Truth Serum – Mike’s rage against the publishers
Truth Serum returns with a community article that has little remorse in it. If you want controversy or an unforgiving opinion that makes most people cringe then take a seat for Mike’s Rage. What he has to say will definitely stir the pot and if it doesn’t, he’s not being himself.
Publishers crying…”No fair! You can’t sell/buy our games used or we’ll ruin the experience on purpose for everyone!”
Publishers take notice because gamers are not as clueless as you think we all are. We may give in by having a forgive and forget attitude towards our favorite company/brand but there is a line I hope that many won’t cross. Gaming is a hobby that is used for entertainment in our daily lives and is supposed to mature or improve in an intelligent way as time moves forward. However, cutting content out just to get an early pre-order, sell it as DLC (downloadable content) or to make sure people have to buy your games new will always be a failed concept. It is a failed concept especially when the content you usually cut out is a multiplayer level or two that people can’t afford to buy. Hell, sometimes you don’t even give them the opportunity to buy that exclusive pre-order content.
Do publishers actually believe this kind of thinking will help their game grow to be a success? On the flip-side, I understand the predicament you publishers are in. Very often your new games are traded in and then bought as used just days after release. The problem is you think it is a lost sale not just a potential one. With that type of tunnel vision, it will be more disastrous for your image, game recognition and the ability for many to purchase your game new in the first place. The knee-jerk reaction you publishers give for a fix-all isn’t always a smart one.
Image – People will badmouth your product due to them feeling forced to buy new so they don’t lose out on the game’s content. You will lose some of that hardcore base who pre-orders or who purchases your games new on release day. *Not Smart*
Game recognition - As in how many people know about and has played your games so future sequels of that game IP (Intellectual Property) have a chance of success. If you succeed in hurting used game sales by cutting content, it isn’t a fact that your game will sell more as new. There is a good possibility that less people will get attached to any of your beloved IPs from this. Thus, it can hurt potential future sales of your IP. *Dumb*
Ability to buy new - Many gamers have cash flow problems and with used game sales it allows gamers to buy your games new when they don’t always have the funds to do so. This is possible with trade-ins. Without that surplus of possible trade-ins for new games, you cancel out many who would increase your game’s sales numbers during its important market window after release. *Ignorant*
Here’s a suggestion to get what you guys want without hurting yourselves or gamers who buy games used or even putting people out of jobs if you accomplish your goals. Don’t cut out content just to charge used game buyers later! How about you withhold content for the first 6 months after your IP’s release. Most people know that new game buyers get a Keycard with a code inside the game box that allows a DLC key to unlock everything on the disc or get the DLC free. Once the 6 months are over, allow everyone to have the same chance of experiencing your FULL retail game by way of a FREE update without the extra DLC cost.
Take it from an old time gamer who does buy games used on occasion. My interest in lost content due to me not pre-ordering or buying new becomes weaker by the day after a game’s release. In other words, if I can wait to find your game used for $10+ cheaper than new why do I care what content I would be missing? I’m sure that applies to many others who wait to buy used as well or the ones that have to because they live a low income lifestyle.
I believe publishers who have issues with used games and try to find a quick fix will hurt the industry as a whole. To think that car manufacturers, home builders, tool makers etc. don’t have issues with their items sold as used…why should a game publisher? What makes them think by limiting quality it will help their cause?
Here’s the best idea for you publishers and developers. Why don’t you go worry about the quality of the content in your games instead of thinking of what to take out? I’m sure people will buy them new if they feel your games are worth it.
*this article was written by Mikewarrior
January 28th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Mike’s Rage LOL
Publishers really better watch out because if they anger their CUSTOMERS there will be a huge backlash
(see the record label industry)
January 28th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Me and mike rarely get along but on this i have to say he is 100% correct. He also sounds alot smarter when he actually writes stuff out and isnt freaking out in the chatbox lol! just messing mike fantastic article
January 28th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
lol at no hands.
i agree mike. and keep this stuff coming.
January 28th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
wasn’t this in the show? lol…j/k nice job mike
January 28th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
a nice read Mike … doesnt really apply to me very much though as I either buy or rent … I have been known to sell a used game or two however lol …
January 28th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Thanks everyone (Except No Hands lol) Nah, I guess I can take that as a compliment.
Deac… Thanks man, but while you were editing the article, you made a run on sentence. (End of the 3rd paragraph) Maybe put a period after failed concept, then start the next sentence with “It is” especially when…
Everything else is perfect… even the pic of Denis Dyack in disguise. lol
So does anyone else have any other suggestions as in what the publishers should do, or do you think the 6 month waiting period is a good one?
January 28th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
i thik the 6 month thing would actually work fantastically. its really a great idea.
January 28th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
don’t encourage him No Hands lol
January 28th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Preach it Mike! Good stuffz
January 29th, 2010 at 2:41 am
lol, flattery will get you everywhere.
January 29th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Irish… You still lose out on content in your game even if you buy new… It all depends on where you buy that game, & if you Pre-Order or not. – You like that?
January 29th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
How stupid of them huh.. They offer exclusive multiplayer levels due to a pre-order on the very first day, then charge those who buy used (The not so rich gamers) or those who didn’t pre-order their game at the right store – So out the game on the very first day the Publishers segregate the online community to those who are lucky to have & those who have not. = How does a game’s multiplayer become fun & popular.
January 29th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Now I never buy used games, I’m too particular about not having something that could have been in an undesirable’s possesion. Especially in this area lol.
However, as far as the 6 month thing goes, I think it’s a really great idea and would be perfect for what I normally do. I don’t usually spend a lot on new IP’s, I tend to wait for those games to be reduced first. I don’t like risking my money like that, plus I have to save some for the games I’m guaranteed to buy i.e. anything from Square Enix. Usually games get reduced after a few months here (excluding CoD which is always RRP for some unknown reason lol), so the window for me is probably on average around that 6 month mark. So if a publisher wanted to charge me for cut content as you say, because I didn’t make a preorder, I would probably be put off investing in that new IP. But using your idea, it would give me an incentive to buy around that time. Rather than waiting even longer until it ends up in the bargain bin (which would be the price of a used game), or being put off altogether.
January 29th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Nice Nanakai… I can’t wait for you to read Part II. You may fight me on that one, 360 Arcade supporter.
January 31st, 2010 at 8:37 am
Another angle…the higher the quality of the game they produce, the less likely there will be copies of the game traded in to be purchased used.
Take it from someone who deals with these things first hand, there are games that release and start getting traded in right away, and there are others that take months to come in consistently, and even then, they trickle in.
One and done games with NO multiplayer component or replay value are the most vulnerable regardless of game quality. Go check a used game dealer right now and compare on-hand copies of Assassins Creed 2 to used copies of Modern Warfare 2 to see a fine example of this. This example is amplified by the fact that, in theory, there should be several times more copies of MW2 in circulation to be trade fodder.
Games that are just terrible or have very short campaign modes are other obvious frequently traded games. Although it can be debated, I think that the new developer focus on metrics like Metacritic and Game Rankings is the wave of the future if you want to see the quality level of the games we play increase from year to year like it has in the past.
January 31st, 2010 at 10:33 am
The only people I trust to give me scores/reviews on games, are my friends. Plus quality is subjective. Half of it is what they make, and the other half is what you make of what they made
January 31st, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Viddles… I agree with what you are getting at, but in a different way. Great reviews don’t always sell games (I can name many that didn’t sell so well) – What developers will focus on is each great selling IP, & what caused it to sell so well. Two things spawn from that, you get a bunch of copycats/cookie-cutter games, and you get the rare game that melds the best each hit game has to offer into being something entirely fresh & new.
Publishers need to focus on fresh & new while adding elements from those multi-million hit games.
February 1st, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Great article, Mike! Trully you have included all the complaints that we have with the publishers. With the current economic situation, you’ll think that everyone should adjust themselves on trying to get a good sale and keep your customers happy, but lo and behold, here are the “brainless” mighty that insist on the “YOU HAVE TO BUY IT NEW!” banner for their products, and punish us for not doing so. Hello, Mc Fly, anybody home?!?
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Very good article and it hits on its points well, albeit briefly. Hopefully if there’s a developer or publisher reading this article, they see how we feel for once.