So there is an article on IGN talking about how the next XBox system may disallow for used games to be played on your system. In other words, the only games you can play on your XBox are games that you purchased yourself. Similar to what they do to the PC programs, they might have some sort of code to enter so that the property becomes yours and only yours. I mildly understand the reasoning behind it (after all, we are all in the business of making money) but this is hands-down a pitiful idea that will potentially kill jobs, limit mainstream appeal, and also look quite douche-like when compared to the competitors. If Micro$oft was smart, they would squash this idea immediately. Now i know this is all rumor and speculation, but I wouldn't put it past them to contemplate such an idea.
Let’s start with who it affects the most: Gamestop and the slew of indie-game stores (Play-n-Trade, Game Traders, etc.). Most of the profits from these places come from used games. What would separate Gamestop from much larger companies like Target, Best Buy, and especially Wal-Mart? Part of Gamestop’s appeal is its linking to the past and the ability to offer much older games and cheaper video games from the current generation. We can’t all afford $60 games from the getgo, there are hundreds of families that wait several years before purchasing a system to buy the games we’ve all already enjoyed at smaller prices. If I were running Gamestop, I would threaten to pull all XBox games off the shelves if they dare make this move.
And how can we possibly allow someone to borrow our game if they can no longer play it on their system? We have to bring our own XBox just to show them a game that we bought? That’s outright stupid, and diminishes the chances of a smaller-budget game of getting widespread fame. In the history of gaming there have been video games that were met with lackluster sales but over time develop themselves a crazy fanbase through word-of-mouth (and a mix of used game sales and borrowing from others). Nintendo’s best example is Earthbound, a video game that flopped like a fish out of water in 1995. However, in the years following thanks to word-of-mouth it’s gotten so much more popular that it has become a true-blue part of Nintendo culture. If a game flops in the future, it will remain a flop because there’s no other way to spread the game’s magic---unless you throw in the $60.
And if Microsoft does go through with this idea, what would prevent them from increasing the price of games a little? Would $65 be out of the question? $70? And with no used games allowed, you have no other choice but to buy it full price or wait years for them to decide to drop the price a little. The XBox 360’s lead has already been diminishing, why further the pain by throwing this monkey wrench in the system? I don’t care how amazing-looking your new XBox is going to be, if you pull off this Microsoft Office trick there’s just no reason why I would buy the 720 as opposed to the PS4.
Bottom Line: In another example of a prick powerhouse company trying to make more money, there are rumors of the next XBox disallowing your system to play used games. This my friends is wrong, ridiculous, atrocious, and overall just a plain stupid idea. So we can buy used houses, cars, clothes, computers, televisions, toys, books, apartments, cameras, but video games are a no-no? Microsoft, I can not, will not, shall not support your system if you go through with this. And I am sure there are plenty of gamers that wouldn’t mind flocking to the competition if it means them actually being able to take a game to a friend’s house. I know the goal in every company is to make the maximum profit possible, but if it means threatening the future of several companies and businesses and also financially shunning off the financially less-fortunate crowd, I for one will be against this decision until the very end.
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