Yesterday, SaySwap.com had launched its services.  This is the first social network that promotes trading videogames.  SaySwap also has blogging features, contains game cheats, and allows gamers to communicate with other gamers across the world.  “To swap games, users must purchase tokens for $4.95 and accumulate points by interacting with other users. The site is backed by LiveUniverse, founded by MySpace creator Brad Greenspan [source].”

The consoles that games are available for on SaySwap includes Sony Playstation 2 and Playstation 3 and PSP, Microsoft XBox and XBox 360, Wii, Nintendo Gamecube and DS and Game Boy Advance.  I do not think that games for older consoles such as Atari Super Nintendo are available, but based on demand, they could be added.  Game searches are filtered by consoles, game titles, and game categories.

In order to trade games and maintain credibility, you need to build purchase points (similar to Feedback on eBay).  Currently SaySwap is offering 30 Purchase Points for free which is a $30 value.  “Games require 10, 20 or 30 Purchase Points to get. You receive Purchase Points every time you mail a game. You might think of Purchase Points as a form of money. The Purchase Points value for every game has been set by us based on the current suggested retail price (SRP). The transfer of Purchase Points is made automatically between Gamers by us when you get a game or mail a game [source].” 

One of the testimonials I read on the SaySwap site was:
“I unloaded like 30+ games by swapping and generated a ton of trade points to get a giant library of all the games I actually wanted, Thanks for creating the great site!” by Richard W. of San Diego.  It looks like the model works.  Not only does this website save you money, SaySwap also saves you the trip of going to video game stores and bargaining with dealers for game trading.

When it all comes down to it, video games sitting in your house collecting dust can now be sent to a more appreciative owner.  Its about time a video game trading social network came out and who would have thought that it would be backed by MySpace.