This post has not been edited by the GamesBeat staff. Opinions by GamesBeat community writers do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.
Used games sales have been debated widely again recently by the broader gaming community. While I do have an opinion on used sales, I would rather talk solutions than semantics. That is why I am writing this post. I hope it will stir up some debate and brainstorming on behalf of the Bitmob Community, and I invite anyone with their own personal solution to comment here on this post, or to write their own post.
So what is my solution to the negative effects of used sales on the gaming industry? Well, I propose that the gaming industry try to turn a negative into a positive. This could be handled in a few very feasible steps.
#1. Add a 3G connection into every system in the next generation.
#2. Drop the price of new games down to somewhere between $20 to $40.
#3. Charge a $10 fee to buy a license to activate a copy of a game on a console.
#4. Put a code for one license in every new video game.
This plan would help stem the sales of used games in a few ways: it would lower the price of games, making it more feasible for people to buy new and also keep their games rather than trading them. It would also raise the price on both buying used games and renting games. This would also funnel more dollars to publishers and developers.
The addition of a 3G connection might be a source of debate for people who would ask why they would bother adding such a feature in when they could just go to an all digital delivery system. And while I do see great benefits to digital delivery, it does have one major flaw; it makes games less accessible rather than more accessible. I firmly believe that going digital only would be the equivalent of the gaming industry cutting off its nose to spite its face. Using a 3G connection only to activate licenses for games should not be a tremendous drain, since most people will probably only have to use it a few times a year and it would be rendered unnessesary for the customer base that does have their console online. One major downside to this inclusion is that it would raise the initial cost of consoles, but by how much is hard to determine.
I am of the mind that games should become more of an impulse-purchase product, rather than being the rather large investment that they are presently.
I believe this plan would benefit both publishers and developers, and would also be good for gamers as well. If a game was traded and bought again as a used product, that game would become a source of revenue for publishers and developers rather than a monetary drain. Retail chains that sell used product would potentially be hurt, but they may also experience a rise in customer base if this plan did help the industry grow.
Many people think that retail is going to go all digital sometime in the near future, but I question the validity of this notion and if it is wise. I believe my plan offers up a better solution for all involved in the games industry.
What do you think?