Gamer backlash over fee for pre-owned titles

For gamers, swapping games among friends is free, legal and easy way of playing games without buying them. With this, they can get more gaming experience without hard earned cash. But for Xbox customers, that all maybe about to change.

With the release of the new Xbox, Microsoft has outlined its plans for the pre-owned titles and the future does not look bright for the new Xbox console.

Upon the purchase of the game, a unique code will be issued which will be linked to Xbox Live and will be used only once and verified online. And if you swap the games, than other users wanting to play the game will have to buy the right to play the game – at full price.

Microsoft corporate vice president Phil Harrison said, “The code just sits on your hard drive and you will have the permission to play that game on your console as long as you like, the bits that are on the disc, you can give it to your friend and they can install it, then they have the buy the right to play that game on Xbox Live”.

He also added, “Let’s assume it’s a new game, so the answer is yes, it will be the same price”.

Microsoft has long sought a way of capitalising on the hugely profitable pre-owned games market.

When popular titles are released, they sometimes cost more than £40, so gamers have thought of cutting prices by sharing and buying games played by other users at half the price.

Director of programming at Xbox Live, Larry hyrb said, “We have only confirmed that we design Xbox one to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail”. But Microsoft refused to give any more details on this.  

He also said, “Another piece of clarification around playing games at your friends house – should you choose to play your game at your friends house, there is no fee to play that game while you are signed in to your own profile”.

So this statement confirms that the games attached to your Xbox console while you are signed in to your Xbox Live account can be played anywhere, but not that your friends can play them on theirs.

This move can push Sony to think about its own treatment of pre-owned games when the PS4 is releases later at the end of 2013.

REFERENCES:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/Xbox/10075540/Xbox-One-gamer-backlash-over-fee-for-pre-owned-titles.html (date accessed: 24/05/2013)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22623010 (date accessed: 24/05/2013)