Sony to sell software "license" only, no pre-owned games

[expletive]

http://www.gamesradar.com/gb/ps3/game/news/article.jsp?articleId=20060524153157765035&sectionId=1006

This has been brought up before as a possibility but it looks like Sony is really pushing it ahead. While i understand the business angle, i dont like the idea of no pre-owned games.

I guess you would need to backup your licenses to a memory stick in case of a HD failure, or be online with the service to register your games/licenses there?

This is essentially a digital distribution model but with optical media, if that makes sense...

 

[Titanio]

nm, next-gen's reporting was confusing me. This would be subtly different than the previous reports.

 

[TheChefO]

http://www.gamesradar.com/gb/ps3/game/news/article.jsp?articleId=20060524153157765035&sectionId=1006

This has been brought up before as a possibility but it looks like Sony is really pushing it ahead. While i understand the business angle, i dont like the idea of no pre-owned games.

I guess you would need to backup your licenses to a memory stick in case of a HD failure, or be online with the service to register your games there?

[edited] - this would suck if true.

 

[TheChefO]

Ugh. How many times does this rumour have to come around?

This popped up last year, Sony came out and denied it. The patents they're talking about in there are older than the PS2, if that gives any perspective.

ahh so no go ... any word on ps3 games pricing yet?

 

[Powderkeg]

I don't see how they could actually do that.

Even if I just buy a license to use software I can sell that license to someone else, provided I no longer use the software myself.

You would think a game publisher would know this considering how many times a license to publish a game franchise might change hands before it actually makes it to store shelves.

 

[Powderkeg]

This based on that patent they filed a few months ago isnt it? I was joking with a friend about how you wouldn't be able to trade games or rent games with ps3 but I didn't think they'd actually do it! Talk about pouring salt in the wound!

The patent rumor was bunk. The patent involved Bluray burners and the media they produced, not players. The drive had to be able to write the security key to the disk to lock that disk to that specific drive.

 

[Titanio]

Reading the report again, I was being confused by Next-Gen's version of events. As reported this seems different than before. It'd basically be selling you a conceptual license to play, not an actual digital one I don't think. In the same way a lot of software generally is sold on a license to use rather than actually owning the software. It wouldn't prevent you from selling a game privately or playing it on another machine, but it would make it legally problematic for retailers to sell them, and I think that's as far as they'd be willing to go with it.

edit - under such a system you would be able to play used games, trade etc. But it would violate your license (oh noes!), and retailers would not be able to facilitate such trade. You don't see PCWorld selling used copies of MS Windows or Office etc. for the same reason.

 

[Guden Oden]

This based on that patent they filed a few months ago isnt it?

You don't seem to know at all, so why are you speculating?

I was joking with a friend about how you wouldn't be able to trade games or rent games with ps3 but I didn't think they'd actually do it!

Do WHAT? All they've actually DONE is file a patent. Stop trolling NOW.

 

[TheChefO]

You don't seem to know at all, so why are you speculating?


Do WHAT? All they've actually DONE is file a patent. Stop trolling NOW.

I was just commenting on what at the time seemed to be outrageous breaking news. No harm intended. I wasn't intending to speculate, merely question.

Apologies to all.

 

[expletive]

Reading the report again, I was being confused by Next-Gen's version of events. As reported this seems different than before. It'd basically be selling you a conceptual license to play, not an actual digital one I don't think. In the same way a lot of software generally is sold on a license to use rather than actually owning the software. It wouldn't prevent you from selling a game privately or playing it on another machine, but it would make it legally problematic for retailers to sell them, and I think that's as far as they'd be willing to go with it.

With venues like ebay to move these games anyway, does it really serve a purpose to screw your retail partners out of a few bucks? At $60 a pop now, i can see this market moving easily from brick and mortar to online.

EDIT: i see after your edit that ebay could ban such auctions. There were a few used copies of XP on there now though which state it was installed, then uninstalled, and can now be reinstalled...

 

[TheChefO]

With venues like ebay to move these games anyway, does it really serve a purpose to screw your retail partners out of a few bucks? At $60 a pop now, i can see this market moving easily from brick and mortar to online.

Is that price range confirmed for ps3 as well?

 

[expletive]

Is that price range confirmed for ps3 as well?

No, i should have said 'at least $60'.

 

[Titanio]

With venues like ebay to move these games anyway, does it really serve a purpose to screw your retail partners out of a few bucks? At $60 a pop now, i can see this market moving easily from brick and mortar to online.

EDIT: i see after your edit that ebay could ban such auctions. There were a few used copies of XP on there now though which state it was installed, then uninstalled, and can now be reinstalled...

Do ebay really ban used XP sales etc? I didn't think they'd enforce it to such an extent! But yes, I think it'd basically put PS3 games in the same category.

There'd obviously always be some trade they couldn't stamp out, but if it took care of most of it, it'd be fine for them. And they wouldn't be affecting your ability to play your friends game on your machine or whatever, or trade between friends, so they can claim they aren't being invasive about it directly on the consumer end. They'd only - perhaps - be removing opportunities to "anonymously" procure used games. But they'd never be able to stamp it out totally, just make it more difficult.

It would upset retailers, though, that I have no doubt. GAME's highest margins are on their used games business (frankly, GAME's biz while convenient is a complete ripoff for the consumer on both ends!)

 

[TheChefO]

No, i should have said 'at least $60'.

lol ... nah they wont price gouge on games .. I can see them implementing a set of price points with perhaps "premuim experiences" going for >$60 but not typical games. Right?

 

[Inane_Dork]

How much would retailers throw their weight behind Nintendo and MS if Sony did this? Selling used games provides a huge income for retailers. Surely they wouldn't be happy about such a move.

 

[Tap In]

Reading the report again, I was being confused by Next-Gen's version of events. As reported this seems different than before. It'd basically be selling you a conceptual license to play, not an actual digital one I don't think. In the same way a lot of software generally is sold on a license to use rather than actually owning the software. It wouldn't prevent you from selling a game privately or playing it on another machine, but it would make it legally problematic for retailers to sell them, and I think that's as far as they'd be willing to go with it.

edit - under such a system you would be able to play used games, trade etc. But it would violate your license (oh noes!), and retailers would not be able to facilitate such trade. You don't see PCWorld selling used copies of MS Windows or Office etc. for the same reason.

so are you saying that this may actually be a strategy they will employ?

Does it mean, no used games sales through Gamestop etc?

 

[Teasy]

Oh so Sony want to play word games do they? Fine I can play as well, when I sell a PS3 game second hand I won't be selling the game itself, just the license I bought to play it...

Seriously this is a truley pathetic money grabbing move by Sony

 

[Bobbler]

No, i should have said 'at least $60'.

Are you assuming that PS3 games will cost anything different than X360 games?

That's a strange assumption.

 

[Tap In]

Are you assuming that PS3 games will cost anything different than X360 games?

That's a strange assumption.

perhaps he was referring to the fact that MS 1st party games are only $49.99 and we have yet to hear any numbers from Sony.

 

[expletive]

Do ebay really ban used XP sales etc? I didn't think they'd enforce it to such an extent! But yes, I think it'd basically put PS3 games in the same category.

When ebay decided that you could not make buyers pay for paypal fees, they were very diligent in tracking and closing those auctions. Before i realized they had put that rule in place, they identified TEXT in my auctions that said something to the effect "paypal accepted but add 2.9%" and then closed the auction.

Point being that i think they have the technology to identify such auctions, their desire, or requirement, to cancel them all is someting entirely different. If its illegal, i dont see how they can allow it without at LEAST putting their available countermeasures in place for them.

Are you assuming that PS3 games will cost anything different than X360 games?

That's a strange assumption.

No i dont but saying 'at least' is the most true statement anyone could come up with at this point. People are putting the 'gouging' connotation/assumption in all on their own. However, 1st party games could cost $50, i was just using $60, which clearly lots of PS3 games WILL cost, to make another point.