This week, we take a close look at the widening frontier of used and discount video games. As the debate over whether used video game sales are hurting game developers and the implementation of online passes to maximize profit from buyers of used games increases, surprising new players are entering the discount gaming market. We'll break down this recent news and also take a look at some quality online venues for scooping up cheap video games.
Guy: Best Buy and Target have announced video game trade-in programs, thus entering the fray; seemingly snubbing their noses at the big companies, and all the while extending an olive branch of sorts to increasingly cash-strapped gamers. Let's not think of this as a 100% altruistic gesture on their parts. This is still a business decision, and a very good one at that in my opinion. The 411:

"Target is going to offer in store credit for all sorts of electronics trade-ins, including games and DVDs, with just a few stores for now, but expanding to 850 stores by the end of the year. Target isn't making any mention of reselling that stuff just yet, but Best Buy plans to start selling used games "soon," on top of the 600 stores it's launching it own trade-in program in this week."

Yasar: I can see this going one of two ways.  The first way is the less likely of the two.  It's possible that with big name competitors like Best Buy and Target, there would finally be enough competition for other retailers to start selling their used games at deeper discounts or forking over more money to buy back your used games.  The second, and more likely scenario, is that Best Buy and Target are going to be alternatives to GameStop.  They'll give you less money than you deserve for your used games and sell them back at more than they're worth.

Guy: Bottom line though, it does create two other outlets that will make it easier to find cheaper games. If they also adopt the Gamefly model of online trade-ins, well then even better. Speaking of online discount game sales, let's take a look at some of the best sites and weigh the pros and cons of each.

Yasar: Sounds good. First up is Glyde. If you're looking for an online alternative to getting rid of your used games, Glyde is a great place to start.  They'll let you sell your games online to their users allowing you to set the final price.  In the end, you'll end up getting much more for your games.  They're also a great place to buy used games.  As an example, you can buy God of War for $35 used as opposed to paying $55 at Gamestop. The only con in my opinion is the fact that the site is still in beta and the user interface can be a bit clunky at times.

Guy: Cheap Ass Gamer is another great site for finding a collection of the latest deals on games. You can't buy from them directly, but it is a one-stop gaming shop for the most current online specials in video games. Yasar and I use it all the time to sniff out the best prices for our favorite games, new or old.

Yasar: Half.com, owned by eBay offers great prices for discounted games. If you are comfortable with the look and feel of say an Amazon or Barnes and Noble online store, then you will love navigating through this site as we do. They carry a large collection of games, both new and old. God of War III and Final Fantasy XIII for instance, are being offered right now at 59% off and 61% off respectively. That is well below a Gamestop or eBay games which will only give you about $5 off newer games like this unless they are used. You can also sell back used games at Half.com and find games for older systems anywhere from 70%-80% off. Both Guy and I have used the site to buy games and haven't experienced any negatives associated with the service.

Guy: I've also tried eCost for my discount gaming needs. I recently bought a great gaming bundle of five kid-friendly games for my nephew at just $20. They carry consoles at discounted prices, a Wii can be purchased for close to $60 off for instance. Some may have an issue with refurbished consoles. Personally these will probably run better than straight used devices you pick up at your local game store as they have been worked on and fixed to work like new.

As always, we will be keeping tracking of the reseller vs. publisher debate and what it means for your wallets, as well as updating our list of the best online buy and trade shops via Twitter @SavingsGCapes and @YasarSavings.