NEW or USED and why?

Ironically, I used to insist on new/mint games back when I had relatively less disposable income. Now, even though I can generally afford pretty much whatever games I want, I find that I'm far less particular. Hence, beginning with Dreamcast, I have had no problem with snagging the occasional used game. This usually happens when it's a game that I wasn't dying to purchase upon release.

I guess I used to be more "collector-ish" about games. Now, I'm satisfied with just playing a decent game, and used ones accomplish that goal.

Developers don't see a profit on those used sales, so unless you care deeply for EB's financial stability, you might as well go the pirate route. Buy your games new, it'll cost a few extra bucks, but at least you'll be sending money to the developer. If it can't be had new, buy used for the junk, or pirate away. Plus think of it this way, the money you save pirating instead of buying used, can be put towards new games.

Ugh... I'm generally particular about things like missing booklets and all, but not when it comes to old games. Newer games (CDs, DVDs, etc.) come in cases, where the booklet can be easily stored. For those, I need the instructions and the back insert. For older cart games, I'll take just the cart if its stickers are in good condition. I'd love to have all the boxes/inserts/etc. when it comes to old games, but the truth of the matter is that I don't have enough space to store all that crap, and the game's the important thing anyway. The only exceptions are my import games, like Sin and Punishment, Bangaioh, X-men vs SF, Cyberbots, etc. for which I've kept the cardboard boxes and all inserts.

People that pirate excessively are jerks. If more than 50% of your PSX games are burns, you're a jerk. Stealing is stealing, and I'm not gonna stand here on my soapbox and say I've never stolen a thing in my life, because I have, but any action I might have taken part in cannot change the fact that stealing is wrong.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Johnny
If you buy used to save a few bucks you might as well burn your games and save even more.

---

Buying used games is legal and burning games is not. Your right to buy and sell games on the secondhand market is protected by copyright law. Resale value is factored into the retail cost of games, and many consumers buy games with the knowledge that they can sell them when they are done.

Anyway, I'll buy used if the price is right. I prefer new, but who doesn't?

On "living" systems I buy new to support the publisher most of the time. If it's a publisher I don't give a dang about and a game I'm only currious about I buy it used. That's rare tho'. I am a compleation nut, so I always look for complete used games. I won't let a missing book stop me from playing if that's all that is available, however.

For "dead" systems, new is way too expensive, and it is only supporting the collector you bought it from anyway. There are some exceptions. I got Lords of Thunder new from TZD because of the reasonable price.

the only time i buy a game used is when i cant find it anywhere new any more and only if its in good condition

sometimes i make sacrifices like i bought a Marvel Super Heroes (for saturn) with no book but a case and the disc was in fine condition for 3 bucks


i personally prefer new especially when it comes to games that are just coming out

liek is aid if i cant find the game new anywhere any more then ill buy it used otherwise ill go out of my way to find a new copy

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Johnny
If you buy used to save a few bucks you might as well burn your games and save even more.

---

That's how I feel, too. Justify with your arguments about legality all you like (and pretend that legal=morally correct, too, if you wish), but buying a used game that you can buy new hurts the industry almost as much as pirating. Not that I have a problem with you doing it; I don't really care what you do.

Personally, if I think a game is worth buying, it's worth buying new if possible to support the companies that made and published it. I'd never waste money buying new games that are out of print. If I can't buy it new at a store, then used is fine with me (but then again so is pirating, although I'd prefer to own the original as long as it isn't ridiculously expensive).

When it comes to CD games, I don't like to buy a game unless it is factory sealed and untouched. Call me anal, but I don't like anyone else to touch MY game before me, you know.

When it comes to cart games, I have no problem buying used ones. Just as long as they are in good condition, that is.....

FighterX: why does the medium make a difference to you? Just curious...

For me, the issue is how much I think I'll be playing the game.

If I think I'll play a game a lot, I'll always buy it new. On very rare occasions (like, say, Soul Calibur) I buy one copy used and one new for backup later on.

As far as used is concerned, if I'm buying on a whim, I'll look for used first. I will only buy new if the game is complete and the disc in mint condition (I don't mind a less-than-mint manual, and scuffed cases can be replaced easily). I don't have a problem with the developers not making money on used games, because the stores that sell used also take trade-ins, and I trade stuff in on occasion. It's nice to have that option, so I look at it as a status quo. Plus the people at my local Funco are super cool and know their stuff, so I don't mind giving my support.

I'd say 10% of my collection is used, 90% new.

I do not understand why people buy games new and never unwrap and play them. The collector mentality is a baffling mystery to me. IMO, games are meant to be played, not collected. That's materialistic hoarding, in my book.

I go out of my way to purchase new wherever possible. The only sealed game I own is Lunar for the Sega CD, which I will open one day. (My Sega CD is kinda rough with CDs at the moment, and I already beat Lunar years ago.)

As for piracy, I believe I schooled Johnny on this back at GameGO. There is no way you can seriously argue that the market for used games is as parasitic and harmful as the market for bootlegs. Maybe I will unleash a feature on all your pirate hides.