that the next Xbox would have some sort of "anti-used game device". There are no specifics, and it may not even be true... but what if it is? There's a couple things we'll have to find out.

How would they do it?

Kotaku mentioned they might link a game to a Live account. This would allow you to bring a game to a friend's house to play it, but it would seem pretty easy to just not connect your Xbox to the internet to play games you bought used (or that you bought new and were planning on re-selling). It would be ridiculous for Microsoft to expect everyone to have internet/Live access, so just playing without your Xbox connected to the internet could be a workaround.

Another idea I thought of would be similar to what EA Sports does with games like Madden and Fifa now - they include a one time use code for online play. Microsoft could work with game publishers to have a code included inside each new game that would be necessary to allow the game to be played on a system. It could even be possible to go online or to the Live Market to buy game codes if you bought a game new (for example, if I bought the next CoD used, I would pay $10 to be able to play the used game on my system). This would still allow used games to be sold, but would partially solve the problem of publishers/Microsoft completely missing out on sales $$$ when a used game is purchased.

What are your thoughts on the matter?


source: http://kotaku.com/5879202/sources-t...t-play-used-games-and-will-introduce-kinect-2

 

[jebug29]

That would be completely stupid! Let's say you don't like a game and you take it back to GameStop and they restock it as used. Or if you want to sell it a few years later. The game would be useless!

 

[Brad]

I can see why they would want that, but they've already got sales payment for that copy.

 

[SockHead]

The game companies are losing money because of gamestop and re-selling used games, so if anything I want this to happen.

 

[AndyB]

I can see what they're doing. However having it linked to the account is just bad, it wouldn't work. If the account is lost/banned/whatever all the games are then lost. One thing to compare it to would be any digital distribution, it's much the same there, without the account you no longer have the games.
Now, I would then go on to say that each xbox has an individual number, like a specific ID, and that it may be able to link to that. However once again if the xbox is to break you're going to be out of luck.
The first post does already mention online passes and for the most part they work just fine.

 

[DarthGohan1]

I can see what they're doing. However having it linked to the account is just bad, it wouldn't work. If the account is lost/banned/whatever all the games are then lost. One thing to compare it to would be any digital distribution, it's much the same there, without the account you no longer have the games.
Now, I would then go on to say that each xbox has an individual number, like a specific ID, and that it may be able to link to that. However once again if the xbox is to break you're going to be out of luck.
The first post does already mention online passes and for the most part they work just fine.

I'm thinking that will be the most likely option if it ends up happening. They can't require that someone has internet access, so if you don't, you're still able to buy a new game and get the code included with the game. The only problem is if you use the codes, what happens if you want to play on a friend's Xbox?

 

[Josh]

The game companies are losing money because of gamestop and re-selling used games, so if anything I want this to happen.

Wait, Why is this bad for gamers if game companies lose cash?

 

[AndyB]

Wait, Why is this bad for gamers if game companies lose cash?

It could come down to that they then don't know how many people bought their game, that then causes the studio to shut down projects. The entire studio could be shut down.

 

[DarthGohan1]

It could come down to that they then don't know how many people bought their game, that then causes the studio to shut down projects. The entire studio could be shut down.

Any examples? I think it's more of a "we make a decent amount of money and want to make even more" from the publishers' point of view.

 

[Garrett x50 cal]

I know how used games hurt the companies who make them and all but this would be bull****! $60 is a lot of money especially a 5 hour game with no online or replayability. The only way a company could get people to BUY their game rather than RENT it is to lower the price and that just can't be done. If you're a gamer on a budget in the year 2014 and you want into a game store and see CoDX, BF4, LoZ, (any huge main stream game) are you going to even bother looking at a little indie game that none of your friends have you've never read a review and it might flat out suck and you just wasted $60 on a game that you can't 1 Trade/give to a friend or 2 give back to gamestop/receive credit. Tell me whose that going to hurt now? Everyone.

 

[Bacon Boy]

Any examples? I think it's more of a "we make a decent amount of money and want to make even more" from the publishers' point of view.

I have to agree. None of the major gaming companies out there are hurting for money, especially Microsoft, charging money for their online.

 

[Garrett x50 cal]

I have to agree. None of the major gaming companies out there are hurting for money, especially Microsoft, charging money for their online.

I think its hurting places like gamestop/eb more than the actual companies, but not severely.