A Pile of Bad News from SNK USA

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Originally Posted by James

Moron. Don't try to kid yourself that stealing and buying used are the same thing.
James

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I didn't think he was saying they were the same thing, I think he was saying that neither gets the company any revenue. So buying used games might help Gamestop, EB Games, etc., but it doesn't do anything (at least not economically) for SNK. And if SNK is gonna keep releasing "rehashes" (as some people here are referring to them) then they should at least lower prices on them. Soooo if what you're trying to do is support the company, buying used games really doesn't do anything more for them than d/ling roms and pirated versions.

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Originally Posted by Tain

By that logic, companies get no revenue from game sales.

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And can you explain this cuz I don't see it?

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Originally Posted by TaekwondoNJ

I didn't think he was saying they were the same thing, I think he was saying that neither gets the company any revenue. So buying used games might help Gamestop, EB Games, etc., but it doesn't do anything (at least not economically) for SNK. And if SNK is gonna keep releasing "rehashes" (as some people here are referring to them) then they should at least lower prices on them. Soooo if what you're trying to do is support the company, buying used games really doesn't do anything more for them than d/ling roms and pirated versions.



And can you explain this cuz I don't see it?

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I can't add anything. Thanks for saving me the time.

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Originally Posted by TaekwondoNJ

And can you explain this cuz I don't see it?

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The game publishers make their money when the sell the SKUs to the distributor, not when they are sold at retail.

Now, if the game doesn't sell at retail, the publisher will give the distributor a credit or payment or sometimes agree to take back the stock. (Eg, if Haven or Turok Evolution doesn't sell and stores need to reduce it to $9.99 to move it, the publisher eats some or all of the discount. They don't need to do that, but they do it.) And publishers also care about retail sell-through because the more they sell, the more print runs the publisher can make.

So yes, publishers do not directly profit or lose based on retail sales.

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Originally Posted by TaekwondoNJ

I didn't think he was saying they were the same thing, I think he was saying that neither gets the company any revenue.

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He was responding to Yoshi though, and Yoshi was talking about people deciding not to buy new releases of old games because they want added features, but they'll still download the games because they want to play them. There wasn't any reason to bring up buying used vs. downloading.

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Originally Posted by TaekwondoNJ

I didn't think he was saying they were the same thing, I think he was saying that neither gets the company any revenue. So buying used games might help Gamestop, EB Games, etc., but it doesn't do anything (at least not economically) for SNK.

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People wouldn't buy that many games if there wasn't a second hand market for them.

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Originally Posted by rezo

He was responding to Yoshi though, and Yoshi was talking about people deciding not to buy new releases of old games because they want added features, but they'll still download the games because they want to play them. There wasn't any reason to bring up buying used vs. downloading.

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Actually there was, which was why I brought it up.

I was simply pointing out that buying the games used (which Yoshi and most others would agree is a legitimate way to play older games) supports the company the same way downloading bootlegs does (i.e. not at all).

The place where piracy really hits the bottomline is on new releases where gamers don't actually buy the game and play the bootleg instead. When companies rehash crap that's been out for years by releasing it again in identical form running on an emu on a new system they deserve to not get sales because there's no value added. Of course, they can counter that by bundling and pricing the games attractively (or... drumroll please... actually adding some content rather than just changing the packaging) at which point most purchasers will opt for the real thing even though it's a rehash because the price point makes pirating less attractive relatively or the upgraded graphics/new features give gamers something the roms don't.

Personally, I have no issue with downloading roms of rehashes or with people who download new games and if they like them then purchase them. Then again, I have a disgustingly large vintage and contemporary game collection in mint condition so say what you will about me, I've got my ass covered both ways :lol:

I steal all of my games.

Tupac's argument about piracy of classic games makes sense, honestly. I got annoyed when Namco released that classic collection for PS2 with 10 games. That were all previously released on their PSX collection (which could've all been put on one disc). The entire thing took up what, 5 megs?

Gamers tend to be too, erm, pro-corporate. Like, all the numbers they throw at us about piracy are exaggerated lies. They don't deserve our money just because they bundle rotten games on a disc and sell it for $20 ($20 is a lot of money!). Movie buffs don't love Miramax or WB.

That's not to say piracy is good, I (generally) don't support it. But Namco (or SNK) doesn't automatically deserve our cash because they throw us a shitty, overpriced collection 2x a year. All SNK's games on XBLA - worth $5 at most. Whoever said online play should be worth $10 because of the extra effort - prices of goods are not tied into effort expended into them. Commie.

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Actually there was, which was why I brought it up.

I was simply pointing out that buying the games used (which Yoshi and most others would agree is a legitimate way to play older games) supports the company the same way downloading bootlegs does (i.e. not at all).

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Why are you saying this when he i talking about buying the games new vs. downloading?

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Originally Posted by J2d

People wouldn't buy that many games if there wasn't a second hand market for them.

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This is actually an intriguing point. I wonder where the magic line is between people buying stuff used that would have opted for new if it were the only option versus people buying new only because they know they can recup some of their cost by selling used.