Sony ponders destruction of used game market [Update 1]

I have been a long time sony supporter and even after all of the BS we've been hearing i will STILL buy a PS3 just because I have faith left in this company..... however, if they institute some kind of "I cant trade, sell, or loan my game after I buy it" technology then I will throw my playstation out of the top of a large building and hope it lands on Kens head.

I swear if they pull some idiotic thing like this they will go up in a mushroom cloud as a company! After all the other dissapointments they have louded on all our shoulders this would be the final slap in the face! Its almost like they are trying to figure out how to lose the next-gen war

Sony have already said they won't do this. GG internet hyteria.

I have a feeling that if Sony did impliment this "feature" that it would be struck down in court.

do you realize how many times this story has come up over the past six months only to be knocked back down by sony again and again?

Must be summer time. Reiterating BS doesn't make it a good news. Or maybe this one was supposed to go on ps3basher.com

I think Sony should implement this feature. People keep stealing my copy of Final Fantasy X and playing it on their PS2s. This happens while I'm asleep, and since the game is always returned to me before I wake up, I have absolutely no evidence to support this assumption, but it is a grave injustice toward me and it needs to stop!

Btw, Microsoft is doing this on the XBOX!!! XBOX Live Arcade games can only be played on the machine where originally downloaded. If you change your hardware you have to stay online with your gamer tag to play the game.

It's funny reading this blog and also checking out xbox.joystiq.com. The tones of each are starkly different. The updates and comments on the 360 site are more celebratory, more uplifted. Whereas the updates and comments on this blog seem defeated and oppressed. Where the 360 has an excited buzz around it, the ps3 more and more seems to have its fanboys wincing with what announcement is going to come next.

I have loved my ps2 through the many years I have owned it, and I was also saving up for buying the ps3 when it comes out. However, given the way Sony is handling everything, I am thinking I am just going to hold out until Msoft figures out what they are doing with the 360 and HD-DVD and buy that...

Old fake news are so exciting.

Nick Doerr, with all due respect (please don't give me a negative star for this), are you a n00b? LOL, I'm sorry, it's just that this story had been debunked a long time ago. I know old news isn't a problem when blogged about, but when *fake* news is blogged about, especially if it is done twice on the same news (long time after the first one), then there is a problem. Just constructive criticism :)

ytybtm, I think Xbox 360 fanboy has way too many PS3 news. Perhaps they need to do it....

Anyway, Night Elve, you forgot the !!!! signs! lol

Old fake news is so exciting!!!

If this happens, it'll probably knock Sony completely out, though I think it's just hopeful rumour mongering by supporters of the opposition!

Hehe, this particular rumour was knocked down quite some time ago anyway but hey Sony has lied before. :D

All you hoodlums who believed in that Spring release date got what you deserved.

I dont know why you all keep saying its fake news. Have you even looked to see that the patent is real?? Go ahead and look at the U.S. Patent office website and search for Patent #6816972. If they decide to use it or not at any given point is mute because it is there if they want it. Anyone who still beleives a word Sony says is in denial. How many lies does it take before you see the light??? I dont think they would be that stupid as to use something like this on PS3 but the way they are running things there I wouldnt be suprised if they said you had to buy a new game every 12 months because they expire after a given time. I also agree with the above poster about the atmosphere of this site compared to 360fanboy. Its as if there are a few battered fanboys left huddled in a corner here fighting an angry mob compared to the 360 site where everyone is excited about the games and hardware. Im done with this site until the PS3 comes out and i see for myself if Sony pulls the reserve chute and survives or just keeps on going right to the ground.

Thank you, Sonyguy. Everyone else, I've added the patent link so you can see I actually look for things that are real. Whether it gets used to the full extent of the patent, somewhat, or at all is up to Sony. The fact remains -- it exists and it may get utilized. It may not.

Oh, and boots, no worries. No negative stars will streak across your sky tonight!

Honestly I am so sick and tired of hearing these video game publishers whining about how they are losing money, and how people buying used video games is one of the big reasons. How have Atari, Activision, Nintendo, EA, and others stayed in business all these years because people have been selling the video games they buy after they finish them. Second there are allot more gamers out there, they have to be selling a lot more copies of all these games so they are making more money. This is a load of crap, these companies are run by greedy money hungry CEOs that see this as a way to generate more cash for themselves. But it is not just the video games, the RIAA is trying to get rid of first sale rights of the consumer also.

Since we consumers purchase these used video games the developers do not see any of that money, publishers are missing out on the chance to sell another copy of their video game for $40 to $60. So all morning long I was thinking about for quite a while, I finally came up with a response to the video game publishers. I feel that if video game publishers follow these simple concepts I think it would drastically reduce the number of consumers that feel that they would not get any further value of a video game and sell it.

First off, and you would think that this should go with out saying but, after playing some truly awful games I feel it needs to be said. Create good video games. After watching X-Play now for over two years I am still amazed at how few games get the rating of 5 out of 5 or even 4 out of 5. Games should be easy to play, look good, sound good, the computer AI should be reasonably intelligent, and have some sort of interesting story line. Camera angles should have some planning put into them. The controls should be responsive, and sprite collision should be honed as close to perfection as possible. And this whole new idea of not testing as much so you can save even more money is crap also.

Second and this is just as equally important. Develop a strong multi player mode with in the game. If this is a game that I can play through on my own then share the experience with others I am much more likely to keep the game instead of trading it in. This means that the game should support split screen, system link, and online game play. I should be able to play through the single player story mode but this time able to share the experience with friends. I should be able to play head to head with a variety of different game types. Halo 2 was released over two years ago and still a group of friends and myself get together every other month and play for an evening, while other games, I have played and traded in within a couple of weeks. Lets face it playing a game by yourself is fun for a week maybe two at the most. If you can share that experience with someone you can keep coming back and playing over and over again. Truly great multi player games are played until the system life is over or until the next version of the game comes out.

If you create a great video game, especially one that has a great multi player mode, publishers need to keep the game fresh and exciting. Put out new content new maps, new weapons, missions, and new characters. You really should give some of this content away, but charge for some new content also. Free content gives consumers the feeling that they are getting something extra on their original investment. But since all their friends will be online playing the content that you have to pay for, they will want to buy it as well. New content should be distributed every three to four months until the next version of the game is available for sale. Release new content a month before the new version comes out so that excitement is built for the new version. This will give publishers one last infusion of profit before the game is put out to pasture.

Games need to have more content. I have not played the new Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legends, but from what I have read on web forms and blogs it can be played through in an afternoon. If I laid down $60 and was through the game in an afternoon I would feel ripped off, especially if the game does not have a strong multi player mode. And publishers wonder why people want to sell the game to get some money back? A good example of large amounts of content is the Grand Theft Auto series, there is enough content in that game for the player to play for many enjoyable nights. The new Marios Brothers for the Nintendo DS is suppose to have 88 levels in it, enough to keep gamers up late at night for weeks. I swore I would never buy another EA game after buying Tiger Woods Golf for the Xbox 360 only to find out it has half the courses that the original Xbox had! And on top of that I had to pay $10 more. Madden 2006 for the Xbox 360 also had less content then the original Xbox plus was $10 more to purchase! This is wrong and when consumers feel ripped off one of the first things they do is sell the game to try to get back some of the money they feel they have been robbed of.

Finally gamers feel that games are getting too expensive. We see game publishers taking money from companies for in game advertising, then the money they charge us for the game itself, then they are right away looking for you to pay for downloadable content. In game advertising is not a bad thing, as long as it is not obnoxious like Fight Night 2006 and Burger King. Small things like seeing a Nokia phone ad on a computer screen in Splinter Cell:Chaos Theory, or a Dodge truck sign in Ghost Recon:Advance Warfighter are perfectly fine with me. I am more likely to purchase these products knowing that they are helping support an industry that I enjoy. Second they have to option to make some more money on micro transactions now and sell extra content for the game.

While I will concede that there must be allot of gamers who pirate games and that this is a direct problem that consumers are to blame for, I know that part of the reason I have to pay $40 to $60 for a game is because of piracy. But I think the majority of us gamers believe in supporting the industry and do not mind paying a fair price for the entertainment that we enjoy so much.

In short consider dropping the price and you will probably sell more games for a little bit less money and you will mostly likely come out with a better bottom line. I have said it time and time again, if the game is fun people will buy it. If the game has lots of replay ability with in it such as multi player and unlockables people will hold onto the game longer. The other thing these publishers should consider is just creating five or six great games a year instead of cranking out one or two great games and then fifteen mediocre or crappy games.

Boots, right now this is a rumor and possibly fake news. But there is a possibility that Sony could make this as part of one of their firmware upgrades a few months down the road, look at what they do with their PSP firmware. I am not saying they are going to do it, but when they apply for the patent, that tells me that they are at least thinking about doing it or there are those in the Sony organization that want to do that.

Just becayse Sony has a patent on something doesn;t mean they will use it. People patent shit all the time and hope they can make money off of it later. Sony especially won't slap this into a PS3 so close to launch. This makes zero sense from any perspective.

I'm sorry Nick. It's just that I thought this was a repeat of fake... a stupid preconception! Sorry...

Anyway, it's almost obvious that this would be another shot in Sony's foot if they do implement this feature.

Yeah, everyone, cut my homeboy some slack. The PS3 used patent issue is still prevalent and, although it has been discussed before, just got picked up by the LA Times for discussion.

As the PlayStation 3 launch draws near, much like what happened with every console launch before them (including the Xbox 360), everything becomes overtly scrutinized, and this is just part of the process. You may notice a difference in tone b/w the two fanboy blogs -- PS3 and Xbox 360 -- and there are two valid reasons:

(1) One console has been out for a year, the other is about to launch, and
(2) The PR statements by one company have been notoriously more absurd

Sony has a big mouth and has talked arrogance and taken big risks with the PlayStation 3. Whether they become successful has yet to be seen (probably, but at a loss of greater market share -- then again, if the community builds slow, who cares? The damn thing is "future proof," right?). Is it Sony's Nintendo 64? (i.e. a console that does well but predates a tragic fall to a company whose corporate philosophy surpasses its value.)

We'll find out soon enough. But for now, cut the fanboy blog some slack -- one can still be critical at the company its supposed to adore. It's just tough love.

Booyakasha,
The Rosco Abides

(joystiq.com -- shameless plug!)

Oh please Ross!

Joystiq and Ps3 fanboy just doesnt want to say anything positive about the Ps3 because its uncool to do anything but hate on Sony. I find it utterly ridiculous that bloggers around the internet have picked out the Ps3 as their hate object #1. Especially since the damn thing is not even released yet. And no there was not the same amount of flaming about the 360. And no there is not the same amount of negative press about the Wii.

And please oh please direct me to a link were Sony is acting oh so arrogant. Is it the pricing again? Just compare the price to what this hardware would cost if it was sold as a desktop and then you will see why they say its cheap.

I know Joystiq wants to be a part of the I play retro games, its all about the gameplay, graphics sux, i hate sony, 8 bit ruels emo teenager wannabe crap crowd but seriously grow up. If you hate powerfull and open hardware so much go buy a gameboy micro and STFU.

How about insted you let Ps3 fanboy BE Ps3FANBOY and report something positive for a change? Theres lots of good news out there if you look.

Instead of reporting what people who come here want to read about you go out of your way to find some old or some beaten to death topic so you can come off as critical bloggers.

How about instead you give praise to Sony for choosing OPEN technology!?!? How about that!??!? Is this too big of a word? Or is it that buying Microsoft branded hardware is so cool? How about the fact that you can ALLREADY buy a 200Gb 2.5" HDD that will fit in your Ps3 and not some expensive propitary piece of crap like oh say 100$ for 20 Gb wtf..

Bur yeah just keep on bashing Ive come to find this site hilarious because of it. Commenters like Cage and Sputnik make me laugh. But yeah keep on bashing, you know we gotto bash the ones on top just because they are on top. It doesnt really matter what quality the product has we just have to bash it!!!1 lol

It's been confirmed already that Sony is not going to kill the used games market. The one thing that makes me feel a little better about a patent like this existing is the time of its filing. The patent was filed MORE THAN SIX YEARS AGO! It took four years to be approved, which makes it seem a little more relevant to the PS3 than it probably should.

Fan-

The responsibility of this blog, as I see it, is to report the good and the bad. They dont make the news.

It is the responsibility of the news makers (Sony and game developers) to give them some good news to report. If there is so much good news out there as you claim then submit it to them! or post it in a comments thread so we can see it!

Now one has commented on what this would do to services like GameFly or Blockbuster game rental. Certainly, this would face all kinds of opposition from them and Game retailers for cutting into their revenue streams.

I for one cannot afford to pay 60+ dollars to try a game that I may or may not like. I rent everything I intend to buy from GameFly first then pay the Keep it Price if I wish to add it to my collection.

e-dstribution means the death of used game sales...

i didnt read any of the comments above, so if its a repeated comment just ignore :-D

I never said they make or even report the news. Its a blog, people write about their feelings and stuff.

I used to submit a bunch of news to both joystiq and ps3fanboy but I quit. But news isnt that hard to come by.

Like some new ss from Motorstorm:
http://www.playfrance.com/news-images-motorstorm-de-l-interieur.html

Anyway people need to stop beeing so negative. Ive seen NOTHING to be negative about except that its expensive.

So much denial. Are these commentors suggesting that we should turn a cheek to Sony's blunders? You must consider that Sony is bringing the negative press mostly by themselves. If Nintendo or Microsoft screws up, we hear about it too, you know.

To me, Sony had problems well before any PS3 announcements or recent PR blunders.

You can love a console and/or its games, but that doesn't mean you have to like the company that builds it. This isn't SONYFANBOY.COM after all.

What blunders are you refering to? The console is not even out yet and people are complaining that sony is fucking up, wtf? Am I the only man who ses the stupidity in this?

Hey Sony you fucked up the Ps3!
But its not even out yet, how do you know we fucked it up?

OH WAIT! You mean they fucked up the marketing!? Then I understand! Well Suicide Ninja I dont buy consoles because of marketing but I guess you do.

Fan-

HUGE HUGE numbers of people by things because of marketing. If that wasnt the case it wouldnt exist.

Fanboys are the exception and are far from the rule.