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When I was young I would never trade any of my games into any store that would accept them. I simply did not need the money. If I wanted a game I would ask for it for my birthday or put it on my Christmas list. I would borrow some from friends and save up my allowance for the rest. I couldn't even imagine taking my beloved collection and giving it to strangers who would then sell it to other strangers. My games in someone else's house, someone I did not know, just seemed a bit odd to me.
That all changed when the industry began to grow. In the late 90's I was almost in awe at the amount of games that were being showered onto the market. I couldn't keep up with the amount of Dreamcast, Playstation, and Nintendo 64 games released every week. I very clearly remember the first time I traded some games in. It was nearly heartbreaking to hand them over knowing I would never see them again. However that all changed when the cashier went into the back room and walked out with brand new copies of Goldeneye and Shadows of the Empire. At that moment I knew I would be just fine.
Ever since then I have traded my games in to help pay for new games. I like to think that by trading my games in I am helping the industry by buying brand new games at the same time. I am also helping those less fortunate gamers who can not afford to throw down $65 on a new game whenever the feel the need to play. I know that used game sales hurt the industry. To what extent I do not know. I find it hard to believe the industry's estimate of "Billions" of lost income. However, I do understand where they are coming from.
That understanding was stretched too thin today when I read about EA's new plan to fight used game sales. For the past few months you may have noticed some games including bonus downloads to those who purchase their games new. I thought this was a great way to help motivate people to buy new games, and at the same time it doesn't hurt those who can't afford the $65 price tag. Mass Effect 2, Bad Company 2, The Saboteur, etc all included some extra maps or weapons to those who could afford the new price but didn't hurt those who bought used. That all changed today when EA announced that they were taking this plan one massive step further. EA is going to require anyone who buys their upcoming sports games used to purchase a $10 code in order to unlock the multiplayer.
Are you angry yet? What this means is that for every used EA sports game you buy your going to have to add another $10 onto the price tag if you want to go online with friends. Are you angry yet? This also means that you can no longer borrow and lend EA sports games to friends, and if they take this new tactic further you may not be able to do it with any EA game. This also eliminates, we assume, rentals as well. Are you angry yet? We can also assume that if this new business tactic is successful it will be pushed onto other games as well. If your not angry yet then you need to re-think your position as a gamer.
When I heard this news all I could think about, besides how much EA sucks again, is the less fortunate gamers out there. I personally know a few very good people who will be hurt by this. It is as if EA is coming right out and saying that only those of us rich enough to buy every EA game new will be treated to the entire game, and everyone else will NOT be treated equal. It is hard to imagine what their PR people are thinking right now. I can't imagine the task of trying to rebound off of this image car crash.
One person on a forum I read earlier said it perfectly. "Is Honda going to come to my house and remove the tires off of my pre-owned Accord and ask for $100 to get them back?" Another user said "I hope Apple doesn't remote kill my used iPod Touch I just bought off ebay and ask for more money to reactivate it". Their comments made me think. Does EA have the right to do this? I can not decide. On the one hand it is their game, they made it and they spent their own money distributing it. On the other hand I was always under the impression that once a game is bought it is no longer theirs, it is mine. If I want to re-sell it somewhere they can't do anything about it since it is no longer their property and they can not interfere with my sale of the game to someone else. Once we buy it, we own it. Right?
I wish I knew. I really did. I know that the shit storm that is going to rain down upon EA is only going to get worse. I know there are going to be millions of gamers out there who are now going to think twice about buying a used game. I know that nearly every comment I have read from gamers seems to say that they are disgusted by this, and they plan to cease purchasing all EA products. I also know that nearly none of them will follow through on that promise.
Look around you. Read the news. Many countries will stand up and fight when an injustice is done to them. I think America is one of the few countries who love to talk about making a stand, but hate to act on it. There is one sure way to show our disgust for this new tactic of EA's, and that is to stop purchasing their games. For, as we know, the only reason they are doing this is to curb used game sales and make more money. So surely if we boycott the purchases of their games it will defeat their entire plan. But, are we right in doing that? Are we right to complain? Does EA have the right to do this?
Please, comment.
