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New Sony Patent Blocks Second-hand Games

Posted by samzenpus on from the one-console-to-play-them-all dept.

silentbrad writes in with a story about a Sony patent that would block the playing of second-hand games. "... the patent application was filed on 9 December 2012 by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, and will work by linking individual game discs to a user's account without requiring a network connection meaning any future attempt to use this disc on another user's console won't work. The patent explains that games will come with contactless tags that will be read by your console in much the same way as modern bank cards. When a disc is first used, the disc ID and player ID will be stored on the tag. Every time the disc is used in future, the tag will check if the two ID's match up and, if not, then the disc won't work. The document goes on to explain that such a device is part of Sony's ongoing efforts to deter second-hand games sales, and is a far simpler solution than always-on DRM or passwords. It's worth noting that Sony has not confirmed the existence of the device, and the patent doesn't state what machine it will be used in, with later paragraphs also mentioning accessories and peripherals. ... There's also the issue of what happens should your console break and need replacing, or if you have more than one console. Will the games be linked to your PSN account, meaning they can still be used, or the console, meaning an entire new library of titles would need to be purchased?"

11 of 344 comments (clear)

  1. Sony shiting on its customers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    ...customers do not (want to) know it and continue buying from these assholes.

    Well, have a very nice fuck you year Sony.

    1. Re:Sony shiting on its customers by Lonewolf666 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Indeed. Sony is one of currently three companies I would not buy any digital equipment or software from (the other two are Apple and Activision Blizzard).

      The rootkit on audio CDs and the deletion of Linux support from the PS3 are not forgotten. The patent in the article is only proof the thinking at Sony hasn't changed, it is not a new trend.

      --
      C - the footgun of programming languages
    2. Re:Sony shiting on its customers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Since it uses a user account instead of a console id adding the user account to the new console should allow replacing units.

      And if your household has more than one account? You know, if kids and parents each have their own accounts? Only one of the accounts can play the game even if it's played on the same console.

      This is their dream of limiting content to a specific individual. Want that song to play in your car and your home? You'll need to buy more than one copy. Both of you like having it on your MP3 player? We don't care if it is a household or if you're married, you each need to buy a copy (even if the government sees all purchases made by you to belong to both).

  2. As usual... by Puls4r · · Score: 5, Insightful

    All these DRM schemes are future-failures. More specifically, at some point in the future, you will be denied the game you purchased because of the DRM. Get a new console? Now you have to (somehow) reset your card so you can run it on the new console. Want to take it to a friends house? Pack up your console! Company goes out of business, or stops supporting it because it's obsolete? Say goodbye. In the future, old games won't be worth more because of rarity. They'll be worth more if you still have some way to make them work after their DRM scheme fails. Of course, it will be cracked. Quickly. Which is a GOOD thing.

    1. Re:As usual... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Or you wind up like this guy:
      http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/11/how-nintendo-drm-trapped-400-of-downloaded-games-on-my-failing-wii/

  3. Obvious Solution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Just don't buy anything by Sony.

    1. Re:Obvious Solution by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 5, Informative

      Actually, yes, it is possible. In the e-book market there are books that are now prominently promoting the fact that they are DRM free as a selling point.

      If this occurs in the tight assed corporate game market it will take a while, as the customers are more oblivious... but wait until Joe Sixpack from Alabama gets bit by this a few times and you'll see the Ric Romeros of the world start to pick up on it.

  4. Patents work for once! by Cryacin · · Score: 5, Informative

    So the competition will be less tempted to steal their IP, and I as well as surely many others can take their business to them!

    Officially, screw you Sony. I will never, ever, over my dead body buy another product from you, or an affiliated company.

    And to their patent lawyers, please, I beg you - Make the patent watertight.

    --
    Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
  5. Simple 1 step solution by Terry95 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There is a really simple solution to this. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM SONY. Complain to magazines and web sites that review their stuff. If they ignore you then boycott that site / mag too. DONE. Don't bitch and whine about it. Don't wave your arms and scream it's unconstitutional while you stand in line to fork over $75.00 for the latest repackage of the same game you've already played 50 times. Just Freaking walk away! People really fail to grasp this. Don't bother to pirate their stuff. Sure this can be broken - but why? Treat them like they don't exist. Honest you WILL live without Sony. But Sony will NOT live without customers. Then if this actually matters to enough people Sony will become a responsible corporation and behave in polite society. If not then you will have taken the moral high ground anyway, and probably given your money to a responsible studio that doesn't treat its paying customers as mortal enemies. Had you rather be on the side of good - or play Killzone 15? Free choice. It cuts both ways.

  6. Re:Remember Steam by Vanderhoth · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Also with Steam, I'm not locked to a specific machine. I can load my steam account on my Wife's PC or my Brothers laptop or one of my three other computers. Sony wants to lock the disk to a specific machine, which are normally not very portable.

    Of course I already avoid all Sony products including any subsidiaries I know about.

  7. IANAL by Dcnjoe60 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    IANAL, but I wonder if such a patent, assuming valid, would be legal to use in the US and other jurisdicitons. There is a lot of case law describing consumer sales and what one is allowed to do with what one purchases, including resale of said goods. While Sony might have a legal patent, it might not be legal to impliment it.

    As I said, IANAL, but maybe somebody who is could chime in.