GameStop: “We Don’t Like Pre-Owned”

The Develop Conference is currently running, and we’ve already seen some pretty interesting stories float on out, one of which was that publishers didn’t want to touch PopCap’s multi-million copy selling title Bejeweled. Well another startling revelation has been shot from the Develop cannon, this time with a GameStop speaker at the event saying;

“We don’t like being in the used games business, but we have to be there. We would have to exit the games business otherwise.”

This is extremely contrary to GameStop’s open business model, with pre-owned game sales accounting for the bulk of their business. The game developers and publishers have been fighting back against the pre-owned market via the installation of “One Use Only” codes that cut off a component of the game, then forcing the consumer to buy a new code if they get the game second hand.

The claims were lated cited as being “inaccurate” from an “official” spokesperson from GameStop, with them saying;

“Pre-owned is the cornerstone of our business and, as you say, a key driving force for us. Both the buy/sell model and bricks and mortar retail are extremely important for our business both today and in the future as we continue to grow. Our European business is very important to us and we have lots of exciting new developments in the pipeline.”

If you ask me it sounds like GameStop shot themselves in the foot and didn’t realise til the damage had already been done, because honestly how does an “unofficial” speaker get up on stage at a major gaming conference and talk about a million-dollar company…