A Microsoft survey targeted at Xbox One owners has raised a few eyebrows this weekend. From the survey question, either currently being put to select Xbox One users or getting readied for such a purpose, it seems like Microsoft is gauging interest in digital game 'sell back' terms.
In recent years digital games sales have been booming. Unfortunately for many, that means that getting value from old unwanted games has gone out of the window. Owners of the booming digital distribution platforms aren't very interested in helping you snatch back any value from old unwanted games. On the other hand, on PC at least, the digital competition has brought games prices down to being very affordable sometimes, if you can hold off from pre-orders and the newest releases.
As you can see from the screenshot above, the question Microsoft poses is a rather simple one. It asks whether you would be interested in selling back digital games you have bought, for 10 per cent of the price you paid for them. Please note, this is not 10 per cent of the RRP of the games you bought.
In the multiple choice response, users aren't asked about other possible fair values they would put on their old digital library. That means it's hard to see what Microsoft might be thinking if the weight of the results, overall, was focussed on the flat 'No' response. Might it shift up to offer 15 or 20 per cent value back?
Anyone got an old FIFA they'd like to 'sell back'? Would a bundle game even be eligible?
Microsoft's 10 per cent offer is rather mean sounding but on the other hand its better than nothing for old unloved games titles. What would Microsoft get out of it? – It's not like it will take the games it buys through the sell back program and put them back on its digital shelves. In some ways it sounds like an underdog strategy, to make its store seem fairer. Additionally the 'sell back' cash stays in the ecosystem as store credit and will tempt users to splurge on more expensive new blockbuster titles.
