Never one to pass up an opportunity to make some cash, it seems Wal Mart (wallyworld) is making a move on the used game market. Apparently the service is currently available to those that work there but will be rolled out to the public soon.

However, from what I've dug up there is one VERY INTERESTING piece of information that THE COLLECTOR in me is very fond of:

If you sell a game to the store, it must be complete with EVERYTHING it originally came with. This means if you just have the disc, or are missing the maunal [if it even comes with one] or is scratched to hell you are screwed - or you'll just have to sell it to Gamestop instead.

Okay, I'm not saying I'm completely on board with Wal-Mart getting into the used games to begin with because (if successful) it will just be another reason publishers and developers will want to go digital after this current gen... but, I'm sorry... I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE HELL OUT OF THIS policy. Holding people accountable for the condition of what they are selling back... is... MADNESS!!!

There are a few things to note here however. First off all, I'm not really sure how the associates are going to know what counts as "complete" for each game. Again, many games are forgoing manuals and then there are special editions with extras like artbooks. And then would they even bother with really huge special editions? Probably not due to space constraints.

WHAT you can trade back in is limited as well. I guess there is a list of what they'll take... and I've heard two stories on this. One i heard was the list was around 80 titles and then another person told me the range of what they were going to deal in was surprisingly wide. Hmmm...

There is some potential here... but there are a lot of possible potholes as well. I'm kind of curious as to what constitutes a good condition disc because I don't believe Wal Mart is going to be setting up a refurbishing process like Gamestop... however I personally think Gamestop's refurbishing plants are a (expletive) myth considering some of the games I've seen come out of there.

The game companies whining about used games just don't want to admit that so much of what they make isn't seen as worth keeping permanently by their customers.  If they want to add content that doesn't transfer with a used game sale (ie. online functionality with Mass Effect 3), that's fine with me, but the core game has to remain transferable on-disc.  I buy games and movies to keep, I don't resell.  I have rarely bought stuff used, but not in the past few years.

Best Buy added used games, but whenever I've looked at them the selection is small and basically the same situation as Gamestop, so I imagine Walmart will be more of the same.  Like selling games at 7-11, I don't understand what inspires companies to throw their names into the ring after letting Gamestop buy out Funco Land, Babbages, and Electronics Boutique and run the retail industry for years if they aren't going to commit to doing a better job.

It never made sense to me how I've bought literally a thousand used CDs over the years and never ONCE had an issue with not having the the book or art (maybe an obi missing in a couple Japanese releases...). Yet with video games you can buy a NEW f---ing GAME and not get the booklet...and the HUGE percentage of used sellers that sell disc only, etc.
I can understand back in the cart days with bulky boxes and the fact you could just toss a cart anywhere....but it makes no sense with disc based media. It gives me headaches.

(And just a note: By 'new games with no manuel', I'[m not talking about games which litterally have note ever, like most Vita games, but ones that are supposed to. And don't me me started on "it's new" when it's not sealed...I had to even give an Amazon seller a neutral feedback for that)

You know, I just don't get this either. When I go on amazon to pick up a used cd-based game I pretty much ignore every offer that says "disc only." Of course, like you say with carts I just don't expect the boxes and manuals (since I lost of all the ones I had growing up) so that's all kosher.

Never ran into this... but this really reminds me of how people slap the word "new" on strategy guides. Personally I think you should only be able to use the word "new' in relation to a strategy guide if the thing is sealed because otherwise there is no way to prove is it truly new.

Well even at Gamestop they will sell the last copy as 'new' because they gut one for display purposes.  But I recently came across it with GoHastings who apparently do the same thing -- they even sent a little note along with my order stating it. The game -- Catherine for PS3 -- came with the special edition extras...yet no book. I had to return it because they claimed to not be able to get any copies of the booklet to give me. Ironically I bought it used from them later and it DID come with the book.