With the announcement of the PSN Pass, many gamers are asking themselves “Could this be the end for the pre-owned video game market?”.
Sony announced today that they would be implementing the PSN Pass which is a “network pass program” which would require the gamer to purchase the game new instead of used to have full access to the game content.
We first saw this when EA released Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 which used a redeemable code to allow those who buy the game to access free and additional content. Those who buy the pre-owned version must either do without or pay for a new code.
Sony will roll-out the program with Resistance 3. Any games that are part of the program will come bundled with a code that can be used once, and grants users “full online access for that title.”
So what does this all mean for gamers? If you plan on pickup up games such as Resistance 3 in the future, then you won’t be able to access many of the game’s features without a “PSN Pass“.
Online pass programs are viewed as a way to combat the sale of used games, as publishers have often complained of never seeing any profit from that massive secondhand industry. Stores like GameStop receive full revenue on any pre-owned games, leaving developers empty-handed.
Microsoft has not released any information on future plans to implement a pass for their network, but many game developers such as EA Sports and THQ are implementing “passes” in many of their upcoming games to be released next year.
Microsoft announced its financial results for Q3 of fiscal year 2026, including an update on its gaming Xbox business and more.
Not looking good. Hopefully Asha Sharma is able to turn Phil’s disaster around.
To me it's still quite remarkable how they can cash-in 5.3bn in revenue in a single quarter, since their hardware is basically dead.
The stock mark is what makes Microsoft remarkable, They have convinced every institutional and retail investor to just keep piling money into them. Like many big tech giants they are just a big growing pyramid scheme. As long as people keep dropping money into ETF's that cover the market Microsoft will always be liquid. At the same time it is completely stifling innovation and competition. People need to start being more discreet in how they invest their money as it's killing the system.
Riiiiight because people will just flock back to them for one or two games per year.
15+ years of bad performance is what they call irreparable in business. It is time for them to sell off the assets and get out of entertainment.
These declines are on the back of extra revenue received from releasing games like Forza horizon 5 on PlayStation. So I’m being sarcastic here when I said they should go back to exclusives. Killing off a revenue stream from Ps5 sales will only make things worse
The charity event will be streamed live from Gamescom in August.
Thanks to the slip-up of an artist working on the title, we now have more evidence that a new Injustice game is in the works.
Okay I have a few thoughts on the pass.
Here is my problem with it.. if publishers succeed with these PSN passes, then even more publishers from other companies will attempt to do so.. If that succeeds even more.. then who knows what else companies will try to lower used games sales?
We want to save as much money as we can
Publishers want to make as much money as they can
There has to be some kind of comprimise
But if developers make good quality games then we gamers will buy them at full price.
If any of you dont already know.. Amazon.com has deducted prices on new games few weeks/months after the game releases. I got Mass Effect 2 with all the DLC for only 35 bucks new a month after it came out for PS3 in january. I go Uncharted 2 GOTY addition for only 30 bucks new a few weeks after it came out. I also got Heavy Rain, Just Cause 2, etc.. All NEW for less than 40 bucks.. so its not the end of the world for people who own debit/credit cards
As it stands, it's a bummer. I regularly buy pre owned games as there are many I want but it's unrealistic to get them all new..
There are many ways to spin this, one is blaming Sony and Dev's for implementing such a restricting program. But however is it fair to say dev's can not gain any profit from the second hand market?
My view is that stores such as Gamestop and the like charge too much for pre owned games, They but them for near nothing and sell them at a huge profit.
This is where the problem lies, If Gamestop were to charge less for pre-owned games then the PSN pass would even it out, the store gets a cut, the Dev's get a cut and we don't have to pay more.
Hey developers, I heard you are soo poor that if you don't include passes in your games your families will die from hunger /s
Well, you want money?? Heres the formula:
-MAKE A GOOD GAME
If game retailers cannot sell second hand titles they will have to increase their retail prices of new games to stay in business. At the moment, they don't make much off new games that they sell.
So games will be $70 or more on average. Leaving digital distribution as the only viable method for consumers (though at the moment, Steam's launch prices are a bit overpriced - often more expensive than a boxed version from an online retailer).
Everyone takes a hit in this whole mess of an idea:
Say Gamestop buy 500k units of MvsC3 and retail at $60 a game. The Devs/Publishers have already made their money, the units have been shifted.
Consumer doesn't want to pay $60, waits for price drop. Prices eventually drop, Gamestop profit margin drops, consumer gets their game but not as cheap as it would have been pre-owned.
Next time around, Gamestop order fewer units from publishers thinking it probably won't shift as well. Devs/Publishers see lower sales, consumer still gets screwed as games will have to stay at elevated prices as Gamestops profit margin has been reduced. Stock will usually be cheaper in bigger amounts when purchased which would usually promote retails prices to drop sooner once a certain number of units have been shifted.
To sum it up, its a fucking mess and it shouldn't be allowed.