Home » Forums » Games Industry » Game Retailers & Rentailers

4 replies [Last post]
ZippyDSMlee
ZippyDSMlee's picture
Offline
Joined: 2006-09-30

[QUOTE]New copies of Epic's anticipated Xbox 360 shooter will come with token for five reworked maps from 2006 original, Rock Band AC/DC track pack, Dead Space, and NBA Live offering similar incentives to first-time buyers.

Specialty gaming retailer GameStop is on an impressive run, stringing together quarter after quarter of massive revenues and company-best profits. The retailer has attributed a large part of that success to the booming second-hand market, where gamers can purchase preowned copies of games at a discount rate over new copies of the same title.

The practice has drawn withering criticism from within the industry, however. Many gamemakers have expressed outrage at GameStop's practice of aggressively pushing used game sales, the proceeds of which go entirely to GameStop. Sales of new games also benefit GameStop, but also remunerate the people who actually developed and published the game.

Escalating beyond hollow saber-rattling, Electronic Arts has begun to take a stand against the resale market. Last week, the publishing giant took one of its boldest steps toward cutting out the brick-and-mortar middlemen, releasing Criterion Games' well-received racer Burnout Paradise as a digital download through Sony's online PlayStation Network store at a budget $29.99 price point.

EA Publishing partner Epic Games has plans of its own to counteract the resale market. Speaking at an event promoting Gears of War 2 yesterday, Epic design director Cliff Bleszinski said that all new copies of the upcoming Xbox 360-exclusive shooter will include a free voucher to download the Flashback Map Pack. The map pack includes five online battlegrounds from the 2006 original Gears of War: Canals, Gridlock, Mansion, Subway, and the Tyro railway station.

Epic also plans on awarding those who pick up a new version of the game during midnight launch events at participating retailers. Those who pick up the game in the wee hours of November 7 will receive a redeemable token for a special-edition in-game gold-plated Hammerburst assault rifle, which can be used in the online portion of Gears 2. The eminent designer noted that both the map pack and the gold-plated Hammerburst assault rifle will not be available for download as DLC at a later time through Xbox Live.

Epic's move is just one more example of EA's push back against the resale retail sector. Shacknews noted the publisher launched a similar initiative with NBA Live, where gamers can redeem a code for free access to the 365 real-time update (otherwise available as a $19.99 download). The EA-distributed Rock Band 2 sports a one-use code found on the game's manual for 20 free downloadable tracks, and the newly announced Rock Band AC/DC Track Pack comes with single-use code to transfer its 18 songs into Rock Band and its sequel. Then there's Dead Space, which EA will upgrade with a free downloadable space suit with in-game benefits to those who purchase the sci-fi horror game within two weeks of its October 14 release.
[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.gamespot.com/news/6198528.html?part=rss&tag=gs_news&subj=6198528[/url]
-----------
While minor and trivial now just think in a year or 2 they can stop the resale on some games by tying them to 1 console/account.

Altho right now its not so bad to try and give out extras for buyers in the first few months of a release but when will they cross that magical line ad try and stop resale by proxy like they are trying so hard with the DRM install tokens?

__________________

Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incoherence is my friend and grammar my bane, which is the fulcrum of suffering I place upon others!:ZippyDSMlee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZippyLabs

Forgot your password?
Username :
Password :

GameJobs Latest Openings

 

ECA Forums Shoutbox

You're not permitted to post shouts.
drclintcornellpacgtopsuv.com/2020-ram-2500/2018-12-11 15:42
Bonnibellehttps://www.bybit.com2018-11-30 04:28
amivaloasitumiv...https://txcatholic.org/forums/topic/nbcliveamerican-cup-2018-2018-live-stream-gymnastics/2018-03-03 14:39
amivaloasitumiv...https://txcatholic.org/forums/topic/fialivemexico-city-e-prix-2018-live-stream-race/2018-03-03 14:33
amivaloasitumiv...https://txcatholic.org/forums/topic/fialivemexico-city-e-prix-2018-live-stream-race/2018-03-03 14:32
MiaroseThese help to appreciate explosive climax. Males, Alpha force testo who are looking for how to enhance men power and stamina, are suggested to take these natural pills continually. http://supplementexamine.com/alpha-force-testo/2018-02-27 14:08
ginopropst55635...Link exchange is nothing else but it is simply placing the other person's webpage link on your page at appropriate place and other person will also do similar in support of you.2018-01-28 22:45
moriom505https://panthersvssaintslive.com https://billsvsjaguarslive.com2018-01-07 09:04
moriom505https://www.superrugbylivestream.com/2018-01-06 13:08
stator500https://canada-vssweden.com/ https://canadavs-swedenlive.com/ https://world-juniorsfinal.com/2018-01-05 10:44