The days of buying a used game at a $5 discount only to discover you've got to fork out another $10 or $15 to access supposedly "free" downloadable content would seem to be over… in California… for two years. As a result of a class-action lawsuit, GameStops in California (and online) must now warn consumers of online passes and potential costs associated with "free" downloadable content, content that's often only 'free' for purchasers of new copies of games. The law firm Baron & Budd had claimed the retailer was misleading customers and piling up profits, "of more than $2 billion a year on used video games sales without paying any royalties to video game publishers or developers." Baron and Budd counsel in the lawsuit, Mark Pifko, in a press release from Business Wire: "We are pleased that as a result of this lawsuit, we were able to obtain complete restitution for consumers, with actual money paid out to people who were harmed by GameStop's conduct," Mr. Pifko said. "The in-store and online warnings are an important benefit under the settlement as well, because if GameStop discloses the truth to consumers, it is unlikely that they will be able to continue selling used copies of certain games for only $5 less than the price of a new copy. In fact," he continued, "we already know that not long after the lawsuit was filed, GameStop lowered prices for used copies of many of the game titles identified in the lawsuit." Affected consumers may be able to get some money back. Additionally, as part of the settlement, consumers will have the opportunity to recover the additional $15 they would have been required to pay to access the downloadable content. Consumers who purchased qualifying used games and who are enrolled in GameStop’s “PowerUp Rewards” customer loyalty program can receive a $10 check and a $5 coupon. Consumers who purchased a qualifying game, but are not members of GameStop’s loyalty program, can receive a $5 check and a $10 coupon. Thanks to Kotaku.
2 years? This won't last that long if used games won't even work on next gen consoles but seriously giving money back to people just because they were ignorant enough to think they'd get extra content or an online pass with a used game...
I'm all for forcing them to warn you how much it will cost to buy the same product you would have gotten new. Selling Resistance 3 used for $35 and new for $40 is ridiculous when the used one is missing $10 worth of features. It's true people hate the new practice of bundling a code for online play, since it reduces the benefit of buying used, but if you think about it, buying a used game for considerably less if the code is missing will lessen the blow of that tactic overall. Not so sure about making them pay out to those who bought things like that. They're not going to absorb that loss. They'll just bone us for a while, with prices that decline more slowly than usual, to make up for it. We'll pay the settlement, not them.
How about this. Warning : The content is already on disc. Or Warning: This is a poor quality title with a number of gltches & technical issues. An online connection is required for the numerous patches to fix it. I think retailers should give aheads up YES, but shouldn't labeling the product with a warning be the responsibility of whomever creates the box art or marketing department? Gamestop caved in to easily because of some idiot kid was so hyped up over a new game he was getting that he probably wasn't paying attention to the salesperson telling him what's what, all for something the game marketing department fails to warn gamers on. Developers cry & whine about how used games hurt sales but not one box ships out with warning: online pass requires purchasing if product is bought used. There's a warning about used game requires purchasing an online pass. After you buy the game & put it in your console. developers want used games to stop, then they're respectable for a warning.
