I think the backlash will be people not buying EA games anymore. I mean, not as a boycott or anything, but at least if you buy a game you know you will be able to trade it in for a little bit of value later. But if the media can be used only once, you're not going to be able to sell it or trade it or give it to anyone. So the game had better be super awesome and cheap for you to want to buy it.
Not like anyone has brand loyalty for EA.
A lot of people try a game out by renting it first, to see if they like it. And if they like it enough to want to continue to play it after the rental period, they consider buying it. All those people will be less likely to buy an EA-DRM game.
I'm NOT surprised that Gamestop is on board with this. They think they might see increased sales of new games, and they probably get a tiny percentage on the sales of online points and stuff. Honestly used sports games have little to no value, so it's not like they're going to lose much money if they never trade in them used again.
I wouldn't worry about a slippery slope with this, into other goods like houses and coffins. The backlash to that would be people buying non-controlled products and the companies that sell the (perhaps higher quality) controlled products lose enough sales to dry up. They are trying to do it with cars sold to people who have horrible credit. The cars shuts down if it gets a signal
from the dealership. The answer to the industry putting one of these in every car is simply to buy used cars or foreign cars that do not have the remote controller, or disable your remote controller, or enclose it with signal-dampening material so it can't be triggered.
But I'm not normal - I'm not the target consumer. I buy books used, I download freeware games, I'm not a digital music customer, I don't play console games, I don't watch TV, I rent movies from a little video store or borrow from the library, I cook instead of going out or ordering takeout all the time, I get my clothes from thrift stores and discount outlets,
I bake my own bread and grow my own vegetables. I've had the same sandals for two Summers (this is #3). I haunt Craigslist. I didn't pay anything for any of the furniture in my apartment. My last computer upgrade was three years ago, because it bricked on me.
So screw EA and screw this trend toward control of the consumer. We don't need their shit regardless of how hard they try to shovel it in.
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Topic: EA Drops a Bomb on Used Sports Games Sales (Read 8301 times)