Lately, a good deal of game industry spokesmen have shown just how unreasonable and out-of-touch they are by whining about second-hand games, pleading that somehow their industry should be exempt from a basic rule of trade. Sega Europe, however, has admitted that secondhand games aren't high on the publisher's list of worries, claiming it has a more "realistic" view of the situation.
"Right now it's probably not on our top ten list of things that we need to take action and be concerned about," explains boss man Mike Hayes. "The whole second-hand games market is one of those very, very sensitive areas that I've got to say Sega keeps a pretty low profile on - and I'll tell you why. I know that there are publishers that are vehemently, aggressively against it.
"My reluctant view is that while I can understand that, if publishers were to try and enforce a non-second-hand market to the consumer, I think there would be relationship damage with the consumer. Of course, commercially, do I support it? Of course not, and I have to think here of the 650 people we employ at Sega Europe.
"However, do we have a successful business working with the retailers that offer that service? Yes, we do. So would I ever join a campaign to get it stopped? The answer is no. Do I like it? The answer is no. I may be sitting on the fence here, but there needs to be a bit of reality on the market."
Hayes offers the most reasonable assessment of the situation I have seen from an industry rep. Compare that to the publishers who sit in the corner crying about it, trying to garner sympathy because they can't make an extra million dollars from products they've already sold, and I think we can easily see who the bigger, more mature spokesman is.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
8:40 AM on 02.02.2009
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What these game companies need to realize is that if they offer a lot of gameplay for not a lot of money, people will buy it and keep it. If they keep making games that are 10 hours long with no replayability, then it's their own fault that the used games market is so popular.
The games that I keep are games that I love and will want to play in the future. The games that had no replay value have already been sold on eBay.
I don't hear nearly the outcry from the fiction book industry about used book stores; they know the score. The only ones who fight as hard as they can are the textbook publishers, and they only win b/c they payola the hell out of the colleges. Gaming has no such leverage.
Yeah, those bastards! How dare they develop a business model that makes a profit! And, I find it wholly unacceptable that they hire thugs to stand next to the register and break your arm if you don't accept their trade in values.
I saw this guy walk into GameStop the other day with 2 games to trade in. They made him an offer, he declined and walked out. He got lucky! I think the arm breaking thugs were on break.
Yeah, of course. Push over a rack of magazines. That'll hurt the company. Not just turn an employee's day to shit. Those employees, grr. They shouldn't work for such an evil company!