Should pre-owned gamers pay extra for online?

[wraggster]

The issue of pre-owned and the second-hand games market is a hot topic at the moment in the industry.

As increasing numbers retailers expand their video game offerings to encompass used games, publishers and developers have spoken out about the damaging effects of the second-hand market.

Activision and THQ are just two of many publishers taking steps to combat the increase in pre-owned sales.

One of the methods being discussed is to charge those who buy used extra for online features. PSM3 makes the case for - and against - this method.

NO: IT'S THE THIN END OF A DANGEROUS WEDGE. IT NEEDS TO STOP NOW

If extra payments remain limited to multi-player, and fees become standard - say, a £5 flat rate on any game - few could seriously complain. Multi-player's a continuing service, with running costs attached.

But it won't stop there. Some major figures have spoken of their desire to destroy the second hand market.

While last year EA boss John Riccitello equated used sales to piracy - propaganda designed to soften up opposition, seeding the idea that used game sales, uniquely in our capitalist, consumer society, are immoral.

This goes against notions of property accepted for thousands of years. It's breathtakingly cynical.

One-use codes are far too tempting to waste on additional services. EA's Project $10, for instance, is less about adding value than controlling it.

Publishers can't control discs once they're out, but they can control downloads. Download-only gaming isn't quite here yet. So in the meantime, why not make discs worthless? Hobble the game, then ask buyers to download the balance as 'extras'. For a fee.

So thin out the 'extra' enemies, remove the 'extra' guns and chop 'extra' levels from Future Shooter X and you've shifted the value from the physical property to a download code.

Publishers get to sell discs and we get to buy them, but not own them or sell them or anything annoying like that. Ace. - Steve Williams

YES: ONLINE SUPPORT AND DLC COSTS MONEY, SO YOU SHOULD PAY FOR IT

It's an unpopular view, but I genuinely believe games are fairly priced. Yes, I know £50 is a substantial outlay, even if you're reasonably well-off, but for the amount of effort that goes into games (well, the ones that are actually worth buying) it's a fair deal.

And, the longer you own a game, the more value you get from it. £50 for Battlefield Bad Company 2 is more reasonable if - like me - you bought on day one.

Why? It costs EA money to support the game online, and it costs DICE time and effort (so, money again) to develop the VIP map packs we've all enjoyed for free.

So, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask anyone who paid less for Battlefield because they picked up a pre-owned copy, to pay the extra money. After all, they're enjoying the same services as everyone else.

EA (or indeed any publisher) is perfectly entitled to charge a fee for anyone buying pre-owned, because they don't see a penny of the money from when that person actually buys the game. Why?

That cash is in the retailer's pocket, and I don't see them offering to help EA support their servers. And if you don't want to pay for an 'online pass' or any other locked out services - well, that is your choice.

You can still play the majority of the game without worrying yourself about how the publishers and developers are going to recoup their costs for support or future sequels.

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[Murdock]

While I somehow understand your opinion and agree that s/o should pay IF he bought a pre-owned copy of a game and wants to play online I certainly disagree with you about the rest.

First of all, I think it's alright to pay ONCE for getting a new account in order to play online. It means work for the publisher/owner of the servers and therefore this is okay.

BUT: The publisher made money with the disc/the game the first time s/o bought it. Why should he get extra money from s/o else using exactly the same damn copy? This is like you would have to pay Microsoft again for using the Windows Vista copy of your firend that sold it to you OR gave it to you for free because he bought Win 7. Would you do that, too?

It simply makes no sense. It is just another way to sqeeze out the maximum amount of money from customers. I certainly am not willing to pay for the server costs of a publisher if s/o else has paid for it already. I compensate the person I buy the game from for having paid the publisher. And that should be it.

If I buy a new game, okay. Here's another example: I buy a used Volkswagen from a friend or whoever and then Volkswagen would charge like 1000 Euros from me becuase I haven't bought a new one? I don't think ANYONE would do this!

I see your main point it online gaming. But what if I get the account name and password from the guy I buy the game from? No more work for the publisher, not a single byte more workload and traffic on his servers than if the guy that owned the game before is using the game.

You see? The company has already been paid for the "costs" I cause. It's already in the calculations when the game was released and priced. Therefore, I don't see why I should be charged with extra money.

It's different if it comes to extra stuff like new maps and/or extra items within a game. If there is new value added to the game, then it might (under certain conditions) that the one that buys a game preowned pays for it. Because it means new value and therefoire an enhanced gaming experience.

But still, my general opinion is: NO EXTRA FEE for prewoned games by the publishers.

[VampDude]

Instead of pre-owned, people will just wait until the store prices drop and then pay the lesser price of which the developers cannot argue... Whilst receiving all the contents.

If EA for example released more games like Burnout Paradise, which without the paid content the game feels like a demo. People would happily pay the extra after purchasing the games pre-owned, otherwise for the in-box codes they provide for new games, eBay has many unused codes for both the Xbox 360 and PS3.