Should Buying, Selling, and Trading Used Video Games Ever be Restricted?

Of course rumors are everything in the gaming industry, and thats exactly what started this debate about used games in the first place. When Microsoft announced the release of the XBOX One back in May, all sorts of rumors started to fly. One of the major rumors was that Microsoft was gonna have restrictions on the use of used video games. They even stated publicly of such limitations.

Under the current system, you buy a game, play it and then look for ways to trade it in. Most people when finished with a game will look to trade it in to retailers like Gamestop or PlayNTrade or use websites like Goozex or GameTrade.com. These ways allow gamers to spend less money by trading in the game they bought and getting another game in return, often with little or no money involved.

Well, major companies like Microsoft and the publishers who develop games for their consoles realize they are the ones who get cut out when gamers buy, sell, and trade in used games. So they tried to figure out a way to put a stop to or at least limit the ways you can trade in games. One of the rumors stated if you want to take your used XBOX One game to a retailer, they will probably have to sign on to some sort of online system to confirm that the game is no longer associated with your Xbox Live account. Rumors had it that they would be charging for this service, but nothing was ever stated as such from Microsoft. The only thing they said is they would leave it up to the publishers.

When all these rumors started circulating, gamers became enraged and let Microsoft know about it. Since then Microsoft has retracted it's statements regarding the use used games and will conduct business as usual. Meaning you can treat your used games just as you had with the XBOX 360.

That leads us to the debate. Should they or shouldn't they have restrictions on used games? After reading this you may have a different opinion than you originally thought.

The Argument For Restrictions on Used Games

Yes, there is an argument as to why used games should have restrictions

I do believe there is cause for concern. Without publishers to create the games we love to play so much, we won't have games to play, let alone lend them to a friend or trade em out. Some of these video game publishers are struggling. Major publisher THQ claimed bankruptcy earlier this year.

With that said, publishers believe that retailers make a boat load of money selling used games, which is true to some extent. This is due to the fact that the margins on new games are very slim and retailers need a way to survive. Publishers will also argue that console games are getting more costly to make because gamers expectations keep getting higher and higher. I believe these publishers have invested too much money in bad games that didn't produce a return and are now trying to find other ways to recoup these losses.

The digital age has also had a huge impact on publishers of console games as sales have declined for multiple years. Sales of hardware and software are down 31% versus last year while sales of gaming accessories fell nearly 6%. While most believe this is due to stale consoles or bad games, many believe online games and mobile gaming apps will be the demise of console gaming as we see it today as these options are cheaper and are more accessible.

The Argument Against Having Restrictions on Used Games

Power to the People!

One thing about console games we have grown to love is the flexibility they have given us. At any point you can lend someone the game, sell it at your discretion, rent if you choose, or trade it in towards a game you haven't played. If you take this away, it takes one of the biggest benefits and justification for spending $60 on a game.

Furthermore, the thought of not being to lend a game to a friend or give away a game to my brother seemed crazy. Now I know Microsoft sald they wouldn't restrict this kind of behavior, but just the thought that this information is in thought or become the future of used video games drives me insane. I believe in the saying "if it isn't broke don't break it". Yes, I said "Don't break it!". I believe its up to the publishers to produce and create better games that people will want to buy on day one.

The Outcome

Ultimately things won't change much in the next couple of years. But don't think for a minute the Microsofts of the world are giving up. Change is inevitable and for most companies they only way to survive in the digital age is find a way to charge you for every little thing you do. This time your voices were heard and the power of the gamer has won this battle.

Do you think the days of used video games are numbered?