More and more, we see people buying their games from digital stores instead of physical ones. For many reasons, it’s preferable to grab digital versions of games instead of heading out to a store and picking boxed games up. It’s more convenient, it’s sometimes cheaper, and it’s just so damned easy to do. If there’s one major drawback to digital distribution, it’s that it’s nigh impossible to trade-in or sell your digital games.
That could change – or at the very least, Microsoft is toying with the idea. In a new Xbox Customer Survey, Microsoft asks if you’d want to sell your digital games to Microsoft, and get a percentage of its value credited to your account – which you can then use to help fund new game purchases.
“If the console digital games store for the console you owned offered customers the option to “sell back” their digital games to the store for 10% of their purchase price in store credit, would you be interested in such an offer?”
While I think the idea is interesting, the idea of getting 10% back seems a little laughable – though it’s honestly not too far from the cash you’d be getting back from a retail store that dabbles in the pre-played market. 10% is still more than 0% – especially on a game you no longer play.
Still, $6 back on a $60 game? I’d more likely keep it. It also brings in the question of logistics of sale of a digital item, which echoes the same one software pirates use to justify digital theft.
And if not for 10%, what would you sell your digital games for? 25%?
Last Updated: March 22, 2016
PoisonedBelial
March 22, 2016 at 12:01
Give me back half, and then we will talk.
Until then, I think M$ will stand for: Massive Schnaai.
Pariah
March 22, 2016 at 12:04
The problem with digital is the license. With a physical copy, you can then resell that physical copy for much cheaper. But with digital, there’s no such thing. The limitations aren’t in place and you can essentially create infinite keys to sell. While perhaps gamers might want this, it doesn’t make much sense. Who is going to foot the bill? Microsoft, the devs? Who loses out? If it’s the devs, then this kind of initiative is pretty shyte for them, isn’t it? May as well just pirate, it’ll cost the devs less.
Pariah
March 22, 2016 at 12:05
And to extend this, if they start pricing with a 10% rebate in mind, we as consumers lose because games will just keep rising in cost.
Umar
March 22, 2016 at 12:05
Dunno. I traded in Dying Light about 2 months after playing it and got R450. 10% is an incredibly small number.
Gavin Mannion
March 22, 2016 at 12:05
for 10%… not a chance.
Would do it for maybe 30%,…
Allykhat
March 22, 2016 at 13:31
Agreed. On the second hand market for physical you can get between 30 and 80%, depending on the game and how long it’s been out.
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 22, 2016 at 12:10
I would on Steam, but not very many. Only the junk I want off my games list, like DOTA. ;P
Pariah
March 22, 2016 at 12:11
Channeling your inner Geoff there? 10% of 0 randelas is still 0 randelas.
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 22, 2016 at 12:43
does not compute
Pariah
March 22, 2016 at 12:14
Actually I’m just seeing issue after issue with this in a digital space. This sounds like a bad idea for everyone involved.
miaau
March 22, 2016 at 12:17
How much, in reality, do you get for a AAA game at a store like BT Games? Particularly if you paid full price on pre-order and the game was not exactly the big hit people thought it would be?
That said, however, I feel insulted by this offer. 10% is indeed greater than 0% (well spotted?) but I hardly see a 10% discount on my next game being the catalyst that pushes me over the edge to purchase it. 30 %, as Gavin said, may indeed be the difference between a buy now or later on a new game.
lon3wolf
March 22, 2016 at 12:25
The percentage should be governed by the age of the game and not be a set quantity.
Ottokie
March 22, 2016 at 12:26
Nope, that seems like one stupid deal to me
Ghost In The Rift
March 22, 2016 at 12:29
“If there’s one major drawback to digital distribution, it’s that it’s nigh impossible to trade-in or sell your digital games”
Uhmm what about capped internet?!?!? or is Africa the only continent which still overs primitive internet services, that’s the only thing that holds me back from Digital services, oh and hackers getting hold of your banking details.
Raptor Rants
March 22, 2016 at 15:23
I wouldn’t…. Why sell it? Last thing I want is to sell a game only to say 5 years later… Hey! I wana play this game… Shit I sold it for $6 but it still costs $25 on digital……
Admiral Chief in New York
March 23, 2016 at 06:50
Well, if I bought it at 90% discount, and I’m selling it at 10% of the original price….surely this would be ok.
😛