Microsoft is forcing GameSpot to slash its used game prices.

As I write this, video game retailer GameStop is selling used copies of the Xbox One launch title Ryse: Son of Rome for $38. Last week, it had been charging $55 for the game, but it seems to have cut its price following an aggressive move from Microsoft .

On Tuesday, Microsoft began selling the digital version of Ryse for just $40 (regularly $60). There are some obvious drawbacks to the digital version -- the game can't be resold or lent to friends -- but at a 33% discount, those shortcomings are easily overlooked.

Following the announcement, I posited that Microsoft had more or less devastated the demand for Ryse at GameStop: Even buying a used copy was far more expensive than the digital version. For the week that Microsoft was running that special, GameStop should've seen next to no demand for Ryse at its stores.

GameStop slashed its price in response

It seems GameStop's management came to the same conclusion, as the retailer cut the price of Ryse to $38 -- exactly $2 less than what Microsoft was charging for the digital copy, and perhaps enough to nudge would-be buyers over to GameStop's side. But even if GameStop managed to recapture sales it would've otherwise lost, the effect is ultimately just as detrimental: By offering a digital sale, Microsoft weighed on GameStop's profit, effectively taking about $17 out of GameStop's pocket for every copy of Ryse they sold at the new, reduced price.

This game could end very interestingly. Depending on how you look at it, it will either:

A. End with Gamestop lower costs of used games at least buy an affordable amount even if the game had been out only for 3 months. In turn, used games may rise, especially for purchases, but ONLY if Gamestop decides to do this. Which is a 50/50 chance.

B. It will end with Gamestop being stubborn, and despite the hate for the company, used games will take a large hit, and it may lead to the end or make used games a niche.

C. it will end with more Xbox hardware and software sales, and then Microsoft will retract their price drop, at least not fully, but will probably make it slightly less than Gamestops prices, so Gamestop will charge $55 for used games again and this will have no effect beyond this point.

Gamestop :p

jesus christ people gamestop NOT gamespot. why does everyone make that mistake when creating a "gamestop" thread...

If a game does not sell well the price usually drops to $40 a month or two after its release. Then they are $30 6 to 8 months after. Its usually only games like COD, and Nintendo games that keep their price high, and often dont change.

GameStop can sell it's preowned games at whatever price it wants, Microsoft doesn't dictate how much they charge, they cannot. I wonder if people have ever heard of a thing called a "SALE", As GameStop is having a pretty damn big one right now. For example, if you haven't picked up Assassin's Creed IV yet, it's $30. Companies have sales around this time of year in the US, because you know.. Tax time. I can assure you, the main thing GameStop takes into account when pricing preowned games is how many the company has in stock as a whole, how often it is being traded, and how well it is selling. None of what you said is true, or will happen.

Can you, like, stop making threads. That would be great, thanks.

Did you read the OP? it was a joke.

Microsoft wants users to go "digital" yet they cannot even bring forth preloading for preorders. Stupid.

Wow. We really are witnessing the end of the xbox.

Based on the anger from the TitanFall deal, I expect it to come soon in an update but the fact that they're so "digital" right now but haven't even made mention of addressing it is dumbfounding.

@Stevo_the_gamer: that's the big hang up for me. I want to get TF digitally via preloading. But now I'd have to wait to start the download after it's released and you know the servers will be hammered so there's an even longer wait for the download than normal. If they offered preloading, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Now I'm going disc

MS is forcing GS to lower pirces....

You mean GameStop must lower their prices to compete with a sale to remain competitive? Nothing new here... Nearly every store in the world change their prices based on other stores

Indeed, but they're behind the game. Just think if they offered TitanFall for $49.99 with preload -- they bring a lot of DD success.

Ryse is this gens E.T.

K. stop the editing to the title whoever. Thankx.

Wow, of all the sites selling games, they choose to attack this one? I cant find the store button, where is it? Hurry while the prices are down!

The game is boming THAT hard at both retail & digital? Oh wow.

lol.

well this should make all the factions happy.

motherfuckers round these parts hate gamestop like a fat kid hates salad.

When you're posting about gamestop on gamespot and you have both names in your head, it's quite an easy mistake to make; apparently easier than the person correcting grammar who doesn't capitalize the beginning of a sentence... Jesus christ, people, it's a captial 'J' NOT lower case. :p

I don't see how one or two games having a low demand would lead to a standard policy and price change, or how Microsoft "forced" Gamestop to do this.

Why couldn't Gamestop just die?

microsoft has been really stepping up their game over the past year with digital sales. Seems like they are trying to get people to switch to digital the right way, with game sales rather than DRM. But its usually older games that most retailers have sold their stock of. Discounting newer games before retailers do is a pretty bold move that will likely get them some hate.

Oh right, Ryse. LMAO.

Sounds like GS got too many unwanted copies of the GOTY God of War killer in stock and are desperately trying to shift them.

If we could only be so lucky?!

I dont buy used, but retailers and online services lowering prices of games is great.

I dont really see a problem here...

WHY DID YOU CHANGE THE RULES, GAMESPOT?!

@WadeFan:

just sell your xbone and invest in a graphics card/cpu or both.

at least you can preload on pc and have a system stronger than the bone in the long run

Don't remember the last time I bought a game from Gamestop. I been buying mostly DD games. My recent retail purchase was an import game couple weeks ago.

They will eventually... By the end of this generation, their business model will completely archaic, as they've been practicing the same model since they opened. I was a member of this company for a number of years while I was in college, and the upper management is single-minded in its tactics, which is exactly what took down the untouchables like Circuit City and Blockbuster... Gamestop will go down hard, it's just a matter of time. They're doing exactly the same thing companies that tanked have done, and by the time companies destroy their business model, it will be too late to save them.

I'm pretty sure that's knack. You can't give that game away.

Is there supposed to be a problem?

Good. If MS dropping digital prices had a direct correlation (which seems so), then this will be interesting for the games market. New digital prices competing with used hard copies, could be quite useful to the end-user.

Well to be honest I don't know many developers or companies other than Nintendo that enjoys Gamestop's company in the gaming market. The only thing stopping them from pulling Gamestop out is the people that get angry when they don't like what DD entails.

I agree with Lundy, I think it's good.

Wait, for real?

WTF Microsoft. Rookie mistake.

Maybe GameStop should sue GameSpot.

So much fuss about a 6 scored game ( metacritic ) ... its one of a kind

Eh, it'd be interesting if it were a game with low sales. I'd imagine Ryse is one of the best selling on One, so given that this is a sales thread, the amount of fuss makes sense.

I'm sure there are plenty of other examples of low scoring games with good sales, thus drawing fuss over it.

Yeha you got a point there but im speaking generally. Lems getting so excited with a bad game , praising it like a graphic king, buying it like crazy ... I dont get it... Its a 6 dammit !! How is possible for people to praise a 6 game that much ? Story , graphics .... ive seen some saying even gameplay is awesome. Not even sheeps did that with Wii's astronomical shovelware.

If Ryse is so good then Killzone is the best FPS ever ... well not obviously !!

True. I guess the same can be said for all the consoles. Each console opened with a pretty lackluster lineup. So in the end, we have to be excited with average games :P (Killzone, Knack, Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros. U)

With Sales Tax, you're still spending the same amount at Gamestop. Hoping Sony follows suit though because five dollars less than a new copy really isn't a bargain.

Ryse is 40$ new on Amazon.ca and have been for awhile now, they even ship it to your house for free.

http://www.amazon.ca/Microsoft-3RT-00006-Ryse/dp/B00FXK60L0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393213432&sr=8-1&keywords=ryse

How GameStop was selling it for 55$ used when it's not worth 55 cents is beyond me.

lol oh RR *hands you a baggy of cheerios* now go on back to your corner with your paper dolls and legos.

For once I am on Gamestop's side... GOOD ON THEM!!!! Fight that bs digital monster! If gamestop continues this trend they will rise VERY QUICKLY from bleh to me being a big fan.

The secret is having good bait.

Retailers deserve it, it's a fucking liberty that they think it's ok to sell a used copy of a game at near brand new prices. It's a middle finger to both publishers and the consumer.

How can Microsoft force a retailer what it set its prices? Do you think Microsoft have promised Gamestop $17 for every used game sold at its store?