Used games are a hot topic for developers in the gaming community. Game studios often get the shaft when it come to used game sales of which they see zero profit for. Some developers and publishers have even taken it upon themselves to include exclusive DLC with new purchases. The strategy is that gamers who purchase the game used will have to pay for the DLC that was free to the original buyer.
However, GameStop CEO Dan DeMatteo doesn’t feel this will put much of a dent into his business. He is confident that this new DLC program EA has implemented with Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will do little to stop used games. DeMatteo reminds us that GameStop will be offering DLC at their own store locations.
“Through our years in the used business, we have learned that the second-hand user is a value-oriented consumer… we don’t believe that a $10 add-on piece of DLC is compelling to a used game buyer. Publishers can participate in our used business by offering add-on content for the most popular used titles, creating a win-win situation for publishers, retailers and consumers. We can market and execute DLC sales right in-store. There’s a tremendous opportunity for us to encourage software developers and publishers to create DLC because we’ll be able to market it. It’s very difficult to discover, find… add-on content with the tools available [currently].”
DeMatteo revealed plans that employees will be fully trained to offer DLC at the counter.
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