Video Game Exec Claims Used Games Defraud The Industry

from the learn-some-economics dept

Not sure why this has become such a big deal over the last couple of months, but here's our third story about a video game exec freaking out about used video game sales (you can read about the first two stories, if you'd like). In this case, it's the founder of Frontier Developments, David Braben, makers of the game Lost Winds:

"The shops are not giving us a way of distinguishing between pre-owned and new. So the shops are essentially defrauding the industry."

And how is that defrauding the industry? He doesn't seem to explain that part, other than that the industry doesn't like it. However, as we've explained in the past, an active second hand market boosts the initial market, by making buyers feel more comfortable buying the new game, knowing they likely can resell it and recoup some of the expense at a later date. Cutting off the second-hand market actually damages the original market for a product. Apparently, an awful lot of game developer execs have trouble understanding this concept.

Filed Under: david braben, economics, secondhand, used, video games
Companies: frontier developments