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The Death of Used Game Sales?

Posted by Zonk on from the cruel-media dept.

xtracto writes "The Inquirer has an interesting piece about a new Sony Patent on a technology that may possible prevent DVD disc media users from using their purchased disks in other machines after they have used them on a specific reader. Commentary also available on Joystiq. From the Article: 'While many are aware of the double profit companies make on pre-owned games, this would ensure the death of trading games between friends and even going to a friend's house to play a little multiplayer.'"

2 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. No worries. by HunterZ · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is NOT going to happen. Many major game retailers (e.g. GameStop) make a significant amount of money on pre-owned (used) game sales. You can bet that they'll fight Sony tooth-and-nail to keep them from implementing any system that permanently binds a game disc to a single console.

    It's also a pretty ridiculous idea, as I know a lot of people who bring together their games and/or consoles to have parties and whatnot. This kind of (legal, by the way) game trading and loaning is a form of free word-of-mouth advertising for game companies.

    Going back all the way to my Atari 2600 in the early 80s, I can remember buying way more console games after having borrowed a friend's copy or renting a copy from a store that I have from reading useless magazine ads and reviews.

    --
    Arguing about vi versus Emacs is like arguing whether it's better to make fire by rubbing sticks or banging rocks.
  2. The line up so far by RyoShin · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sony - Playstation 3 (confirmed name)
    +Blu-ray drive
    +Lean Mean Sony Company Gaming Machine look
    +Backwards compatible with PS2/PS1 games
    +Games: Final Fantasy series, GTA series (first serve, anyway)
    -Lock out technology to make sure that when a review says a game has no replay value, that means no one else can replay it, either
    -Probably makes lousy burgers
    -Expensive
    -Same old controllers

    Microsoft - XBox 360 (confirmed name)
    +First to launch
    +XBox Live features
    +Games: Halo, ... Halo.
    +It's white?
    -Plain old DVD drive (no advanced drive- what is their's, HD-DVD?)
    -Only partial backwards compatibility
    -Same old controllers

    Nintendo - Revolution (tentative name)
    +Smallest of the three systems
    +Innovative, new controller interface
    +Backwards compatibility for the past 20 years
    +Ability for controller attachments greatly increases game immersion and developer freedom
    +Games: Zelda, Mario, Smash Brothers, Metroid
    -Regular DVD drive
    -Lack of HDTV support (IIRC, it has high resolution, but not HDTV)
    -Arms or wrists could wear out faster than after a "session" with certain Pamela Anderson videos (this remains to be seen)
    -Ability for controller attachments could overwhelm people who get 15 different types (there are already two "official" regular attachments- the Ninchuck and the shell)

    Personally, I was leaning towards a Revolution when they first revealed the console, and I'm hard set on it now that I know about the controller. Sony's attempts at similar "prevention" in other technology realms ("P.C. phone home") helps make my mind up. Sony can keep their anti-customer DRM and Spider-man font. They won't get another cent from me.