GameStop up as Microsoft clarifies Xbox One policy

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Shares of GameStop Corp. GME +7.32% jumped nearly 7% to $37 on Friday morning after Microsoft clarified its policies surrounding used videogames on the Xbox One console. In a blog post, Microsoft said "we designed Xbox One so game publishers can enable you to trade in your games at participating retailers," adding that it would not charge a "platform fee" for enabling the transfer of used games. The stock took a hit last month after Microsoft MSFT +1.32% first unveiled the Xbox One, as some news reports suggested the company would charge a fee to play pre-owned games on the device. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 from Sony Corp. are expected to be showcased Monday at the E3 videogame conference in Los Angeles.

[-Mika-]

This is great news. Gamestop is the only major gaming store in America. You can hate on them all day but they're very important to the gaming industry.

[JBallerX]

You are correct, but they may be the only game in town that is considered a "participating retailer," and that is a problem.

[greenpowerz]

Still jumping to conclusions with tinfoil hat logic? Please wait until all cards are on the table and all companies lay down the law.

[stuna1]

What has waiting gotten us so far Greenpowerz? A bunch of aszhats telling us what is good for us, when we are the deciding faction!

What wait for someone to tell us when we can sell something we own, or give away something or what times we can go online?

It's pretty obvious that you are that customer that Microsoft have wet dreams about! Because you have already settled for the crap that their shovelling!

And if other companies follow suit they can get the finger too!

Just for the record, Sony won't have a required camera in order for the console to work, they won't limet who you allow to play your game, they've also went on record to say they won't block used games.

Even if there is a slim chance Sony does institute some form of DRM, it won't be as bad as what Microsoft is trying to institute, because unlike Microsoft, Sony stated that the PS4 will be able to, and can be played offline.

[Rainstorm81]

green the system couldve been called RapeBox24/7 and the system required you to be raped every night before you power the console and you would praise it.

Id rather wear a tinfoil hat and dream up new conspiracy theories than be your kind of Gamer/PR agent

[JBallerX]

@greenpowerz I'm not jumping to conclusions. I used the word "may". I didn't say 100% GameStop is the only participating retailer. I said they may be the only one, and that would be problematic for our wallets. That's all I was saying.

[One4U]

in au we have multiple stores like Jb , Eb , Cex and many more ! with Game store already gone , other stores may close down due to MS such as Cex, gametraders etc !

[ABizzel1]

Gamestop is only important to the uninformed.

Amazon & Best Buy offer SIGNIFICANTLY better gaming deals than Gamestop, and a simple internet search or even simpler "dealnewes.com" search will find you a better deals on games than anything Gamestop has to offer. I haven't been to Gamestop for a game in YEARS, and I've missed nothing.

[DA_PRGamer]

@Abizzel1

You are correct, last thing I bought on gamestop was The last of us post pandemic ed cause no one else had it and before that I got MW2 after that I only gamefly and i buy on amazon or best buy since they offer much much better prices deals on games

[stuna1]

And sadly I fear those will be the first to go! Why because they offer value to the gamers.

And from the looks of things Microsoft is looking for absolute control over the consumers spending habits! They've said so in so many words, by saying that hey would target ads at the consumers dependant on their viewing habits.

[Godmars290]

Its largely due to them that we're in this mess now.

Equally as likely if they hadn't made $5 discounted gaming a thing, given publishers a percentage, publishers would be complaining so much. Instead Gamestop was as greedy ad flaunting it.

[Anon1974]

So just to clarify, Gamestop jumping 7% following Microsoft's announcement is newsworthy, but articles regarding Sony's nearly 10% spike setting new 52 week highs in the middle of the XBox One reveal (after having flatlined all day) were failed over and over because the mods claimed that stock price fluctuations weren't newsworthy? Even though it was clear the immediate jump in share price was a direct result of the Xbox One reveal?

Every other game news site out there picked up on the Sony spike, but N4G wouldn't allow those articles...and yet this stock fluctuation is news somehow when this is actually within the stocks trading range for the past few months.

Go figure.

[Testfire]

@Mika, other than providing jobs GS isn't important to gaming and I'd argue they've done more to hurt gaming than to help. There are other retailers that sell games and before GS there were many more mom and pop shops as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[Godlovesgamers]

Don't you mean "This is great news if you're a gamestop shareholder"??!!

Your thinking here just turns my stomach, wake up already. It's obvious that Gamestop and the Devs and publishers pushing for DRM are all in bed together on this deal, and guess what smarty pants? That's right, it will not be to your benefit as a consumer or even a citizen of wherever it is that you live.

These kinds of policies will put a lot of local used game stores out of business or seriously hurt their businesses since now the dev's and publishers will dictate who can and can't sell used games for the next gen, so how is your local economy being shrunk even further great for anyone?

No, really I want an answer back from you.

[whoyouwit04]

Well, I guess most people understand what Microsoft said about used games, and didn't jump the gun like Sony fans.

[SexyGamerDude]

Or the fact that GameStop will be one of the biggest of those participating retailers MS was talking about.

That's why their stock is going up. MS just cut out half of Gamestops competition. No more mom and pop stores. You will have to go to the companies that can afford this move.

[T2]

Wow someone actually understands economics 101 ... Monopoly = more money ..

[RiPPn]

Of course their stock will be up, they just became an oligopoly.

[ABizzel1]

They might as well be a Monopoly. I mean who else does Used games to that level. Best Buy lol.

Uhhhh, M$. You are trash.

[sashimi]

I hope all stores outside of their "approved retailers" ban all sale of microsoft games and consoles. I mean it just seems like they are taking a dump on all those that aren't huge companies like gamestop. Small-medium size business can all go to hell it seems.

[josephayal]

Nobody is being forced to shop there

[T2]

According to MS they are now !

[a_bro]

Of course it went up. this crap that microsoft created is going to kill the competition for gamestop.

this is serious BS..

[PANTHER1030]

The problem isn't Gamestop, the people need to understand that buy or rent second hand games is the same thing that piracy, because the original creator of the game doesn't see any dollar and the only who wins money is the intermediary, who doesn't participate in the expensive process of create or distribute games. However, Microsoft went very far with its restrictive policies, the wisely solution is that the games could become more cheap and the major support for the digital distribution, because a digital game cannot be resold or exchanged, but it can be shared. I think that this is the Sony's way, the PSN and the amazing PLUS are an excellent demostration that digital is the future because benefits at all.