Activision is joining the parade of publishers taking a stand against used videogame sales, saying it will increase the focus on DLC to “limit the supply” of content to used games.
It’s a well-established fact that publishers do not like used game sales. Retailers and consumers, on the other hand, really do, which makes it a tricky dyke to plug. But the use of bonus DLC included free with brand-new copies of games, but that pre-owned buyers must pay, for has shown potential that hasn’t escaped Activision’s notice.
“We are still evaluating various possibilities for greater participation in the used-games business,” Chief Operating Officer Thomas Tippl said during the company’s second quarter earnings call. “What’s been working the best so far is providing additional content and therefore limiting the supply to used games.”
“Today [we have] more resources than ever dedicated to creating additional content for Call of Duty, whether that’s map packs, whether that’s game modes and the whole host of new [downloadable] features that we’re going to talk about when we get close to the launch of Black Ops,” he added.
So, lots of DLC planned for Black Ops. Will Activision go the Project Ten Dollar route and throw in some freebies with new purchases of the game? Tippl didn’t say but given the success EA has had with games like Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2, I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised. Call of Duty: Black Ops is scheduled for release on November 9 for the PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii.
Source: CVG
