2012-07-12, 04:30 PM
Arrg Wrote:I have a feeling that if steam embraces resale of games, it'll be a fixed price per game based on its current price, instead of a set-by-the-seller price.
While I can see exceptions to this; how is this a bad thing really? They obviously won't want to make the prices too low or else it would compete too harshly with their own new purchases; and they can't make it too high either or buying games would ultimately become cheaper than "renting" them since you would get your investment returned in full. Knowing this balance and the fact that since there is a law in place within part of their consumer base means that they can't extort it too highly either.
What it means for me: better return on games than selling them to physical second hand sales sites. Something like buyer paying 75% of retail and seller getting 60% the remainder going to processing sounds like an ideal that is far better than what I can expect from current rates. And if it can be somewhat regulated (keeping exceptions in mind), it'd be more stable and reliable than what we have now.
Of course, this being the case, they'd also have to have a "cash out" system in place for all the variety of environments where you can load a digital wallet, so it can result in true "sales" of the used product. That would also likely have a percentage fee; but as things stand, I am amiable to that.
Of course, all of that is under what I would consider ideal; and I have my doubts based on what they seem to think of the TF2 market. And while this would be much better than what we currently have; I'm sure people will be quite loud about the exceptions as far as naming their own price goes too.
All else fails, they could add an option to deactivate a game and turn it into a gift copy.