Jameson Durall rss Professional Video Game Designer for over 10 years

Saints Row Dev: Xbox 720 Used Game Ban 'Fantastic'
Consumers 'will grow to understand.'

Last month, rumors began circulating that the next Xbox will block the play of used games. Saints Row: The Third designer Jameson Durall has spoken out about the rumor, calling the idea "fantastic."

In a blog post on #AltDevBlogADay, Durall writes, "Personally I think this would be a fantastic change for our business. Even though the consumers would be up in arms about it at first, they will grow to understand why and that it won't kill them."

"The system is already there for Microsoft. All they'd have to do is use the DLC and codes model they have to tie a game to your Xbox live account," Durall continues. "Each retail disc would likely need that unique key somewhere in the code so the account would be able to link it properly. Ideally it would tie a full version to the console it is registered on so family members can play even if the main account isn't signed in."

As far as lending games, Durall notes that Microsoft "could implement something similar to what Amazon is doing with their Kindle Books lending policy."

IGN's PlayStation Team Discusses Used Games
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Durall believes that the system could be similar to rental services, and that Microsoft could even create its own rental program.

"I could see Microsoft implementing their own rental service which would maybe give them a code that activates the game for X days and they are charged a small amount," Durall suggests. "This could work when you borrow the disc from someone or even with digital download of the full version. It would also send a percentage of the rental to the Developer with each rental, likely improving the overall revenue we would receive from it."

Durall concludes by commenting that used game sales hurt the industry more than most people realize, and that "we have to do something about these issues or our industry is going to fall apart."

Most Game Developers will agree that the Used Games market is
significantly impacting the revenue we receive. I think what most
consumers don’t realize is that every time they buy a used game, there
is ZERO money making it back to the Game Developers. All of those
profits are going directly to the re-seller and making it more and more
difficult for us to continue making higher quality products.
The Question is, what can we do about it?

Game
Developers have recently been trying to figure out ways to address this
on our own over the last few years and have come up with some ideas
that I’m actually beginning to like! Supporting the game with DLC is
always a good idea since it not only encourages the buyer to keep the
game longer, but that content is also tied to their account when
purchased. Great Idea as long as your DLC is compelling and a good
enough value to bring in plenty of consumers. It seems to be working
since this article says DLC generated over one billion dollars as of May last year.
One
of the newer ideas cropping up is including a unique code in the box
that gives you access to certain parts of the game…like Co-op or
multi-player. Buyers who do not purchase new, will have the opportunity
to pay around $10 to get access to that part of the game just like
everyone else. Some consumers complain about this method because the
precedent has always been that it’s included in the price and should
come with it. It did for the person who actually bought it first…so was
saving that $5 at Gamestop worth it for you?
These methods are
doing a little bit to help offset the loss in income for Game
Developers, but it’s really just a band-aid on a large wound. So that’s
where we are currently, where do we need to go?

I saw a rumor today that the PS Vita is
going to have a lower price point for digital editions of their games
compared to the retail versions. I like this idea a lot and the price
reduction COULD be significant if you consider the simple cost
of production as well as the cut that retailers take. Sony says just a
10% price reduction(meaning higher profit margins for them), but at
least this could reduce the amount of used games out there.
There’s
another big rumor about the next Xbox console that could really start
to shake things up…it won’t play used games at all! Personally I think
this would be a fantastic change for our business and even though the
consumers would be up in arms about it at first…they will grow to
understand why and that it won’t kill them.

The system is already there for Microsoft, all they’d have to do is use the DLC and codes model they have to tie a game to your Xbox live account.
Each retail disc would likely need that unique key somewhere in the
code so the account would be able to link it properly. Ideally it would
tie a full version to the console it is registered on so family members
can play even if the main account isn’t signed in, but this is exactly
how their model works now anyway.
It does have it’s faults that
would have to ironed out…like game rental. I’m a fan of rental
companies because they have to buy copies of the game to be able to rent
them out and if someone likes the game, there is a chance they would
purchase it for themselves. I could see Microsoft implementing their
own rental service which would maybe give them a code that activates the
game for X days and they are charged a small amount. This could work
when you borrow the disc from someone or even with digital download of
the full version. It would also send a percentage of the rental to the
Developer with each rental…likely improving the overall revenue we would
receive from it.
Another issue would be with simply lending the
game to a friend, but maybe they could implement something similar to
what Amazon is doing with their Kindle Books lending policy. The
license of the game could be transferred for a set time to another Gamer
Tag and the original owner won’t be able to play during that time.
Seems like it could work.
In the end, I fully believe that we
have to do something about these issues or our industry is going to fall
apart. People often don’t understand the cost that goes into creating
these huge experiences that we put on the shelves for only $60. They
also don’t seem to realize how much they are hurting us when they buy a
used game and how pirating a copy is just plain stealing. Maybe
something as simple as educating them could help solve the problem…
I
know that some will say I’m not considering the retail games stores and
the impact something like this would have on them…but remember they
were doing fine well before the Used Games market became such a staple
of their business. The truth is, they aren’t concerned with how this
business is affecting us so why should I care how these changes will
affect them? Every game I buy is NEW from Amazon.com and
it arrives at my door on or close to release day, shipped free with no
tax. The proper revenue also gets to the Developer that created it…how
could a retail store ever get more convenient than that?
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DISCLAIMER: Opinion does not represent that of my employer