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Sony has researched new tech for suppressing second-hand game sales

looks like i'll be going with 720 or if not, even wii u if it comes to it.

I'd like to see this become standard across all consoles.
No_fun_allowed.jpg

The only thing that worries me is if this is introduced mid generation and is defended by Sony as "we don't mandate it, it's the choice of the publisher" a lot more people would accept and defend such a practise then.
Someone still butthurt about P4 Arena ?
oh dear.
 

Durante

Member
...and if hypothetically Sony were to completely pull out of the game industry and take down PSN, what then?

No more games for my console ever?
If you are concerned about hypothetical scenarios like that, then you shouldn't be buying any games for closed platforms, physical or not. Which is actually something I would greatly approve of!

The only type of product you can expect to effortlessly play 20 years from now is a DRM free PC game.
 

meppi

Member
If you are concerned about hypothetical scenarios like that, then you shouldn't be buying any games for closed platforms, physical or not. Which is actually something I would greatly approve of!

The only type of product you can expect to effortlessly play 20 years from now is a DRM free PC game.

That doesn't make much sense... I'm still playing NES games till this day. :-/
 

Mael

Member
Yeah, I'm just saying regardless, they have the tech in use already to tie a physical disc to one account, with the physical disc esentially being an unlock key. You can't take the disc and redeem the Vita version on another system. It ties the physical disc to an account. It's already being done techincally. They could just as easily make the disc be an unlock key for the PS3 version instead of a Vita version.

Except that would be locking you out of the content you actually bought, not exactly the same thing.
 
I think a lot of you guys are getting worried and upset over nothing. Lets just wait and see what happens. If this is true Sony is effectively committing suicide.
 

duckroll

Member
The only type of product you can expect to effortlessly play 20 years from now is a DRM free PC game.

Even that might not be so effortless. Remember, to play old DOS games today, we need stuff like Dosbox. In 20 years, who knows what sort of PC hardware and operating systems we'll have. In fact, it's hard enough today to use floppies, I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years the standard PC won't be able to read a DVD anymore.
 

Quackula

Member
If you are concerned about hypothetical scenarios like that, then you shouldn't be buying any games for closed platforms, physical or not. Which is actually something I would greatly approve of!

The only type of product you can expect to effortlessly play 20 years from now is a DRM free PC game.

Fact is, I can still go out an purchase a physical game for any platform ever made, no matter how old. Over 25 years later, I can still easily purchase an NES game and play it on my console. If a system like this is put in place, I will not be able to purchase a disc for my Ps4 25 years from now, even if my hardware is still in good working order.
 

pestul

Member
I think a lot of you guys are getting worried and upset over nothing. Lets just wait and see what happens. If this is true Sony is effectively committing suicide.
Actually, it's probably better to be vocal about opposing it right now. Blogs, GAF and everywhere. Let them know that they would be making a horrible decision.. and just hope they listen for a change.

As someone posted earlier in the thread, I could see them making this a dev optional thing. That would almost be like how Nintendo lets devs set a restricted usage policy on eShop demos in a way, but horribly worse.
 

Mario007

Member
That's more a problem of your shitty retailer more than anything.
There's a reason why GAME push for used games more than other product lines, it's nothing new : margin for new games is too low so they want another revenue line instead of closing shop.

But every retailer does this, as you mentioned to increase their profits. So it's not a problem of my retailer only. By allowing more Platinum range games into the game shops,people will still be able to get cheap games and the developers will be getting money out of it.

...and if hypothetically Sony were to completely pull out of the game industry and take down PSN, what then?

No more games for my console ever?

This is really a non-issue and you're trying to argue against this for the sake of arguing against it.
 

Durante

Member
Even that might not be so effortless. Remember, to play old DOS games today, we need stuff like Dosbox.
This is true, but "downloading a file from the internet and running it" counts as "effortless" in my book. At least compared to searching for a decades-old physical item.

In 20 years, who knows what sort of PC hardware and operating systems we'll have. In fact, it's hard enough today to use floppies, I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years the standard PC won't be able to read a DVD anymore.
I don't think the physical medium is a huge issue. With a DRM free game you can have a backup of the data anywhere. The point about operating systems is valid, but there is such an enormous amount of software (not just games) dependent on the current infrastructure that I assume some manner of compatibility will always be provided.
 

Cornbread78

Member
Everyone has known this is coming for a long time now, so I'm really surprised at some of the responses here. Both MS and Sony want to do this. Just wait to see the extra exclusives Sony gets from devs and pubs for doing it if they are the only one. The software side devs and pubs must LOVE Sony right now for trying to follow up on this, as they are the ones that truly benefit from this and that is a good thing, especially for smaller studios. Now to impliment it correctly, Sony and the pubs needs to better strategize their pricing to make the games more accessible to everyone




Rumor has it anti-used will be on both consoles. I don't have a problem with it because I play tons of PC games which you can't buy used anyway.

exactly. but it will suck not getting games cheaper 2nd hand, they should work a way to charge a small fee to pay back to teh devs and pubs for secondary sales rather than not allowing it altogether.
 
Actually, it's probably better to be vocal about opposing it right now. Blogs, GAF and everywhere. Let them know that they would be making a horrible decision.. and just hope they listen for a change.
I suppose that's a good point, well then gnash and wail away.

I'm betting such a thing won't happen but I've been wrong before (on a select number of occasions.)
 

benny_a

extra source of jiggaflops
Anything which is anti-consumer is usually anti-some-sort-of-consumer. It is pretty rare that something is anti-any-consumer, because if that is the case then it is likely no one will buy those goods or services at all. The inconvenience of the anti-consumer practice will often impact only a portion of paying customers based on their personal practices and how they tend to use the goods or services. Some practices impact more consumers, some less. But in the end, if people don't stand up for something which doesn't affect them, they might not have anyone around to support them when it's their turn to be affected by another anti-consumer practice.

Martin 'Duckroll' Niemöller?
 

duckroll

Member
I fear for any company that does this. Imagine a fighting game tournament.

Aren't most fighting game tournaments sponsored? I reckon sponsoring [x] new copies of the games they'll be playing to have them on each set up they need to run the tournament is more or less a non-issue.

I agree it would be awful for households with multiple systems though. It's straight up bullshit. I just don't think it'll have much impact on a fighting game tournament unless it's one of those small local ones hosted by a few fans running stuff on their own.
 

Mael

Member
But every retailer does this, as you mentioned to increase their profits. So it's not a problem of my retailer only. By allowing more Platinum range games into the game shops,people will still be able to get cheap games and the developers will be getting money out of it.

Except that as you said yourself releasing and allowing more Platinium range games will do nothing considering there's no profit in carrying them.
Also devs don't get to see the money anyway unless they get royalties in their contracts and I doubt the struggling dev houses have that kind of contract anyway.
If there's a demand for the game anyway retailers are forced to order new copies anyway, there's a reason ATVI isn't pissy about CoD being bought used.
 

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
Everyone has known this is coming for a long time now, so I'm really surprised at some of the responses here. Both MS and Sony want to do this. Just wait to see the extra exclusives Sony gets from devs and pubs for doing it if they are the only one. The software side devs and pubs must LOVE Sony right now for trying to follow up on this, as they are the ones that truly benefit from this and that is a good thing, especially for smaller studios. Now to impliment it correctly, Sony and the pubs needs to better strategize their pricing to make the games more accessible to everyone
Now, you've mentioned how it's theoretically good for the developers and publishers, and possibly the platform holders. I want you to think about what group of people you left out.

Give it a minute.

Now, are you still surprised at the responses?

exactly. but it will suck not getting games cheaper 2nd hand, they should work a way to charge a small fee to pay back to teh devs and pubs for secondary sales rather than not allowing it altogether.
No, they shouldn't. Developers and publishers aren't supposed to get money for secondary sales.

I'm frankly getting sick of all these publishers and their sense of entitlement.

You'd still be able to buy and sell pre-owned games, but do you really think the gaming industry is going to continue to facilitate people who contribute nothing to their growth?
This is entirely bullshit on a level that doesn't even deserve a detailed response.

I just wanted you to know it's bullshit.
 

Other

Member
Is it financial viable to have such a system? How much does a RFID reader and writer cost?

not much for regular stuff especially in high volume. skylanders uses rfid and it's cheap as well to make those figures still. of course i doubt sony would use a regular rfid tag, not secure enough, so it's hard to really say. doubt they'd go for anything that adds more than 50 cents, maybe a dollar at the extreme, to the cost of pressing a disc
 
Well, I buy games when they are in the $20-30 range. Technically, whether they are used or not is irrelevant to me.

I'm not wild about this, but it's been expected for some time. If this somehow results in the death of Gamestop and Gamefly, I guess PC will become my primary gaming platform next gen.
 
If this is implimented, then I will sell my Vita and not purchase a PS4. I can't support a company that makes this kind of decision. I'll just go Wii U/Xbox/PC/3DS.
 

slit

Member
If this is implimented, then I will sell my Vita and not purchase a PS4. I can't support a company that makes this kind of decision. I'll just go Wii U/Xbox/PC/3DS.

I don't see how Sony does this without Microsoft. Even Sony couldn't be that stupid, right?
 

duckroll

Member
This is true, but "downloading a file from the internet and running it" counts as "effortless" in my book. At least compared to searching for a decades-old physical item.

I don't think the physical medium is a huge issue. With a DRM free game you can have a backup of the data anywhere. The point about operating systems is valid, but there is such an enormous amount of software (not just games) dependent on the current infrastructure that I assume some manner of compatibility will always be provided.

Yeah I agree that it's not a huge issue, but I'm just pointing out that regardless, if people want to play old games, there's usually some effort required. Acquiring a working old console, downloading some sort of software to help run older games, disabling old DRM which doesn't work anymore, etc. So ultimately, the reality is that it's not something to worry about too much currently, and there'll probably always be a solution in the future. Unless the system is so unpopular that no one is interested in providing legacy support for it at all.
 

meppi

Member
I don't see how Sony does this without Microsoft. Even Sony couldn't be that stupid, right?

Well they certainly aren't in the same position they were in with the PSOne and PS2, so who knows. They might think this is a way to make more money and get better deals from 3rd parties...
 
I know if they do this I'll be a lot more hesitant to take a chance on a full priced game since I can't recoup anything if I decide I just don't like it, I'm curious how profitable this would be in the long run.
 

kinoki

Illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed; to kindness, to knowledge, we make promise only; pain we obey.
I've said this before. If they really want to make second-hand sales a thing of the past. Make it more like Steam. Have a CD-key.

What you get by entering the key is:

  • Online play
  • Leaderboards
  • Achievements
  • DLC support
  • Cloud saves
  • Downloadable copy of the game

If you just want to try the game or play the single player aspect of the game you're free to do that. You can even finish the game this way. Play local co-op? Check.

If you buy the game used and buy a CD-key via PSN/Xbox Live you get everything except the downloadable copy of the game. Then you need the disc in order to play. Offer the CD-key a month after release at a €20 price rate.

Then on top of that you make the cases and covers pieces of art which makes any real gamer a criminal for selling it.

If they're even stricter and/or evil they could enable that only accounts that has the game attached to it can play it.
 
If this creates a digital only environment like Steam, with Steam (and now Amazon it seems) deals on the regular, bring it on. Used games are a scam as it is. Gamestop is the only one "saving" money on the used game market.

I don't think I have ever bought a game on sale on Steam that was more expensive than even its most ghetto beat up, white box case used Gamestop equivalent.
 

i-Lo

Member
If this creates a digital only environment like Steam, with Steam (and now Amazon it seems) deals on the regular, bring it on. Used games are a scam as it is. Gamestop is the only one "saving" money on the used game market.

I don't think I have ever bought a game on sale on Steam that was more expensive than even it's most ghetto beat up, white box case used Gamestop equivalent.

Pretty much this. Plus, as it is, game prices have started to fall much earlier nowadays at retail anyway. Game devs don't see a single dime for used games sales yet others get to enjoy the product. I am very opposed to used game as long as the tradition of dealing with new games is akin to steam's discount system.
 

angelfly

Member
So if this is implemented:

No more used games
No more renting games
No more lending games
No more passing on games

If this happened sales would be down across the board and game prices would surely rise as a result. If this is the future of consoles them I'm prepared to make the jump to PC when it happens since while the same restrictions are there it has the pricing model to make it somewhat palatable.
 

Arcteryx

Member
That's fine. I just won't buy console games until they are under $20 then. I was figuring on sticking to PC anyways next gen, this just makes my decision easier.
 

Mael

Member
Pretty much this. Plus, as it is, game prices have started to fall much earlier nowadays at retail anyway. Game devs don't see a single dime for used games sales yet others get to enjoy the product. I am very opposed to used game as long as the tradition of dealing with new games is akin to steam's discount system.

When [A] buys a used game [X], Game dev provided no value to [X] that he wasn't already paid for.
My baker don't see more money if I decide to share the bread I bought.
 
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