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Sony Execs Respond to #PS4NoDRM Campaign (GAF namedropped)
- Thread starter DGRE
- Start date
You didn't throw out your PC already?
There's no question that Sony is seriously considering employing used game DRM, and have been for months/years. That's pretty much an established fact. The question is whether or not they've decided to alter their policies in response to the Microsoft backlash. This is something that will simply not be revealed until E3... or even later.
This silence shouldn't be disturbing to anyone. Whether or not they'll be employing DRM, they're enjoying free publicity in the way of hashtags and articles that include the name PS4. There's no reason to NOT ride that out until E3.
And once they're at E3, it becomes much easier to reveal any information alongside Microsoft. If they're implementing DRM, then they have a "united front" of sorts with Microsoft and third party publishers to try to convince the public. If they're not implementing DRM, then they stand to look really really good in the eyes of gamers, standing next to Microsoft.
This silence shouldn't be disturbing to anyone. Whether or not they'll be employing DRM, they're enjoying free publicity in the way of hashtags and articles that include the name PS4. There's no reason to NOT ride that out until E3.
And once they're at E3, it becomes much easier to reveal any information alongside Microsoft. If they're implementing DRM, then they have a "united front" of sorts with Microsoft and third party publishers to try to convince the public. If they're not implementing DRM, then they stand to look really really good in the eyes of gamers, standing next to Microsoft.
UberTag
Member
Almost all major tentpole third-party titles are going to be released on current-gen systems through the end of 2014 at least... and possibly into 2015 as well. Have any third-party games even been confirmed as next-gen exclusive as yet besides The Witcher 3 and Deep Down? I'm not sure I've heard of any.
Screaming Meat
Unconfirmed Member
Impact.
Knux-Future
Banned
Microsoft got shat on because they opened their mouths and pretty much confirmed their plan. Regardless if they were done or not.
Lets say, they simply came out with the "we will talk about it later" speech before Phil opened his hatch. Then the "rage" would be pointed at the TV shit and focus rather than the DRM stuff. So yeah Sony got off easy...because they didn't say anything. It's a lot easier to be pissed off at the one that basically confirmed it rather than the one that hasn't said shit.
If Sony said in Feb the same stuff as Microsoft...people would be pissed.
(alternatively...if they do go ahead with a similar system...they probably should have confirmed it...they will be killed if they do so at e3. So a lack of confirmation then...will pretty much seal the deal)
Kenshin001
Member
Because a refusal to clarify their position indicates they may not have good news. You have to remember this is the company that stayed silent about the hacking of millions of their user's details.
Uno Venova
Banned
Not sure how people are taking anything new from a summary article.
I see it is a all or nothing because in between just confuses the hell out of the consumer and retail. Are they going to have different boxes for games that can't be resold so people know? The only way for this to work is to be all in with a deal with gamestop or another chain to be the go to location to trade I games. I hate it more than most and will tell both MS/Sony to fuck off if this happens. I don't see how you can half ass this with out it even being worse to be honest.
Lucifersam
Banned
Yep it is pretty much like when conservatives said they were going to move to Canada because Obama is a socialist and won the election.
The only out really is to find another hobby.
I've said a few times: I suspect neither Microsoft or Sony particularly care about the revenue they'd get from the system directly - what matters to them is the leverage it gives them with third parties; "You'll make more money on our system" is a very enticing prospect.
Right now, of course, it must be tricky for the third parties; neither system is actually out, they don't have sales figures to go on. On the one hand they have a company offering them more revenue per sale, and on the other hand they have a loud and enthusiastic fan backlash. They're in a position of having to weigh up the losses due to that backlash against the revenue gains of going with the increased-revenue method.
Some third parties - it would appear - have already decided. EA's the obvious one to flag up there; given the cancellation of Project $10, it would suggest that they're looking for other means of increasing revenue. In that situation, the question becomes "do they - referring to all the 'big boys' who would be passionate about getting revenue from used sales - gain more from the revenue for used sales than they lose by, for example, giving significant preferential treatment to the Xbox One"
I'm not sure petitioning Sony is the right thing to do here. I think, instead, people should put pressure on the big third parties, those who the console manufacturers are desperate to court. Sony may be thrust into a position where these third parties have enough power to force Sony's hand. Make it clear to *them* that this is a bad idea, and we'll see where it goes.
They have been open for everything else, so yes I am pretty sure they would have come out and said it by now.
Letting MS take the heat for this is a better strategy, people will be weary of the topic when they announce it.
phosphor112
Banned
larger venue, less confusion. Instead of people talking on their own (like the buffoons at MS did), they can make it "official" at E3.
They're probably having meetings about it right now. This is a big decision, one way or another.
Also, recall that Microsoft people got eaten alive at the number of different rumors/contradictory reports from various interviews following their conference. Sony is treading very carefully, and any decision they make does not just impact them, but third parties.
Nice job from the Sony PR team !
Kenshin001
Member
They haven't been open about everything else. We are still in the dark about region free games and free online play, we don't even know what the console looks like.
Photolysis
Banned
Here's a hint Geoff: Sony has all the power here because publishers do not want (and cannot afford) to throw away such a large chunk of the market. They would be crucified by their shareholders.
They would be losing billions if they refused to publish games for the PS4 because Sony were to demand used games still work as they do now.
Sony can do whatever it wants, and they will have no choice but to fall in line.
Knux-Future
Banned
also worth mentioning...
there will be DRM on PS4.
There is DRM on the PS3.
so how would they even announce it lol
"we wanted to fuck you harder....but instead we decided to keep fucking you the same...happy?"
I guess they will just blanket statement it with a "every thing is the same as the Ps3".
there will be DRM on PS4.
There is DRM on the PS3.
so how would they even announce it lol
"we wanted to fuck you harder....but instead we decided to keep fucking you the same...happy?"
I guess they will just blanket statement it with a "every thing is the same as the Ps3".
They have talked on their own since February.
That's true.
But I think Sony isn't getting a free ride now. The PR stakes are being raised for them on this issue to levels they're probably not comfortable with (assuming they won't have very appealing answers to this question).
What happened with MS is, they detailed a system that was worse I think almost anyone envisaged based on the vagueness of Sony's comments. We considered what second hand control could look like before, but MS's system sort of brought a potentially really bad implementation into focus. And that's now prompted renewed fear about what Sony will do.
Captain Tuttle
Member
The fact that this Twitter campaign is being covered at all is significant.
Not being able to trade PC games does suck but the price of PC games does a real good job in lessening that sting.
I think it depends. They've certainly effected sales of certain titles when there's enough bad publicity. Considering it's PC, it's a title by title, publisher by publisher basis.
Didn't Ubisoft recently announce that they were moving away from their DRM model?
But not since the Microsoft conference... where the shit really hit the fan.
Exactly. It's all about the large 3rd parties - Sony is familiar with the difficulty of courting them for new hardware (vita). In addition, changing the policies of Sony or MS is most likely impossible, they're giant massive public owned companies. I think they're just posturing each other to see which one can ride the shit storm of the other.
The list of what they HAVEN'T been open about for the PS4 dwarfs what they HAVE been open about. Games, specs..what else have they been solid about?
TheJollyCorner
Member
why do that when you can make a big deal out of it in front of everyone at E3, at the same time publicly shaming MS?
Realistically I expect Sony to leave it up to the publishers, not make it a system-wide DRM. That way they can play the 'good guy', yet still keep the companies like EA that seem to be pushing hard for second-hand/used game DRM happy.
Kenshin001
Member
What. You just get House or Tretton or whoever to make a press statement. DRM on used games will wholly be at the discretion of the 3rd party publisher and will not be enforced or promoted in any way or form by Sony. Thanks!
What else is there?
Oh sorry.
TV, TV, TV, TV, TV, TV, TV, TV, TV, Sports, TV, TV, Kinect, TV, TV, TV
There are still various middle grounds short of refusing to publish. Favourable treatment. More content. Earlier release dates. "Demanding comparable revenue".
Uno Venova
Banned
That, or a confirmation they will have the same DRM will happen at E3.
Lucifersam
Banned
I'll just be interested to see if Sony gets a free pass here if they end up doing the same thing as MS. If Sony does get off lightly I think we can confirm how some companies get more leeway than others here.
If you are a gamer and you are upset about these new DRM schemes you better blast Sony just as badly as you have blasted MS if Sony turns out to be doing the same thing otherwise all the noise you made was simply console warrior crap.
Knux-Future
Banned
But they were consistant. Vauge as fuck but consitant.
Microsoft was all over the place with various different messages.
Seriously get off this point.
There is no favoritism at play here (well there is some for specific people sure). Microsoft let the cat out the bag while Sony kept their mouths shut (i.e kept it vauge)
Had Microsoft done the same, they wouldn't be getting hit on this as hard (outside of the ones reaching or just love to hate) and instead people would be going off on the TV focus (which btw is dumb since we knew going in the the games would be at E3) and such.
That is the difference and why the heat is more so on them.
and look it kind of isn't right now either...If Geoff didn't speculate, Sony wouldn't be back in the fire.
so let it go.
dorkimoe
Member
THey have to reprogram the system to allow used games before they can comment
so expect a delay on the launch now
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if I was sony, even if I had agreed previously to drm, seeing the situation would make me rethink some things..
last gen sony lost a good percentage of market. this time sony can take the early market relatively free.
it makes sense to postpone at least the drm, get everyone on board, take the market share, then mid-gen on, where the real money is at, find a stupid-ass excuse and do it then.
there are more benefits also, like make developers base on ps4, thus kicking xbone's ass even more.
the only way I see this not happening, is if the big publishers have more say than sony on playstation policies.
hopefully they are just waiting for E3 for quad damage
last gen sony lost a good percentage of market. this time sony can take the early market relatively free.
it makes sense to postpone at least the drm, get everyone on board, take the market share, then mid-gen on, where the real money is at, find a stupid-ass excuse and do it then.
there are more benefits also, like make developers base on ps4, thus kicking xbone's ass even more.
the only way I see this not happening, is if the big publishers have more say than sony on playstation policies.
hopefully they are just waiting for E3 for quad damage
Haunted
Member
Sony could be in a real pickle here if they plan to show up with a similar system as MS. They obviously won't change their plans, but due to the timing of all this, they'd come off looking like they're anti-consumer fucks like MS and completely ignoring the pleas of their "passionate fan base".
If they're not doing the always online/restricting used games thing, they're home free and come out looking excellently in a direct XB1/PS4 comparison in the eyes of the consumer.
If they're not doing the always online/restricting used games thing, they're home free and come out looking excellently in a direct XB1/PS4 comparison in the eyes of the consumer.
Fuck is this?
phosphor112
Banned
giving their opinions. Yoshida was the closest thing to a confirmation, but he doesn't give the final word. They need to come to a consensus and do this at E3.
why do that when you can make a big deal out of it in front of everyone at E3, at the same time publicly shaming MS?
Realistically I expect Sony to leave it up to the publishers, not make it a system-wide DRM. That way they can play the 'good guy', yet still keep the companies like EA that seem to be pushing hard for second-hand/used game DRM happy.
QFT
Sony will try to go with the best possible compromise for consumers but forget about them not caring about the needs of companies like EA.
Also I don't think that people here would like a totally DRM free system at the cost of less support from a few key third parties. Then the same people who signed no DRM petitons would start complaining about other things...so it's impossible to please everyone. A compromise is what we're getting.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I think that "games" and "specs" are mostly what people care them being solid about.
Sony's plans are the most exciting thing to me. I'm not saying I won't purchase the console at all, but I will be going the PC and Wii U route until the consoles drop below the price of 250.
Anything more than what we've seen this gen and I'm out of console gaming until the end of the next generation.
Anything more than what we've seen this gen and I'm out of console gaming until the end of the next generation.
They both have been vague; look at the different quotes since February from Sony heads. Microsoft at least had the balls to talk about it; albeit not very clearly.
There is plenty of it at play here. MS is getting crucified while logically 3rd parties wanting this for the new Xbox are definitely going to want it for PS4.
They are going to break into my house and rob me?
funkystudent
Member
You seem to think the PS4 is already a hit because last I checked its marketshare is 0.
Sony and MS cant afford to do anything that will piss off a bunch of 3rd parties and MS have been doing a better job at licking boot so far. E3 should be the real teller on what has been going on though. Rumour has it MS already has some big 3rd party exclusives tied down. I would bet there commitment to there DRM strategy has really helped them get things done. I bet 3rd parties would love a single platform to dominate like the ps2 did back in the day so them all getting behind the platform that gives them all they want isnt hard to see happening.
I hope we hear what sonys plan is soon. Pre E3 hopefully. If they can come out and have a clear message and dont have a fucking online check every 24 hours then they are my platform of choice thats for sure.
Haha; so fuck online play, used games policy, the system, etc? As a consumer I want to know more.