EB Games is Killing the Video Game Industry

Thanks, OP. Interesting read, but as if often the case with corporate retail bashing, it's full of fluff...a lot style with little substance. I mean...

They provide a whimsical guarantee that nothing will go wrong
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What's whimsical about it? If the product doesn't work, you bring it back.
will offer you a confusing discount card
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How is the Edge Card confusing? 10% off used products...10% bonus on trade-ins. If that confuses anyone, they shouldn't be allowed to leave the house, let alone buy things.

Luckily, however, there is something that publishers can do to reclaim their profits, and ideally cut the evil retailers out of the chain entirely to reclaim some of the revenue that the games industry deserves.
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Wait...so retailers are evil...but publishers are...what exactly? The vanguard of the game industry? Yeah, ok.
 
Thanks a lot OP. Kinda made me realize, even if it's not the reason, the good in Microsoft and Sony slowly switching over to digital distrubution (Movies, Warhawk, GT5P,...).
 
Despite fanciful claims otherwise, digital distribution won't take a serious bite out of packaged media for a very long time. First of all, not everyone has access to affordable high speed internet access. Two, most people still prefer physically owning something. Three, people prefer digital distribution when it saves them money, like buying music ala carte. This doesn't really apply to games.
 
[quote name='bigdaddybruce44']Despite fanciful claims otherwise, digital distribution won't take a serious bite out of packaged media for a very long time. First of all, not everyone has access to affordable high speed internet access. Two, most people still prefer physically owning something. Three, people prefer digital distribution when it saves them money, like buying music ala carte. This doesn't really apply to games.[/quote]

Not so sure. I bought Warhawk through DD, and am glad i did. It wasn't about saving money, it was about saving time. I'd also say that if you have a PS3, chances are you have internet. True people like owning things (i know i do), but maybe there'll be some way to show pull that off in the future.
 
[quote name='bigdaddybruce44']Thanks, OP. Interesting read, but as if often the case with corporate retail bashing, it's full of fluff...a lot style with little substance. I mean...

What's whimsical about it? If the product doesn't work, you bring it back.
How is the Edge Card confusing? 10% off used products...10% bonus on trade-ins. If that confuses anyone, they shouldn't be allowed to leave the house, let alone buy things.

Wait...so retailers are evil...but publishers are...what exactly? The vanguard of the game industry? Yeah, ok.[/QUOTE]

:lol: Yeah, there were some things in the article that were either bad attempts at sarcasm or just... dumb. Pretty good read overall though.

Plus, it's not EB Games that's doing anything... it's Gamestop since they're ones who own EB (and GS, Babbages, Software etc., and who knows what else).
 
Not so sure. I bought Warhawk through DD, and am glad i did.
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Well, not for nothing, but you're one person.

I'd also say that if you have a PS3, chances are you have internet.
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Having the interent =/= to having high speed internet access, especially the kind that would be needed to handle a lot of massive downloads. Could you imagine the time it would take to download MGS4 via a budget-tier DSL connection? You'd have to wait forever to just play the game. Then, what if you wanted to download another game after that?

As new generations enter the market, you will probably see a decreased emphasis on owning the physical material. For now, though, that desire will still probably pay a major role.
 
It is an issue. If digital versions were cheaper and you could make a backup similar to the game media.....or print out box art that they gave you in pdf form...and it was cheaper.....I'm in!
 
As GameStop/EB keeps making money, the games industry keeps growing and expanding, making more and more money. How, then, is EB/Gamestop "killing" the industry? Quite possibly the dumbest concept I have ever heard of, aside from religion.
 
I sense Mad Profitz, which are my favorite kind of profitz.

Personally I like the physical media too, but in some ways digital distribution is great, such as how I can download classic Japanese PS1 games from the Japanese PS Store (Through signing up for a Japanese account then buying those cards through play-asia) for about $5 each, there is no way I could be getting these games in my area (Charlotte) for this price any other way. Also, they aren't region locked so I can play them :p whereas I would have to do some trickery to get my PS3 to play the JAPN PS1 games....

Now of course, I'm a strange person so of course my example doesn't apply to everyone, but it is still my example :p haha
 
[quote name='the_punisher']Not so sure. I bought Warhawk through DD, and am glad i did. It wasn't about saving money, it was about saving time.[/quote]

This is CAG, where saving money > saving time
 
Not a bad article. But I too really prefer having the physical disc or cartridge in my hand. I like to see all of my collection sitting on my shelf. Not to mention, the day digital distribution takes over, almost all good deals at pawn shops, yard sales, clearances, etc will vanish.

[quote name='VanillaGorilla']As GameStop/EB keeps making money, the games industry keeps growing and expanding, making more and more money. How, then, is EB/Gamestop "killing" the industry? Quite possibly the dumbest concept I have ever heard of, aside from religion.[/quote]

Was that necessary? Why do you feel like inciting flames?
 
[quote name='VanillaGorilla']As GameStop/EB keeps making money, the games industry keeps growing and expanding, making more and more money. How, then, is EB/Gamestop "killing" the industry? Quite possibly the dumbest concept I have ever heard of, aside from religion.[/QUOTE]

Um maybe because publishers don't see any revenue when EB sells a used copy of a game to someone who in turns trades it in later and someone else buys the title. If you think about it and it doesn't look like you did, you'd realize that game makers only make money when a new copy is sold and lose revenue when people decide to buy a used copy at EB instead of going to the store like a good little consumer. Now while it isn't illegal and you could always get a used copy another way, say Ebay, it still doesn't help the publisher that may see a high demand for a game but not make as much because EB offers them a cheaper crappier alternative. If EB had to give something to a publisher when they sold the game that would help matters. But since EB exists it does squeeze profits from publishers which means less profit = fewer games and less chances taken hence the glut of sequals. That is how EB hurts the gaming industry. I won't bother arguing the religion part as if you can't handle that concept you probably won't be able to handle two count them two paragraphs of explanation.
 
Hey guys, maybe is developers made games that A) Didn't suck, and B) weren't sixty freaking dollars, they wouldn't have this problem.

When was the last time you guys heard about EA or Activision posting losses because their games are all being sold used?

And if you say EB is killing the industry, you'd better buy ALL your games new and NEVER SELL your games to anybody ever. Because if you do, you're taking sales away from the companies who only print their games for 60 days before they move on to something else.
 
[quote name='reibeatall']Hey guys, maybe is developers made games that A) Didn't suck, and B) weren't sixty freaking dollars, they wouldn't have this problem.

When was the last time you guys heard about EA or Activision posting losses because their games are all being sold used?

And if you say EB is killing the industry, you'd better buy ALL your games new and NEVER SELL your games to anybody ever. Because if you do, you're taking sales away from the companies who only print their games for 60 days before they move on to something else.[/quote]

I think that is taking it to the extreme... Obviously all of us have and will have to buy a used game at some point...

...and the games being $60... that is nothing new. Popular newly released games have always been $50, even back to NES... Just be glad we don't have to deal with the same inflation as everything else in the world...
 
Has the author bought all of his cars and houses brand new? Everything has a used market, why do I keep seeing articles about how the used market in video gaming is so evil?
 
EB/GS is like EA... they are only interested in money not providing gamers with a good gaming experience. Although, I agree Religion is pretty retarded.
 
These type of people bitch and moan over spilled milk.

Everyone who says this and post about hating the used games probably bought USED text books in college. Same concept just on a less visible format and yet no one cries foul. Its sickening at times.

The used market is here to stay and thats it.
 
EB/GS is like EA... they are only interested in money not providing gamers with a good gaming experience.
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All companies are only interested in making money. Companies that aren't...they don't succeed. I'm tired of people acting like only certain corporations are "evil," while others are great. No such thing.
 
Two things, first off he's blatantly wrong about them not giving you cash for used games. Secondly he doesn't seem to realize that by switching over to digital downloads you'd also be hurting all the retailers that only sell new games.
 
People have been bitching and moaning about the trade in process since Funcoland invented the idea well over a decade ago. Get over it, if you don't like it, then don't trade in your used games, and don't buy used!
 
[quote name='bigdaddybruce44']All companies are only interested in making money. Companies that aren't...they don't succeed. I'm tired of people acting like only certain corporations are "evil," while others are great. No such thing.[/quote]


thats a great point.

I dont think Nintendo,Microsoft,or Sony are making games/systems just to entertain us and the world. its a thriving market to make money on. if the money is there go for it. Those companies only want our wallets also. They are no less of a "evil" than GS/EB are.

If people dont like their policies or how they do business..than dont go there. Simple as that.

About Digitial Distribuition,
What happens when you dont have enough HD space when you want to download you next games? As some Wii owners are having problems placing VC games on SD cards, its going to be frustrating when you cant have MGS/WH/GT Prolouge...or whatever all on HD. Its why i like physical copies. its there,convenient,and i dont have to waste HD space if i want to use it for something..like PS1 games or whatever.
 
The used market isnt killing the industry. The publisher/developer relationship and the out of control, skyrocketing development costs are.

As previously mentioned, used markets exist across the board an markets get along fine.
 
This conspiracy theorist fails to show any mathematical proof that publishers are taking huge hits because of the used video games market and EB Games influence of said market.

Anyone can say anything without backing it up: 68% of people know this.
 
[quote name='integralsmatic']
About Digitial Distribuition,
What happens when you dont have enough HD space when you want to download you next games? As some Wii owners are having problems placing VC games on SD cards, its going to be frustrating when you cant have MGS/WH/GT Prolouge...or whatever all on HD. Its why i like physical copies. its there,convenient,and i dont have to waste HD space if i want to use it for something..like PS1 games or whatever.[/QUOTE]

I sure as hell wouldn't want to download anything Kojima would put out. Knowing him, he'd fill up a 1TB drive with MGS5 and say the hard drive was too small.
 
[quote name='VipFREAK']Or do it the non-nOOb way via Craigslist, CAG, or hell even eBay.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but GS at least gives you something. I sold a couple of PSP games on eBay a while back, and didn't put a reserve price on the auction (because I was told a reserve scares off bidders) and started it at one cent. It got one bid and ended up selling for one cent. I basically have stayed away from selling games on eBay since then.
 
eBay can be eGay sometimes... I do a buy it now with an option for best offer and nobody does it, they do an auction if it's available... :roll:

Thing for eBay is to know what games will sell and which won't, that's why I said eBay at the end.
 
First off, if I find myself wanting something that EA releases, I will buy it USED to make DAMN sure NO MONEY goes into THEIR grubby pockets, so they can end up buying out even more damn companies and making even more mediocre products in the process.

Second, I have RARELY bought new FULL PRICE games in the past 3 years(since joining CAG). The few that I have, I have bought from stores I was already at for something else and from publishers I recognize as having given me my money's worth in times past.

Third, I have NO DESIRE AT ALL to get my games via digital download, as I prefer to have the actual PHYSICAL copy of the game in my possession.

Fourth, I also have NO DESIRE AT ALL to play online with other people, though GTAIV may break that reluctancy for me, depending on if a free roaming type of multiplayer 'frag' mode or something is announced before the release of the game.

Fifth, I have the aforementioned 'low tier DSL/high speed connection and since I'm getting it for a mere pittance a month ($12.99 a month as of now, going up to $19.99 after 6 months or so), I have no desire to upgrade to anything higher. It serves my needs JUST FINE(web browsing that doesn't take 20 minutes to load one page).

So yeah, there are alot of us 'old timers' out there who think DD's are a worthless idea, who like to have the actual games in our hands to do with as we please who don't think online gaming is 'the shit' and think that publishers who are bitching about not making money due to used game sales are just whining and should make quality products that people would not WANT to trade in, thus making them money every time since people would be buying new EVERY TIME.

But until that day comes, there WILL be a used market, where some of us WILL get our games from and the publishers had better learn to live with that.
 
As long as game companies and retailers insist on giving games a 6 month shelf life with no real sales or clearance there will be used games. If companies want to stop it they need to keep their games available longer, reduce the prices after time and have sales.
 
I think that the blog's apparently preferred option of
"(depending on the title, it's somewhere in that range) for a new release game and selling it for $100,"
would do much more to kill the industry than selling used games (which, of course, happens to EVERY OTHER PRODUCT as well; cars, houses, books, dvds, clothes, etc.)
And if there were no new sales, then EBGS's used business would go out of business.
I have bought some DDs, off XBLA; only games, I will not "subscribe" or buy tv shows or things when I could catch them on DVR or buy the DVD. For me to buy DDs, they've got to be exclusives, cheaper, and I've got to be able to recover them. I still "prefer" physical media though.
I think EB/GS is actually helping the game industry. I know I personally have bought games used I would never have bought new, at full price, with no return guarantee.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']
So yeah, there are alot of us 'old timers' out there who think DD's are a worthless idea, who like to have the actual games in our hands to do with as we please who don't think online gaming is 'the shit' and think that publishers who are bitching about not making money due to used game sales are just whining and should make quality products that people would not WANT to trade in, thus making them money every time since people would be buying new EVERY TIME.

But until that day comes, there WILL be a used market, where some of us WILL get our games from and the publishers had better learn to live with that.[/quote]

Publishers/developers are the biggest bunch of crybabies ever. They absolutely don't want to deal with the fact that everything bought new, can be sold as used. They whine about piracy and equate used sales as piracy. Yet sales are going through the roof. Even in a weakening economy, it seems every month is a record or near record. For a group of people who make a living working on computers, they don't use much logic.

As far as EB/GS is concerned, I'm sure everyone here on CAG can and has used them to their own benefit.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']First off, if I find myself wanting something that EA releases, I will buy it USED to make DAMN sure NO MONEY goes into THEIR grubby pockets, so they can end up buying out even more damn companies and making even more mediocre products in the process.

Second, I have RARELY bought new FULL PRICE games in the past 3 years(since joining CAG). The few that I have, I have bought from stores I was already at for something else and from publishers I recognize as having given me my money's worth in times past.

Third, I have NO DESIRE AT ALL to get my games via digital download, as I prefer to have the actual PHYSICAL copy of the game in my possession.

Fourth, I also have NO DESIRE AT ALL to play online with other people, though GTAIV may break that reluctancy for me, depending on if a free roaming type of multiplayer 'frag' mode or something is announced before the release of the game.

Fifth, I have the aforementioned 'low tier DSL/high speed connection and since I'm getting it for a mere pittance a month ($12.99 a month as of now, going up to $19.99 after 6 months or so), I have no desire to upgrade to anything higher. It serves my needs JUST FINE(web browsing that doesn't take 20 minutes to load one page).

So yeah, there are alot of us 'old timers' out there who think DD's are a worthless idea, who like to have the actual games in our hands to do with as we please who don't think online gaming is 'the shit' and think that publishers who are bitching about not making money due to used game sales are just whining and should make quality products that people would not WANT to trade in, thus making them money every time since people would be buying new EVERY TIME.

But until that day comes, there WILL be a used market, where some of us WILL get our games from and the publishers had better learn to live with that.[/QUOTE]

I find myself hoarding games so that when the day comes that digital distribution hits, I will have enough games to play to last me through my lifetime, although I will have to move onto some other hobby because the real fun for me is searching out those old games (or current ones) in clearance bins. Shopping for video games is like playing another game in itself, and its very fun.

Your post says it all, and I am not even an old timer, but I find myself acting like one sometimes. I grew up in the days of napster, so I believe anything that you download should be free, with maybe a few exceptions. Paying for downloaded content is a no-no here, I have better things to spend my money on than a few bytes of data. But paying for downloads seems to be all the rage with kids these days, so what can I say? We are just teaching our kids to spend spend spend and spend some more. The day that I have to pay a set price for digital downloads is the day I will stop buying video games and resort to my library that I have spent a lot of time hoarding.

Another reason that its not worth it to put your time and money into online games is because the game's servers will go down eventually, nothing lasts forever. Then you will have lost all your game data (that you paid and worked hard for) and have nothing to show for it but wasted time and wasted money. With full games on disc or cartridge you can pick up the game and a year later your game and data will still be there, no need to worry about it magically disappearing. You also have a physical product that can be resold or showed off to family and friends.

The DSL service that I have is fine as well, and I see no need to upgrade to anything else. I use things until they break, and I don't spend erratically on the newest shiniest gadget just because everyone else has one too. When I spend money on a gadget its a carefully planned purchase. We only have CRT tv's in my house and they suit my needs and my family's needs just fine, by displaying a picture.

I also think the new consoles aren't very durable and aren't worth purchasing, I want my purchase to last at least 20 years or longer (especially if I am spending a huge chunk of money on it), and I seriously don't see any of the consoles that are out now lasting that long. I understand that most people don't think of it this way, but I have very old fashioned views, things should be made well, and should not break within a year of purchasing. A console purchase of $250-500 qualifies as a major appliance purchase for me therefore I should be able to get at least 10-20 years out of it before it breaks.
 
i agree with most people in here. i would hate DD as i prefer a actual copy in my hands not something where say a ps3 has 60 gigs and it fills so either you have to clear up some room or buy a bigger hd . screw that i will stick with old school gaming if it comes to that
 
[quote name='tat2dbri']i agree with most people in here. i would hate DD as i prefer a actual copy in my hands not something where say a ps3 has 60 gigs and it fills so either you have to clear up some room or buy a bigger hd . screw that i will stick with old school gaming if it comes to that[/quote]
This is also the main reason i do not like digital distribution. It is good for games smaller than 250mb, but bigger than that, and i don't like it. (i have well over 200 ps2 dvd game based games, and do not want to buy a hd for all that data.

Also, as Wombat mentioned in a pod cast, one cannot sell the game if one buys it digitally.

old school full licensed version for me. (bought cheap, of course.)
 
I'm sure that if digital distribution becomes the main way to buy, that a system will be set up to trade and sell and give games. You can already gift Virtual Console games and stuff like that.

Digital distrubtion may also effectively kill the majority of piracy.
 
Another one of those "selling used games in hurting the industry" rants? Please.

Besides. Didn't EB/GS just say they recorded higher revenue in new games sales over used games sales or something of the other? I'm almost certain that new game sales where higher last year than used game sales.
 
I do believe I heard that for some reason, people are buying more new games from gamestop. Perhaps the General Public has noticed that the quality of used games they sell isn't very good, and its a crapshoot if they will play or not. Their high prices on used games don't help either, when a game is 17.99 used or 19.99 new, most people will go with the 19.99 new in order to guarantee a working copy. Its such a marginal difference that it doesn't matter. Many buyers who go into gamestop for games are also gift-giving buyers, and giving a used game as a gift is just wrong for many people.
 
New game sales shouldnt be able to hold a candle to used. MAYBE if you are counting units sold and not profit, but I dont have those numbers.
gamestopchart2.jpg
 
[quote name='nogard']Buying and selling pre owned games are pretty much like pirating games.[/quote]

because buying and selling a game = illegally downloading/stealing/taking games

AMIRITE?
 
[quote name='SL4IN']because buying and selling a game = illegally downloading/stealing/taking games

AMIRITE?[/quote]

Either way the developers/publishers/etc. aren't making money, only FailStop. I'd always pirate over buy used on games. I don't approve of supporting FailStops EpicFail system.
 
[quote name='THoward7382']These type of people bitch and moan over spilled milk.

Everyone who says this and post about hating the used games probably bought USED text books in college. Same concept just on a less visible format and yet no one cries foul. Its sickening at times.

The used market is here to stay and thats it.[/quote]

Nearly every non-consumable product you purchase has a used market

Books
VHS/DVD/CD
Automobiles
Computers
Clothing
Audio/Video Equipment (TV,MP3 Players, Stereo)
Cameras
Home Appliances
Jewelry and Watches
Cell Phones
Housing
Action Figures
Bicycles


The list keeps going. Some more than others. The only difference is that now a large corporation has a strategy that puts a huge emphasis on used games.
 
[quote name='paddlefoot']Nearly every non-consumable product you purchase has a used market

Books
VHS/DVD/CD
Automobiles
Computers
Clothing
Audio/Video Equipment (TV,MP3 Players, Stereo)
Cameras
Home Appliances
Jewelry and Watches
Cell Phones
Housing
Action Figures
Bicycles


The list keeps going. Some more than others. The only difference is that now a large corporation has a strategy that puts a huge emphasis on used games.[/QUOTE]

You forgot to add women to that list.
 
I think alot of people miss the ball on how EB also advertises these games massively and also helps the publishers get a whiff of how in demand their games are by the preorder numbers.
 
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