Publishers undecided on blocking Xbox One preowned sales

Microsoft announced yesterday that decisions about allowing used Xbox One games would be left up to publishers. Though the power is in their hands, the companies behind Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, among others, aren't yet ready to discuss what plans they have for the secondhand market.

GameSpot contacted major publishers including Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Capcom, Bethesda, Warner Bros., Take-Two, Ubisoft, and Konami about their stance on Xbox One used games and did not receive a definitive stance from any company.

Bethesda said, "We haven't had time to fully understand and evaluate their policy." Sega chimed in with, "We are currently discussing within Sega policies relating to the new generation of consoles. As soon as these have been agreed upon with all concerned partners we will make the information public."

A Capcom representative said, "At present Capcom has not announced any titles for Xbox One so any decision regarding allowing trade-ins or loaning games has not been determined."

A representative for Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment said it is unlikely that the company has an official statement, while Grand Theft Auto parent publisher Take-Two Interactive declined to comment.

Konami said, "We have nothing official to share at this time."

Assassin's Creed and Far Cry publisher Ubisoft added in, "We're just now getting more information about Microsoft's plan and starting to examine what it means for our games. We don't have anything new to share right now, but rest assured we'll continue to focus on providing the best experience for our customers no matter how or where they buy our games."

At press time, Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts had not responded to requests for comment.

Though publishers are remaining quiet on plans for secondhand Xbox One games, Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter has been outspoken. In a note to investors today, the analyst said publisher are not likely to block used Xbox One games or require an activation fee.

"In our view, any publisher that disables used gaming risks a backlash or boycott of its titles by gamers, negatively impacting sales," he said.

The uncertainty surrounding Xbox One used games has not hurt retailer GameStop. The company's share value climbed more than 7 percent today.

The Xbox One launches later this year. For more, check out GameSpot's news hub dedicated to the next-generation platform.