The ScooterBlog

If you ever needed proof that used games do matter, I offer you this article linked HERE.

The Gears Of War 2 Flashback Pack was supposed to be the reason you bought this game new and didn’t wait for the used game market. It would only be included with new copies of the game, so if you wanted it, you better fork out the $60. Hey, it worked. I bought it.

But, now it’s January 2009. The game has been out three months, they are rolling out maps as quick as they can, and the economy is in the crapper. So, people stop caring about these maps and just buy the game used. What to do? Cave in and offer the maps on download. For $5 (400 points), you can now download this set of maps for yourself, if you bought the game used. Epic caved because they know there is going to be a used game market and need to make profits off of that contingent as well, and if they can get a few bucks they normally would have been out of the loop on, that is acceptable.

What does the whole exercise prove? At least for this generation of games, used games matter. Especially when the biggest video game retailer in the company, Gamestop, has used games to thank for a majority of its profits (and its viability now due to high margins), they have the ability to throw around clout in making sure that the game gets retail space when new. You’re not going to tell a billion dollar company not to accept your game in used, it is likely bad for your own bottom line!

It also proves that the real long lasting moneymaker in the future (and the only way you can protect yourself against used game sales if you feel you need to) is through downloadable content. Rock Band and Guitar Hero are perfect examples of this, and no one (including myself) don’t seem to mind. Punishing the used game buyer won’t work long term, embracing them and gaining profits from them makes far more sense, and it keeps your name in the thoughts of gamers. Would you be giving Burnout Paradise, good as it was, a second thought if it wasn’t for the constant influx of really good DLC? Probably not, but it keeps getting play because of that.

What’s your take on the about face of Epic Games? I want to be shocked, really I do. But, I’m not. Money talks, no matter what they say at any given time. Oh yeah, and if you’re patient, you’ll get what you want.