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The Death of Used Game Sales?
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.'"
And what if you upgrade your DVD drive? Are you screwed? I'll believe the tech when I see it. I'm not sure Sony has the guts to try something this restrictive.
Against stupidity the Gods themselves contend in vain.
I would never buy another Playstation game again.
Of course, with Sony's DRM kick and some other things, they're making it easier for me to decide to ban them outright. I can live without a lot of movies (I have 3 small children, so I hardly go these days anyway).
So if they want to break the existing system in the hopes of getting more money, then screw them. I have an entire back catalog of games I haven't gotten around to playing. I can wait a few years.
Can you, Sony? Yes, I know, you won't miss me. But I wonder how many other people you'd piss off along the way - and in a looming battle between Microsoft and Nintendo, can you *really* take that risk?
Well? Do you feel lucky, punk? (Apologies to Clint. I couldn't help myself.)
52 Weeks, 52 Religions with John Hummel
No f'in way I'm buying a PS3 if this happens. Almost all my games are bought used - it makes it a lot easier on those who are gaming on a limited budget. If this happens, I'm going to end up the proud new owner of a Nintendo Revolution.
When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him.
... it just ensures that the first time I get a game like this and the system fails that I sue Sony. Alternately, it may ensure that *everyone* starts burning copies of their games.
Copy protection as it currently exists hurts no one but legitimate purchasers of the material. It costs the pirates maybe a few hours of time or in worst case a day.
So long as the hardware isn't secured, the data that is being read in it can't be secured.
Alot of this new BS with sony and drm/copy protection/etc is seriously making me consider NOT buying a PS3. I don't want to support this kind of stupidity.
Be the first significant console I didn't own since the Nintendo days.
Shadus
The only way this would work is if the console or dvd drive or system has nvram that recorded the license code ( or whatever it is ) and made some type of hash from the disk to go with it. That way when the same disk is inserted the same hash is created and verified against the license number. If it exists they can play otherwise no.
Sounds like digital suicide. How long before this gets cracked and everyone has a full blown nvram full of game licenses? About two weeks.
- Bill
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.
Sony - Playstation 3 (confirmed name)
... Halo.
+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,
+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.
Nobody at Sony would be stupid enough to implement this on the PS3.
You must be new here.
First off, I take it you've never been to a used book store? Never used eBay, an auction, or even Goodwill?
What's so special about game developers that they deserve protection from their products being resold used that the rest of the world doesn't have?
I don't see a problem with selling or purchasing used games at a small fraction of the cost of a new package as long as the games themselves are marked as used and aren't already 'tied' to an individual like most MMO's are.
Secondly, if a developer can't get the majority of people to purchase their games at the new game price point, that's a good sign their product deserves the bargin bin or that they need to lower their prices.
Do I have to buy new games? Or what if I upgrade to a newer release of their console that claims backward compatibility, but most of my games won't work because they're locked into the older, obsolete console?
Don't forget that this is on their wish list.
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http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_st
Mark Rein, Vice President of Epic Games
"If you walk into EB in the US, they try and sell you a second hand version of a game before a new one. I think that's bad. It would be fine if they share that revenue with us. They can also be marketing partners with us as well. We can have an official refurbished games policy. That's the problem. Those resold games use server resources, tech support. The majority of guys calling up saying "I don't have my serial number", I'm sure a lot of those are resold. It costs us money. Those customers think they paid for it, and they're entitled to support. The reality is, we didn't get paid. They didn't pay us."
Whenever the offence inspires less horror than the punishment, the rigour of penal law is obliged to give way...
First off, this is speculation based on a patent from 2001 in Japan, and patented in the US in 2004. So it's not brand new.
Secondly, there's already a system in place to do this for Online games at least - the DNAS copy-protection system can enable this behavior (locking the disc to a specific console) but no publishers enable it, for the obvious reason that it would piss a lot of people off.
While console makers would no doubt like to stop second-hand sales, I think they realize that people would be less likely to buy the hardware if they're unable to play second-hand games, and that game retailers make most of their money on second-hand games - killing that market would kill the retailers.
Of course, I woudl have said the same things about rootkits on audio CDs. So we'll see.
I yearn for you tragically. A. T. Tappman, Chaplain, U.S. Army.
The article describes Sony's new patent, and then speculates on one possible use for it. Everyone here seems to have their panties in a bunch based on that alone.
Therefore The PS3 will incorporate said technology.
QED
I think a few people here are overdue for a nap.
pornking