Sony Planning Serial Keys For PS3 Games?

Stoobalou writes "Rumor has it that Sony is looking to the PC games market to help solve its growing piracy problem on the PlayStation 3 — with the introduction of serial keys to its games. According to 'a very reliable source' quoted by PS3-Sense, Sony is attempting to address the recent revelation that it failed to properly secure the private signing key for its flagship console — leading to clever tinkerers producing third-party firmware that allows unofficial software and illegitimately downloaded games to run on unmodified hardware — by looking to the PC retail market for solutions. Unlike the PS3, the PC doesn't have a hardware DRM system built in to it — despite attempts by groups like the Trusted Computing Group, formerly the Trusted Computer Platform Alliance, to introduce such a thing — relying instead on software-based DRM and a surprisingly old-fashioned guarantee of a game's uniqueness: a serial key."

Comments

Doesn't This Require an Internet Connection?

[eldavojohn]

From the article:

Printed on the product's packaging, the key is a unique identifier that promises that the game is the real deal - and usually verifies itself with an online server

So in order to play disc games you're going to require an internet connection?

And, just as speculation, wouldn't it be possible for someone to figure out what the server is sending the gaming console as an acknowledgment code and then setup a local area network that directs the PS3's requests to that IP address to connect to your own computer and send the same key acknowledgment notification? Sure, it's more work but history has shown that just means a little more time.

This just seems implausible and ineffective on so many levels ...

Re:Doesn't This Require an Internet Connection?

[MoonBuggy]

This just seems implausible and ineffective on so many levels ...

Unfortunately that is often not sufficient to prevent a given DRM scheme from being implemented.

Re:Doesn't This Require an Internet Connection?

[Somebody Is Using My]

(I originally wrote this article for the PC Gaming Alliance article posted this morning... but since it's relevant to this discussion too I think I'll just copy and paste it again into this thread ;-)

People keep harping about how useless DRM is against preventing piracy. And this is undeniably true; at best it might slow down people from copying games, but often not even that. So why, everyone wonders, do companies still insist on wasting resources, losing money, programmers, even loyal customers on a boondoggle that has been proven to be ineffective?

Because DRM is no longer only about stopping piracy. It has oh-so-many other advantages.

1) It kills second-hand sales.

2) It enables forced obsolescence (kill the registration servers and you can't play the game anymore)

3) It ensures a one-title, one machine policy. Own a lap-top AND a desktop? You can't play the game on both.

4) Online activation requires a user to be online and transmit data to the publisher. You can use this to collect valuable demographic info (also, since the customer has to be online anyway, you might as well push advertisements down his way to earn even more cash!)

5) It slowly pushes users to become more accepting of service-based licenses (e.g., subscription gaming) instead of single-sales.

6) It reassures investors that the publisher is protecting their property.

That it might have some minimal effect on slowing illegal copying of games is just an added bonus at this point. It's less a way of preventing piracy at this point as it is of maximizing the publisher's income. Don't expect it to go away anytime soon, no matter how much the customers hate it.

Re:Doesn't This Require an Internet Connection?

[CohibaVancouver]

wouldn't it be possible for someone to figure out what the server is sending the gaming console as an acknowledgment code and then setup a local area network that directs the PS3's requests to that IP address to connect to your own computer and send the same key acknowledgment notification?

For gorram's sake, just buy the damn game and be done with it.

Rentals?

[ryanw]

Lame.. what about game rentals or taking it over to a friends house to play for a few hours? NO way..

Re:Rentals?

[chispito]

Be sure to thank Geohotz for this.

If you cheered his 'liberation' of the PS3 you can't really be unhypocratically mad about Sony's response.

Um, yes I can, because there are plenty of content producers and distributors who don't punish their customers in ANY WAY for buying their products, pirates-be-damned.

Re:Rentals?

[countSudoku()]

Bullocks! He is a hacker hero. Period. Sony is not out to make things easier for consumers, and good people like George undo the shitheadednessness of assholes like Sony. The more you accept draconian DRM, as well as pure root kit nonsense, that Sony forces you to swallow, the more they take your freedom to do with your hardware whatever you want. I no longer buy Sony or Apple products because of bullshit like this. Also, do NOT subscribe me to your newsletter as you are consumer unfriendly, a possible DRM sympathizer, and as AC put it a "noncompoop."

Re:Rentals?

[Nadaka]

That is just an added bonus. Why allow someone to own a physical object when you can license its use to them instead. Every resale of a physical object is the loss of a first hand sale at full price. Personal ownership is a threat to corporate profit. Imagine the chaos if people had the same rights as corporations?

Re:Rentals?

[pcolaman]

I have a feeling it's partially about piracy, and partially about the used game market. They want a bigger piece of the pie, so they want to make it much harder or impossible for gamers to trade in games and buy used games.

Real Old School

[RazzleFrog]

"Enter the 5th word from page 35 of the instruction manual." Or maybe like SimCity which had the list of codes that couldn't be photocopied.

I really wish people would tell Sony to fuck off.

[seeker_1us]

I stopped buying their stuff after the rootkit thing. By buying their stuff, people are only supporting the abuse that Sony seems to feel entitled to heap on its loyal customers.

it's like sony wants the x-box to win

[alen]

first kinect outsells the Move by 2 to 1 or more. now they have this plan to drive even more people to Microsoft. i have both and only game on my x-box. i was actually going to buy a PS3 game yesterday, but decided against it at the last minute. crazy systems like this will mean i'll just stick to my x-box

why would anyone put up with this?

Re:Why is this even here??

[adolf]

In the future, after conventional media and the concept of a reporter both die of attrition (along with any remaining shreds of journalistic integrity), all "news" will be bloggers blogging about rumors found on blogs. And 4chan.

This article is merely an indication that we're still moving along the path to that eventuality.