| Mail |

You might also like: WoW Insider, Massively, and more

More Sites You Might Like

/ Register

Joystiq

Analyst: Expect more to get into the used games business

by Jason Dobson on Apr 7th 2009 10:30AM

With both Amazon and Toys R Us now dealing in pre-owned games, these days it seems like most everyone wants in on the used game racket. Now Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian has come forward, telling Gamasutra that he expects even more companies to soon dive in for their own slice of the lucrative secondhand pie.

Without naming names, Sebastian says that a "large consumer electronics retail chain is rekindling efforts to sell used video games," while another "general merchandise 'big box' store" is already trying out a program to buy back games for store credit. We just hope folks are wiping their feet before stepping all over GameStop's coattails.

Source

Tags: amazon, gamestop, toys-r-us, used-games

Reader Comments (29)

I'd rather they trounce around in dog crap before stepping on their coattails

you sir, win the best first comment award.

Toys 'R' Usa and Amazon, respectively, I would guess.

I hope that if places like Best Buy continue to try and sell used games, they make an effort to keep current with pricing fluctuations. I saw a used copy of Call of Juarez not to long ago marked at a jaw-dropping $49.99. I think you can probably track down a shrink-wrapped copy for $15-20 at most other places.

Personally, there's not enough canoes in CoJ for my tastes...but that's just me.

Meh. I only buy used if I absolutely have to or if it's a game that I know did well already. I'd have no problem buying, say, Resident Evil 5 used at this point, for example.
BUT I WILL CONDEMN YOUR SOUL TO HELL FOR BUYING OKAMI USED.

Plz forgive me Sam, guilty as charged.

However, I did buy the Wii version of Okami for a friend of mine.

Hmm...you can spend a couple thousand years in Purgatory and think about what you've done.

You do realize that you are under no obligation as a consumer to anyone that makes or creates anything you buy, right?

I buy used games because I like a bargain. If a game studio has to go under because I wanted to save 40$, then that's too bad. I won't feel all that guilty.

But what if that studio goes under and you liked the game? There would be no chances for a sequel or any DLC or anything else from that studio.

I would honestly expect that most places that try to add used games will end up giving up pretty quickly. I don't think it matches Best Buy's image and will be a poor fit for them. Amazon might have a better shot, just because I think they can implement new systems better than many companies.

Hastings does it, but I'm not sure how big they are.

More competition can only shrink the margin between buy-back and resale prices, bringing them more in line with the prices one would get on half.com/ebay. If all these companies get into the business and stay in it, it will probably turn into a loss-leader type situation, wherein they use it to get you into the store.

You'd still be a fool to trade your games in--it doesn't matter if it's Amazon or GameStop or any other retailer. If you're not using eBay you're doing it wrong.

I consistently get more for my used games on Amazon than what the same games go for on eBay.

eBay is for people who like paying 10$ "handling" charges for a game you can buy at EB for 5$.

There's also Half.com and Dawdle.com (disclosure: I work at Dawdle). But, yeah, there are lots of options that are a lot better than trading it in. (The person you're trading it in to has to sell it for cash eventually, so you're leaving money on the table by definition.)

Ebay is for people who dont know that Amazon Marketplace lets you sell them faster and for more money.

All my games are used. I play every one of them.

Goozex is where its at.

Goozex is for sure the only place I will ever deal with trading in my used games. Gamestop is BS... I traded in CoD4 for PS3 when CoD5 came out (blame my wife for not letting me spend 60 bucks) and they gave me 14 bucks for it. I went to buy a used copy from them last month and they wanted 49 friggen bucks for it, bastards...

i remember years ago toys r us use to buy back used games . they gave you giraffe dollars . i remember it wasnt much considering some snes games that were 70-80 bucks when they came out like final fantasy 3

FYI: GAME DUDE is the best damn place to go for games (new and used) and movies... they have everything from old school nintendo to new xbox360 games that are wierdly lower in price than anywhere else by like 2, 3 bucks... its on Laurel Canyon and Sherman Way in North Hollywood...

I just came here to post that I remember selling some of my NES games at Game Dude around 1990 to be able to buy a TurboGrafx-16. I can't believe that place is still around.

Why is this even a report? I'm getting a bit tired of reading these 'analysts' saying things as if they're news weeks after the events proving their theories take place.

HA. Game Dude! I've been there. Awesome store.

You know, I hope Home Depot gets into the business. They already have hotdog stands, then you add in games...hell, I wouldn't shop anywhere else!

I think GameFly is the best place to buy game if your are a member of there service you get anywhere from 5 to 10 percent off with free shipping.

There's also valuvalu.com, where I managed to resell my Super Smash Bros Browl for a good price :) Yeah I really hated the game... -_-

Or you could just use Craigslist to pick up your games locally.

I think that it's funny how many legit retailers are getting into the pawn shop business.

This business model was original designed to take advantage of poor people and drug addicts so they could get quick cash by stealing stuff.

It's kinda how like state used be against gambling and running numbers, but now almost every state has a lottery and slot machine casinos.

Anything to make money, no matter how shady it is huh?

Sorry, you must be logged in to leave a comment.

Breaking News

Analyst: Expect more to get into the used games business

Reader Comments (29)

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 10:35AM criminolelawyer said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 8:18PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 10:40AM BadWolfCubed said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 10:45AM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 10:50AM samfish said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 11:26AM Levi Partridge said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:20PM samfish said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:34PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 7:37PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 10:53AM Courtney said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 11:04AM aristokrat said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 11:20AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 11:29AM WiredKnight said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:31PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 1:54PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 4:57PM aughscreennames said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 11:25AM acefondu said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 11:34AM criminolelawyer said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:03PM baef said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 11:45AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:03PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:13PM Oneiromancer said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:09PM ch3burashka said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:20PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:25PM Duke said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 12:53PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 2:30PM canard42 said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 2:47PM BigD145 said

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 7:50PM (Unverified) said

Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

Double Fine Kickstarter passes $1 million in under 24 hours, breaking yet another record

Featured Stories

WRUP: All the Reckoning

Xbox Live Indie Gems: Nyan Cat Adventure

Dark Side 'Cause It Looks Cool: The Failings of Moral Choice in Games

The most popular postsin the last 7 days

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW

The most popular posts
in the last 7 days