[Games] Down the Rabbit Hole of the Used Games Market

A few weeks ago on IGN Girlfight the topic was raised of Electronic Arts move to strip out online multi-player as a separately purchasable feature (free to those buying new). The latter part of the debate moved into the legitimacy of the used market and the morale issues surrounding it. A key argument expressed was that used games sales fail to yield revenue for those that produce the game in the first place, which particularly in the games market have a crippling effect on the smaller developers. As a software developer myself I have to say this discussion gave me pause and forced me to reexamine my thoughts on the topic.

There is certainly a ring of truth to the argument. The simple reality is that if you don't give a company money for their product they don't have as much money to pour into future versions of said product. However, if we assume for a second the logic that all consumers should avoid contributing to the used games market a great many questions are immediately evoked. Should I not lend out games to other people? Should I not rent games? Should I not donate games to Goodwill? Do I need to buy 2 copies of a game if both my spouse and I want to play it? Why not donate money to smaller, independent game studios? By treating this one argument as an axiom we've called all property rights surrounding video games into question, and it's quite a rabbit hole.

I haven't really encountered this notion as much with music, although it's no longer as germane today with digital sales being what they are. Even when it was relevant, though, I don't think it was as big of an issue because for groups you really liked you bought merchandise from and went to concerts. The game markets are gradually coming around to doing these side elements as well to add to their revenue streams, and I think it's a very wise way to go. I certainly indulge in these side markets with games I really like such as Mass Effect, where I have all the DLC, a t-shirt, and a lithograph. Even for Castle Crashers I have a Red Knight sitting on my desk at work.

So the verdict for me personally: it's all business. Is it fair for EA to separately charge for multiplayer functionality? - Yes. Is it fair for them to charge $100 for a game? - Yes. Is it fair for people to sell their physical copy of a game? - Yes. Are any of these things wise? - I don't know. These are all things, however, that are fair for consumers and developers to do, devoid of applying morale "right" and "wrong" to them.