Sony Joins the Offensive Against Pre-Owned Games [Slashdot]

[DP ServBot]

BanjoTed writes "In a move to counter sales of pre-owned games, EA recently revealed DLC perks for those who buy new copies of Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Now, PlayStation platform holder Sony has jumped on the bandwagon with similar plans for the PSP's SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3. '[Players] will need to register their game online before they are able to access the multiplayer component of the title. UMD copies will use a redeemable code while the digital version will authenticate automatically in the background. Furthermore ... anyone buying a pre-owned copy of the game will be forced to cough up $20 to obtain a code to play online."http://games.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=10/02/19/0715259 (http://games.slashdot.org/story/10/02/19/0715259/Sony-Joins-the-Offensive-Against-Pre-Owned-Games?from=rss)
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[Oobgarm]

Wow. I wonder how GameStop will handle this. So a title selling for $54.99 used will require an extra $20 to get online, thereby making it more expensive than a new copy. So will they be $34.99 now? That won't do anything to help GS's trade-in value.

This isn't good for retailers at all, especially small stores and places like DP Videogames. Personally, I like the idea of DLC perks myself.

[TonyTheTiger]

I'm not sure if there's an ethical component here but it is a damn smart business move. Noticing that people are buying used copies of brand new releases for $5 cheaper? Render that $5 discount nil by offering a perk for new copies that you might have to pay extra for if you buy used.

GameStop has only two options here, only one seems viable in the long term. They could keep doing what they're doing and hope few people catch on and not too many games go this route or they could lower the prices enough to cover the difference.

It's interesting. It used to be that day 1 DLC was frustrating because it always gave the impression that the publishers were charging an entry fee to stuff already on the disc. By making that stuff free for new copies only it seems to address the former issue while offering up a snide "screw you" to GameStop.

[Zthun]

BanjoTed writes "In a move to counter sales of pre-owned games, EA recently revealed DLC perks for those who buy new copies of Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Now, PlayStation platform holder Sony has jumped on the bandwagon with similar plans for the PSP's SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3. '[Players] will need to register their game online before they are able to access the multiplayer component of the title. UMD copies will use a redeemable code while the digital version will authenticate automatically in the background. Furthermore ... anyone buying a pre-owned copy of the game will be forced to cough up $20 to obtain a code to play online."http://games.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=10/02/19/0715259 (http://games.slashdot.org/story/10/02/19/0715259/Sony-Joins-the-Offensive-Against-Pre-Owned-Games?from=rss)
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That.....is......so......lame. So yeah, you'd pay MORE for a used game. Great...

This doesn't matter to me that much though. I'm still using my method in that if I can't get a GREAT deal on a brand new copy (I got Mass Effect new for $20 directly from an EA store near my work), I will wait the 6 months or so until the price drops. Saving $5 on a used game isn't really worth it.

I never really understood why used games were $5 cheaper instead of something like $20. Why wouldn't you just shell out $5 more to get a BRAND NEW copy? No, instead, you want to save $5 to get something that probably is incomplete, scratched, or looks like it went through a prison gang bang. No thanks.



I'm not sure if there's an ethical component here but it is a damn smart business move. Noticing that people are buying used copies of brand new releases for $5 cheaper? Render that $5 discount nil by offering a perk for new copies that you might have to pay extra for if you buy used.


Damn smart business moves with DLC tend to screw us.

[norkusa]

Has anyone looked at the PSP section in their local Gamestop? It usually consists of a small wall of shelf space by the front door with maybe 40 or 50 games total. If Sony starts doing this with all their new PSP games, I doubt most people will even notice.

[DuckTalesNES]

It is actually not a smart business move at all. The game industry benefits from stores like gamestop where young players w/ less access to cash for buying games can turn their old games into new games via trade in. Taking those stores out of business is going to cut into a very important segment of the market.

I'm not saying Gamestop should be left untouched, some competition in the market would be good, but directly torpedoing the market for used games is likely to have adverse effects on the sale of new games as well.

[Porksta]

What is the phrase for when something becomes so powerful it destroys itself?

[YoshiM]

I never really understood why used games were $5 cheaper instead of something like $20. Why wouldn't you just shell out $5 more to get a BRAND NEW copy? No, instead, you want to save $5 to get something that probably is incomplete, scratched, or looks like it went through a prison gang bang. No thanks.

::Holds his nose and blows so his Devil's Advocate horns pop up::
Well, Gamestop is banking on the fact that you have the Edge card, which lops off another $5, so you save even more. What, don't have an Edge card? Here, sign up, pay your $15 buck for membership AND get a free subscription to Game Informer and you'll even get 10% off used game sales along with extra money back when you trade in.

It's also still a business: Why charge a nearly-new game for $30 or $40 (using the $20 off you mentioned)? For one that'll piss off the publishers as they'd see that as an even greater threat than what the current status-quo is now. Second the customers would get even less for their trades so Gamestop can maintain their profit margin. Right or wrong, that's how corporate business works.

As for getting a new-then-used game: is it really that bad as you state? Unless you've got some nasty stores with even nastier customers, how often do nearly-new games come up that beat up? Again, if it's not to the customer's likes, they can say "no".

::Pushes horns back in::

On the subject of the whole DLC or online connection with new titles only: I think it sucks for individuals who want to trade or sell their games to other individuals. Depending on what the DLC is, that situation may not be so bad for the used market. If it's akin to horse armor, pfft, who cares. If it's along the lines of 5 multiplayer maps while the disc itself only has 2, THAT may piss people off. I say "may" because it all depends on the perceived value of the content. A person could be happy as a clam with only the included levels on the disc. I look at Warhawk-the regular maps have a steady flow of participants and the game's only $20. Same with Burnout:Paradise City.

Now online gaming as an extra fee if you don't buy new-the backlash could depend on what consoles will eventually be affected. While the PSP has a good audience, how many of them play online? Now if this tactic was used for games on the Xbox 360-THEN you might see pitchforks and torches. "I've got Gold Membership on Xbox Live and NOW I have to pay EA $20 to play my game online because I bought it used?!"

It's a thin tightrope the publishers are going to be walking on with this and it's hard to really see how this will truly pan out. Thanks to the more recent phenomenon of games actually dropping in price rather quickly mere months after release, it might not be the big hub bub it's being made out. Early adopters that want the Next Best Thing will buy up front and those that want to wait will reap the benefits of a sale. The only losers would be Gamestop and unfortunately, the small mom-n'-pop game stores as well.

[Dangerboy]

...you want to save $5 to get something that probably is incomplete, scratched, or looks like it went through a prison gang bang

Most forget the most important aspect of (specifically) a GameStop used game:

If you hate it, you get your money back.

No game company can offer that guarantee on a new product. The majority of people who would buy used are looking to save money no matter how it is. If you can spend $5 less and have a 7 day return policy to bring back a poor choice...that's better than anything a piece of shrinkwrap can offer. It's also the part most every anti-used game argument pleasantly ignores.

EA has the best strategy - give away something free to those who take the new jump, but let others still pay for it so the original company still makes some money on it.

If game companies really wanted the used market business, they need a return policy or a direct-to-download rental service through the Live / PSN network. Spend $30 on a digital copy versus $60 retail, or offer a $10 per hour rental service (which would probably be hacked anyway).

[portnoyd]

This whole attempt to transition from physical copies to digital downloads is just getting messier and messier, isn't it?

[Porksta]

Now online gaming as an extra fee if you don't buy new-the backlash could depend on what consoles will eventually be affected. While the PSP has a good audience, how many of them play online? Now if this tactic was used for games on the Xbox 360-THEN you might see pitchforks and torches. "I've got Gold Membership on Xbox Live and NOW I have to pay EA $20 to play my game online because I bought it used?!"

I think for this reason alone, this is why it hasn't even been mentioned being done with XBL. Then again, EA pretty much does whatever they want.

[kupomogli]

While it sucks for people who buy games used, I don't see a huge deal about it. PC gamers have been going through this same thing for a long time. Get a code to play the game online, etc.

Even if someone who buys it used, if they happen to want to play online, there's an extra $20 for Sony if they buy a new activation. Or if people pirate the game and want to play online, Sony is still making $20 for those who pay the money for it.

They're not really going against preowned games so much in my opinion. I'd think it's trying to combat piracy which is the reason why it's so much extra if it's not new. There just isn't a work around to discern whether you have the UMD or not, but this also means they're getting money from both sides of the market.

[otoko]

This makes me torn, I like the idea of download content... only if it's not there upon release. It's like they're trying to make your game better with extra work instead of trying to get more money from you...

This move... I don't know, if it continues I see it as a horrible disservice to me and could eventually push me off any system that would practice such bullshit. Still since I have no intention on buying that game or really ever using my PSP for more than a music player for my car, it won't effect me until it makes a system jump.. I have a feeling if people put up with this it will.

Do not want.

[TonyTheTiger]

Damn smart business moves with DLC tend to screw us.

Not necessarily. This, at least, renders the day 1 DLC free for people who buy the game on Day 1. The alternative seems to have been "buy the game on Day 1, then pay $15 more for Day 1 DLC."

This doesn't seem like that much of an encroachment on used sales in the long term. If I buy a used copy of a game months down the line for $20 then I probably won't mind paying for the DLC. In a sense, the freebie is a "perk" for buying new. It's most directly targetting GameStop's dominance during the first month or two when a good number of potential customers take advantage of a $5 discount. It seems fairly narrow in its effect.

If they weren't doing it this way they'd do it one of two other ways. Either they charge everybody for the content (clearly a worse scenario that we've seen many times already) or they make it free for everybody (clearly an unlikely scenario).


It is actually not a smart business move at all. The game industry benefits from stores like gamestop where young players w/ less access to cash for buying games can turn their old games into new games via trade in. Taking those stores out of business is going to cut into a very important segment of the market.

I'm not saying Gamestop should be left untouched, some competition in the market would be good, but directly torpedoing the market for used games is likely to have adverse effects on the sale of new games as well.

This won't take GameStop out of business, not in the least. What it might do is shake up the company's pricing structure. Maybe that extra bit of competition will drive used prices down below the initial $54.99 we're accustomed to. It could be good for everybody. Publishers get more people to buy new by offering a perk, GameStop, though no longer able to sell at $54.99, might be able to attract people who'd otherwise scoff at such a nominal discount for used games, and the consumers win because prices go down.


On the subject of the whole DLC or online connection with new titles only: I think it sucks for individuals who want to trade or sell their games to other individuals. Depending on what the DLC is, that situation may not be so bad for the used market. If it's akin to horse armor, pfft, who cares. If it's along the lines of 5 multiplayer maps while the disc itself only has 2, THAT may piss people off. I say "may" because it all depends on the perceived value of the content. A person could be happy as a clam with only the included levels on the disc. I look at Warhawk-the regular maps have a steady flow of participants and the game's only $20. Same with Burnout:Paradise City.

Now online gaming as an extra fee if you don't buy new-the backlash could depend on what consoles will eventually be affected. While the PSP has a good audience, how many of them play online? Now if this tactic was used for games on the Xbox 360-THEN you might see pitchforks and torches. "I've got Gold Membership on Xbox Live and NOW I have to pay EA $20 to play my game online because I bought it used?!"

It's a thin tightrope the publishers are going to be walking on with this and it's hard to really see how this will truly pan out. Thanks to the more recent phenomenon of games actually dropping in price rather quickly mere months after release, it might not be the big hub bub it's being made out. Early adopters that want the Next Best Thing will buy up front and those that want to wait will reap the benefits of a sale. The only losers would be Gamestop and unfortunately, the small mom-n'-pop game stores as well.

This is true. The extreme case would be something like "buy the game new, get a free registration code to be able to play the game" vs. "buy the game used, pay $50-$60 (the game's original retail price) for a registration code to be able to play the game." Basically, it could be used to render used copies essentially worthless. Though that's not exactly unprecedented. We've seen instances of that before. It, thankfully, hasn't caught on but that's probably because it's not smart to piss off the consumer. We control that tightrope and set the standard of what we're willing to accept.

Think of it in terms of "what is the most money we can get out of this person before alienating him to the point where he won't buy our game at all." If you go too far and render used copies obsolete or overly expensive then the consumer won't buy it at all and that'll be that. But if you allow the used game to be just that, you might be able to get something out of him via reasonably priced DLC. And, yes, maybe you'll even make a buck or two off of pirates this way.

[DuckTalesNES]

What is the phrase for when something becomes so powerful it destroys itself?

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

[DonMarco]

Personally, I think they have every right to who is playing on their servers. If you paid for the game at retail, then a portion of the cost will go to fund the servers. At this point, servers are dirt cheap and bandwidth and cooling costs more than the actual hardware. The whole operation which will be even cheaper in a few years with wind/solar energy and smaller/faster processors, cheaper RAM, better software, fiber optics, etc.

SOCOM is one of Sony's bigger titles and should be a big seller. You got the new SOCOM3 at $40 and the used at $35. Common sense is that no one is going to pay $5 less for a game that requires another $20 to play online. So GS would do the logical thing and only charge $20 for the used game. This kills the trade-in value to something super low like $5-7. With 10% off it would still be cheaper than buying new.

It's no skin off GS's back. If SOCOM 3 is taken off the table as a popular new game, they have hundreds of other popular new games to keep them busy buying and selling. Who's really going to feel the pinch is SOCOM 3 buyers who want to get of the game and can only get $5 back instead of the expected $20. They would get more than $5 on eBay, but not more than $20

...Unless they never activated the code and include it in the auction. Then they could expect $35 or so.

Why not just keep the ranked and public servers available to retail copies and some other category be invented for the used game buyers? It could have really short matches, just a few weapons, two maps and basically be a multiplayer demo? Before every match it asks you if you want to activate the game or buy a code. Then when you click no, another screen pops up and you get a 40 second unskippable movie showing all the weapons, skins, maps, modes and such that are unlocked by activating the game. Then the first screen comes back asking if you are sure you don't want to buy the code. Then it lets you queue up for another 5-minute match.

[Zthun]

::Holds his nose and blows so his Devil's Advocate horns pop up::
Well, Gamestop is banking on the fact that you have the Edge card, which lops off another $5, so you save even more. What, don't have an Edge card? Here, sign up, pay your $15 buck for membership AND get a free subscription to Game Informer and you'll even get 10% off used game sales along with extra money back when you trade in.


The problem with the Edge card is you have to make sure you purchase enough used games at Gamestop to offset the price you pay for the card. Otherwise, the card is worthless. If you're like me, and 90% of all the used games you get at Gamestop are the cheap PS2 games for 3 to 5 bucks, then you'd have to purchase a shit load of games to offset that price. Then again, you get the free Game Informer (worthless) subscription, so I guess you're paying for that.

You know, personally, I'm so sick of cards. I have cards for everything. I have one for Safeway, Blockbuster, Best Buy, Staples, and a bunch of others. My wallet looks like a f****** card factory.



It's also still a business: Why charge a nearly-new game for $30 or $40 (using the $20 off you mentioned)? For one that'll piss off the publishers as they'd see that as an even greater threat than what the current status-quo is now. Second the customers would get even less for their trades so Gamestop can maintain their profit margin. Right or wrong, that's how corporate business works.


Agreed, but there's some issues here. I've seen nearly new games missing their boxes and manuals, but they charge the SAME price as a used copy with their artwork and manual.



As for getting a new-then-used game: is it really that bad as you state? Unless you've got some nasty stores with even nastier customers, how often do nearly-new games come up that beat up? Again, if it's not to the customer's likes, they can say "no".

::Pushes horns back in::


See above. The other problem is that Gamestop will sometimes plaster used game stickers ON THE LABEL (not the box, the LABEL) of the game. This pisses the hell out of me when I try to remove them. A lot of times, they will tear the artwork. Recently however, I just got a used copy of Prince of Persia for $17 used ($13 bucks off the new copy), and it was in good condition. Rather than plaster the sticker on the label, they plastered it on a piece of paper and put that piece of paper in the sleeve. Now if they would do that all the time, I can see getting a used copy of games since you won't notice the difference. For the most part, a $5 discount for a used game isn't really worth it if you intend to keep the game.

[Gameguy]

What is the phrase for when something becomes so powerful it destroys itself?
Either Supernova or George Lucas.


People will still buy the used copies from Gamestop/EB Games. I'm not kidding when I say that several used games are more expensive than new copies. Conan for PS3, either $4.99 new or $14.99 used. They still seem to be in business. Most consumers aren't that bright.

[rbudrick]

Reason #37 why I don't like or play online games.

-Rob

[Baloo]

Does anyone even buy games for PSP? This is just ridiculous.

[Matt-El]

What is the phrase for when something becomes so powerful it destroys itself?


Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I don't necessarily agree that Sony has "Absolute Power" though.

[GameBoyGeek]

They try and act like they do in my opinion. Sony along with a few other companies are trying to force the download all your games at home era before its time, if they are not carefull this could break them completely but thats just my opinion.

[Enigmus]

BanjoTed writes "In a move to counter sales of pre-owned games, EA recently revealed DLC perks for those who buy new copies of Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Now, PlayStation platform holder Sony has jumped on the bandwagon with similar plans for the PSP's SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3. '[Players] will need to register their game online before they are able to access the multiplayer component of the title. UMD copies will use a redeemable code while the digital version will authenticate automatically in the background. Furthermore ... anyone buying a pre-owned copy of the game will be forced to cough up $20 to obtain a code to play online."http://games.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=10/02/19/0715259 (http://games.slashdot.org/story/10/02/19/0715259/Sony-Joins-the-Offensive-Against-Pre-Owned-Games?from=rss)
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I think a second game war (or is it 27?) is coming fast, and I see 3 big companies in an alliance against an already efficient enough industry because of a certain type of of game selling. Hmm, I wonder what war has been like that before? :rolleyes:

[FayeC86]

I dont understand. For even 5 dollars off, Im going to buy the used copy. i dont have much of a reason not to save 5 dollars if the game is going to preform the same way in my system.

Now if they start gimping the used games out of the box, i may pay more attention to the new games, but still will probably opt for the used copy. After all, if a person doesnt play psp games online then its still in there best interest to buy it used and save the five dollars. when you buy as many games as im sure some of us do, im sure it adds up.

[CDiablo]

This is not the war against pre owned, its the war against owning your games. You cannot lend it to a friend for him to play, you'll be lucky to get $5($2 at gamestop) on craigslist for it.

Shit like this and Steam licences are what are pushing me towards bootlegging. I find it hard to spend more than $10(For a full big budget game) on something that I do not own. I dont sell many games but I dont like the idea of my $50-60 investment dropping to $0 the second I "buy."

[Fuyukaze]

First EA, now Sony? Quick, someone convince Ubisoft and Rockstar to follow suit so there's 4 companies I'll not buy games from.

[BHvrd]

This doesn't bother me a bit, games have had serial keys on PC games for YEARS, never stopped me then.

If anything this is the thing that can save disc based sales. It is either this or strictly DLC. It's time to bite the bullet, no disc at all or discs with serial keys, take your pick.

Oh wait I forget that gamers want every game to be a "collector's piece" these days. Well, i'm a gamer and though I will accept DLC I would much rather take this alternative as I can actually own physical media.

[Icarus Moonsight]

What is the phrase for when something becomes so powerful it destroys itself?

Despotic

Oh, you wanted a phrase? Sony Computer Entertainment, Electronic Arts and the Federal Government of the United States of America.

Baloo: I just ordered Persona, Half-Minute Hero and Wipeout Pulse. Surely, that counts for something. Even if all three were only $50 shipped. :D


Most forget the most important aspect of (specifically) a GameStop used game:

If you hate it, you get your money back.

No game company can offer that guarantee on a new product.

Oh, they certainly can... No one is stopping them. They just refuse to. The no-questions-asked money back guarantee is long dead, long live the DLC and DRM!

Yes, one can say that the "open return policy" contributed heavily to the crash, but that also requires that one ignores the glut of crap that was being returned. If the games were better, not so many would have returned them. Instead of doing the actual work, thought and taking the initiative, it's easier to hide behind policy and law.

[Push Upstairs]

When download only comes, and the publishers are the ones controlling when the game "dies", might as well kiss "retro gaming" goodbye.

The era of games having a "Doom" and "Duke3D" long life via upgrades or nostalgia is going to end.

[josekortez]

Does anyone even buy games for PSP? This is just ridiculous.

I do, but I don't play them online and I don't anyone else who does. However, since I'm broke and my 360 bit the dust almost a year ago, it is my top system of the moment. Therefore, I will continue to buy used games for it.

[snes_collector]

Has anyone looked at the PSP section in their local Gamestop? It usually consists of a small wall of shelf space by the front door with maybe 40 or 50 games total. If Sony starts doing this with all their new PSP games, I doubt most people will even notice.

A wall? At all the GameStops around here the PSP section has been neglected to a rack in the middle of the store ala the GameCube/ Xbox games. The DS overtook the PSP wall section along time ago at all the stores around here.

I don't like this at all, but since I don't play online it really doesn't affect me I guess.

[RPG_Fanatic]

When download only comes, and the publishers are the ones controlling when the game "dies", might as well kiss "retro gaming" goodbye.

When this happens (and we all know download only games will happen one day) Then I'll stop playing "current games"

[TonyTheTiger]

Wow, this degenerated into a circle jerk of doom and gloom pretty quickly.

It's really not that big of a deal, guys. Why is it that whenever some wacky new idea shows up in the market the prevailing theory is that within a few years some boogie man is going to show up to steal all of our games away? Things like that don't happen. Mediums don't just up and die like that regardless of how the world changes. I'm sure back when the telephone was widely introduced mailmen worldwide went apeshit. I'm sure back when the camera was first introduced artists worldwide went equally bonkers.

Fears of fire and brimstone rarely come to pass. The universe has a funny way of finding balance.

[Icarus Moonsight]

True, if people don't like what is offered people will move away from it. That will produce a market gap, and those don't stay open for long. Ultimately, the consumers are the real determiners of policy. They can only inflict what we'll take.

[megasdkirby]

It doesn't matter to me much, as I don't care for DLC as much as I should. I barely pay for any exclusive contents anyway.

Speaking of which, wasn't Phantasy Star Online Ver. 1 & 2 for Dreamcast like this? With it's own code? I remeber that code...

[maxlords]

Yeah, look what's happening with the PSP Go right now. The market just isn't quite ready for this yet. I can't see it working well.

As for me, I don't play anything online, so it's irrelevant to me. Until they start locking out single player modes on used ones, I could care less.

[kupomogli]

I buy PSP games also. I play some of the games online.

Wipeout Pulse has a nice infrastrucsture mode. You can hardly find anyone that plays online though anymore. I've played Star Wars Battlefront Renegade Squadron infrastructure but it's got so many cheaters it's not even funny.

Multiple games I own are adhoc only. However that is what adhoc party is for.

On adhoc party you can regularly find people on games like Monster Hunter and Dissidia(don't see why, game sucks.) However, I've played Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max, PowerStone, and Dracula X Chronicles(multiplayer boss rush.) One of my friends wants me to play FFTactics multiplayer but I've still yet to open the game.

[SegaAges]

This doesn't bother me a bit, games have had serial keys on PC games for YEARS, never stopped me then.

If anything this is the thing that can save disc based sales. It is either this or strictly DLC. It's time to bite the bullet, no disc at all or discs with serial keys, take your pick.

Oh wait I forget that gamers want every game to be a "collector's piece" these days. Well, i'm a gamer and though I will accept DLC I would much rather take this alternative as I can actually own physical media.

Until you run into what I did with Linerider 2 on PC. This happened a couple days ago, actually.

I forgot my old username and password, and there is no way to get it outside of e-mailing and asking the company to give it to me.

What makes it even better? The game does not allow me to even run without signing in. I tried to make a new account, but since my cd key was used with an older account which I can't remember, than I have a useless game.

Sometimes, cd keys hurt us, and this is an example of that happening.

[Nightram]

Seeing how aggressive these companies are coming is shoving my goal of being a game store owner into oblivion . . .

Maybe arcades will return, where game stores buy all of the downloadable content and have it available for people who pay to try.

[Matt-El]

First PSP, Then PS3, THEN....THE WORLD!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! :evil::evil::evil:

[ScourDX]

Companies are following the same model as PC. They are making gamers register with serial number, online activation & maybe add DRM. It is only a matter of time before gamers get tired of this non-sense.

[j_factor]

I don't care about this game, and in general I don't care about online play, but I'd hate to see this become a slippery slope. Imagine if they start completely gimping used games in this way. Even when I buy a game new, I don't necessarily want to download a large file in order to play it.

[N 2 Nintendo]

Sony never fails to amaze me in their quest for the almighty dollar. Oh well, they gotta do what they gotta, I guess.

[Archimboldi]

What is the phrase for when something becomes so powerful it destroys itself?

Ouroborous

[s1lence]

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/_s1lence_/PS3.jpg

[ScourDX]

Retailer is not happy with this.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5477876/some-retailers-not-happy-with-eas-project-ten-dollar)

[Icarus Moonsight]

So are these measures going to be branded, "New & Improved Fail!" or what's the deal? LOL