The latest in a lengthening line of exploratory methods to reduce used game sales is rumored to be under heavy consideration at Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and comes in the form of online access restrictions. Apparently the growing production branch will be using Mortal Kombat and F.E.A.R. 3 as its guinea pigs. My most recent brush with an anti-used game sales program was via Homefront, which allowed any player to reach rank level five in the online modes before requiring a unique code. These codes are available directly from THQ - for a price - or are boxed with all new copies of the game.

Now developers can get in on this   Game developers versus the used market is a battle that has waged since stores like Gamestop started offering "deals" to those of us willing to purchase a used game, at an insane profit to themselves. The Gamestop style scheme is to purchase games from users at an insultingly low rate, then tur...

Gamestop has long been the undisputed leader of the used game industry.  Untold millions of gamers trade in their old, unwanted games for the latest and greatest, and Gamestop profits.  And profits mightily, to the tune of 8.8 billion (a majority from used sales) in 2008.