I was thinking just that.Originally Posted by RyanMurf
The only thing the current consoles can't do is the RFID codes that were alluded to in Sony's recently uncovered patent application.
I was thinking just that.
The only thing the current consoles can't do is the RFID codes that were alluded to in Sony's recently uncovered patent application.
Last edited by kedawa; 02-16-2013 at 04:10 PM.
The problem is, there are people out there who've probably never connected their PS3s or 360s to the internet for various reasons. If My 360 wasn't in the same room as my computer, I wouldn't be able to, because I don't have wireless on it. The authentication service would require being online, and I don't think either one would want to risk the sales of new games because of players who've chosen not to be online. They could start to make that mandatory, but it would rub people the wrong way. If they're going to go that route, it'll have to be with the next one, where they can put everyone on equal footing from the start and be clear up front that it would be a requirement.
I mean legally, they could probably do it, I'm sure somewhere in the fine print we've all signed away whatever rights we had just by accepting the TOS, etc. But the backlash would be high - probably higher than with just forcing it on the newer console. Essentially bricking a device you already paid for vs. bricking a device you might pay for in the future.
There's also the fact that the horse is long out of the barn with this generation of consoles. There are massive libraries of used games out there for people to choose from that wouldn't be under the thumb of activation requirements.
Except that both the PS3 and the 360 have had on-line only disc games in the past five years and all they do is simply stick a banner on the box saying "requires broadband connection". You already can't use XBL or PSN without broadband and that's a huge part of both Microsoft and Sony's next gen plans. People will learn to deal just like all the people who complained when Apple made the decision to start removing optical drives from iMacs and laptops or when Sony tookl away backwards compatibility on later revisions of the PS3 and Microsoft stopped doing patches for Xbox games on the 360. Frankly, consumers who don't have broadband and only buy used games result in zero profit to video game console makers. As such, they are not the target nor the concern of the next generation regardless of whether games are locked to one user or console or not.
Which games were online only with the exception of DC Universe for PS3? I'm not disputing that there are some, I just haven't stumbled across something that didn't have some single-player offline content that wouldn't require being connected and I'm curious what they are. The changes we're talking about would be more like Apple forcing you to bring in your current iMac or laptop and removing the optical drive from it, or Sony releasing an update that disabled backwards compatibility on all existing PS3s, and Microsoft removing all existing patches for original Xbox games on the 360. Hence why I'm saying this applies to the coming generation, and why it would be foolish for them to attempt it with this generation. Telling people you're going to be removing something from the next version is a lot different than taking away something they already have. One thing impacts you directly and immediately, while the other is something far-off and more vague that you can make a decision about down the road.
Also, just because someone doesn't have broadband doesn't mean they only buy used games. There's no correlation between those two things. Blaming people for living in areas without adequate broadband coverage and making them sound like leeches on the gaming community is unhelpful at best. In fact, how does me having broadband translate into profit for Microsoft? I don't pay for Live Gold. I use the basic free Live service, which, well, is free. That seems like a $0 profit to them for me having broadband. What percentage of Xbox 360 owners actually subscribe to Live?
Looking at my collection both MAG and Socom: Confrontation are online multiplayer only. Theres probably a few more though.
ALL HAIL THE 1 2 P
I know Warhawk and Starhawk for PS3, as well as Shadowrun, Phantasy Star Universe and Final Fantasy XIV for 360 are multiplayer and/or online only. I think you may be able to play the two PS3 games on local LAN, but they don't have any single player campaign. In any event, you're not "removing" anything. The registration/lock can be done on a game by game basis and eventually rolled out to all new releases. It's no different than PC games today where some publishers like EA and Ubisoft require a constant connection to play their newer games. Yes, some gamers object and won't buy them, but plenty still do and that number grows with each release.
I never said that not having broadband means you only buy used games. I said that people that both don't use broadband and buy used games are worthless customers to Microsoft and Sony. Essentially, if you're buying a subsidized console, not paying for either PSN+ or XBL and only buying used, you cost the two companies money. As of 2010, 50% of the 25 million XBL users were annual subscribers (i.e. 12.5 million subscribers). I can almost guarantee that Sony will charge for on-line this coming generation and their acquisition of Gakai is a sign that they are looking for new revenue models, many of which will be based around streaming and on-line services.
Warhawk.
So, interesting tidbit.
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/a...ked-discs.aspx
"“With the next Xbox, you supposedly have to have an internet connection, and the discs are watermarked, whereby once played on one console it won’t play on another," Livingston said."
I don't that guy knows what a watermark is, because that makes no sense.
Actually it makes perfect sense. A digital watermark is a means of tagging a disc in a unique way so that it can be tied to a particular user or console. It's a modern version of a serial number. When the studios send out awards screeners, each one is watermarked and if it gets pirated, they can use that watermark to trace it specifically back to the user who was sent that screener in the first place.
A digital watermark. Well that's something entirely different.
An actual watermark on the the disc would be very difficult for the machine to discern.
If that's true, PS4 will probably win the next competition.
[quote name='Shidou Mariya' date='Nov 17 2010, 10:05 PM' post='4889940']
I'm a collector, but only to a certain extent.
Not as extreme as Rickstilwell though.[/quote]
People in recorded media regularly refer to a digital watermark as just a "watermark" so I wouldn't exactly call it different.
If it's true I wonder how many people will be forward thinking enough to buy up all the "useless" used discs for pennies and wait for the inevitable exploit that bypasses the watermark. That's assuming there won't be a system in place to transfer the game to another console, which I think it's obvious there would be.
The watermark and the online requirement seem kind of redundant. If you're signed in to your account, and the game is authorized to it, what does it matter if the watermark matches?
I'm seriously doubting that Microsoft will go this route in the end; especially after Sony announced that the PS4 will play used games.
In order for this to work, all major console makers will have to do it. If only Microsoft does it, it will be suicide for their next gen system. With the amount of consoles coming out next generation, Microsoft has too much competition to be taking crazy risks like this.
What do you mean? There are two.
You could argue three really, if you count PC gaming.
What consoles other than ps4 and Wii U? Ouya?
I kinda dont see it as a crazy risk making a console not able to not play used games. I think nintendo microsoft and sony are all tired of getting their profits raped by gamestop. If good games are made for the ps4 and they are reasonably priced people will definitly buy them. I know there are other places to buy used games, but I think many consumers only have the choice of getting video games new or used from local retailers, so they always end up at gamestop.
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