For GameStop to continue to exist, used games need to stand as an integral part of the video game ecosystem. Without players selling their games after squeezing every bit of playtime out of them, GameStop simply becomes another store that sells new products. After last month’s Xbox One reveal, which told the tale of a console with much stricter policies when it comes to pre-owned games, GameStop’s shares fell around 14 percent. The stock prices have seen slight improvement since that time, but thanks to Microsoft’s big DRM shift that occurred yesterday, those stocks have jumped right back up.
As of this writing, GameStop shares are up 5.32 percent (+2.39) to $40.57. That might not be as significant as the 14 percent drop witnessed earlier, but over time, we should see GameStop return to its former “glory.” Since Microsoft is now allowing players to trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc-based games in the same way that they can today on Xbox 360, GameStop will continue to act as a major player in game distribution. A GameStop representative even publically stated that the move was "great news" for gamers, as well as a testament to Microsoft's understanding of importance of used game market.
It all looks hunky dory for the retailer today, but with most (if not all) next-generation games releasing both physically and digitally, who really knows how long GameStop can remain at the top of the food chain? We’ll just have to wait and see what type of media consumers grab on to in the coming years.
