HMV now selling second-hand games

[Rev Scapegoat]

An article on Slashdot reminded me of this - Spotted yesterday while watching Edgecrusher fail to purchase a PSP ( Any joy today dude? ) that HMV are now buying and selling used video games.

Interesting, and unexpected.
The prices are still mostly a bit shit for 2nd hand gear, though...

[poprock]

Retailers make a higher profit from second-hand games than they do from new. The videogames industry as a whole are starting to get really pissed off about it all, as stores are often instructing their staff to give the second-hand stuff more of a hard sell than the new; "You know, this game will be a great choice for your son, well picked. I can do you a second-hand copy for ten pounds less though. Would you like that instead?", and suddenly the publisher makes no money from that sale.

[Rev Scapegoat]

Which kinda circumvents my stance of "I'll download or borrow a game, and play it for a while. If it's really worth buying, I'll buy it." - To my mind, large stores doing this is gonna cause the software industry more harm than piracy ever could - Since even the really GOOD games aren't gonna make any money.

Not sure how to get around it though, since you can't very well say "Dedicated game stores can sell second hand stuff, but you big boys aren't allowed."

Maybe put some sort of time limit on how long a game has to be out before a retail establishment may buy it back for "used" sale?

[GoddamnElectric]

I rarely touch 2nd hand games since I'm a bit of a snob about the condition of my gear I remember when I went into gamestation to trade in a Sega Saturn disc that had risen to a silly £50 value and the manager actually summoned other staff over to marvel at the flawless condition of the disc

[Zero]

They've been doing this for a while...
http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/s...&highlight=hmv

[TheFallenAngel]

Originally Posted by GoddamnElectric

I rarely touch 2nd hand games since I'm a bit of a snob about the condition of my gear I remember when I went into gamestation to trade in a Sega Saturn disc that had risen to a silly £50 value and the manager actually summoned other staff over to marvel at the flawless condition of the disc

Funnily enough I found my old Saturn in a cupboard the other day and had a wee go on it.
Still works

Was a first gen Saturn if I remember, I bought it pretty much as it was released.

Ma pal hadn't seen a Saturn before let alone played one and we had a wee game on it.
Fighting Vipers and Worldwide Soccer 97, that game was excellent. Still the graphics are dreadful to look at now.

[TheEdgeCrusher]

Naw, no luck. Might get my mate to book a PSP form his work in the Braehead HMV. He thinks I should have more luck getting one there.

Later Edge

[Semprini]

Originally Posted by Rev Scapegoat

Maybe put some sort of time limit on how long a game has to be out before a retail establishment may buy it back for "used" sale?

The right of first sale shoots this right out of the water.

I don't think there's much to worry about, tbh. For every second hand copy, someone still has to buy it new...

[poprock]

Aye - I have no problem with the system. Thought it was worth pointing out though. At the EIEF I saw first-hand just how angry a lot of the industry folk are about it. For me, I think it's a sign of the industry maturing and heading towards the mainstream.