PlayStation 4 'Orbis' Rumors: AMD Hardware, Hostile To Used Games

silentbrad writes "Kotaku reports some 'details' about Sony's next console given to them by a 'reliable source.' They say that the console's codename is Orbis, and it is planned for release by the 2013 holiday season. Developers are reportedly being told to plan for an AMD x64 CPU and AMD Southern Islands GPU. Further on, they mention that there will be no PS3 backwards compatibility and, like rumors about the next Xbox, will have anti-used game DRM. Specifically, 'new games for the system will be available one of two ways, either on a Blu-Ray disc or as a PSN download (yes, even full retail titles). If you buy the disc, it must be locked to a single PSN account. ... If you then decide to trade that disc in, the pre-owned customer picking it up will be limited in what they can do. ... it's believed used games will be limited to a trial mode or some other form of content restriction, with consumers having to pay a fee to unlock/register the full game.'"

Comments

Re:Say it ain't so, Sony!

[Baloroth]

Why, because there's a rumor that the next generation of consoles might have the same restriction that's been standard on PCs for a decade?

A decade? Hell no. The last one I, personally, sold, was my copy of Oblivion to a friend (mostly because I don't tend to do the whole used-game thing, I like to keep my games around if I want to play them in 5 years again). However, except for the online activation systems (which have, granted, become popular recently), you've been able to trade any boxed PC game since forever. Many of them you still can. In fact, you can trade most of the on-line activation ones too (you just have to deactivate it or not install it more than the activation limits).

Steam obviously prevents that, but steam wasn't "standard" until 5 years ago or so. Up till then, every single PC game (except MMOs) could be freely traded used. If there are any exceptions, I don't know of them (Counter-strike, maybe? Didn't play the original).