GameStop: Publishers can make money on used games through DLC

GameStop has something to say to publishers losing money due to used game sales: “Partner with us and we’ll both make money.”

GameStop has something to say to publishers losing money due to used game sales: “Partner with us and we’ll both make money.”

The idea is to entice publishers to pacrticipate in GameStop’s used games business by providing the store with DLC for popular used titles. It’s what GameStop CEO Dan DeMatteo calls “a win-win situation for publishers, retailers and consumers.”

Right now, publishers are giving gamers opportunities to download exclusive content if they buy brand new games, but DeMatteo thinks it doesn’t work.

“Through our years in the used business, we have learned that the second-hand user is a value-oriented consumer… we don’t believe that a US$ 10 add-on piece of DLC is compelling to a used game buyer,” he said.

Late last year, GameStop started positioning itself as a DLC retailer by announcing plans to sell downloadable content in-store starting this year. DeMatteo says this initiative is a good thing for publishers who do end up partnering with them.

“We can market and execute DLC sales right in-store,” he says. “There’s a tremendous opportunity for us to encourage software developers and publishers to create DLC because we’ll be able to market it. It’s very difficult to discover, find… add-on content with the tools available [currently].”

Via [Gamasutra]