The Second-Hand Market: A Thorn in the Side of the Games Industry

The second-hand game market has long been a point of contention for the video game industry. Traditionally, retailers like Game Mania offered pre-owned games, providing consumers with affordable options. Though,publishers and developers receive no revenue from these sales,creating a financial disconnect. This has led to various attempts to curb the practice, with varying degrees of success and consumer acceptance.

Online passes and DRM: Early Attempts at Control

In the past, publishers experimented with strategies like online passes and Digital Rights Management (DRM) to capture revenue from used game sales. These measures frequently enough required players to purchase a one-time code to access online features or even play the game at all. Though, these approaches were largely unpopular with gamers, who viewed them as restrictive and anti-consumer.

Warner Bros.and the Nemesis System: A Novel Approach

Warner bros.took a different tack with Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. Instead of directly restricting second-hand sales, they aimed to create a game experience so compelling and personalized that players would be less inclined to part with it. This led to the advancement of the innovative Nemesis System.

How the Nemesis System Works

The Nemesis System is a dynamic hierarchy of Orc captains that evolve based on thier interactions with the player. Actions such as victories, defeats, and even assassinations have lasting consequences, shaping the personalities, strengths, and rivalries of these characters. This creates a unique and emergent narrative for each player, making their experience feel deeply personal.

This system, where you had actions (and murder) consequences for the evolution of the enemies and the stories around it, was so popular that it helped to keep the game “in the consoles”.

The Goal: Keeping the Game “In the Consoles”

Laura Fryer, former vice president at WB Games, suggested that the Nemesis system’s popularity was a key factor in keeping the game “in the consoles,” meaning players were less likely to resell it. The idea was that the personalized and engaging nature of the system would create a stronger attachment to the game, making it less disposable.

Ethical Considerations and the Future of Game Ownership

While the Nemesis System was praised for its innovation, it also raises ethical questions about the industry’s attempts to control the second-hand market. Is it fair to design games with the explicit intention of discouraging resale? As the industry moves towards digital distribution and subscription models,the concept of game ownership is evolving,and these questions will likely become even more relevant.