Sony's PS4 To Have Less Stringent DRM Than Microsoft's Xbox One

Tackhead writes "E3 is turning into Bizarro World this year. Sony has not only promised that the PS4 will support used games without an online connection, they trolled the Xbox folks hard with this Official PlayStation Used Game Instructional Video. Compounding the silliness, and hot on the heels of the political firestorm surrounding Donglegate, Microsoft went for rape jokes during their Xbox presentation." Similarly, onyxruby writes "The Verge covers how Sony has crafted policies explicitly to make the PS4 consumer friendly to the public. They make the case that the PS4 will be superior in nearly every way [to the Xbox Next] by not requiring an Internet connection, not restricting used games, supporting indie developers and selling for $100 cheaper than the Xbox One." And if you're interested in the guts rather than the policies or the politics, Hot Hardware has a comparison of the internals of both of these new offerings.

Comments

It is all software, really

[morcego]

The real problem is, it can change any time. PS4 can become more stringent, and XBox One could become less (well, in theory).

I'm not sure I trust Sony not to be an asshole regarding DRM. It doesn't have that good a track record. It is a good bet the moment the marketing hype dies down, and the stock holders start pressing, they will tighten their DRM.

Re:It is all software, really

[gstoddart]

The real problem is, it can change any time. PS4 can become more stringent

If it starts out not requiring any internet connection, and you never update it, it won't get any more restrictive.

It simply won't be given an option by some of us -- my next console will never see a network, because it's not like I trust Sony either. But the next XBox is definitely not something I'll even consider.

Re:It is all software, really

[MozeeToby]

They can, and have in the past, packaged OS updates on game disks. Just saying, it's not as easy to avoid updates as you might imagine.

Re:It is all software, really

[Vanderhoth]

My PS3 was updated by a rented bluRay movie.

I specifically declined all attempts to update the system over the network until I had some people over for movies. I was making snacks and my cousin or wife (neither will fess up to it) put the movie we rented in. It said the console required and update and they said ok. By the time I showed up it was too late to do anything about it.

Their whole poking fun at MS and the XO is kind of funny at the moment, but it's really just an attempted to gain back some of the early adopters they alienated with the Other OS removal. If they hadn't removed the Other OS feature I bought and paid for with my PS3, I'd probably be all in on buy a PS4. I hate to sound conceded, but my recommendations when the PS3 first came out was responsible for at least a dozen console sales, I'm sure other early adopter tech geeks can say the same thing. As it stands now I'll make sure everyone I know, knows Sony is an under handed entity that can't be trusted from one day to the next to follow up on something they said the would or wouldn't do. After all it was only weeks before the April 1st update that removed of the Other OS they said they wouldn't consider removing it.

Point being once they have your money, they don't really care how they screw you over, but they'll find a way.

Re:It is all software, really

[craigminah]

I see you must be another satisfied customer: http://www.poopsenders.com/

Re:It is all software, really

[Nemyst]

Time for a reality check: the incredibly vast majority of people don't give a shit about Other OS. It was a sucky move by Sony to remove it, no denying that, but it affected 0.001% of their user base and perhaps put off half of those if not less. They don't give a damn about a few angered /. posters who swore off Sony because they couldn't run Linux on their game consoles.

Their move right now is to capitalize on the bad press Microsoft has received. They're not trying to offset anything, they're trying (and largely succeeding) to win out big time on how terrible the Xbone sounds by giving people exactly what they've always had and wanted to keep. The slides about used games and phoning home were likely added at the last minute as a gigantic jab at Microsoft and wouldn't have made an appearance otherwise.

Re:It is all software, really

[Moryath]

They don't give a damn about a few angered /. posters who swore off Sony because they couldn't run Linux on their game consoles.

They are, however, KEENLY aware of the legions of users who stopped buying shit from their online store and basically deserted the console following their leaving the customers' credit card data right in the fucking open.

My PS3 is a standing blu-ray player that isn't allowed to have a network connection these days for good reason, and I suspect Sony realized that there's no chance in hell of my buying their box if it required a net connection knowing their track record on the subject.

It's funny

[HaZardman27]

It's funny watching my Xbox fanboy friends making ridiculous apologetic statements for Microsoft.
"You have to pay for online access for the PS4 now as well!" As though that's actually a supportive argument for the Xbox One.
"I'm glad there is always-on DRM so that I can download and play my games on other people's consoles while signed in!" As though MS is incapable of making the 24 connection requirement only necessary for digitally purchased games, and allow you to only play disc-purchased games when you have the disc.
"I always have internet, so this isn't a problem for me!" As though Xbox Live has never been down for several days at a time before (or been weird about not letting large numbers of people sign in while others have no problem)

I've never been a Sony fan, and I still don't know if I can trust the company that pulled the rootkit scandal. What I do know is that I am absolutely not going to a be a Microsoft customer this next generation. I will probably get a Wii U to play 1st party Nintendo games, and do the rest of my gaming on PC. Sony still has a shot at convincing me to get a PS4, but Microsoft has already lost me.

That decides it

[areusche]

My next console will be a PS4. Vote with your money, if the Xbox One sells poorly and the PS4 sells record breaking amounts than the point will get across to the middle managers who come up with this junk.

Re:That decides it

[BeardedChimp]

Wasn't it decided that after the Sony other OS fiasco et al. that we should vote with our wallets and stop buying from them? I'm voting with my wallet and buying neither.

Then do what I did.

[Anonymous Coward]

I got an XBox 360 a few months ago. My first one. I also got 7 games from the used/discount bin and paid less than $50 for them, combined. The system has provided me with hundreds of hours of fun so far, and I know there are lots of other great games awaiting me.

You can wait one, two, even three years and see which way the wind blows for the next generation of consoles. Is the PS4 getting better titles? Is the XBox One as prone to hardware failures as the 360? Did Sony remove features or add DRM to used games? Is either console molesting children?

Wait and see, and your decision will be much easier. Your wallet will also thank you.

In the meantime, play on the current systems.

Re:Where is the INFO!

[Reapman]

Uh the info was in the presentation. On giant slides. And in the words that were spoken. Not sure how much more clear you want it. Sony specifically said "does not need to check in every 24 hours" "you can play offline" "eye camera is $59" The details are there clear as day check any gaming news site. Want examples of those? Joystiq and Kotaku are two big ones.

DRM aside...

[mcalchera]

I had to look at it this way: With the PS4, you get one more. With the Xbox One, you get 359 less. It's a no-brainer!