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Pachter Doubts Publishers Will Ax Used-Games Sales
Yesterday, Microsoft outlined how it would be approaching used games and game sharing with its Xbox One console. Ultimately, while the system does allow publishers to block used-game sales, Microsoft says it's leaving that decision to them. Today, an analyst is saying that it's unlikely that companies would take Microsoft up on that offer, thanks to the fear of a potential consumer backlash.
Wedbush Securities' Michael Pachter told GameSpot that publishers who decided to prevent used-game sales – by either prohibiting them outright or assessing large license-transfer fees to the transactions – would do so at their own peril. "They would face a huge backlash," he told the site. "They wanted manufacturers to do the dirty work, and both refused."
Pachter did say that it is possible that publishers would work to block used-game sales at least temporarily. "However, many believe that used games sold in proximity to a new game’s release cannibalizes sales of the new title (we believe this is probably true), so we think that some publishers may limit used game trade-ins for a specified period of time following the game’s launch."
[Source: GameSpot]
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