..... To end rentals, resales, and loaning of video games.
A PATENT may allow Sony to ensure that no game would be playable from any console other than the one in which it was first read.
Joystiq is reporting that this patent is the source of the many rumours that will mean as much to gamers as DRM is for music fans.
The technology would allow an authentication code to be read and then rendered unreadable, making the software unplayable on any machine but the one which first read it.
But this has caused considerable backlash from the gaming community. While many are aware of the double profit companies make on pre-owned games, this would ensure the death of trading games between friends and even going to a friend's house to play a little multiplayer.
No less than Ken Kataguri himself is listed among the inventors, which makes it look like this is a move that came from very high up. It has already been pointed out that many Playstation users have had to replace their console, surely this would leave us high and dry in that event.
While the PS3 hasn't been expressly mentioned in the patent in English or Japanese it would be the obvious place to employ this new technology, regardless of how little gamers will appreciate it. Between this and the DRM scandal, Sony could be looking at a serious drop in interest in the PS3. You can be sure you'll see more on this as it develops. As gamers, we can only hope that modern technology won't undermine the tried and tested barter system.
I don't know how reliable The Inquirer or Joystiq is, but I do know that Sony does have the patent as of yesterday.
It says 2004, actually. So this patent's literally a full year old... heck, it was FILED in 2000, apparently, so they've had this technology for a while.
I'm hesitant to whether this would apply to PS3 as described, or is more along the lines of "if one PS3 reads it, all of them can, but PCs won't".
One word.
Crap.
So... what happens if someone's console is destroyed, or faulty? Do they have to replace their entire games collection as well?
Congratulations, I just lost interest in the PS3 if this is in it.
Between crushing all homebrew attempts on the PSP and this new patent, it makes me wonder if their trying to put themselves out of business. Then again if the PS3 ends up being Region free a congratulate them on finally realizing that regions were a stupid idea to begin with.
They screwed up big time on the PSP, even the "haha! WE WIN!" patch isn't foolproof, I've seen "reversal" patches online which will restore it.
As for this copy protection, all I can say is: it'll never work.
One broken Playstation it'll be blow up in their faces, because people WILL make them replace the games.
Though Ebay auctions of a Playstation and all games would be more saught and expensive being win-win for those who want to sell/buy second hand.
Judging by the dates on the patent, and the lack of any mention of the PS3 there, it does seem pretty unlikely. It would probably cause many people to just avoid the PS3 altogether, so I doubt Sony would be that insane. Of course, after what they've done with CD copy protection lately, I guess anything is possible. I still think it's pretty unlikely, but if they did actually try to pull something like this, that'd be the last thing needed for me to just completely abandon Sony altogether. (as I'm already getting close to that point)
Worst plan ever. I'm sorry, but have they ever thought that some people like trading/borrowing games with their friends? Or all of us who buy "pre-owned" since it's the only way they can afford the system and games? The only practical use I can see for this technology is if you had option to purchase and install it, so that if anyone stole your game they couldn't use it. (Your game would still be gone, but at least the theif got screwed over) But if this technology was mandatory, no... just no.
If this is true, then that's it.
I'm done with the console-buying game.
Fini.
Through.
No more.
If Sony goes through with this, say hello to Nintendo Revolution stomping the market flat.
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If Sony goes through with this, say hello to Nintendo Revolution stomping the market flat.
LOLOLno.
It would be Xbox 360 instead of Revolution.
However, Revolution would still do better than the PS3 is something this idiotic happens.
Region Free Gaming = Great.
Code which allows games to die on other consoles = Bad. Mind you I really don't think they will have this code in the games. I mean Sony don't need anymore bad press going into the toughest console war yet. With Microsoft having its foot in the door and with the Revolution doing possibly either the greatest thing in gaming or their swansong from the console under the TV market. (Just what I think)
However, Revolution would still do better than the PS3 is something this idiotic happens.
The hell with that. People are still going to buy PS3 games regardless of Sony's sh-tty DRM. Even if every single game sucks, PS3 will still outdo Revolution simply by sheer numbers. More consumers, developers and publishers are signed onto the PlayStation brand than both of its its competitors combined.
Could it be? Are Sony learning something? Allowing people to import games so that they don't have to chip their console and allow them to play copied games for free?
Not that anti-piracy seems to be a big draw to publishers (Nintendo have been doing a dang lot over the years for anti-piracy and have no gained love from their efforts) but it sure makes life easier for everyone.
*Applauds Sony for doing something NON-stupid, if only the stupid thing which is the highlight of the topic is just stupid irrelevant rumour*
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If Sony goes through with this, say hello to Nintendo Revolution stomping the market flat.
...Reading this made me spit pop onto the screen in shock, and laughter.
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If Sony goes through with this, say hello to Nintendo Revolution stomping the market flat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...Reading this made me spit pop onto the screen in shock, and laughter.
RIN
Nintendo are making a rather better net market profit than Sony as a company, actually.
See topic elsewhere.
Anyway, Sony vehemently denied this was going to the PS3. So no, Sony's not shooting themselves in the foot as of yet, and it's not really likely that they will be any time soon.
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Anyway, Sony vehemently denied this was going to the PS3. So no, Sony's not shooting themselves in the foot as of yet, and it's not really likely that they will be any time soon.
I thought the joypad change was doing that?
Yeah, Sony's going greedy so what?
That's thier problem not those who own Non-sony consoles.
This topic is nothing more than a lame excuse for nintendo fanboys to bash Sony and fool themsevels that Nintendo will rule the world again and that Mircosoft will dissapear just because Sony is doing what nintendo has always done: Licesning restrictions.
Nintendo has be doing this since the 1980s, back in 1989 they sued Blockbuster for game rentals claiming it ruined the lastability in thier titles, and 1990, nintendo tried to stop Codemasters from releasing "Game Genie".
May I ask you this question:Why is it that is okay for Nintendo to do it but it's stupid for Sony to?
It's not, okay. And this is not a bias statement but a reality check, MICROSOFT WILL NEVER GO BANKRUPT AND SONY WILL NEVER DISSAPEAR,why? Because they make billions of dollars every year,selling electronics and software, Nintendo only makes money selling handhelds, do they make DVDs? Do they have a patented internet browser?
Stop saying that the Revolution will rule the world! You know it won't! They have no 3rd party support, no promotion and no wide market, plus they more than likely will not have very many "M" rated titles, Hell, Sonic won't be on there.
Is that saying that Revolution will fail?No. No one knows if it will, but there is skeptictism that it will fail because of what Nintendo has been doing right now, and there will continue to be because of the controller, Everyone will have to wait and see, you don't know, I don't know so stop saying you do.
Xbox 360 may very well be the top player because it has strong 3rd party support and even alot of Japanese support, plus it has a good launch library, but I not buying a 360, and resent 1up.com saying that the 360 is another Dreamcast like it was bad system.
And will the PS3 fail becuase of this? probably so. It's too early to say, I know that if SEGA comes back to the console market, it(PS3) would definetly most likely lose it's stronghold over the Japanese market.
And before you say Nintendo makes money on the consoles, your only fooling yourself, that's where they lose most of it. Most GCs are only owned by people under the age of 14. This is why I think they should just pack it up in the console race and become a 3rd party devloper and stick with making handheld machines, this would help them save alot of money. Am I saying nintendo sucks? No. It's just better to throw in towel for them right now.
So to put it lightly, please end your assults on Sony and on the "richest man in the world Bill Gates" and stop worshiping Nintendo like they are "God."
I like Nintendo but I dislike bias.
I didn't read 90% of your post because after a few lines I realised it's just you flapping your arms and making a racket over a SINGLE pro-Nintendo comment in the entire thread.
*Slaps Pat*
And before you say Nintendo makes money on the consoles, your only fooling yourself, that's where they lose most of it.
For every Xbox and PS2, Microsoft and Sony loose money. While Nintendo loses money on every Gamecube sold it loses considerably less then Sony and Microsoft.
Most GCs are only owned by people under the age of 14.
Where have you got this info from? And so what, it's a Gamecube sold.
Generally you are getting Popularity mixed up with Profits.
Sony and their lack of profits blamed on PS2 and
Xbox: Its first profit. Ahhhhh.
Thank You and Good Night
Another fanboy rushing to Nintendo's defense, yes I know Mirocsoft loses money on the Xbox they've lost about a billion, but it doesn't effect thier earnings which have been strong.
Besides Mircosoft loses only about a few hundered million dollars on every Xbox they make but that like losing one penny a day for them because they're worth $100 billion.
The 360 will cost them lesser and less money for Mircosoft to make because they've spent less on designing it than the first Xbox.
As for the wikipedia I don't trust them because majority of the time the information they post is inaccurate and pretentious.
Since when did loaning games, replacing broken systems, getting pre-owned and so forth = Nintendo fanboyism?
PS: I only own a PS2 and I hate this.
Pat L, don't you have anything better to do?
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Besides Mircosoft loses only about a few hundered million dollars on every Xbox they make but that like losing one penny a day for them because they're worth $100 billion.
If that's the case, then that means if Microsoft loses over 300 pennies (Cause, you know, 1,000 million is equal to a billion), they go bankrupt. Work on your math.
Nintendo also objected to used gaming back in the day, When Funcoland first opened in 1991, Nintendo filed a lawsuit to prevent used NES games from being resold, they lost the suit in '93 and soon by that year used Genesis and SNES titles sold at a massive rate.
And losing a billion dollars does not, repeat does not affect Mirocsoft at all.
Your saying that just because of sony's patent that this will turn away all of thier gamers and that it's userbase will turn to the Revolution which just in fact is your wishful thinking.
Sony still has a huge userbase,this licensing restriction will not phase them.
You're all being terribly insensitive to Pat! Don't you know that when he was 10 years old, an N64 killed his parents?! If it weren't for that family of XBOXs and PS2s and their baby DVDs and web browsers nursing him to adult hood, he would have been doomed surely! How is it that you can all be so heartless about this to him?
Now, I've never researched this personally or even heard of it occuring, but drawing off Pat's example and his world reknowned and heart warming tale (that clearly happened), I don't need to if something is that obvious! =o
An N64 MUST have killed his parents... why... that'd just be silly if it weren't the case! The only other answer to his irrational nintendophobias I can think of would be that something about Nintendo's tendency to make things smaller and smaller reminds him of something that makes him angry.
Now comme on! Which do you really think is the case? =)
Acrio wins.
Pat, Pat, Pat, Pat, Pat.
Owning all three consoles and reporting on FACTS makes me a Nintendo fanboy? Brilliant.
Firstly, I have a reason to hate Nintendo
I'm the one with the poor Shadow sig.
But even though you say its doesnt matter if Microsoft lost a billion dollars it doesnt matter they still lost a billion dollars. Yes they earn it somewhere else but they still lost money.
At the moment I'm trying to find a link confirming that Sony will not be using the copy protection. It was confirmed on Teletext Channel 4 Page 306 today.
Patrick, we're worspping Nintendo simply because They've been in the console buisness longer than Sony and Microsoft, and they've been a company for over 100 years. Why are we worshipping Nintendo? because they're awesome.
And besides, Rootkit is why I won't buy a PS3.
Please bare in mind, Pat, that Ace's comments of worshipping Nintendo are Ace's comments and Ace's comments alone.
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Besides Mircosoft loses only about a few hundered million dollars on every Xbox they mak
How much, exactly, do you figure it costs to make an XBOX?
I agree with Ultra: You need to do your math, son.
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PS: I only own a PS2 and I hate this.
I'm with Craig on that one.
Wait, I also own a PC. And a GBA, for which I have one game that, wait for it.... isn't by Nintendo!
Hurrah.
*Coming back to topic*
I'm a major fan of Sony...I've been with them for all my gaming life and have never been dissapointed, so it would take a WHOLE DANG LOT to shake my loyalty...
...but if they were to bring in this idea, it may just do that.
One of the major ways I decide wether or not to buy games is playing them rented or borrowing them from friends. If this protection was to be brought in not only would it make life a whole lot harder for me in my gameing world, but I may refuse to buy a PS3 out of principle! Computer gaming is increasingly becoming a single-player sport (unless you count online consoles, which I am not, as I do not have one) and is contributing to the breakdown of communication between families that is causing breakyps etc. Even with online games, where you do talk and play with people, you aren't talking to their face, and many people you may never even meet irl.
To cut down on 2 player split screen etc EVEN FURTHER with this idea is simply ludicrous! One can only imagine what effect it would have on the youth of tomorrow...
If the tame came where I was to leave Sony, I doubt I would go so far as Nintendo...I'm not as prejudiced as some, but I'm afraid I'm simply not keen on their style. Xbox 360 doesn't appeal to me either, although I would at least keep an eye on it to see what happened with it...
As it stands, the only retreat I would have left would be to PC gaming...
Wraith
I missed that detail Shadow...thanks for pointing that out. It may still rear it's ugly head in the future though...if it were to show itself even after the PS3 it would cause trouble imo
Wraith
I bet the only reason they patented it was so they could sell it to Nintendo at a massive royalty, knowing Nintendo would probably pay anything to stop re-sales and rentals.
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I bet the only reason they patented it was so they could sell it to Nintendo at a massive royalty, knowing Nintendo would probably pay anything to stop re-sales and rentals.
Excuse the derogatory statement, but that's quite possibly the most retarded thing I've ever heard.
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Excuse the derogatory statement, but that's quite possibly the most retarded thing I've ever heard.
No it isn't. Nintendo's tried things like this in the past before.
They NEVER went to lengths like copyrighting technology that would make resells unplayable. They only tried a few lawsuits, and lost them. And besides, that's not what the point of Cycle's statement is...
Actually, yes, it is. Nintendo basically pioneered the whole "market control" thing and it became their downfall when they tried to screw Sony on the PlayStation deal. They publicly decry importation and reselling games as a "grey-market" activity.
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They publicly decry importation and reselling games as a "grey-market" activity.
Why do they have such a problem with rentals and used games? o_O
Because Nintendo only makes a profit once for each copy the video store buys.
Cycle is right, the reason why Nintendo walked off the "Super CD" project wasn't because the technology was too far ahead of it's time but because Nintendo felt cynical about CD technology, they felt that CDs could not prevent priracy, this proved to be untrue because the SEGA CD contained special lockout hexidecimal codes making priracy very difficult and the SEGA Saturn was patented so copying it's emulation and priracy was not only illegal but it meant that SEGA was free to sue anyone they wanted to and could order them to pay any amonut of money they wanted.
Nintendo soon realized that it was a bad decision when the PSX proved to be moderately successful and when the Saturn ooverpowered both the Nintendo 64 and Playstation in Japan, while nintendo struggled with high costs and overpaying 3rd pparty developers costing them over 5.6 billion yen ($500 million) just to make one N64 cartridge.
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Nintendo soon realized that it was a bad decision when the PSX proved to be moderately successful and when the Saturn ooverpowered both the Nintendo 64 and Playstation in Japan,
Pardon? Now I love Sega but Saturn sold dismally. In Europe (because I'm not sure of the other areas) Saturn sold about 2 million units. While Sony at last count sold 40 Million Playstation and PSOne units. While I know that Saturn did sell well in Japan it did not compete with PS1 at all.
Where have you got your info from? Because I need a laugh.
Or are you just going to call me a Sony zealot (Do they actually exist outside of PS Magazines?) now...
The Saturn was an instant success in Japan ,because it had a strong library,strong Japanese 3rd party support and lots of 1st party titles.
The PSone got off to a slow start in Japan, because it came out a few moths later than the Saturn and it's Japanese library was smaller than the Saturn's, for the first two year of it's life the PSone trailed in second place behind the Saturn but in 1997, the system got it's first high profile 1st party title "Final Fantasy VII" which caused the PSone to catch up to the Saturn while the PSone dominated the western markets.
The N64 was a miserable failure in Japan,constant lack of software made hardware demand poor, the 64DD was suppossed to allow users to have an online service, but the test marketing for it was a disaster, after cancelling plans to release outside of Japan, the N64 imploded pretty badly. But in the U.S. it held on well because of high profile titles.
...
Aw heck, I guess we gotta give you that one.
