I understand that not everyone (kids, minimum wagers, students, etc) can afford the latest games, especially with so many of them coming at one time of the year. But, I really worry about this
stupid move from retail stores of offering the latest game for practically nothing in exchange for last week's latest game.
Sure, if you've got a game, finished it, never want to play it again - then fine. Its your game, do what you want with it, particularly if you don't like it. But this whole concept does rather threaten the meaning of owning a games collection, and games as an item of value as a whole.
- Does having that neat row of matching cases mean nothing to gamers today?
- Does not wanting to pick it up for a quick go in a month or two's time not happen any more?
- What happens when your friends come round and you've just swapped a great multiplayer game for a singleton only title?
- What happens when some great DLC arrives, do you go buy it again, or just not care?
The idea of a digital games collection was bad enough, as Sony found out with the PSP Go. But now I'm kind of used to the idea, as long as I can still pick up the games that really appeal from Amazon. That there is probably the store's biggest problem. I need a game, I get it off Amazon - cheaper, no need to slog it to Game to be patronised by a muppet.
I used to like buying games from indie stores, but there are none of those left (near me) now. As for the joy of import stores - yum! - but also long since gone. With Game and the others making ever greater losses, I think I'll cope if they just fall out of existence, but at least do it decently and not limp along like a three legged mutt with these half-baked ideas.
They just breed the short-termist crap that got this whole country in the shit its in, reducing the value of games that took years to make into a matter of hours. And I'm not sure I want kids to lose what little respect they have left for a product that costs so much to produce, is often a labour of love (even some EA Sports titles) and deserves better treatment.
Think about how this would play out in other eras: "Hello sir, bored of that new Beatles album already? Have some Tom Jones - one week only mind!"
This feels like another small step along our path to cultural suicide. So, game shops - piss off and go bankrupt quietly, rather than reduce what you sell to some retarded Ponzi scheme that only keeps you afloat for a few more months.
Anyway, sorry for that low-brow rant, normal service resuming....
