• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

PSN game sharing and PS3 (de)activation explained

TTP

Have a fun! Enjoy!
Someone asked about this on MyResistance and since my reply turned out to be pretty and informative (I guess!) I decided to post it here too. Hopefully you'll find it useful.

myself said:
When a PS3 is activated under a given PSN account, it can run the software downloaded (purchased) from the PlayStation store under that PSN account. The activation is automatic the first time you log in with a given PSN account, meaning whatever you download from then on will work fine.

Deactivating a PS3 (or a PSP) basically makes content downloaded under a given PSN account unreadable on that system. You can safely try this yourself. Deactivate your system > try launching any already downloaded game (wont work) > re-activate your system > content will now work fine as before.

This is mostly useful when you want to share stuff you downloaded (purchased) with other people. To do so you have to let them log in as you from their PS3s. So you basically have to give them your log in data (email + password). Once they log in as you, their PS3s are automatically activated (hence, by accessing the "Download List" section on the PS store, they can re-download for free and run on their systems all the stuff you purchased). When a grand total of 5 PS3s are activated under the same PSN account, no more PS3s can be activated, therefore you cannot share your PSN account with more that 4 other people at a time.

If, say, you want to share your PSN account with a new friend but have all those extra 4 activations already in place on other PS3s, you have to de-activate one of these so that your new friend can activate his system under your PSN account.

Also note that deleting a profile via the XMB from a PS3 doesnt automatically deactivate it under the PSN account associated to that profile. It has to be "manually" deactivated from the account management page in order to free one of those 5 activations. So if a friend of yours is using your PSN account and decides to dispose of his PS3 system, tell him to do the deactivation thing (log in as you > Account Management > Activate System > PlayStation 3 (this system) > Deactivate system), otherwise you'll lose one of your possible activations. Simply deleting the profile associated with your PSN account or formatting the HDD is not enough.
 

TTP

Have a fun! Enjoy!
The Jer said:
Good explanation.

Why/where were they talking about this at MyRes?

Forum: Southern Command.
Thread: Activate PS3?

EDIT: Wait a sec! My post just disappeared form there?!?! Was it deleted by admins perhaps? I guess devs are a little touchy about this.
 

TTP

Have a fun! Enjoy!
Pewp said:
So if I delete the user that I downloaded the new games one...the games dissapear?

No. Game stays there but gives you an error message when you try to run it.
 

Ranger X

Member
I don't remember / didn't notice that activation/deactivation. What is it?

Can i activate/deactivate my accounts on the web?
 
So what happens when your PS3 dies and you can't get in to deactivate the game licenses before you get your replacement system? This happened to a friend.
 

msdstc

Incredibly Naive
had to do this the other day, we game shared quite a few ps3 games, found out the hard way how to activate/deactivate a ps3. I don't get why sony is not more clear on these things, this has to be one of the key features of the ps3, yet no body knows anything about it.
 

TTP

Have a fun! Enjoy!
Ranger X said:
I don't remember / didn't notice that activation/deactivation. What is it?
Can i activate/deactivate my accounts on the web?

Nope. Only via the PS3 Account Management section.


beermonkey@tehbias said:
So what happens when your PS3 dies and you can't get in to deactivate the game licenses before you get your replacement system? This happened to a friend.

That activation is lost forever I guess. That's why Sony gives you 5 activations. They pimped it as a content sharing device, but it really is for the purpose of getting your content back if you brick 5 PS3s without being able to deactivate any of them.

inpHilltr8r said:
Can you de-activate a PS3 remotely?

Nope.
 
TTP said:
That activation is lost forever I guess. That's why Sony gives you 5 activations. They pimped it as a content sharing device, but it really is for the purpose of getting your content back if you brick 5 PS3s without being able to deactivate any of them.

That sucks, they could surely update it in their database when processing your warranty claim. Oh well.
 

TTP

Have a fun! Enjoy!
beermonkey@tehbias said:
That sucks, they could surely update it in their database when processing your warranty claim. Oh well.


Maybe they can deactivate a system from the server side. I mean, if they have a list of MAC addresses associated with a give account, they can "remotely" deactivate them. Problem is you have to give them the broken PS3 MAC address (or they have to retreive it somehow, perhaps serial number is enough?), otherwise they might deactivate one of your friends PS3s (those you shared your account with).
 

TTP

Have a fun! Enjoy!
msdstc said:
had to do this the other day, we game shared quite a few ps3 games, found out the hard way how to activate/deactivate a ps3. I don't get why sony is not more clear on these things, this has to be one of the key features of the ps3, yet no body knows anything about it.

Indeed.

Manual doesnt mention it.

Offical FAQ does tho:

What is the maximum number of user accounts on one PLAYSTATION®3 system unit?

Answer
A PLAYSTATION®3 system unit can have up to 16 user accounts (they refer to the Profiles here, not the PSN accounts) at any one time. Each user account may only be bound to one PLAYSTATION®Network master account or sub account. However, your PLAYSTATION®Network master account or sub account can be bound to other user accounts on separate PLAYSTATION®3 system units.
 

kuYuri

Member
Ok, I'm an idiot, so I have to ask this.

I got Blast Factor through game sharing. I created a new user on my PS3 to get this game, as per the instructions of game sharing. My question is, why can't I just use my main user (Strider2K99) as the "owner" of Blast Factor? Is there some kind of obstacle that prevents that?
 

TTP

Have a fun! Enjoy!
Strider2K99 said:
Ok, I'm an idiot, so I have to ask this.

I got Blast Factor through game sharing. I created a new user on my PS3 to get this game, as per the instructions of game sharing. My question is, why can't I just use my main user (Strider2K99) as the "owner" of Blast Factor? Is there some kind of obstacle that prevents that?

That "owner" thing reminds you who's the owner of the game (the User Profile name, not the PSNID), so that you know which games wont run anymore if you delete that user profile or deactivate the PSN account associated to it.

Why would you want to user your username as owner anyway?
 

tanod

when is my burrito
Strider2K99 said:
Ok, I'm an idiot, so I have to ask this.

I got Blast Factor through game sharing. I created a new user on my PS3 to get this game, as per the instructions of game sharing. My question is, why can't I just use my main user (Strider2K99) as the "owner" of Blast Factor? Is there some kind of obstacle that prevents that?

Because the user account you downloaded the game with owns that license, not you.
If you want to play it, you can play it under your main username, though.

You can delete the other account, but you will lose that license and the game will still appear on your system but will not work.
 

kuYuri

Member
TTP said:
That "owner" thing reminds you who's the owner of the game (the User Profile name, not the PSNID), so that you know which games wont run anymore if you delete that user profile or deactivate the PSN account associated to it.

Why would you want to user your username as owner anyway?

Why not? Besides, if I decide to get involved in multiple game sharing, is it really necessary to create multiple user accounts for that? Can't I just use one user account to be the owner of multiple shared games?
 

DaCocoBrova

Finally bought a new PSP, but then pushed the demon onto someone else. Jesus.
This is too damn confusing. I realized that I don't remember my PSN password anymore either. Or the security question for that matter...

**** it.
 

Core407

Banned
I was thinking about this and was wondering if you guys think Sony would apply this to retail games as well. I remember there being a huge uproar about Sony not allowing you to play your games on mutliple systems because of game registration and the demise of game rentals. :lol:

Ninja Gaiden Sigma has a full install option which I assume will put enough content on the HDD so that load times don't exist or are cut down drastically. Does this still mean I need to have the game disc in the drive?

I don't see why they couldn't just pull the whole registration thing to Ninja Gaiden Sigma and release it on the PSN store as a 5GB download or something(probably not likely, but I'm trying to get the idea of this across).
 

S. L.

Member
Also note that deleting a profile via the XMB from a PS3 doesnt automatically deactivate it under the PSN account associated to that profile. It has to be "manually" deactivated from the account management page in order to free one of those 5 activations.
you sure about that?
whe i delete the owner profile and reboot i can't play the games of that owner anymore.
 

tanod

when is my burrito
Core407 said:
I was thinking about this and was wondering if you guys think Sony would apply this to retail games as well. I remember there being a huge uproar about Sony not allowing you to play your games on mutliple systems because of game registration and the demise of game rentals. :lol:

Ninja Gaiden Sigma has a full install option which I assume will put enough content on the HDD so that load times don't exist or are cut down drastically. Does this still mean I need to have the game disc in the drive?

I don't see why they couldn't just pull the whole registration thing to Ninja Gaiden Sigma and release it on the PSN store as a 5GB download or something(probably not likely, but I'm trying to get the idea of this across).

Doesn't Ridge Racer 7 or one of the other launch games do this? Only launch game I have is Resistance but maybe somebody with one of the others can answer.
 

TTP

Have a fun! Enjoy!
Strider2K99 said:
Why not? Besides, if I decide to get involved in multiple game sharing, is it really necessary to create multiple user accounts for that? Can't I just use one user account to be the owner of multiple shared games?

No because you can have one account per User Profile.
You can change the login and password data of that User Profile to the one of the account you shared with if you want the Owner field to show your name. But that's just your User profile name.

Actually, there is no such a thing as a *real* owner of a given game. Whoever logs in with the account info that was used to purchase a given game is the owner of it as well. You can theoretically share that game with others by giving them the log-in data (if password wasnt changed in the meatime).
 

tanod

when is my burrito
S. L. said:
you sure about that?
whe i delete the owner profile and reboot i can't play the games of that owner anymore.

It deletes "your" license but it still shows it as "activated" under the "original" user account.
 

TTP

Have a fun! Enjoy!
S. L. said:
you sure about that?
whe i delete the owner profile and reboot i can't play the games of that owner anymore.

Yes, but on the server side your machine is still linked to the account associated to the User profile you deleted. It doesnt get automatically de-activated. That's a procedure you gotta do "manually" in the Account Management. I learned this the hard way when a guy I shared my account with decided to sell his system. He told me he formatted the HDD and everything (and I though that was enough), but despite that, I had only 3 activations left at my disposal. This, I discovered later, was because he had to deactivate the system before selling it. :/
 

Core407

Banned
tanod said:
Doesn't Ridge Racer 7 or one of the other launch games do this? Only launch game I have is Resistance but maybe somebody with one of the others can answer.

I don't remember Resistance having an actual install per say.
I know it said it was "installing" some stuff every time you'd open it for the first time on a virgin PS3.

Sigma will have multiple install options so I'm assuming they're going to be a lot more drastic than Resistance. Can't really comment on RR7 however.
 

S. L.

Member
Core407 said:
I don't remember Resistance having an actual install per say.
I know it said it was "installing" some stuff every time you'd open it for the first time on a virgin PS3.

Sigma will have multiple install options so I'm assuming they're going to be a lot more drastic than Resistance. Can't really comment on RR7 however.
you can optionally install a chunk of RR7 data to improve loading times, won't work without disc thou
 

tanod

when is my burrito
I meant to say that I know that Resistance doesn't but there is one game already out that does install like 4 or 5 gigs to the hard drive. I think it is RR7 or Genji.

S. L. said:
you can optionally install a chunk of RR7 data to improve loading times, won't work without disc thou

Ok, that's what it was. Thanks
 

Core407

Banned
tanod said:
I meant to say that I know that Resistance doesn't but there is one game already out that does install like 4 or 5 gigs to the hard drive. I think it is RR7 or Genji.



Ok, that's what it was. Thanks

I think Genji allows for it too.

I just hope they let us offload all of the stuff onto the PS3. I pray GTA4 uses the feature and lets us do full installs. :D
 

DaCocoBrova

Finally bought a new PSP, but then pushed the demon onto someone else. Jesus.
I just got RR7 and was waiting for it to install when I first booted it up... It didn't. The demo, however...did.
 

kuYuri

Member
Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I have a bit of a dilemma.

I got the EU version of Blast Factor via sharing. However, when I try to upload my score to the leaderboards, it keeps saying that "connection is lost. Reconnect?" or something to that extent, even though I'm clearly still signed on the PSN. Then when I pick yes, it just stays there on the same screen saying "Reconnecting" and nothing happens.

I was wondering, could this be happening because I'm using the EU version of Blast Factor rather than the NTSC Blast Factor?

The reason I ask here is because if that's the case, I would just give back the BF license to the person I originally got it from and get someone to share the NTSC BF.
 

Ranger X

Member
Strider2K99 said:
Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I have a bit of a dilemma.

I got the EU version of Blast Factor via sharing. However, when I try to upload my score to the leaderboards, it keeps saying that "connection is lost. Reconnect?" or something to that extent, even though I'm clearly still signed on the PSN. Then when I pick yes, it just stays there on the same screen saying "Reconnecting" and nothing happens.

I was wondering, could this be happening because I'm using the EU version of Blast Factor rather than the NTSC Blast Factor?

The reason I ask here is because if that's the case, I would just give back the BF license to the person I originally got it from and get someone to share the NTSC BF.

You might want to buy it anyways since you like the game?
You should vote with your money on the games you like.
 

kuYuri

Member
Ranger X said:
You might want to buy it anyways since you like the game?
You should vote with your money on the games you like.

Eh, I like it somewhat, but I don't know if I would pay $10 for it, hence the sharing.
 

Ranger X

Member
Strider2K99 said:
Eh, I like it somewhat, but I don't know if I would pay $10 for it, hence the sharing.

I suggested this good behavior because if you care for the game as much as having your scores uploaded (this means you will compare and will want to improve them too probably) this means you like the game enough. 10$ common. If you don't really like something that cost 10$, you don't need the leaderboard that much right? Just my two cents.
This system is GOD GIVEN for trying the games before buying, i wouldn't want this dream system to change because of abuse (even if i'm sure it will happen)
 

Miburou

Member
What about if someone sends me their log-on info to share a game with me, and then I log in to PSN with those credentials using a local account I made (call it 'psnshare') and download the game, and then someone else sends me the same, and I log on with psnshare with those credentials. Can I still play both games? The local user has not been deleted, but has been used to download games using 2 different PSN account.
 

disc

Banned
So I was wondering.
Why the hell do people do this? It's insane.

Ok say you 'share' two games between you and some guy on the internet. Now what happens is that you've allowed him to add your user to his machine, meaning that everything you've bought will be unlocked on his machine. Meaning that he'll be able to play any game you buy.
 

Brofist

Member
disc said:
So I was wondering.
Why the hell do people do this? It's insane.

Ok say you 'share' two games between you and some guy on the internet. Now what happens is that you've allowed him to add your user to his machine, meaning that everything you've bought will be unlocked on his machine. Meaning that he'll be able to play any game you buy.

that's why you change the password

Miburou said:
What about if someone sends me their log-on info to share a game with me, and then I log in to PSN with those credentials using a local account I made (call it 'psnshare') and download the game, and then someone else sends me the same, and I log on with psnshare with those credentials. Can I still play both games? The local user has not been deleted, but has been used to download games using 2 different PSN account.

nah don't think you can do that. it wont even let you log in under a different PSN account within the same local account
 

Ranger X

Member
disc said:
So I was wondering.
Why the hell do people do this? It's insane.

Ok say you 'share' two games between you and some guy on the internet. Now what happens is that you've allowed him to add your user to his machine, meaning that everything you've bought will be unlocked on his machine. Meaning that he'll be able to play any game you buy.

If you're smart you change your password. If you're even smarter you share only with close family or friends that you really trust and you also change your password.
 

natjjohn

Member
In desperate need of help.

I used a friend's account and downloaded blast factor. Download went perfectly.

I install the game and it disappears from the game list. I am installing the full game not the expansions.

I have repeated this multiple times and it just disappears after the install.

What am I doing wrong?

I went to account management and it says games are activated for the account.

Please help.

Any and all replies will be GREATLY appreciated.

I posted this in the PSN share thread, but this thread seems more focused on my issue.

Thanks in advance.
 

Ephemeris

Member
Just throwing this out there in an attempt to be helpful:

Do you have the demo installed? Some games when purchased, takes up the position in your list that the demo held. That is, if the blast factor demo is at the bottom of your list of games and demos, that's where you'll now find the purchased copy.

If you don't have the demo then I don't have any other suggestions :lol
 

natjjohn

Member
Yeah, I don't. I have no idea what I am doing wrong if anything.

The process does not seem overly complex and it was followed basically to a T.

Any other suggestions would be welcomed as I am desperate!
 

natjjohn

Member
Figured it out. I think, at least for Blast Works. The game was installing, but then I finally started searching through teh different game folders.

I looked at the game data one, and there was blast works and it said the demo had to be installed. I installed the demo and the game appears to be the full version with the expansions now.
 
I sent in a system without deactivating my account, not realizing how the system worked - I thought each game got 5 downloads total - and I got a replacement.

Called customer support and asked about getting it deactivated.

I doubt the person I talked to even understand what I was talking about, kept asking to talk to a manager or another person who might know, and she kept saying, "no, nobody knows, nobody knows someone who knows." Yadda, yadda yadda."

I got 2 PS3s(1 downstairs as a dedicated blu-ray mainly), the third that was sent out activated, my college roommate's that I played on cause it was in the main room, and this idiot on my PSN friendlist who kept bugging me for a gameshare and then turned into a total douchebag.

I'd really like to just wipe the freakin slate clean and re-activate just my own and mine downstairs, but at the very least I'd like to de-activate the one that was sent out for repair, cause it'll be a pain in the ass if one of my remaining PS3s kicks it without me getting a chance to deactivate em.
 
TTP said:
Once they log in as you, their PS3s are automatically activated...

Is this correct? I don't do game sharing, but I have created a new user and logged into my existing PSN account on a friend's PS3 to play some CoD4 under my name. I didn't download any of my PSN games onto his system, it was just used to play online under my name so I didn't screw with his records.

Does that mean his system has used one of my activations, or is it only if you actually try to download something that's already tied to your account?
 

AndyD

aka andydumi
ThirstyFly said:
Is this correct? I don't do game sharing, but I have created a new user and logged into my existing PSN account on a friend's PS3 to play some CoD4 under my name. I didn't download any of my PSN games onto his system, it was just used to play online under my name so I didn't screw with his records.

Does that mean his system has used one of my activations, or is it only if you actually try to download something that's already tied to your account?

It is not automatically activated. It is activated upon the first download for this specific purpose.

Also, TTP may want to mention in the first post that the activation is per account, not per game. So once you share one game, you essentially have shared all. And that there are unlimited downloads once you are activated. You can delete and redownload a million times if you feel like it.

Also, if we clean this up somehow we should make a it a sticky so people stop asking.
 

AndyD

aka andydumi
Firestreak said:
I sent in a system without deactivating my account, not realizing how the system worked - I thought each game got 5 downloads total - and I got a replacement.

Called customer support and asked about getting it deactivated.

I doubt the person I talked to even understand what I was talking about, kept asking to talk to a manager or another person who might know, and she kept saying, "no, nobody knows, nobody knows someone who knows." Yadda, yadda yadda."

I got 2 PS3s(1 downstairs as a dedicated blu-ray mainly), the third that was sent out activated, my college roommate's that I played on cause it was in the main room, and this idiot on my PSN friendlist who kept bugging me for a gameshare and then turned into a total douchebag.

I'd really like to just wipe the freakin slate clean and re-activate just my own and mine downstairs, but at the very least I'd like to de-activate the one that was sent out for repair, cause it'll be a pain in the ass if one of my remaining PS3s kicks it without me getting a chance to deactivate em.

This can be done. Just escalate your call and they can do it. They wiped the slate clean for me around August last year when I had the PS3 replaced. Had I known then, I would have deactivated myself (only the fan was broken) but I didnt do it. So they did something and opened up that slot.
 
andydumi said:
It is not automatically activated. It is activated upon the first download for this specific purpose.

Cool, thanks for the clarification. Glad to know I can actually play online with my account on friend's consoles without wasting my slots, which I'd like to keep free, just incase I have console problems in the future and can't deactivate my own machine.
 
Top Bottom