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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.'"

1 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. Modded Insightful??? Try troll... by Serapth · · Score: -1, Troll

    Wow...
    Where to start. Im guessing your pro sony eh? Why cant we all just get along. Now, let me correct your either fan-boyism or ignorance, not sure which it is...

    Sony - Playstation 3 (confirmed name)
    +Lean Mean Sony Company Gaming Machine look
    --- um... have you seen it? Dimension wise its the biggest of the bunch. Plus, its got a retarded sloped top so there is NO way to stack other components on it. Form factor is definatly NOT a plus for the PS3.

    +Backwards compatible with PS2/PS1 games
    --- still not confirmed at this point. Rumour suggest backward compatibility has been axed. Then again, it has never formally been announced that the PS3 is backward compatible

    +Games: Final Fantasy series, GTA series (first serve, anyway)

    Again, this is conjecture at this point. Both Square and Rockstar have announced support for the XBox 360 and the extent of that support has never been announced. Additionally, it has never been announced that Final Fantasy will be an exclusie. Thats doubly true for GTA.

    -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
    --- Again, conjecture based on a patent application that could have NOTHING to do with the PS3.

    -Probably makes lousy burgers
    The one point I will give you. I safely assume it will suck at steaks and milkshakes even more.

    -Expensive
    --- Again, no price formally announced, but this is probrably true, based off interviews with SCEA's CEO.

    -Same controller

    Im assuming by this you are saying same controller technology ( and not gyro based like the rev ). Well, to that degree it is true. However, the controllers are announced to be wireless, and from the E3 demo look to be alot of fun for a pair of lesbians to emm... enjoy.

    Now the things you missed
    - Mostly hype and speculation at this momment
    + More ports and connections that god knows what to do with ( although, this is stupid imho, raises price for features nobody is going to use... dual 1080P video outs?!?!? )
    - Poor prerelease developer support. Supposed to be much harder and more expensive to develop for then the XBox 360. Have heard nothing positive in this regard from developers.



    Microsoft - XBox 360 (confirmed name)
    +First to launch
    --- true, may be a positive or a negative

    +XBox Live features
    --- very true

    +Games: Halo, ... Halo.
    --- ... Kameo, Oblivion, PGR3, countless PC FPS's. Thats on launch or near too it. The launch lineup is actually pretty impressive.

    +It's white?
    --- Off topic, but I dont like that part. Also, removable face plates... personally I think its queer, but then I think buying iPod condoms is queer, but the damned this sell like mad

    -Plain old DVD drive (no advanced drive- what is their's, HD-DVD?)
    --- I suppose you could call this a negative. Time will tell, especially once we know what the PS3 price point is. I do know that throughput is better on the DVD then BR, so it does have some pluses.

    -Only partial backwards compatibility
    --- Still not known to what extent... this is a wait and see thing

    -Same old controllers
    --- Ditto the ps3 comment re controllers. Wireless redesigned controller. Controller actually seems pretty nice

    Hmmmm.... now what you missed ( and these are selling points and not necisarrily things I like

    + Free XBox live silver
    + Microtransactions, buying games online, trailers and demos, etc
    + hard drive option
    + integration with existing media devices
    + media center ( this one is huge with some people, no biggy for me )

    Oh... and the biggest plus of all for the 360...
    ++++++ IT EXISTS!

    Nintendo im not even going to bother getting into, because at this point only two things are known
    + New controller design. Could be *sorry* revolutionary. Could flop,