Hmmm. On one hand, I completely agree, companies like Gamestop are really hurting the industry, not just in the pocket, but also in the "ideas" department: they only keep track of the new copies sold, not the used ones, so millions of people could have played say Halo (for argument's sake) but as far as 343 is concerned only 10,000 people bought it, meaning they'll consider Halo a flop and focus on something else (again, only argument's sake). I do believe something definitely needs to be done to give the companies a little more green for their work.
On the other hand, making it so that a console only recognizes a new copy of a game is waaaay past overboard. It's like my views on the late SOPA: yeah, there is a problem and something needs to be done about it, but SOPA is just taking it too far. That's basically how I see this whole shebang about the anti-used-games feature on the new Xbox. To my understanding, it will work by recording the IDs of the disk to your profile, but what about other people that use your Xbox with a different profile? Maybe if they also add the IDs to the console database (like how the 360 currently handles downloadable games with both profile AND console IDs) then it might be a reasonable system. But as it is now, it's totally a step in the wrong direction.
So here's my idea. Corporations that sell used video games should give a cut to the company that made the game. Using Gamestop as the example, they could sell a used copy of (again) Halo. I say Gamestop should give 343 10%. So if the game sold for $60 used (work with me here) then Gamestop would keep $54 and send $6 off to 343 for each used copy of Halo they sell. Gamestop would be required to keep record of each used game they sell and the company that developed the game, and then the computers would automatically deduct the debt from Gamestop's electronic accounts and wire the funds to said companies. Since Gamestop has a 7-day return policy for a full refund, there can be a 7-day delay in the process for each wire transfer, and any game that isn't returned in that grace period is automatically disqualified for a refund anyway, so Gamestop can safely send the amount owed after those seven days (obviously other stores would have to make other arrangements). This will negate the need for pesky online passes, and will in fact earn the companies even more money than the passes would in the first place. Gamestop might make ever-so-slightly less at first, but developers will start getting more comfortable with Gamestop (since they won't see Gamestop as stealing money from their pockets) and endorsements will be through the roof! It's a triple-win scenario (the developers win, the used game companies win, and the consumers win).
I should be a financial consultant for these guys! ^-^

























