Did you know that video game theft costs retailers billions of dollars a year? So says the Entertainment Merchant Association, a group that “advance[s] the interests of the $33 billion home entertainment industry.” That’s actual theft, mind you. Like, you walk into a store, swipe a game, put it under your shirt, then amscray. The solution to this problem? Not to lower the price of video games so that people don’t have to steal, no, but to install some sort of radio-activated lock. Said lock would make the games (or movies) unplayable until they’ve been unlocked at the cash register.
And this is where opinions begin to diverge. You could take the EMA’s side, and say that theft is a huge problem, and that the only way to solve the problem is to slap on this lock. The other side of the argument is, well, that sucks that you’re losing so much money and all, but I’m an Upstanding Citizen—why should I be subjected to this new locking procedure?
If all goes according to plan, the technology could go into effect in stores by the end of 2010.
My opinion, as if that matters: yet another reason to buy things online. I’d be willing to wait the two or three days it takes Amazon to ship Video Game. But that’s just me.
That is what we need is another lock. Having to stop and be checked by the “door employee” after you buy a video game or CD is stupid.
This is a bizarre idea when all you need to do to prevent games being stolen, is keep the discs in a drawer behind the counter (with empty cases on the shelves) – which is what they already do at every game store I’ve ever been to in my city.
I suspect there’s more to this than just preventing shoplifting – some kind of even more customer hostile DRM than the crap we’re already having to swallow, for instance.
As well as keeping the disks behined the counter do you the not have security tag systems in the USA
For me, the radio-activated lock is just fine as long as it’ll solve the problem. While others make money through game selling, others earn money IN the game. Please read this article http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1421576 and you’ll see what I mean.