Developers Fight Used Game Sales

[FoolKiller]

AThe solution, Mr. Capps, is to make better games. Games that people actually want to buy without trying first. Games that aren't exactly the same as the last one, but with another weapon, or up-to-date player names, or a new map, or a special guest voice actor.

You and Mr. Kotick at Activision obviously do not see eye-to-eye.
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/06/activision-blizzard-ceo-kotick-vivendi-franchises-lacked-poten/

When asked about the Vivendi Games franchises that were tossed aside when Activision consumed the company (e.g. 50 Cent, Ghostbusters and Brutal Legend) during yesterday's conference call (transcript via Seeking Alpha), the Big Kahuna said, "With respect to the franchises that don't have the potential to be exploited every year across every platform with clear sequel potential that can meet our objectives of over time becoming $100 million plus franchises, that's a strategy that has worked very well for us."

In other words, we can expect Tony Hawk's Guitar Hero World Tour: Metallica Warcraft soon.

 

[Tornado]

That statement is so dickish that it makes me think it held a sense of sarcasm not shown by the article. I mean, can anyone be so ironic unintentionally?

 

[Famine]

You and Mr. Kotick at Activision obviously do not see eye-to-eye.
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/06/activision-blizzard-ceo-kotick-vivendi-franchises-lacked-poten/

What an utter div.

Mind you, UK consumers lap up endless FIFA iterations (each is exactly the same engine and graphics, but with the clubs updated to include all current players) like Oprah Winfrey sucks up human tears, so we (they) only have our(them)selves to blame for lazy "developers".

 

[Max Powers]

Epic Douchebag (snicker) Mike Capps wants to solve the problem by punishing everyone!

Linky.


This could be the final straw that blows up the entire console gaming industry if they are seriously stupid enough to push for it. Capps has said some narrow-minded, completely-out-of-touch-with-reality statements in the past, but this one takes the cake.

The day this happens is the day I'll quit buying games.

Look, I'm not paying 60 dollars for a game that I can pick up for 20-30 used in a few months, I have many more things to spend money on than just games. Hell, the way these pompous assholes act about used game sales will only encourage me to buy more and more used games in the future. One out of my six games I have for the 360 was bought new, and that was because I rented it first and realized how much I enjoyed it. It just seems like greed to me and another way to schill extra money out of their loyal customers.

Is there any other industry that is trying to stop second hand sales of their product? I can't think of any others off the top of my head.

 

[Sureboss]

We don’t make any money when someone rents it,

Look below. Also, the renting company buys the game, so, yeh, you do. The renting section of the gaming industry is huge, bigger than the demo section of the industry.

Apparently Mr. Capps doesn't realise that people rent games for a couple of days to see if they're any good before they decide to buy them. If more people rent than buy (being generous, let's say 50% of purchases are straight purchases, and 50% are from rent-then-buy, leaving only 1 in 4 renters buying the game) then the game obviously isn't good enough to tempt people to buy it...

If people then can't get any money from trading their old games in to buy the new ones, they'll become pickier about what games they do buy, generating a higher rental rate and a lower rent-then-buy rate.

The solution, Mr. Capps, is to make better games. Games that people actually want to buy without trying first. Games that aren't exactly the same as the last one, but with another weapon, or up-to-date player names, or a new map, or a special guest voice actor.


Mind you, with the games industry press still absolutely bogged down in their 73%-or-higher game scores (unless it's really crap), consumers still couldn't tell what was any good until they tried it...

*wistfully remembers Amiga Power, giving 50% to average games, 30% or less to poor games and 70%+ to good games*

 

[FoolKiller]

That statement is so dickish that it makes me think it held a sense of sarcasm not shown by the article. I mean, can anyone be so ironic unintentionally?

Which one? The one from Mike Capp? Nope, not sarcasm. He is well known for throwing his fair share into the dumb idea hat.

The guy from Activision? Look at what they are doing. Aside from the fact that it was a conference call where you don't make snide comments without making it obvious, their entire business strategy of late has shown them to be doing this very thing. If you need an example look at Guitar Hero. The numbers stop at 3, but there has to be 10-15 versions out there (not counting multiple systems), none of them compatible. Heck, they even found a way to put it on the DS. Fortunately, they won't be likely to do it to the PSP since Beats is a better game anyway.

What an utter div.

Mind you, UK consumers lap up endless FIFA iterations (each is exactly the same engine and graphics, but with the clubs updated to include all current players) like Oprah Winfrey sucks up human tears, so we (they) only have our(them)selves to blame for lazy "developers".

I finally set myself to refuse to buy another NFL game (I only bought them every other year anyway) until EA gives up/loses the exclusive license, despite the temptation I had when seeing Madden 09's holographic training simulator.

Of course, then I had to check out the NCAA Basketball demo and found that it included my university (Kentucky) with a very nicely replicated Rupp Arena. Must....resist....E..A....Sports.

Look below. Also, the renting company buys the game, so, yeh, you do. The renting section of the gaming industry is huge, bigger than the demo section of the industry.

Yeah, if they don't get any money off that then someone needs to explain why Gamefly raised my subscription fee when game prices increased this generation.