Traci Turner bought her 6-year-old son a used copy of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games so he and all his little friends could entertain themselves during a playdate.  Needless to say, she was a little shocked when he showed her the naughty images he’d found drawn on the inside of the game’s case.

“They were extremely inappropriate. It was very sexual in nature and I was not prepared to answer the questions of what was going on in the picture,” said Turner.

While Valve has hinted at it in the past, a recent interview with Gabe Newell on Eurogamer is keen on letting Steam users trade games and other items, saying that he sees games on this platform moving in a direction "where everything is an item of exchange."

GameStop's executive vice president Michael Mauler recently told Edge Magazine that the sale of second hand video games benefits the entire industry - not just retailers. The benefit, he claims, is that these second-hand sales keep customers engaged with yearly franchises. Mauler said that without the opportunity to cash in on older titles, many gamers wouldn't be buying as many new ones.

Target is ramping up its in-store trading program to include more items that have a cash value and can be used towards purchasing new goods, the retailer announced today. The company said today that customers can save money on "back-to-school purchases: by trading in their used electronics and video games. Target’s Electronics Trade-in service (in partnership with NextWorth) has expanded to 1,490 of its stores across the country where Target Mobile centers are located, and new product categories have been added to further expand the service.

A new used games reseller named PostalGamer thinks that it has the secret sauce that will keep gamers who want to buy used games and publishers who claim that their sale cuts into their profits, both happy. The company plans to distribute games in self-addressed postage paid envelopes much like Netflix and GameFly to customers. When the customer is done with the game they'll mail it back to them, get credit from PostalGamer, and spend it on another game that arrives in the mail 2-3 days later, along with another envelope.

Rumors are circulating that Sony is considering an "online pass" scheme (a one-time use code for online play to ship inside the retail version of the game) for Resistance 3. The rumors stem from an image of the European Resistance 3 hardware bundle unearthed by website Konsolentreff.net. That image features the phrase "PSN Pass."

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe confirmed the program, calling it the company's version of "Online Pass" or "Project Ten Dollar" used by several third party publishers such as EA, Sega, and THQ.

These one-time-use programs enable online play for the original purchaser. Anyone buying the game new will have to purchase a new code via the PlayStation Store.

Earlier this week Capcom responded to complaints about the "one save" scheme it implemented into its 3DS game, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, saying that it was not a way for the company to combat used game sales. On its official Unity blog the company said that it was in no way meant to lessen the game's overall experience and that it was designed to be like an Arcade fighting game. From the page - here's the official statement from Capcom:

Silicon Knights head Denis Dyack always has something interesting - and occasionally controversial - to say about the effects of used games. Recently he said in an interview with IndustryGamers that the surge in multiplayer gaming is due mostly to used game sales. The result is due to developers and publishers trying to combat the sale of used games by offering more multiplayer game play and less single-player.

“What’s really happening now is people are starting to say ‘why is everyone pushing towards multiplayer?’ Because the used game sales are hurting the single player experience so much, they’re being forced in because of the economics, not because people who are doing single player games are saying, ‘We really want to do multiplayer’,” he said.

Amazon.co.uk’s video games manager Liz Hosmer tells MCV that its new used game trade-in program is already doing pretty well and that consumers have "reacted positively." In January some criticized the UK arm of the popular online retailer for planning to offer trade-ins: ShopTo's former marketing manager Phil Driver told MCV that consumers would be met with an intolerable experience if they traded their games online as opposed to traditional retail. But if Amazon.co.uk is to be believed, Driver is sadly mistaken.

“Trading in with Amazon.co.uk is quick and easy, providing customers with a great way to exchange their old games and save money on future purchases,” she told MCV. “We’ve had a very positive response from customers.”

Because the PlayStation Store is down, those who own a used copy of Mortal Kombat for PS3 don't have to worry about paying $10 for the "Kombat Pass." Rather than making players wait until the store is back online, Warner Bros. has decided to suspend the pass requirement until the PlayStation Store returns - which is rumored to take place on May 24.

Like used game owners, new players won't have to worry about redeeming the code that comes with the game until the PS Store is online again.

In other words, a free weekend of online play. And if you hate the online play, and you bought the game used, this weekend could save you a cool $10. All in all a win-win.

Source: Kotaku

Lead Fable III combat designer Mike West thinks the used games market is much worse for developers than having your game pirated. Or so he tells Eurogamer in a short back and forth on the subject. West makes the comparison because Fable III is available on the PC this week.

Fortunately, says West, the studio has managed to cover cost with first-hand Xbox 360 games sales, which he claims are in "the millions." West also acknowledges that piracy will affect Fable III on the PC, and there's "not much you can do about it."

Online video game and movie trading community Goozex will offer free trading to all its existing PlayStation 3 trading members through May 31. Goozex will waive the usual $1.99 trade free needed to receive items on the site for any member that has sent or received at least one PlayStation 3 video game or Blu-ray movie prior to May 9. Goozex says that, while it is a small gesture of appreciation for its thousands of PS3 owners, the company feels that it is an important one given what PS3 users are going through.

Last year, a few video game publishers (Notably EA and THQ) started charging a fee for online multiplayer from used video game buyers for $10. Sony Computer Entertainment America goes beyond the pale this week by charging gamers who dare buy SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy Seals used extra. Those who buy SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy Seals used will miss out on special guns, game types, and other perks that will be added to the game at a later date. To get these features as a used game buyer, you'll have to pay a $15 fee.

Sony is marketing all this as "SOCOM Pro," an suite of enhancement for new game buyers. While some might argue that these extra enhancements are rewards for buying new, it is also hard to deny that they feel like punishment to anyone who can't afford to buy the full game. Basically if you are a used game buyer, you start out at a disadvantage online. Further, that $15 activation fee nullifies the savings of buying used.

According to a report on Joystiq, Warner Bros. may be joining THQ and EA in offering codes for online play in its latest Mortal Kombat game. Citing an anonymous tipster who forwarded an email from WB to retailers, Joystiq claims that the company wants to charge used game buyers an additional fee for getting online. A new pass will supposedly cost 800 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360 and $10 for PS3. From the alleged WB email:

While it might not be as frequent as it once was, it’s still not uncommon to hear publishers bemoan the existence of the used game market and express a desire to see it go the way of the dodo.

But not THQ.  No, the publisher of the recently released Homefront doesn’t want to kill off the used game market, it just wants to make sure it’s making some money off it.  THQ CEO Brian Farrell explained it to MCV thusly:

“The most important thing is we have to participate in the value chain in used games.  We understand, given our focus on the gamer, that consumers like to be able to monetise their game library. So it is an ecosystem between publisher, gamer and retailer that just has to sort itself out.  Part of it is monetising but the bigger win is keeping our gamers engaged with DLC and robust online play, and that keeps the disc in the first purchaser’s hands.”

There will not be an Online Pass code in the retail console versions of Crysis 2, according to a Eurogamer report (citing a recent Gamertag Radio new story). The reason for the omission of the one-time code for online play that EA has used in other games is simple enough: developer Crytek didn't want it. Crytek is an independent studio who uses EA Partners to distribute its games. As such it has the right to refuse using Online Pass.

Crytek wanted as many people to play multiplayer as possible when it is released and they don't care if those players are playing a new or used copy of Crysis 2. Further, the company indicated that it felt that the Online Pass technology is just too young.

Whatever the reasons, we are delighted that Crytek opted not to use this.

Crysis 2 is due for release shortly on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Source: Eurogamer

A little digging on both Blockbuster’s and GameFly’s web sites shows that both companies are not renting DC Universe Online to its customers. It would be difficult to do more than one time unless they had a special deal in place with either SCEA or SOE to supply additional codes for these discs that come with one-time use codes.

We reached out to both companies to get a better idea of what their policies are related to renting and accepting trade-ins of DCU. Here are their responses:

"Here's how it works," Rachel Silverstein, GameFly's Vice President of Marketing told GamePolitics. "We offer trade-in to help our subscribers realize some value for the games they no longer want to play. Trade-ins do not become part of GameFly’s rental inventory. Whether to buy the game for subscription rental or to accept it as trade in are completely separate decisions."

If you buy the PS3 version of Sony Online Entertainment's action MMO DC Universe Online, you had better stow any plans to trade it in after you are done playing. According to a report on Lazy Gamer, the PSN code that comes packed with the retail game is a one-time use code, which means the person who uses it first is the only one that can use it with that particular disc.

From an SOE representative:

"Once the PSN key has been consumed with a disk it cannot be resold/replayed with the second user adding a sub – only the original consumer can use that acct."

SOE also said that the retail disc and the PSN code are one and the same, meaning it is completely worthless after that first use. Further, there is no way (currently) that a second hand user can obtain a new code.

THQ's future leaning action game Homefront will utilize "online Pass" for online play via a code packed in the game. Much like it did with UFC Undisputed 2010, used game buyers will have to purchase a new code online in order to play the multiplayer part of the game in its entirety.

THQ did say that it will offer a limited multiplayer option for used game buyers that gives them access to multiplayer up to level 5. The game features a full 75 levels.

The extra code will cost right around $10. Naturally, single player will not be affected by Online Pass. The game ships in March for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

Source: Shacknews

According to a report on Joystiq, approximately 500 Walmart stores in the United States have started stocking used games in-store and Walmart.com is now offering them online. Joystiq cites a recent report from Lazard Capital Markets' Colin Sebastian, who in turn points to "industry checks" that reveal the data.

Walmart announced that it planned to sell used games in-store this year, along with a trade-in program. In his report, Sebastian said that Walmart would focus on "deep value end of used games" (under $20), meaning less overlap with competition like GameStop. Sebastian added that if Walmart can maintain a focus on cheaper games, the retailer could "ultimately expand the market for used games."

Source: Joystiq

Game trading website GameForAGame.com, is alive, kicking and ready for business. The game trading website allows users to make straight trades with other gamers. Those that sign up for the site now will get a lifetime membership, if you need some motivation.

GameForAGame.com offers gamers a venue to trade games with one another without worrying about money, trade-in points or other factors usually associated with one-to-one game trading sites. Gamers simply sign up, list the games they want to trade and the games they want to trade for.

The site is currently in beta. After the beta period ends, a one-year membership will cost you $20. The site even has an option to meet local gamers and trade in person if that is your preference. Finally, the site offers a search function by zip code, console, game name and member name.

Find out more or sign up by visiting www.gameforagame.com.

Codemasters CEO Rod Cousens calls the current used games market "destructive" in a lengthy interview with Gameindustry.biz. Cousens also said that the confrontational attitudes between retailers and publishers is getting "ridiculous." Of course, most of the confrontational attitudes he speaks of have been on the publisher side of the equation.

"Pre-owned isn't actually new... the difference was that it wasn't a significant percentage of the market, and it was never promoted as aggressively through the retail community as it is today," he said speaking in the second part of an interview with GamesIndustry.biz.

The Street is running a three part series on the popularity of second-hand goods in a down economy and, in the second part of the series, which focuses on the used videogames market, Wedbush analyst Ed Woo pegged 2009’s used videogame market at “close to $2 billion.”

Woo said that figure represented 10 percent growth and added that he expects the sector to grow again in 2010. The article further claims that GameStop, which does not break out used videogame sales in its financial results, “bases nearly 80% of its bricks-and-mortar business on trade-ins.”

If you're one of the millions of gamers that participates in the used games market, much to the chagrin of some videogame publishers, a recently released app could be a useful addition to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

Game Trading Technologies, the same company that powers the used games business of, and/or supplies used titles to, retailers like GameStop, Best Buy, 7-Eleven and Wal-Mart has announced the release of the latest version of its GameBook Mobile, which adds trade-in pricing for videogame and iPod hardware, as well as trade-in pricing for DVDs and Blu-Ray movies.

The app already lets users store a list of their entire videogame software library, tracks the trade-in price of each product and can point users to nearby stores that accept trade-ins.

The CEO of UK retailer HMV understands why publishers are against used game sales, but he doesn’t seem to agree with them.

Simon Fox (pictured), speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Fox indicated that publishers he talks to are “mixed” on the subject of used games, saying, “I've met both types - publishers that genuinely think what we're doing is wrong, or if it's not wrong that they should be benefiting from what we're doing. And others feel much more relaxed.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fox demonstrated a pro-consumer sentiment, saying that he believes used game sales contribute to the sales of new titles.

As he explained:

We genuinely think that actually what it does is enable people to buy new product - and it allows them to trade-in previously-played product to get a credit and put that back into the games market. The way we've certainly geared our offer is that it's far more advantageous for the customer not to take cash, but to take a credit that's then used in buying another game.

Fox added, “I think it's slightly odd that publishers should somehow think that they have a claim to profit that a customer might make on a second sale.”

Bill Harris of the excellent Dubious Quality blog, has two interesting posts on used games. The latest is a rant on how game companies that make millions or billions of dollars are trying to convince gamers that they are "one of us," but when you hear them talk about used games most realize it's all bulls**t.

The second post features emails from readers who point out all kinds of interesting acts about used games, strange laws to make selling games at your local GameStop more difficult and even talk about what game rentals do to new game sales.

Here's a taste of the rant:

Speaking to Gamasutra Best Buy and Target both claim that, while Gamestop may have the lion's share of the used games market now, things will inevitably change. Last week both Best Buy and Target announced the launch of used games initiatives, and while both companies have different approaches, the goal is the same: to tap into the lucrative market that Gamestop has managed to keep all to itself.

Right now both companies are not actually selling used games; Best Buy is using a third-party company to refurbish and repackage the games - with plans to start selling them "soon" while Target will take those used games and sell them or recycle them.

Best Buy merchant director of gaming David Benson told Gamasutra in an email that the company is not concerned about GameStop’s years of experience and stranglehold on the used games market:

Target is getting serious about the used games market today, with the rollout of in-store trade-ins at select retail outlets in California. The trade-in program launches today in Northern California, with plans to expand it next month at more Target locations. By year's end Target hopes to offer trade-ins at over 850 stores nationwide. In addition to the in-store trade-ins, consumers will also be able to go to the Target website to trade-in used electronics and DVDs as well - for store credit. Apparently, you'll also be able to trade in select electronics too like iPhones and cellphones.

Target has been re-evaluating its videogame business in 2010, and adjusting accordingly to make the shopping experience more palatable for consumers. The used game trade-in initiative is probably part of these changes - and a way for Target to cut into the massive profits that specialty retailer GameStop makes off used games. Or you could just chalk this up to Target following the crowd: after all, if Best Buy is doing it, why shouldn't they?

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 hits stores October 26 but it has a little surprise for those that buy the game used: a $10 fee to play online and get the additional DLC. Like UFC Undisputed 2010, the next WWE SmackDown vs. Raw game will charge consumers who buy the game used a small fee to play the online content. Those consumers who buy the game new will be able to use an enclosed code to jump onto online and experience the extra content for free.

The package will offer online access, and some free DLC which includes playable characters Chris Masters, Rey Mysterio in a special "Dia de los Muertos" Halloween costume and WWE Diva Kelly Kelly in a "Devil" Halloween costume. The same features will be available to second hand game owners for 800 Microsoft Points or $9.99 via the PlayStation Network.

Source: MTV Multiplayer

Michael Pachter, gaming research analyst for Wedbush Morgan Securities, says that schemes to recoup cash from used game buyers doesn't seem to be having an impact on sales at GameStop. In a post-financials report on the retailer, Pachter said that the country's largest games retailer remained unscathed in its latest quarter and that aggressive code-based schemes for used games weren't hurting the retailer’s bottom line. This could be because most of these schemes from EA and THQ (in a small measure) are targeting multiplayer, which GameStop says only 25 percent of used game buyers are interested in.

"The company has not seen a negative impact on used software sales from first-use codes or new competitors in the space," Pachter said. "The company estimates that only 25 per cent of used game buyers play online.”

Naturally EA and THQ have just barely rolled out such schemes on a couple of titles. We'll see how it affects used games sales of titles like the latest Madden game in the next quarter. Pachter also shared his pessimism on GameStop’s plan to create a digital market space to sell DLC.