New versus used

[bretthorror]

I'm a used buyer, if only because I buy so many games and can only play so many. I don't need to be current as a primarily old school gamer. To use it as an example, I just bought Duke Nukem Forever, Epic Mickey and Splatterhouse for $30 total (technically Duke was new, but) and I don't see how those games would be $180 worth of value to me. If it wasn't for used games, I wouldn't buy even take part in current gaming. It's strange the price of games hasn't generally risen, it's gone down when you factor in inflation, but I still have trouble dropping full price unless it's Super Mario Galaxy or when they brought back Punch-Out!! after so many years. Even then, Punch-Out took me like 4 hours to beat and I haven't played it since.

Obviously game prices are in range with what they should be, it's just that small indie games and free online stuff are killing the value of a $60 game when you can have a lot of fun for free. The industry needs some restructuring and the first thing they need to eye is their own greed. There was no reason for Splatterhouse to come out as anything but a bargain bin title, new or not, but they're so greedy they want top of the line dollar. That's fine, but if your item isn't going to be worth the full price, people won't buy it, and that's their fault as a developer, not mine as a consumer. The gaming industry exploded and no longer do lucky kids get 10 games in the span of a console's lifetime, now they get 10 a year. So the sales have to be out there, it's just unfortunate that some companies seem to feel the need to (as in the Dead Space 5 million example someone posted) go overboard compared to what their returns realistically can be. If you're willing to risk making these huge budgeted games, you must be willing to take the loss. And if your game doesn't make money, you failed, not the people buying it.

The game industry is just mad because one giant chain makes so much money that their greedy hands want to get a hold of. I bet those same people lobbying for no used game sales have used cars, furniture, clothes, etc. So they're all hypocrites.

[gtmtnbiker]

Why pay $25,000 for a new car that as soon as you sign the paperwork loses half of it's value, when you can buy a good used car for $2000?

This is an exaggeration. Yes, a car loses value as soon as you drive it off the lot but half? I would say that it's more like 10%. This applies to anything you buy that is new unless the item is rare/out of production/etc. Why would anyone want to give you what you paid for it when they can just buy it themselves from the dealer?

A few years ago, I had a 99 Passat that I sold at auction for $2600. It had a big dent in the roof from a tree falling on it. This caused the sun roof to leak in a rain storm. It needed body repairs of around $3K. The transmission cooler was leaking oil. It also need various other repairs (new radiator, etc).

Yes, the car is a lot cheaper than the $24K I recently dropped for a new Nissan Altima. But that car has given me peace of mind for 4 years so far and will likely continue to do so for another 4-5 years before needing semi-regular mechanic work.

Personally, I like to buy a new car and drive it into the ground. As the only owner of the car, I know what has been done to it. I generally take good care of my cars and they last a long time (my first new car, 93 Jeep Grand Cherokee lasted 14 years and 235K miles before I sold it. The P.O.S. Passat was my wife's car)