New data gathered by NPD Group offers some insight on how core gamers feel about digital distribution and the purchase of used games. The data comes from a new survey the retail research firm conducted. According to the results of that survey, core gamers have embraced digital distribution, but downloading full game titles has not yet outpaced second-hand game purchases. The NPD survey found that 78 percent of core gamers said that they frequently purchase used games, compared to 70 percent who reported buying full digital games regularly.

Speaking to MCV India, Eidos life president Ian Livingstone threw some gasoline on an old rumor: that the Xbox 720 might block used games. Livingstone also said the next-gen consoles weren't prepared to go fully digital quite yet as its only method for selling and delivering content.

Eurogamer delivers bit of good news this evening from Sony Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida: the PlayStation 4 will not block used games. Catching up with Yoshida a few hours after last night's two-hour PS4 press conference, Eurogamer asked him directly if Sony had any plans to block used games on its newest console:

In a recent Gamasutra interview (as reported by Destructoid), Electronic Arts CFO Blake Jorgensen said that the publisher would shed no tears over the loss of used games or the used games market, but noted that there are benefits to having such a market exist.

Speaking to Bloomberg GameStop VP of public and investor relations Matt Hodges said that the consumer's desire to purchase a next-generation console will be "significantly diminished" if manufacturers were to block the ability to play used games.

Microsoft's next Xbox system will use Blu-Ray and will require users to be always connected to Xbox Live, according to an Edge report citing sources with "first-hand experience."

The new raft of rumors are an echo of an older rumor post by VG247 back in April 2012 - also citing anonymous sources close to the company.

The German consumer advocacy group The Federation of German Consumer Association has filed an official complaint against Valve Software for its Steam's end-user license agreement because it does not allow consumers to resell digital content. The European High Court ruled last year that digital content games can be sold. The complaint against Valve filed with the German courts is directly related to that ruling.

Dish Network announced that it plans to close hundreds of Blockbuster stores in the next couple of weeks and expects to cut thousands of jobs as a result. The video and videogame rental company was bought by Dish in 2010 after the company went bankrupt. CNN Money reports that 300 stores will be closed in the United states and 3,000 jobs will be lost.

Video game retailer GameStop revealed that sales for the last nine weeks of 2012 came in at $2.88 billion, a 4.6 percent decrease from the 2011 holiday shopping season. The retailer blamed a lack of in-store traffic as the primary cause. Second-hand sales were also down 15.6 percent because of limited inventory, according to GameStop. New game sales were also down by 5.1 percent, while hardware numbers were down 2.7 percent.

A patent application unearthed by a NeoGAF forum post and picked up by Kotaku reveals that Sony has plans to implement a technology to deal with the use of used games on more than one console.

Video game retailer GameStop announced that it suffered a $624 million net loss in revenue for the third quarter that ended on October 27. While GameStop said that results exceeded expectations for Q3, it highlighted the fact that sales were down on new software, used software and new hardware. Total sales fell approximately 8.9 percent to $1.77 billion while store sales also fell 8.3 percent. Overall, GameStop recorded a consolidated net loss of $624.3 million.

Online marketplace eBay is offering a unique program to give you cash for that old console you have laying around so that you can buy a new console like the Wii U... You can exchange select models of the Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 and PS Vita for cash beginning today and up until November 18 - which just happens to be release day for the Wii U in North America. You can get started with the transaction  at eBay's Instant Sale page.

In a recent interview with Joystiq, GameStop CEO Paul Raines clarified a recent story about plans to sell vintage games and systems at retail stores throughout the United States.

While some game publishers and developers have come out hard against the sale of used games, GameStop's president Paul Raines says that the myth that used games are cutting into new game sales is just - a myth. Speaking to Gamasutra, Raines said that 70 percent of all income derived from used game sales by consumers is almost immediately spent on purchasing a new game - to the tune of $1.8 billion to the US games industry every year.

GameStop is apparently paying close attention to the recent decision by the European High Court that digital purchases could legally be resold. Speaking to GameSpot, GameStop CEO Paul Raines said that the video games retailer is seriously looking into the idea of creating a business out of reselling digital downloads in Europe, but cautions that it is too early for him to say if it is something they will get into. At this point the company is simply investigating the idea.

Earlier this month, the European Court of Justice ruled that game publishers cannot stop European consumers from reselling their downloaded games.  Not only that, but a publisher may have to facilitate such a transaction by allowing the recipient of the sale to download their “used” copy from its website.

Oh yeah, they’re going to love that.

The European Court of Justice has made a ruling that could cause lots of problems for publishers in Europe. The highest court in Europe has ruled that game publishers cannot stop European consumers from reselling their downloaded games.

"An author of software cannot oppose the resale of his 'used' licences allowing the use of his programs downloaded from the internet," the ruling read. The Court said the exclusive right of distribution covered by a license is "exhausted on its first sale".

According to a new report (Q1 2012 Games Market Dynamics: U.S.) from research firm NPD Group, estimated total consumer spending on used and rental game content in the first quarter of 2012 reached $525 million, and content in digital format (full game and add-on content downloads, subscriptions, mobile games and social network games) generated $1.38 billion. This is in addition to the $1.5 billion spent in the U.S. by consumers on new physical video and PC game software.

If you were concerned that Nintendo might consider some type of technology or software to block the use of used games on its new Wii U console, this GameSpot report should put your mind at ease. Speaking with GameSpot, Nintendo of America marketing exec Scot Moffitt said that he doesn't know if Nintendo has a formal position on used games.

The First Sale Doctrine has been an important part of copyright law for well over a hundred years now and an important part of the gaming culture for the last 30 years or so. Unfortunately, these last few decades have also seen a lot of effort to erode what protections consumers have to resale their property without the permission of the copyright owner. Once again, the Supreme court is poised to rule on how far the protections the First Sale Doctrine go when it comes to copyright.

Despite all the talk about a next-generation console future where consumers are not allowed to play their used games by evil platform holders like Microsoft and Sony, retailer GameStop says that such a future is unlikely. The video game retailer firmly believes that the next generation consoles from both Sony and Microsoft will handle the business of retail trade-ins and used game sales the way they always have - by mostly ignoring them. The company made its remarks during an investor meeting with analyst firm Baird Equity Research.

Former THQ executive Danny Bilson recently told Eurogamer that the used game industry is "probably" good for consumers but not so good for publishers. So how do game makers combat the "evils" of the used game market? By creating more post-launch content that consumers think is valuable. Bilson, the now former executive vice president of core games at THQ recently left the company to pursue "other interests."

GameStop International and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have partnered to bring PlayStation Network DLC to 1,600 retail video game stores throughout Europe and Australia. This includes stores in Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Consumers can purchase downloadable content in stores using cash, gift cards, and in-store credits from trade-ins to buy the DLC.

In the latest episode of GameTrailers' Pach Attack, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter talks about used games and why they are an integral part of the video game ecosystem. In fact, he claims, the industry would be in serious trouble without them.

"I think the industry will disintegrate; I think there will be no more video games if next-gen consoles don’t support used games. You hear that, Sony and Microsoft? You have to support used games," he said during the show.

Video game retailer GameStop announced its first quarter 2012 financial results this week, showing that physical retail numbers were down, while used games and digital sales were up. While the company saw a decline in overall net income and sales for the quarter, its reported income was in line with earnings targets.

In a recent episode of GameTrailer's Bonus Round, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter said that Sony's Jack Tretton is strongly opposed to the idea of a console blocking used games. During the show, Pachter recalled a conversation he supposedly had with the SCEA president at an E3 meeting. He claims that he asked Tretton directly about the rumor that Sony's newest console ("Orbis") would not support used games.

Blockbuster UK has launched a rewards program specifically for gamers called "Blockbuster VIP Gamer" and just by signing up members receive 2,500 points. The idea of the program is to earn these points that can then be used for a variety of perks including discounts on purchases, free rentals, free software, and - if you can amass a large amount of points - free hardware.

Episode #1 of the Super Podcast Action Committee takes on the thorny issue of used games. Why do some developers and publishers hate them so much and why do they think it would be "awesome" if the next generation of home consoles from Sony and Microsoft blocked used games altogether? We try to figure it all out... Hosts Andrew Eisen and E.

You may recall that Crytek director of creative development Rasmus Hojengaard said last week that a next-generation console that was capable of blocking the use of used games would be "awesome." This week the studio is backing away from that statement after fans gave them a piece of their mind. Hojengaard said the following when asked about such a console last week during the conclusion of this C&VG interview:

While some developers are cautious to approve of next-generation game console systems impeding the use of used games software, Crytek's director of creative development is not one of them. Speaking recently to Computer & Video Games, Rasmus Hojengaard said that he thought it was "weird" that second-hand gaming is allowed at all.