Here’s the deal. THQ and other game developers are looking to wage war on the used game market. They feel they are getting robbed when you buy their games used. I can sort of see where they are coming from but I don’t have much sympathy when new games now days can go for $60 a pop. Buying a movie or a season of a TV series isn’t that much.

If I beat a game, I have no issue selling it to make a bit of pocket change to off set the cost of the next game I buy. I’m also in support of selling used games for a good cause. I can understand releasing the game with a one time code for the original buyer to access additional content online or multiplayer online. The game companies could even charge the used game buyer a small fee to access this same content, but it needs to be reasonable. I am not going to pay an amount that equals to buying the game new. If you try that, I will sooner put your game in a blender than pay full price for used game access.

I understand that continuing an online server for multi-player or online access doesn’t come cheap. I sympathize with the game companies who feel they are being ripped by used games. I just don’t feel that attacking your fan base, your buyers, and the people who make you money is the way to go. We can be a fickle lot and getting on our bad side is not what you should be doing.

I do not believe the game companies will win this fight by trying to strong arm the consumer. I think both the consumer and these companies will need to meet in the middle. This is what I think game companies should do:

1. Game is released with one time code for additional online access.
2. Original buyer sets up account and uses code.
3. Original buyer beats the game, gets bored.
4. Original buyer sells used game to game store or another gamer.
5. Game company sets up online store to sell additional online access to used game buyers. Prices are fair and reasonable (i.e.: not to equal initial game purchase)
6. Used game buyer signs up for account.
7. Used game buyer buys code for additional online service.
8. Used game buyer happy, Game company makes additional money
9. rinse and repeat

The game company would still make money off of the used game buyer and the used game buyer would not feel like they are being surprise sexed without the lube. It could be that I do not understand the full impact that buying used games has on the game companies; I tend to not understand a lot of things. I do know labeling thrifty gamers as pirates is not good for business.

Argumentatively,

Gingir