We all buy used games, even the immensely wealthy…I think. But do you know what you’re doing whenever you buy one? You’re crushing the hopes and dreams of publishers around the world by cutting them out of the deal. See, once a game is sold, the developer doesn’t see anymore profit off of it. Retail stores get all the money from selling used games and that money serves them well. The effect this actually has on the developers themselves is debatable, but EA has come forward and claimed that it is a very serious situation.

“I’d actually make the point that for us second-hand sales is a very critical situation, because people are selling multiple times intellectual property,” said Jens Uwe Intat, senior VP and general manager for European publishing at EA in a recent interview, going on to explain that second-hand gaming sales can’t be compared to other industries because in those industries (cars, books, clothes) the products get worn down and new ones are needed eventually. However, this doesn’t happen with gaming and thus developers take a bigger hit from second-hand sales, theoretically.

Don’t worry about poor ol’ EA, they have plan: more digital distrubution and downloadable products. EA is looking into “business models that are more and more online-supported with additional services and additional content that you get online. So people will see the value in not just getting that physical disc to play at home alone, but actually playing those games online and paying for them.” If you feel bad for the retailers now (I don’t know why you would), don’t. They’ve got nothing to worry about.