Iwata Weighs In On the Used Games Debate

“We need to make software that players don’t want to sell.”

By Marc Deschamps. Posted 06/19/2013 13:00 4 Comments     ShareThis

It’s been a very rough few weeks for Microsoft. Since the debut of the Xbox One, controversy has surrounded the console, particularly in regards to its inability to play used games. Sony weighed in on the issue in a major way at E3, causing even more trouble for Microsoft. While the two companies have squared off on the issue, Nintendo has yet to significantly put its opinion forth. That is, until now.

In an interview with IGN, Iwata stated that Nintendo’s stance on the subject of used games is that publishers should focus on making games that players want to keep.

“Taking as an example Mario Kart or Smash Bros., even though you might think, ‘I’ve done enough with this,’ you’ll still have second thoughts. ‘Wait a minute. If one of my friends comes over, I might need this again.’ You’re never going to want to sell these games. That’s something that always occupies our minds. We need to make software that players don’t want to sell,” Iwata told IGN’s Richard George.

Iwata’s stance is an interesting one. After all, I think most Nintendo fans can relate to having games they don’t want to part with. His phrasing also seems to imply that Nintendo has no plans to go the same route Microsoft has with future consoles. It will be interesting to see if Microsoft decides to stick with this particular strategy, in the face of so much opposition.

Would the inability to play used games affect your purchase of a Nintendo system? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Source: IGN

4 Responses to “Iwata Weighs In On the Used Games Debate”

  • 1297 points
    Robert Marrujo says...

    I worked at a GameStop and I can tell you that most Nintendo first-party games were pretty scarce; Nintendo games are keepers.

  • 1244 points
    lukas85 says...

    i’ve never sold one of my nintendo first party titles, never! but im thinking in selling other m and return to dreamland, because what a waste of space in my shelf

  • 143 points
    oldmanstauf says...

    Really depends. IF all console manufacturers were implementing a policy like MS was going to, it wouldn’t effect my purchase of Nintendo. If they were the only ones, yes.

    While Iwata is right that games should be made that no one wants to part with, he didn’t exactly condemn the idea of restrictions either. He didn’t say one way or the other that it was bad policy.

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