Xbox 720 sales will be negatively affected if rumoured blocks on second-hand Xbox 720 games were brought into action, industry sources have suggested.
Surfacing earlier this week, latest Xbox 720 rumours have suggested that Microsoft’s next-generation console will require an always-on internet connection in order to allow next-generation games to function fully, as well as ensuring titles are registered to a specific console. As well forcing gamers to splash out on new titles more frequently, the potential move would seemingly spell the end for the second-hand, pre-owned gaming market.
“We know the desire to purchase a next-generation console would be significantly diminished if new consoles were to prohibit playing pre-owned games, limit portability or not play new physical games,” GameStop spokesperson Matt Hodges told Bloomberg.
Although Microsoft has failed to confirm or deny reports of always-on DRM Xbox 720 restrictions, the Redmond-based company responded to the latest reports in typical fashion.
“We do not comment on rumours or speculation,” the Xbox 360 manufacturer said. “We are always thinking about what is next for our platform, but we don’t have anything further to share at this time.”
Earlier this week, gaming magazine Edge cited “sources with first-hand experience of Microsoft’s next generation console” in suggesting: “games purchased on disc will ship with activation codes, and will have no value beyond the initial user.
With reports of a block on second-hand Xbox 720 games causing share prices in US retailer GameStop, a company that generates 46 per cent of its profits from pre-owned titles, to plummet 6.8 per cent overnight, claims of a pre-owned market culling has caused controversy with potential consumers.
“I thought it was bad enough some games having “Online Passes” such as Assassins Creed, which meant if you bought it second hand then you had to pay for the ability to then play online,” TrustedReviews reader Jamie Thompson commented. “Talk about trying to get the customer to pay over the odds…”
Far from the only consumer to be less than impressed by the potential Xbox 720 second-hand games block, Thompson’s comments were echoed by Stu Wicks who added: “I will not be paying £40 for games, physical or digital with no trade-in value.”
Would a lack of a second-hand games market put you off splashing out on an Xbox 720 console? Let us know via the TrustedReviews Twitter and Facebook feeds or through the comment boxes below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
