Don’t buy that used game!
In an interview with UK publication GamesIndustry.biz, Epic Games president Mike Capps said, “I’ve talked to some developers who are saying, ‘If you want to fight the final boss, go online and pay $20. But if you buy the retail version of the game, you get it for free.’”
The statement comes as some publishers and developers frown upon used-game sales, even though the practice is legal and standard with other retail products. Capps even says his company has a policy that no employees buy used games. “We have a rule at Epic that we don’t buy any used games, because this is how we make our money and how all our friends in the industry make money.”
In an effort to keep retailers like GameStop from turning a profit on second-hand sales, publishers like Epic, EA, and Harmonix have begun offering downloadable incentives and exclusives to factory sealed purchasers in an effort to encourage players to buy new. Digital distribution, already used by smaller downloadable games, is increasingly becoming a viable solution to cut the middle-man and retain a larger portion of the profits.