Kotaku: Used Games

A Strong Kick in the Face to People Upset With Online Passes

Mike Fahey — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST

In today's profanity and insult-laden Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter Skeletal-Minion tells us exactly what he thinks about people that complain about Online Passes and other used sales-thwarting measures. More »

Online Pass Codes Can Expire, But Shouldn't, Says EA

Owen Good — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit released more than a year ago, but a NeoGAF member recently picked up a new, shrinkwrapped copy. He was upset to learn that the code inside for his Online Pass, which provides access to the game's multiplayer features, had expired. That's right: New-in-the-box game, unused code, and no multiplayer for you. More »

This GameStop Trolling Brought to You By Best Buy

Mike Fahey — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:40:00 EST

There are certain disadvantages to locating your game-centric retail store next to a big box electronics outfit, as this lovely Best Buy sign so aptly demonstrates. It's enough to make a guy trade in all his games for a refrigerator. More »

"PSN Pass" Confirmed for Uncharted 3 Multiplayer Access

Owen Good — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 00:30:00 EDT

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As it did with Resistance 3, Sony plans to impose its "PSN Pass" on Uncharted 3, meaning multiplayer access to that game will be subject to a one-use code included with all retail copies. That's per Juan Jimenéz, Sony's software manager for Spain. More »

Proposed City Law Would Require Mugshot When You Sell Used Games

Owen Good — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EDT

In Oregon, when I trade my games in, I'm required to certify there is no lien against them, like the IRS wants my copy of NCAA Football 11. It's one of the many fun-filled ways in which local ordinances regulate the sale of used games. Madison, Wisc., is scheming up another. More »

To Catch a Game Thief

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 02:00:00 EDT

Late this spring in Kyoto, an 8-year-old kid left his gaming pouch in the restroom at his local supermarket. The pouch contained a portable game machine and some games. When he and his parents went looking for the pouch, it was already gone. More »

EA's $15 Million in 'Online Pass' Revenue Isn't 'Dramatic', but It Isn't a Failure

Owen Good — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EDT

In comments yesterday, Electronic Arts' chief financial officer suggested that Online Pass—the program under which gamers who pick up a used copy of an EA Sports game typically shell out another $10 to EA if they want to activate multiplayer for it—has netted the company in the realm of $10 to $15 million since it was introduced in June 2010. That's a paltry sum to a publisher that size, but it doesn't mean the program's a failure. More »

Cumming Mom Vows Only to Buy New After Finding Dick Pic in Used Game

Owen Good — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EDT

From Georgia, uh, comes the most pernicious piece of anti-used games propaganda I've ever seen. A mother of two small children says she will from now on buy new games because she found a hand-drawn pornographic picture inserted in the case of a used one bought at GameStop. The kicker? This all went down on in a town called "Cumming." More »

The GameStop Versus Best Buy Argument Ends With a Shocking Twist

Mike Fahey — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:20:00 EDT

When Kotaku editorial director Joel Johnson and east coast reporter Michael Fahey launch into an argument over which video game retailer offers the superior shopping experience, one withholds a terrible secret that renders the other's argument moot. More »

Is Buying Used Video Games Worse Than Stealing Them?

Mike Fahey — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:20:00 EST

This morning on Speak-Up on Kotaku, commenter Wocalax ponders which is worse: Stealing video games or buying them secondhand. More »

Homefront Will Require Online Pass — But Renters Can Still Try Its Features Free

Owen Good — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST

The occupied-America shooter Homefront will require THQ's Online Pass - a one use code that comes free in retail copies of the game - to access the game's online multiplayer. But accommodations will be made for renters or used-copy purchasers. More »

Books Retailer Jumping Into Used Games Market?

Owen Good — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 22:30:00 EST

Books-a-Million, America's third-largest books retail chain, weathered a crummy third quarter but sounded upbeat about plans to move into a new line of business: Video games. That's news to some of their stores. More »

Redbox Takes Video Game Rentals Nationwide

Owen Good — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:30:00 EDT

Redbox, the kiosk rental service offering DVDs at grocery stores, drugstores, convenience stores and store stores, will expand its pilot offering of video game rentals to locations nationwide. More »

GameStop Gives Better Rewards To Used-Game Purchasers

Stephen Totilo — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EDT

Twenty points per dollar if you buy a game used; 10 if you buy it new. Part of the promotional flyer from GameStop advertising the gaming chain's new rewards system. Points net you Nintendo Wallets, iTunes cards, Call of Duty dog tags and more. More »

Take-Two Mum On Plans To Get A Slice Of Used Sales

Owen Good — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:20:00 EDT

Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of 2K Games, 2K Sports and Rockstar Games, has told investors it's working on a way to "participate" in the used-games market but was tight-lipped about what specifically it has in mind. More »

Irony Of The Future

Stephen Totilo — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:40:00 EDT

Veteran game designer Dave Perry predicts a flaw in the possible plans for PlayStation 4, Wii 2 and Xbox Whatever, not that the backer of streaming gaming service Gaikai doesn't have a vested interest in disc-free gaming. (Via Dperry Twitter) More »

Target Is Taking Game Trade-Ins Too

Mike Fahey — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:30:00 EDT

After telling you about Best Buy's new trade-in program this morning, Target dropped us a line to let us know that their new electronics trade-in program will handle game trade-ins as well. Is anyone not offering game trade-ins? More »

Best Buy Launches Nationwide Video Game Trade-Ins - Update

Mike Fahey — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:20:00 EDT

Electronics retailer Best Buy has rolled out its new video game trade-in program nationwide, offering a $20 gift card with select titles to help offset the fact that GameStop gives more credit on average. Update: Forget the extra gift card. More »

Trade Games For Food In The U.K.

Owen Good — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EDT

It sounds like a U.N. relief program for starving gamers, but it's not. The U.K. supermarket chain Tesco has expanded a pilot used-games trade-in to 60 stores. Store credit can be used for anything, food included. More »

I'll Bet Chad Ochocinco Also Has An Edge Card

Owen Good — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:20:00 EDT

The Cincinnati Bengals receiver scoured the used bin at his local GameStop today. I'll never again doubt his gamer bonafides. Seen via Twitter. More »

GameStop's Buy Two Get One Free Used Sale Starts Tomorrow

Mike Fahey — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:04:53 EDT

Various sources have confirmed to Kotaku that GameStop will be holding a two-day buy two, get one free sale on used titles starting tomorrow and running until July 17. They hate to sell them, but they're forced to. More »

Redbox Kiosks Now Testing Game Rentals in Three States

Owen Good — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:30:00 EDT

The kiosk-rental service Redbox began offering $2-a-day game rentals at 150 locations in Nevada, North Carolina and Texas last weekend, but the selection was disappointing to analysts examining the offerings. More »

Fight Brews Over Game Crazy's Remaining Inventory

Owen Good — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:30:00 EDT

Game Crazy went belly-up earlier this year, removing one more retail alternative to GameStop from American shopping centers and malls. The sell-off of its remaining stock is on hold while two liquidators battle over who's bidding the most for it. More »

GameStop Does The Extra 50% Trade-In Credit Thing

Mike Fahey — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:55:10 EDT

Starting today and running through at least next weekend, GameStop will be giving customers 50% extra trade-in credit for all used games. If you're looking to offload some games, now'd be the time. More »

Code Required for UFC Undisputed Online Play

Owen Good — Wed, 19 May 2010 21:00:00 EDT

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UFC Undisputed 2010 has joined the "Project $10" bandwagon - at half the price - walling off its multiplayer content behind a one-use code that costs $5 to anyone without it, i.e. those who rent or buy the game used. More »

What Sports Gamers Can Expect, If There Are No More Free Passes

Owen Good — Tue, 11 May 2010 22:30:33 EDT

Strong users of rental services and resale or trade-in options, sports gamers justifiably feel blindsided by EA Sports' new "Online Pass," which requires a ton of once-standard game content to be activated by a one-use code. More »

7-Eleven Enters The Used Video Game Business

Mike Fahey — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:40:00 EDT

A Slurpee and a used copy of Prototype? It's more likely than you think. 7-Eleven is teaming up with Game Trading Technologies, Inc. to offer a wide selection of "Great Games Below $20" at franchise locations throughout the U.S. More »

Game-Trading Service Adds Eight Old-School Consoles

Owen Good — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EDT

Goozex is a swap-meet alternative to reselling that's gotten pretty popular with cash-conscious gamers. The service just added 6,000 titles on several retro platforms, from the Nintendo 64 all the way back to the Atari 2600. More »

GameStop Hit With Class Action Suit Over "Deceptive" Used Game Sales

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:30:00 EDT

Attempts to stem used game sales at GameStop have just turned into a legal headache for the retailer who thrives on selling pre-owned video games. The company has just been hit with a lawsuit over "deceptive and misleading" sales practices. More »

Will Take-Two Follow EA In Its Pursuit Of "Original Purchasers"?

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:00:00 EST

Electronic Arts has recently upped its efforts to dissuade gamers from purchasing used copies of games in the form of rewards for "original purchasers" of games like The Saboteur, Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. Who's next? You, Take-Two? More »

GameStop's Current Trade-In Promotion Is Insane

Mike Fahey — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:40:00 EST

Taking advantage of GameStop's current trade-in promotion, my extra copy of Mass Effect 2 netted me $56 in store credit, $1 more than the retailer sells the game used. I'd say it's a good week to trade-in your games. More »

The Day Gamers Took Over Reselling: Epilogue

Owen Good — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:30:00 EST

Last week, I wrote about Glyde, the reseller flooded by gamers at its November launch. Because of Glyde's shipping model, the time required for delivery and payment seemed to be a drawback. So how'd Glyde do with a real sale? More »

The Day The Gamers Took Over Reselling

Owen Good — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:30:00 EST

When it quietly went online for pre-launch testing early last year, Glyde was a reseller marketplace built with a midwestern, middle-aged book or music lover in mind. Then the gamers found it, and practically took over. More »

The Games You Won't Sell, The Games You Can't Sell

Stephen Totilo — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:40:08 EST

Buy a game. Play it. Decide whether to keep it or sell it back. That's the current cycle of a gamer's gaming life. In the near future, that third choice may evaporate. You may soon never sell a game again. More »

Walmart, Best Buy Close Down Trade-In Kiosks

Owen Good — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:30:00 EST

E-Play, the company providing kiosks for used game trade-in pilot programs has suspended operations, ending Best Buy and Walmart's short-lived experiment in the used games business. More »

Steam Account Sells for $1,000 on eBay

Owen Good — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Here's a story amusing not so much for the games that were sold or their price, but the fact the seller managed to, essentially, resell used Steam games. Like 139 of them, for $1,000. (With free shipping, too!) More »

Stolen Video Games Help Catch a Predator

Owen Good — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:20:00 EST

A Delaware man is looking at some time in the slammer for failing to register himself as a sex offender, and he would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling video games. More »

Battle Orphan Diseases With Your Used Games

Mike Fahey — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST

Why buy and sell your used games to the benefit of some retailer when you can donate and buy used games from DonateGames.Org, where all proceeds go towards helping children and their families fight rare and neglected disorders. More »

GameStop Promises Manuals, Covers for Used Games Bought Online

Owen Good — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EDT

This might sound like extra credit for doing nothing, but hey, it's a guarantee. Buy a used game online, GameStop supplies the art and the manual. No more generic game cases on your shelf. More »

PSP Game Price Check: Playstation Store Vs. Used UMD

Brian Crecente — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EDT

As of last week the Playstation Store is the only place PSPgo owners can go to pick up their games. Just how do the prices of the Sony-operated online store compare to the prices of the same games sold as used at retailers? More »