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Microsoft has made it quite clear that it's taking a pickaxe to the used game industry and it's mining a chunk of change from it before dismembering it over the next few years. At least that's the plan, but not everyone is keen to let the software giant have all the fun: Take Two now wants a taste.
“There's no question that if Microsoft has figured out a way to tax used games, then we should get paid, too. It's hard to imagine why they should and we shouldn't,” current CEO at Take Two, Strauss Zelnick said, while speaking with Gamespot.
Xbox One, the all in one console. Without used games or backwards compatibility.
However, as to not seem quite the money grabber Microsoft is making itself out to be, Zelnick did say that it wasn't trying to punish consumers, but reward them: “Our view about used games has been, as opposed to whining or figuring out ways to punish the consumer for buying used games, we've figured out we better delight the consumer,” Zelnick said.”Let's push up our quality, which you've seen in our Metacritic scores, and then let's make sure to give people DLC, often free, three or four weeks out; which is the time you're at risk for them trading in their game,” he added. “If you can keep the game in consumer's hands for 8 weeks, you almost don't care anymore about used game sales because it's the first 8 weeks that really nail you.”
While it's not known for sure how the next-generation of consoles will handle used games, its expected that they will play them, but only for a limited time or with limited functionality. Once a certain time has passed, or if gamers want to use the advanced features, it's thought that they'll have to pay a price close to the full list one.
KitGuru Says: This was bound to happen. Microsoft has much less of a case for making money from a game it licensed than the developers that actually made it do. If it turns out to be doable, Take Two definitely won't be the only one that wants to get involved.
are they really trying to kill consoles, this is more stupid than microsofts idea. I dont understand companies and wanting to make money off the poor, this is a terrible idea and it should be dealt legally or otherwise people will stop playin games all together. The reason for buying a second game or renting is wondering should i spend 50+ pound on this game or should i wait or rent, with those options out the window consumers will just go for big company games ruling out the little developers, good job microsoft i hope u realise this can not go any worst for the console generation
Take-Two are a developer/publisher, if anyone deserves a share from used games, it is them, not Microsoft, they are the ones who developed these games and they are the ones losing a lot of money from used games
Here’s what I see happening:
1) consumers will be relying more on reviews and word of mouth about a game before buying it
2) pre-orders, as well as day one sales will go sharply down (see point 1) as there is more financial risk involved in buying games
3) average tendency of consumers is to buy games @ or above 75% score, but with the risk involved with buying a game you can’t easily sell (if at all), I think you will find that consumers will be more stringent about what games they buy, and go for games that average a much higher score (better the score, the less risk it’s going to be crap)
4) with an increase in the average score the demand for developers to step up their game in producing games that could potentially generate a higher score will go up
5) because of the reliance on point 1, and the new buying habits of gamers as per point 3, game companies that continue to get poor reviews, and thus sell less games, will have to seriously step up their game or risk going bankrupt, or God forbid, get bought out by EA