14 DAY TRIAL // Video game specialist retailer GameStop says that a majority of players are unwilling to buy a next-generation console, from either Sony or Microsoft, as long as the hardware makers implement a system to ban the used-game copies.
Rob Lloyd, the chief financial officer at the company, tells the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference, as quoted by VG247 that, “Consumers want the ability to play pre-owned games, they want portability in their games; they want to play physical games.” The executive estimates that up to 60 percent of those who are interested in getting a new hardware platform will not do so as long as they are unable to use a second-hand market for big releases.
He adds, “It’s really only about 4% of our used game sales that are games released in the last 60 days. Sony has said publicly that they don’t intend to block used games on its next console. Microsoft has refused to or has not commented on the rumors.”
Apparently, GameStop has already conducted research into buyers’ habits and their long-term wishes and it’s set to offer to share that information with next-gen developers.
Earlier during the year, a patent linked to new technology designed to eliminate the use of pre-owned games was uncovered for Sony and rumors then appeared about a similar initiative from Microsoft.
GameStop’s share price was affected by the potential news and the company is eager to assure investors and players that the information is unsupported by actual announcement from hardware makers.
Both developers and publishers have sought, over the year, to limit the impact of the used-game market by offering post-launch downloadable content and pre-launch incentives.
GameStop argues that overall hardware and game sales will be seriously affected by a pre-owned ban system, regardless of how it will be implemented.