PS4 Pre-Release Rumor/Speculation Thread

[Griking]

This is purely hypothetical, but how's this for a scenario: The PS4 and Xbox 720 both turn out to be unable to play used games. Seeing this, many, MANY parents thinking about what to get for their kids, as well as regular gamers who aren't made of money, flock to the WiiU as the only sensible option left. Microsoft and Sony leave the gaming business due to dismal sales and massive losses. Nintendo carries on business as usual, but with a much higher user base. Gamers ultimately are better off. For all the snarky comments directed towards Nintendo by people who aren't fans of theirs, one could make a valid argument that they're the only ones who know what they're doing.

if both the Xbox 720 and PS4 didn't play used games and the Wii did I have a feeling that you'd see more developers take their chances and abandon the Wii over abandoning the 720 and PS4. Its not as if the Wii had great 3rd party backing in the first place other than a lot of shovel-ware.

[Press_Start]

if both the Xbox 720 and PS4 didn't play used games and the Wii did I have a feeling that you'd see more developers take their chances and abandon the Wii over abandoning the 720 and PS4. Its not as if the Wii had great 3rd party backing in the first place other than a lot of shovel-ware.

HA! Then let them! Any dev or company signing on to this anti-used game idea is signaling their death knell. Let me ask a question, this is what's going to be the frontier of videogames? Screwing gamers seven ways to Sunday just for another nickel and dime they haven't gotten from DLC or online passes yet? If this is what they are contributing toward the future of the gaming and can't understand gamers are able to afford their new $60 games by selling off their old ones from an economic standpoint, then they deserve to fail.

[Griking]

HA! Then let them! Any dev or company signing on to this anti-used game idea is signaling their death knell.

I used to work in a retail store. From time to time there would be pissed off customers who would swear to never shop at our store again. They always came back. The problem is that, and I hate to say it, people are just too weak. People will threaten to never purchase another console but most of them will do so anyway because when it comes down to it, they want to play their games. Sure there will be a bunch who really give up gaming and not purchase another console over this but those are likely going to be the people who mostly purchased used games in the first place; i.e. the people that developers will miss the least.

[kedawa]

I'm glad I'm not one of those people.
I won't be giving up gaming or buying any new consoles.

[Press_Start]

I used to work in a retail store. From time to time there would be pissed off customers who would swear to never shop at our store again. They always came back. The problem is that, and I hate to say it, people are just too weak. People will threaten to never purchase another console but most of them will do so anyway because when it comes down to it, they want to play their games. Sure there will be a bunch who really give up gaming and not purchase another console over this but those are likely going to be the people who mostly purchased used games in the first place; i.e. the people that developers will miss the least.

! OK, hypothetical question.....how are those "weak people" gonna give in to their gaming vices when they got no money to buy said games in the first place? Seriously, do you expect every, I mean, EVERY consumer to keep buying new $60 games while forcing them to hang onto their old games like pack rats hording ketchup packets? At least used games you sell can pay for new ones but what's Average Joe Schmoe on a fixed budget going to do in he or she can't recoup a little money? There's the fallacy of your point. Banning used games punishes "good gamers" as well the "bad gamers". You're turning an open, inclusive, semi-expensive hobby into a shrinking self-exclusive country club for die-hards and rich kids. It's ain't a moral dilemma, it's a money problem.

[IHatedSega]

I just saw a commercial for Dead Space 3 and the announcer at the end said the 360 is now starting at $100. I guess its the 4gb version, but still thats a really good retaliation on Microsofts part. Makes me want to get it since 90% of the PS3 games I want are on it, and a few insane bullet hell shooters are exclusives.

[Bojay1997]

I just saw a commercial for Dead Space 3 and the announcer at the end said the 360 is now starting at $100. I guess its the 4gb version, but still thats a really good retaliation on Microsofts part. Makes me want to get it since 90% of the PS3 games I want are on it, and a few insane bullet hell shooters are exclusives.

That's kind of misleading. It's $99 with a two year subscription plan to XBL at $14.99 per month, so it really costs you $460 over two years. The 4 gig console is still $200 MSRP.

[IHatedSega]

That's kind of misleading. It's $99 with a two year subscription plan to XBL at $14.99 per month, so it really costs you $460 over two years. The 4 gig console is still $200 MSRP.

wow thats total fucking bull shit if you cant get the console without the plan.

[Bojay1997]

! OK, hypothetical question.....how are those "weak people" gonna give in to their gaming vices when they got no money to buy said games in the first place? Seriously, do you expect every, I mean, EVERY consumer to keep buying new $60 games while forcing them to hang onto their old games like pack rats hording ketchup packets? At least used games you sell can pay for new ones but what's Average Joe Schmoe on a fixed budget going to do in he or she can't recoup a little money? There's the fallacy of your point. Banning used games punishes "good gamers" as well the "bad gamers". You're turning an open, inclusive, semi-expensive hobby into a shrinking self-exclusive country club for die-hards and rich kids. It's ain't a moral dilemma, it's a money problem.

When publishers and developers make more money on each game sale, they can then adjust MSRP to a more reasonable rate. People trading games in to Gamestop only get maybe $20-$30 back for a new game, so it's not like they are completely subsidizing their new purchases using credit. In fact, a large percentage of GS buyers never buy new at all, so that part of the ecosystem may be impacted, but it's not a profitable one for publishers and developers anyway. Gamestop would clearly suffer as it is the majority of their revenue. I think you underestimate how many non-rich people already buy media products that they can't or don't trade in on a regular basis now.

[Griking]

! OK, hypothetical question.....how are those "weak people" gonna give in to their gaming vices when they got no money to buy said games in the first place? Seriously, do you expect every, I mean, EVERY consumer to keep buying new $60 games while forcing them to hang onto their old games like pack rats hording ketchup packets? At least used games you sell can pay for new ones but what's Average Joe Schmoe on a fixed budget going to do in he or she can't recoup a little money? There's the fallacy of your point. Banning used games punishes "good gamers" as well the "bad gamers". You're turning an open, inclusive, semi-expensive hobby into a shrinking self-exclusive country club for die-hards and rich kids. It's ain't a moral dilemma, it's a money problem.

I can't say that I support what Microsoft and Sony are doing but I understand WHY they're doing it.

If this were done correctly both Microsoft and Sony would have a press conference announcing that their new consoles would not be able to play used games but that prices for the games would be cut in half. Of course this won't happen though.

So what will probably happen is that sales of consoles and games will decrease but overall profits won't change all that much because they'll still be selling more new games then they ever did before.

The wildcard in all of this will be companies like Steam. Yeah, you still can't purchase or sell used games with it but the prices for their games will continue to attract a lot of new users including a lot of old console only people who will be attracted to the Steam Box

All this being said, I'd still be very surprised if either Microsoft or Sony decides to follow through with the plan to block used games this generation.

[Leo_A]

So what will probably happen is that sales of consoles and games will decrease but overall profits won't change all that much because they'll still be selling more new games then they ever did before.

A good chunk of the value for traded in videogames surely must be put towards purchasing new games. So I don't think it's a given that new game sales will not only not decrease, but will instead grow. Such a decision isn't going to keep every single new purchase that would've otherwise been made in year's past while adding purchases from individual's that would've bought a used copy in year's past.

And a good number of people aren't buying games exclusively used or new but rather a combination of the two. Taking away the ability to buy used games will eliminate some of these customer's at least for a time until prices drop and some very well might stay away permanently.

[jb143]

! OK, hypothetical question.....how are those "weak people" gonna give in to their gaming vices when they got no money to buy said games in the first place? Seriously, do you expect every, I mean, EVERY consumer to keep buying new $60 games while forcing them to hang onto their old games like pack rats hording ketchup packets? At least used games you sell can pay for new ones but what's Average Joe Schmoe on a fixed budget going to do in he or she can't recoup a little money? There's the fallacy of your point. Banning used games punishes "good gamers" as well the "bad gamers". You're turning an open, inclusive, semi-expensive hobby into a shrinking self-exclusive country club for die-hards and rich kids. It's ain't a moral dilemma, it's a money problem.

That's easy. Sony themselves could initiate a buy back program where they buy your game for next to nothing, re-activate it, and sell it again(refurbished) for slightly cheaper than new prices are. Getting something for your game is better than nothing(the only other alternative in this scenario) and Sony rids themselves of Game Stop in the process...hypothetically speaking of course.

[retroguy]

Sony rids themselves of Game Stop in the process...hypothetically speaking of course.

Don't you just love companies being all greedy? Whether you love them or loathe them, ya gotta admit Gamestop provides a valuable service by making games affordable for the folks who can't shell out the cash to buy new and intentionally trying to end that would make a lot of lower-income gamers very angry.

[kedawa]

Don't you just love companies being all greedy? Whether you love them or loathe them, ya gotta admit Gamestop provides a valuable service by making games affordable for the folks who can't shell out the cash to buy new and intentionally trying to end that would make a lot of lower-income gamers very angry.

The difference between $55 snd $60 isn't really that big.

[Gameguy]

That's easy. Sony themselves could initiate a buy back program where they buy your game for next to nothing, re-activate it, and sell it again(refurbished) for slightly cheaper than new prices are. Getting something for your game is better than nothing(the only other alternative in this scenario) and Sony rids themselves of Game Stop in the process...hypothetically speaking of course.

Or an easier solution would be if they offer a rewards coupon in each game, if you collect five coupons you can mail them in for a free game and some exclusive bonus item. One would assume that you wouldn't find these coupons in used copies as people would keep them to redeem, so it could convince people to buy new copies over used ones. I seem to remember seeing coupons for free games back in the 90's so it's not like it's never been done before.

If companies still can't make enough profit on games anymore, they need to reduce the wages of the programmers. The only reason their wages got so high was because companies were making so much profit on the games that they wanted their fair share, if companies can't make a profit anymore then there's no more money to be shared with them, meaning lower wages.

[kedawa]

If companies still can't make enough profit on games anymore, they need to reduce the wages of the programmers. The only reason their wages got so high was because companies were making so much profit on the games that they wanted their fair share, if companies can't make a profit anymore then there's no more money to be shared with them, meaning lower wages.

Programmers make jack shit. The ballooning budgets come from the increasing size of dev teams, licensed middelware, extraneous shit like cutscenes and voice acting, and marketing.

[Rob2600]

an easier solution would be if they offer a rewards coupon in each game, if you collect five coupons you can mail them in for a free game and some exclusive bonus item. One would assume that you wouldn't find these coupons in used copies as people would keep them to redeem, so it could convince people to buy new copies over used ones.

That's actually a great idea.