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

[Titanio]

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

I honestly hadn't considered it before, but presented with the suggestion, yeah, absolutely. It's the not the same idea as was rumoured and denied before.

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

It would, yeah.

It wouldn't stop you and me exchanging and trading games, but it'd force us into the backroom to do the deal, so to speak. It'd limit open opportunities to trade by taking the opportunity out of the stores we all buy new games in.

Yeah, retailers would universally hate such a move. Publishers would love it.

edit - and as proposed by Next-Gen, though, there would be legal complications perhaps regardless, that could open a window for retailers in such an instance. But we'll see if any of this is true in the first place!

 

[TheChefO]

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.

Speaking of that is there any word from ms on future pricing structure? I thought I heard somewhere that the $60 thing was temporary until the installed base grew. obviously that's a tempting lure to get 3rd partys to dev for a new system with no installed base but come this time next year I'd expect they shouldn't need such lures.

 

[Carl B]

It wouldn't stop you and me exchanging and trading games, but it'd force us into the backroom to do the deal, so to speak. It'd limit open opportunities to trade by taking the opportunity out of the stores we all buy new games in.

Yeah, retailers would universally hate such a move. Publishers would love it.

Exactly, it's great for system software support - terrible for system retail support.

It's a bold move if they go through with it. Hopefully all this chatter will stir up something more in the way of an official response soon.

 

[TheChefO]

I honestly hadn't considered it before, but presented with the suggestion, yeah, absolutely. It's the not the same idea as was rumoured and denied before.



It would, yeah.

It wouldn't stop you and me exchanging and trading games, but it'd force us into the backroom to do the deal, so to speak. It'd limit open opportunities to trade by taking the opportunity out of the stores we all buy new games in.

Yeah, retailers would universally hate such a move. Publishers would love it.

edit - and as proposed by Next-Gen, though, there would be legal complications perhaps regardless, that could open a window for retailers in such an instance. But we'll see if any of this is true in the first place!

How would the rental space be affected? I won't speculate - promise

 

[RobertR1]

Stupid ideas, FTW!

I'm a consumer not a shareholder so don't preach to me about the corporate benefits of this, I'm quite aware. Thanks.

 

[Carl B]

Stupid ideas, FTW!

I'm a consumer not a shareholder so don't preach to me about the corporate benefits of this, I'm quite aware. Thanks.

Well buy some stock Robert, and then you can be both!

 

[Titanio]

How would the rental space be affected? I won't speculate - promise

I'm not sure if it would. This would be targetted at used-game sales. Not the rental space. Even in Japan where game rental has been somewhat taboo, there have been moves to introduce it there (via a game publisher, in fact!), so I'm not sure if that'd be the target.

 

[Tap In]

...
Yeah, retailers would universally hate such a move. Publishers would love it....

true, but man it opens up a whole lot of questions such as will people continue to buy in volume when they can no longer get trade back for old games?

I know I trade something almost every other time I buy a new game.

Now if the net result is more new sales AND lower prices ($39.99) because of not competing against the used market, then I guess it could work.

I'd imagine MS would have to consider following suit if so.

 

[Arwin]

Did you say Gamesradar? The MSN owned gamesite that has recently embarked on a low, dirty smear campaign against the PS3? You know, when Gamesradar was bought by MSN several years ago, I feared something like this might happen eventually. But I'm still a bit shocked that they would stoop so low. Unfortunately, reports like the claim that supposedly Sony reporters told Gamesrader that the PS3's 20gb drive wouldn't be upgradable, or that the low-spec PS3 wouldn't support wireless controllers. The best thing is that they claimed Sony officials told them this. As if they'd give that kind of info to Gamesradar, exclusive no less!



Gamesradar lost all credibility. Pretty soon I will extend the favor to all those that quote it on anything PS3 related.

 

[SugarCoat]

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

Actually....something like

I'm selling this packaging, and with each packaging comes a free disc that corresponds to the packaging!

would work better.

How would the rental space be affected? I won't speculate - promise

I thought about this, and it would have to be one of two ways. Either they get special copies that are distinctly different with unlocked licenses (otherwise you'll have people swapping discs to get unlocked games ). Or you somehow get issued a temp license per game. Return the game and the place wipes it with a random new one.

 

[TheChefO]

I'm not sure if it would. This would be targetted at used-game sales. Not the rental space. Even in Japan where game rental has been somewhat taboo, there have been moves to introduce it there (via a game publisher, in fact!), so I'm not sure if that'd be the target.

Do you think the Ms and N will do the same? given the cost benefit to the publishers and with sony leading the way and taking the brunt of the flak from retailers initially, I would assume they will if possible.

 

[TheChefO]

Did you say Gamesradar? The MSN owned gamesite that has recently embarked on a low, dirty smear campaign against the PS3? You know, when Gamesradar was bought by MSN several years ago, I feared something like this might happen eventually. But I'm still a bit shocked that they would stoop so low. Unfortunately, reports like the claim that supposedly Sony reporters told Gamesrader that the PS3's 20gb drive wouldn't be upgradable, or that the low-spec PS3 wouldn't support wireless controllers. The best thing is that they claimed Sony officials told them this. As if they'd give that kind of info to Gamesradar, exclusive no less!



Gamesradar lost all credibility. Pretty soon I will extend the favor to all those that quote it on anything PS3 related.

interesting - thanks for the headsup on GamesRadar.

 

[Carl B]

Did you say Gamesradar? The MSN owned gamesite that has recently embarked on a low, dirty smear campaign against the PS3?

Well, that would explain a lot... because I've been wondering about Gamesradar myself lately.

Anyway you have to pull back from using the 'roll eyes' so much though; they only ever cause problems.

 

[Titanio]

Do you think the Ms and N will do the same? given the cost benefit to the publishers and with sony leading the way and taking the brunt of the flak from retailers initially, I would assume they will if possible.

If it worked, they'd be all over it.

It's a bit hard to tell if it would be viable, though. There could be all sorts of legal complications and challenges. But if Sony got over that, and established it, the rest of the industry would eagerly follow suit. I'm pretty sure it's like everyone's been looking at this swimming pool, waiting for the first person to jump in. I think that quote from a publisher in that Next-Gen.biz article sums things up nicely: "I can't see it happening, but i hope I'm wrong."

 

[RobertR1]

Do you think the Ms and N will do the same? given the cost benefit to the publishers and with sony leading the way and taking the brunt of the flak from retailers initially, I would assume they will if possible.

If Sony did this, MS would actually campaign about how stupid this idea is, try to turn people against Sony, likely resurface the root kit issue to compound this further, let Sony deal with all of it and once it's established and died down, adopt it for themselves.

 

[expletive]

Do you think the Ms and N will do the same? given the cost benefit to the publishers and with sony leading the way and taking the brunt of the flak from retailers initially, I would assume they will if possible.

Microsoft is already doing it, in a much more strict fashion, its called Xbox Live Arcade.

 

[TheChefO]

Microsoft is already doing it, in a much more strict fashion, its called Xbox Live Arcade.

True but that's for:
1) small(ish) games
2) only for net enabled gamers

Although it would be nice if they started distributing these episodic games already. Faster dev time faster turnaraound on hit games (sequels) and lower losses for flops - plus they should be able to cut the prices significantly but how do they avoid the retailer backlash ... hmm ...

Does anyone know the percentage of used/new game sales at specific price points? I'm sure eb tracks this to a T but I just didn't know if anyone had a link.

 

[Sis]

Did you say Gamesradar? The MSN owned gamesite that has recently embarked on a low, dirty smear campaign against the PS3? You know, when Gamesradar was bought by MSN several years ago, I feared something like this might happen eventually. But I'm still a bit shocked that they would stoop so low. Unfortunately, reports like the claim that supposedly Sony reporters told Gamesrader that the PS3's 20gb drive wouldn't be upgradable, or that the low-spec PS3 wouldn't support wireless controllers. The best thing is that they claimed Sony officials told them this. As if they'd give that kind of info to Gamesradar, exclusive no less!



Gamesradar lost all credibility. Pretty soon I will extend the favor to all those that quote it on anything PS3 related.

I think you've cracked the case. Bill Gates but Gamesradar up to it.

The funny thing is, I don't put much weight into it. Anonymous retail sources don't have a good track record for accuracy. But your angle is probably more likely; Microsoft is planting news to spread FUD about Sony.

(I tried to end this post with eye rolls, but the server said the monthly quota was exhausted.)

 

[kimg]

In japan, sale of used games is illegal, so this can be taken WAY outside of its meaning totally, as in sony removing the japanese blackmarked sale from sale in stores who operate half illegal (as in, its illegal, but noone care).

An other possibility is the games is connected to an user account, sony got pattents who could make shure an disc would be unsellable as 2. hand used if it needed online autenthication, and the disc would be non-readable witout proper autorisation.

 

[Arwin]

Well, that would explain a lot... because I've been wondering about Gamesradar myself lately.

Anyway you have to pull back from using the 'roll eyes' so much though; they only ever cause problems.

I tried to use more but the board software wisely intervened.

But in this case, I mean every single one of those smileys. I find such tactics despicable.