Xbox One - Does it breach EU consumer rights?

martinthebandit

Surely when buying a new game lots of people factor in that they can sell it on when they have finished, or got bored with it?

They have made the new Xbox a definite no no for me.Clearly Microsoft see game developers as being far more important than paying customers.

ineed

martinthebandit wrote: »

Surely when buying a new game lots of people factor in that they can sell it on when they have finished, or got bored with it?

They have made the new Xbox a definite no no for me.Clearly Microsoft see game developers as being far more important than paying customers.

Sometimes, although if its a game or series I really like I want to keep them, especially as if I really like a series I'll buy collectors editions which often are limited editions which then shoot up in price. I know a lot of people from gaming sites who also do this type of thing. But I like the options to buy older second hand games I missed and to trade in games I brought but didn't enjoy, these restrictions are a complete put off for me.

Hopefully they will see sense over this.

Takeaway_Addict

Littlestars wrote: »

But the problem with that is currently when people trade in games you can look about for the best deal for trades, but when it changes rather than having a choice and getting as much as you can you will probably only get a stupid amount back, and thats if the publisher will trade it back. And many people would actually want to friend someone on their xbox they dont know in order to sell the game, apart from the fact they would have to wait a month.

The problem is they care changing it so you never actually own the game - you just get a license to use it and at £40 + a pop its not going to be viable. Many people buy preowned for various reasons and in some ways it can actually help the publishers. When people get a game for cheap preowned and really enjoy it, when the company brings out a new one people will be more likely to buy it full price brand new because they enjoyed the last one.

I see why Microsoft doing it, the second hand market surely must hurt publishers as they probably are selling at full market price to less than 50% of the people that play the game....that's alot of missed money to them themselves.

However there needs to be a happy balance!

Lifeforms

It's the same in any other market though. Blueray, dvd, even vcr when people could just copy the damn things easily. People want an item for their hard earned cash, and do not expect to not be able to sell things on.

It has become a right to buy a game and pass it on either for money or gift if onwards especially when you pay the price they rrp at. Sure you could sell the game on with the new Xbox via Microsoft, but it's not a simplified version any more, and god forbid if you want to sell it third hand, you're stuffed.

So joe blog wants to sell on this game he didn't really enjoy it. Seeing another one full price he takes it in to the games exchange store and exchanges it for more credit to a full priced game. Takes about 5 mins now...

By pushing the limits with what microsoft has done, they'll make it even harder to sell games, and longer. So they're not going to make more money this way. Apathy is rife, people wont be bothered to wait 30 days to sell. They cannot use the reason it will earn them more cash. They are greedy and want it all, and I genuinely think this will bite them in original console sales, but also potential game sales in the future. People will think twice about buying something that they physically don't own, or can't shift on a whim. Those who buy not realising will fast learn and be very unimpressed, thus it affects microsofts future sales. Who ever thought this up and didn't see how this will look and be taken are compromising microsofts (potentially better) future.

Whilst game prices will rise, selling prices will fall with all the limits, so even if you had a store close by you could exchange at, it's not like ebay selling, or car booting, or many of the game exchanges now. You will lose out on money vs what they'd be worth selling freely now.

custardy

Timalay wrote: »

Yes and no, 4k tvs are far to expensive at the moment for a standard consumer. Also the cost of these games are (clearly) going far cheaper than MS and Sony's.

and I can run anything that can run on my phone, sans $50 controller

you can run a 360 for 'cheaper' games
its simply not a comparable product

martinthebandit

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

I see why Microsoft doing it, the second hand market surely must hurt publishers as they probably are selling at full market price to less than 50% of the people that play the game....that's alot of missed money to them themselves.

However there needs to be a happy balance!

Do you honestly believe that if people cannot buy a game second hand they will buy it new instead?

Any other 'luxury' item you buy has a resale value and the second hand market does not seem to be perceived as a problem in any other market but entertainment.

Takeaway_Addict

martinthebandit wrote: »

Do you honestly believe that if people cannot buy a game second hand they will buy it new instead?

Any other 'luxury' item you buy has a resale value and the second hand market does not seem to be perceived as a problem in any other market but entertainment.

I genuinally believe that publishers would sell more of their games as new than they are now, less people maybe gaming but publishers would get more money as they don't currently get anything for second hand sales etc

martinthebandit

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

I genuinally believe that publishers would sell more of their games as new than they are now, less people maybe gaming but publishers would get more money as they don't currently get anything for second hand sales etc

Really? Interestingly enough I think the exact opposite will occur, less people will get into serious gaming at an early age as they will not be able to afford to buy games, consequently the size of the market will decrease, which means game prices will have to rise to keep the same level of profits, which will lead to less people playing etc etc.

I think the gaming industry are taking a very short sighted view.

Oh and game publisher do get a return from second hand games, I would suggest that some people are willing to pay the high prices for new games because they do expect to be able to sell them second hand.

Time will tell I suppose.

custardy

lets not panic
realistically its simple
dont like it,dont buy it
most folks flapping are worried it will sell despite the restrictions

vyle

deanos wrote: »

Think people will vote with there feet on this one, i certainly wont be buying one with those restrictions

Sadly the general public never seems to research anything before purchase and only !!!!! afterwards when they've already rewarded the manufacturer/developer with their money. MS's audience is 12 year olds who think COD is edgy, they have no idea what DRM is and they won't care until it's too late.