HMV Re/Play ~ Your thoughts

[Gemini-Phoenix]

Last week HMV launched a new play & trade scheme for used games in some of their major high street stores, to rival GAME and GameStation, as well as the plethora of independant shops now selling used videogames.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=264238

The new scheme has had quite a quiet launch, and is only available in some stores at the moment. If all is successful, they plan on rolling the service out to all stores sometime in 2009. According to HMV, videogames are an ever growing medium, and account for a significant fraction of their income, with sales of music dropping and sales of games climbing.

Personally, I don't think it's a good idea. This sort of thing should be confined to the industry and the specialist game stores within. It's bad enough that HMV already sell unsealed 'New' games, so they are going to have to start selling sealed games to differenciate between new and used. They're already guilty of resealing Dvd's, so expect to see more resealed games doing the rounds as well. This has got to be bad for everyone involved

What are your thoughts?

[boatofcar]

Judging from how well this went in stores like FYE, I can't imagine it will stick around very long.

[alexkidd2000]

It doesnt seem fair that the company that makes the game gets a one time fee for the game and then these retailers make profit over and over on used games. They should have to give a percentage of every used game to the game companies. I know this does not sound right because other industries like auto do not do this. Thing is, when I walk into a new car dealership they do not try to talk me out of a new car purchase to get a used car. Also games do not deteriorate with use so a used copy can be just as good as a new copy.

[Lady Jaye]

I'm still not used to the idea that HMV sells videogames in the first place (mind you, since I work a block away from a big HMV, it's not a bad thing).

I don't know whether their used games program will work. But any competition that might bring down the prices of used games might not be such a bad idea, if it's done properly.

[boatofcar]

They should have to give a percentage of every used game to the game companies.

Please explain why you think so and why you think video games should be the exception to the rule.