I read a couple articles that there is a rumor both systems, XBOX and PlayStation, when released will not allow backwards compatibility nor the use of pre-owned games. If they want to do this, that's fine, but then they should lower the cost of downloadable content and also the cost of new games. I wanted to buy Madden again this year, (first time since the franchise started I have not) but chose not to because I didn't want to drop $63.29 on a game I'll play one season and shelf.

I wonder if they could have a yearly subscription cost to play used games that would go to the developers? It's the developers who are pissed off about the sales of pre-owned games since none of that revenue is directly returned to them.

I wonder how many people picked up Halo or Call of Duty used and then started buying the brand new sequels after?

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This is delightful. The content providers drive yet one more stake into golden goose. Someday the customers will revolt and throw off the chains with which content providers have so long bound them. I hope that day is soon.

Paper books look more and more attractive everyday.

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I would suggest that all games require a serial key, and when passed to a 2nd owner, a new serial key must be registered but would be purchased at a lesser price, say $5 to which goes mostly to the developers.

That suggestion would fail because someone would crack it and generate their own serial numbers and sell them ...

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And then be unable to make much or any money because someone else who cracked it would just give the serial numbers away like people do currently.

No, that would easily be avoided because you have to register the serial key and you only allow the registration to occur once.

Thinking more about this, it could actually be very possible. It would just require some overhead to maintain a server that stores registered users and serial keys and require the gamer to have internet access to use their pre-owned games.

The serial key could be generated based off the MAC of the machine. Yes, others can replicate this process, but that's where the registration comes into place.

Or maybe every game has a unique serial number?


There are things that could be done, that yes, no way can you be 100%, but with effort, it could be done. The problem is, that effort costs money to start and maintain.




I think if they are so butt hurt over pre-owned game sales, they should just drop the overall price of new game by 30% or so percent. I would have bought Madden '12 if it was $40 new.

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