No Pre-Owned PS3 Games?

[General Fuzzy McBitty]

Wednesday 24 May 2006

High street games shops have been told by Sony that there will be no PS3 pre-owned sections in their stores as it will be illegal for customers to sell any next-gen PlayStation games that they've bought, retail sources have revealed to GamesRadar.

It seems that Sony is planning to adopt a licensing system that will mean gamers won't own the PS3 titles that they've paid money for. Instead, they will only be purchasing the licence to play the game and that the software itself will still be Sony property - meaning that the disc won't be the customer's to sell.

We assume that the thinking behind this move will ultimately be to stop PS3 games being resold several times - which currently snatches potential sales away from Sony - and to counter the impression in consumers' minds that games are only really worth their pre-owned price and are not worth buying new.

When we contacted Sony, it issued us with the following statement: "We have made all of the official announcements at E3 and cannot make any further comments at this time. We will be announcing more news running up to PlayStation 3's launch."

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

What the hell does that mean? I don't know that I buy it. However, someone told me that:

"When sony licensed their Blue Ray Disc Drive, the patent was released to the public via the internet. ON the patent it stated that if sony wanted to, they could make the Blue Ray only work with 1 copy of each game via CD key. No renting, no used sales, no borrowing from a friend unless you bring your own system, etc."

Does anyone know if there's any truth to this?

I can't buy it purely because it seems like such a bad move.

[DanMarshall]

Ha ha ha ha haha. Sony really don't have a clue what they're doing anymore, do they?!

Ha ah ah ha ha haah ha ha. This'll keep me going all through the winter.

[Salka]

lol sony...

That's pretty bad. I thought PS3 would sell to you know, people who are loyal to sony because they know no better. Like my brother. But I'm becoming more and more confident that nobody is going to buy a PS3... especially if this is true...

[General Fuzzy McBitty]

I wanted one... eventually.

I like some of the system-only games, and unlike Microsoft, their system-only games that I want don't go to PC.

[Twilo]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/24/rumor-sony-to-disable-used-ps3-games-sony-nope/

[General Fuzzy McBitty]

Unfortunately the quote in the artical is from last year, and they may have changed their minds.

View this artical 02:15 PM, November 15th 2005, with the same quote.

http://www.playfuls.com/news_3827.html

I hope it's right though. I'd be happy.

I'm just saying that the old statement doesn't necessarily get rid of this.

[DanMarshall]

Boo to 'facts' and 'truth'

I hear the Sony PS3 will make you blind and plugs directly into your nipples.

[artwking4]

Hahaha... People, people. You'll believe anything you read on the internet, won't you? Whatever you do, please don't check your email. There's this thing called spam that people send to try to get you to give them your personal information or credit card information. No matter how tempting those penis enlargement ads may be, don't do it. I'm telling you this because I care about each and every special one of you.

[General Fuzzy McBitty]

Hahaha... People, people. You'll believe anything you read on the internet, won't you? Whatever you do, please don't check your email. There's this thing called spam that people send to try to get you to give them your personal information or credit card information. No matter how tempting those penis enlargement ads may be, don't do it. I'm telling you this because I care about each and every special one of you.

I'm just saying that Sony doesn't have much Truth credit left.

These are the people who, when wii was announced, thought the motion idea was stupid, and then ripped it off.

I don't generally believe everything I read, but Sony isn't exactly known for its honest love of customers.

[General Fuzzy McBitty]

Also consider: Consoles are becomming more complex, almost mini-pcs themselves. (Duur)

PC game companies are setting up ways to register specific games to specific people. (Half Life 2)

It isn't hard to imagine that eventually someone will try to use this method of registering with console games.

Yes, it would mess up the resale market, and the rental market, and people would be pissed... but once they got used to the idea, sales would go up.

However: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=17283

This appears to be all recent quotes.

[artwking4]

PC game companies are setting up ways to register specific games to specific people. (Half Life 2)

It isn't hard to imagine that eventually someone will try to use this method of registering with console games.

Yes, it would mess up the resale market, and the rental market, and people would be pissed... but once they got used to the idea, sales would go up.

I agree about that. I'm almost certain that this is the future of gaming, especially as digital distribution becomes more commonplace. It'll suck at first, but that's the way it's going to be.

This has been rumored before a few times, but somehow I just don't think it'll happen with the PS3 this time around. Well, at least not in the first few years. Sony still does have the "option" to do that with Blu-Ray games. They COULD wait until enough people have already bought the system and are vested in it, and then decide to do that. That would be really unforgiveably devious and evil of them. Nobody's that crazy, though. Right?

[SpiderMonkey]

This whole PS3 thing is pretty dumb. On the one hand, you have rumours without sources. On the other hand, you have "Sony denied it!" by saying something that doesn't actually deny the story at hand. (Sure, any PS3 can play any PS3 game, but the story was about Sony legally banning resales, not technologically banning them.)

[miffy495]

Me:

Hey everybody! SONY!

Crowd:

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! :hah: :hah:

Me:

Thank you, thank you.

Although despite all this, I still REALLY want to play MGS4. Those bastards.

[nsps]

I agree about that. I'm almost certain that this is the future of gaming, especially as digital distribution becomes more commonplace. It'll suck at first, but that's the way it's going to be.

This has been rumored before a few times, but somehow I just don't think it'll happen with the PS3 this time around. Well, at least not in the first few years. Sony still does have the "option" to do that with Blu-Ray games. They COULD wait until enough people have already bought the system and are vested in it, and then decide to do that. That would be really unforgiveably devious and evil of them. Nobody's that crazy, though. Right?

That's the only way they could try to get away with it. If you have the option of three consoles, two that allow you to buy used games and one that costs $500,000 in the first place, which would you cross off the list first?

[General Fuzzy McBitty]

I think that once one company decides to ditch rentals, most others will follow.

Nintendo probably wouldn't, but once a company can do it and be confident in making it through the backlash, they would likely do it.

[nsps]

But what if they don't make it through the backlash, or emerge badly bruised? Unless they're really losing money on rentals, why should Nintendo or Microsoft follow suit until they see what happens to Sony? I don't think people are going to go spend $60 on a game because they can't rent it for $5. Companies make money selling copies to rental outlets, you know.

Plus, the existing rental services might join in an anti-Sony campaign in the interest of self-preservation.

[hermes]

Nintendo probably wouldn't

Allright - everybody would want to make games a single-purchase-thingie - I mean it would them more money - simple as that.... I'm sure sony have talked about it - and also microsoft AND nintendo - it's a good business strategy - it makes more money.... Actually Nintendo had rental video-games forbidden in Japan quite a long time ago - and it still is! (I'm almost positive but I wont bother finding a source...)

The problem is twofold for these companies:

1) How to do it practically

2) How to do it without everybody hating you

Practically I think there has been talk about a license -model, where you by buying a game agrees to a license that you cannot sell it on... This is legal problematic and there is no way you could keep people from just selling it on anyway - I mean its a bit like internet-licenses - it's not really legal tender.

The other problem is of course that everybody would hate you if it was shown to be your own greedy wish. It's easy to imagine sony in this evil role right now - because Sony is basically throwing evil vibes at the public... But let me underscore, everybody would want to do it if they could... (remember money..). So it will probably come through some way or other hidden behind lobby-action or something like that ... so we'll just have to fight it ..

[nsps]

If they do this, would it mean lowering the prices of games? That's the only way I see this working out.

[miffy495]

The problem I have with the whole thing is the issue of rare collector-type games. If they couldn't have been resold, I never would have gotten my hands on things like Panzer Dragoon, Rez, Gitaroo Man, or Ikaruga. I would've missed out on these awesome experiences just because the company decided that the games will be useless to anyone else once someone has bought them. Try finding any of these games new, I dare you. If you're not into the whole "everything must be shrinkwrapped and preserved for eternity and cost hundreds of dollars" scene, used games are the best option for finding gameplay experiences you missed out on when they were new. I don't rent much, as I'd rather compile a whole bunch of free reviews than spend $7 on something that I'll probably buy later anyway if I like it, but don't take my used games away. I'd be missing out on some of the best gaming of the past generation without them.

[artwking4]

Sometimes I feel bad about buying a used game since the developer doesn't see any of that income. Sometimes. But not if the game sucks.

[Ginger]

A lot of people would factor in the profit from selling a game they brought into their decision of whether or not to purchase it. Therefore by buying pre-owned you could be seen as giving money to the developers as the original purchaser’s money going to the developer is dependent on the resale.

In some countries I think this plan could be legally very dodgy, but Sony will probably spend a small fortune pushing it through.

I agree with the point about buying pre-owned being the only way to get one's hands on those classic games that you missed first time around. I guess if all the content was downloadable as it was on steam this problem could be sidestepped.

[hermes]

There will always be a second-hand market .. also - the rumors have been dismissed..... Anyways I think a lot of people would by less new games if they couldn't sell it on...

[nsps]

Yeah, hermes and Ginger nailed the reason I thought that they'd have to lower the price: Many people plan to sell a game after owning it for a little while, especially if they aren't that wild about it.

But you say it's definitely not happening?

[-MaSQuE-]

There will always be a second-hand market .. also - the rumors have been dismissed..... Anyways I think a lot of people would by less new games if they couldn't sell it on...

I certainly think they'd buy a lot less bad games.

That's certainly what I try to do, no game that was payed with money earned by myself got sold since 1998.

[hermes]

But you say it's definitely not happening?

Well nobody knows, the factor that sony dismissed the rumor counts for nothing of course.

The main thing is that it would be next to impossible law-wise - we're talking many many different countries with different laws .. I'm not totally an expert on this subject - but I'm quite sure no amount of lobbying would change this ... because if it happened with video-games, then why not movies, and cd's AND books (and clothes and every-fucking-thing-you-could-think-of)..... There is no reason these should not be included .... So doing it with video-games would start a crazy lavine of crazyness (yes sir!)... This is simply not feasible - and what should the individual governments gain from such a thing? I know in denmark you pay VAT even for used wares (if its in a store anyway). It would result in enourmous government losses....

So I simply don't see it happening....