Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Circuit City to expand used game sales program]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/07/circuit-city-to-expand-used-game-sales-program/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/07/circuit-city-to-expand-used-game-sales-program/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/07/circuit-city-to-expand-used-game-sales-program/#commentsFiled under:

Following an apparently successful ten-store test program started nearly a year ago, Circuit City has decided to broaden its used game sales, according to SmartMoney. No word on how many new stores will be adding a used games section or how quickly the expansion will roll out, but Circuit City Vice President Irynne MacKay said the company wants to be "competitive on pricing." That's a relief. We were worried they wanted to gouge us.

High margin used game sales could help the struggling electronics retailer, whose sales fell 11 percent last year in the face of competition from Best Buy (which, incidentally, was also testing out used game sales at one point). The company is also toying with gaming tournaments, a 10% off "Gamer Savings Club" (with a $20 annual fee) and a new store layout that prominently features gaming kiosks. That all sounds well and good, but we'd recommend caution with the placement of those Wii kiosks. There's nothing worse than an overzealous Wii Sports player knocking over an innocent customer looking at big screen TVs.

JoystiqCircuit City to expand used game sales program originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-buycircuit cityCircuitCitygamestopmarginsretailsalesusedused gamesUsedGamesThu, 07 Feb 2008 19:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Analysis: Used game prices lowest in November]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/analysis-used-game-prices-lowest-in-november/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/analysis-used-game-prices-lowest-in-november/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/analysis-used-game-prices-lowest-in-november/#commentsFiled under: ,


The internet had brought a wealth of historical pricing data to the fingertips of anyone looking to buy stocks, homes, plane tickets and all sorts of other products big and small. Yet used game buyers have had to rely on intuition and sites like CheapAssGamer to know when to strike for that great deal.

No longer. JJ Hendricks, proprietor of online game retailer JJGames, tracked the average sale price of 50 randomly selected games on sites like eBay, Amazon and Half.com. The results (graphed above) show prices generally falling from January through May, leveling off during the summer months, then dipping to their absolute lowest point on Nov. 4. After that, holiday demand sends prices upward again.

Hendricks' new Used Video Game Pricing blog promises to look into all sorts of facets of the volatile second-hand gaming market, including the roller-coaster pricing of used Pokémon games and how to make money collecting games. We have a feeling the secret for that last one is going to be having lots of sealed Game and Watch units lying around.

JoystiqAnalysis: Used game prices lowest in November originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AmazonauctionbusinesseBayJJGamesonlinepricepricingretailsecond handSecondHandusedused gamesUsedGamesWed, 06 Jun 2007 20:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Preserving the culture of games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/19/preserving-the-culture-of-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/19/preserving-the-culture-of-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/19/preserving-the-culture-of-games/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

raise your swords upCurmudgeon Gamer reflects on the likely outcome of GameStop's buyout of the Rhino Games retail franchise: "cultural loss." Rhino will no doubt undergo some significant changes, which will probably include the divestment of its aging inventory. Presumably, the "new" Rhino will not stock console titles that pre-date PlayStation 2. Similarly, GameStop's conquest of the used games market has driven the 'mom & pop' shops that carry retro hardware and software out of business.

Curmudgeon Gamer concludes: "[GameStop Corp's] focus on only the most profitable games, the newest ones, will necessarily limit the consumer's focus on those same games ... To me that's a loss, not just personally but for the whole culture that's grown up around videogames." So who is working to preserve our history?

Although purists may argue that digital distribution services like Xbox Live Arcade and Wii Virtual Console lack authenticity, these platforms are working to preserve our classic games using viable retail means. Much like old records made the jump to CD (now iTunes and the like), or movies to DVD (now Xbox 360 Video Marketplace), games of yesteryear are finding new platforms for survival. The cynic in us says re-releasing classic (and not-so classic) games is fast money for publishers, but let's not ignore the cultural preservation at work. The hook for these services might be nostalgia, but we can crack a collective smile imagining some youngster discovering The Legend of Zelda for the first time on Virtual Console.

JoystiqPreserving the culture of games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Jan 2007 04:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GameStopRhinoUsed GamesUsedGamesVirtual ConsoleVirtualConsoleWiiXbox LiveXbox Live ArcadeXbox-360XboxLiveXboxLiveArcadeFri, 19 Jan 2007 04:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Got any gamer resolutions?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/08/got-any-gamer-resolutions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/08/got-any-gamer-resolutions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/08/got-any-gamer-resolutions/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Got any games-specific resolutions that you'd care to share? Here are a few suggested to us by friends and family over the last few weeks as we canvassed for suggestions on this topic:

  • Buy used. Few games get so badly beaten up that they won't play, and those that do can be returned for the same product. Why pay full price?
  • Play your old games. Admit it. You've got a ton of great games sitting on your shelf that you still haven't beat. Think of all the little Kazakhstani kids who never get to play video games. You'll finish your games before you get up from that sofa, young man, or you won't get another game to play.
  • Check the reviews. No matter what we say on this point, Sports Roster Update '08 will still sell millions of copies, but we all know that smart consumers do try to take into consideration that mass of criticism available on just about every game released. If you care about games, you'll starve bad developers and bad publishers so that innovative, creative games will find some breathing space on store shelves.
  • Widen your horizons. Don't be provincial: if you're a diehard fanboy of console Z, try one of the other guys with an open mind. If you're a diehard video gamer, try a paper-based game or a board game. Reconnecting with classics like chess and backgammon can teach us to be better critics of game balance.
  • Defend your hobby. There's no shortage of opportunistic politicians who attack gaming because it'll win them voter brownie points. Authority figures love to demonize our favorite hobby -- don't let them.
  • Avoid HD-formats, but embrace HD. The Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD debacle won't be sorted out in 2007, but high-def content is here to stay. Once you go HD, it's tough to go back.

JoystiqGot any gamer resolutions? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Jan 2007 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2007maddenPS3resolutionsused gamesXbox-360Mon, 08 Jan 2007 08:55:00 EST<![CDATA[The mecca of used game stores]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/15/the-mecca-of-used-game-stores/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/15/the-mecca-of-used-game-stores/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/15/the-mecca-of-used-game-stores/#commentsFiled under: ,

You know that old game you loved but can't seem to find anymore? The one you think you may have lent to a friend, but your memory isn't clear enough to accuse them of anything? Well don't yell at your best mate just yet. We think we may have found your lost game, along with every other person's lost game ever.

A used game store in Japan has such an insanely large collection of used video games on sale that I can only assume that the owner has a super-large magnet in his basement that can pick up loosely place NES carts by the thin metal connection strip and transport them from as far away as Brazil. You're thinking, "but CDs are made out of plastic, how does he manage to collect them with a magnet?" He doesn't.

Two words: Oompa loompas. Trillions of them.

[Via Insert Credit; thanks linus]

JoystiqThe mecca of used game stores originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Jul 2006 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Insert CreditInsertCreditJapanlinusMagnetMoneyNESNES cartNesCartOompa LoompasOompaLoompasSoldUsed gamesUsedGamesSat, 15 Jul 2006 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LA Times tackles Sony's "used games" patent]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/13/la-times-tackles-sonys-used-games-patent/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/13/la-times-tackles-sonys-used-games-patent/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/13/la-times-tackles-sonys-used-games-patent/#commentsFiled under:

The LA Times, a couple months late to the story, has reopened the festering wound we like to call "the Sony used games patent." Rumors that the PS3 would incorporate technology that would prohibit the later sale of used games -- technology that was patented (#6,816,972) by Sony in 2000 -- have been making the rounds (and being denied) for some time. So what's left to talk about?

LA Times reporter Dawn C. Chmielewski gathers some exciting quotes from familiar names like Michael Pachter, P.J. McNealy, and even an anonymous cryptographer!
  • "I actually think they're toying with this idea ... Maybe they'll copy protect movies or music downloads." --Michael Pachter
  • "While we believe it is unlikely that [Sony] will ban PS3 pre-owned games from being sold by the same chains that sell new PS3 games, we believe this issue remains under consideration." --P.J. McNealy
  • "In the video game business, it would be suicide for someone to do this. It's actually possible Sony filed this because they wanted to keep people from doing that." --anonymous cryptographer
Gotta love that little conspiracy theory at the end: maybe Sony gobbled up this tech to prevent other companies from taking advantage of consumers? Yeah, cause Sony -- a giant conglomerate with their fingers in everything from content to technology to life insurance -- they're cool like that.

[Via /.]

JoystiqLA Times tackles Sony's "used games" patent originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jul 2006 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>LA TimesLaTimesPatentsPS3RumorSonyUsed gamesUsedGamesThu, 13 Jul 2006 15:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony ponders destruction of used game market [Update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/12/sony-ponders-destruction-of-used-game-market/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/12/sony-ponders-destruction-of-used-game-market/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/12/sony-ponders-destruction-of-used-game-market/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The technology to prevent playing unlicensed software has been patented and should be delved a little deeper into. Let's face it -- we probably buy most of our games used. Heck, we spent $990 million on used games last year. Sony's new technology registers our games when we load 'em up and prevent any other system to play them. It even prevents any other copy of the same game to be played. Scratched up your copy of your favorite game? Oops, you can't buy another one because it won't work. So very, very sorry.

That seems a bit extreme. Perhaps there will be ways around it or perhaps it won't be as harsh as the story at 1up.com makes it out to be. Sony could be sharing what the patent has the ability to do, but won't necessarily utilize every feature. Still, this may cripple our used game market or at the least hinder it. If anything happens, let's hope it's something like a timestamp feature on games so we won't find a used game at a lower price two days after the game's release. That gives the developers and publishers more time to make money and keeps the bargain-hunters waiting for a few weeks. One month wouldn't be too long to wait for a game to appear used, would it? What does everyone think? Should there be a timestamp on games, full protection, or none at all leaving doors open to piracy and whatnot?

[Update: after a comment, the URL with the patent is included to stop the "fake news" nonsense]

JoystiqSony ponders destruction of used game market [Update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Jul 2006 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>copy protectionCopyProtectionPlaystation 3Playstation3PS3Sonyused gamesUsedGamesWed, 12 Jul 2006 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: no pre-owned games for PS3?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/24/rumor-no-pre-owned-games-for-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/24/rumor-no-pre-owned-games-for-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/24/rumor-no-pre-owned-games-for-ps3/#commentsFiled under: ,

According to GamesRadar (who struck out on their last PS3-rumor at bat), Sony might be looking to prevent the sale of pre-owned games by using a software licensing system similar to the one employed in the PC software space.

The rumor goes something like this: instead of purchasing the actual game, you purchase a nontransferable license to play the game, and the physical media is just a distribution method (think Microsoft Windows). While Sony does own some patents that might be used to this end, the issue is far more complicated than the technology and motivation behind it. Sure, Sony and most publishers would love to cut off the parasitic used-games industry, but would they do it at the expense of angering both retailers and consumers? Considering the dubious origin of the rumor -- "retail sources" -- and GamesRadar's past inaccuracy, it's far too early to get upset over this one.

Next-Gen offers their (similarly skeptical) take on the rumor, getting responses from an expert in retail law and two publishing sources who, though admittedly in favor of such a plan, concede that the story is unlikely.

[Thanks, SickNic and Kerina]

JoystiqRumor: no pre-owned games for PS3? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 May 2006 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Pre-ownedpreownedPS3RetailSonyUsedUsed gamesUsedGamesWed, 24 May 2006 17:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Used games and MMOs are "bright spots" in games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/07/used-games-and-mmos-are-bright-spots-in-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/07/used-games-and-mmos-are-bright-spots-in-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/07/used-games-and-mmos-are-bright-spots-in-games/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The New York Times' Seth Schiesel looks at the recent poor performance of EA and the anticipated performance of other domestic publishers. While much of the poor performance may be attributed to common culprits, like the dearth of Xbox 360 consoles and transitional difficulties, there is one other thing.

Schiesel writes, "... game publishers in the United States are still almost entirely in the same business they have been in for 20 years: selling new games at retail." Subscription-based MMOs and used-games are both profitable avenues that represent "a major challenge to the publishers' traditional business model."

Game retailers thrive on the used-games market; even big-box stores like Best Buy want to get in on the action, much to the chagrin of developers and publishers everywhere. For now, the bad blood between retailers and publishers will continue: Gamestop's most recent quarterly earnings were "eye-popping" while EA's shares are down 11 percent over the period.

JoystiqUsed games and MMOs are "bright spots" in games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Feb 2006 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GameCubeGamestopPCPS2Used gamesUsedGamesXboxXbox-360Tue, 07 Feb 2006 04:00:00 EST