PSP survey hints at game rental service
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ May 20th 2009 at 12:20PM } 
Click to embiggen
A recent survey seeks consumer interest in a PSP game rental service. With the PSP Go
Depending on the terms and price, the idea of a direct rental service sounds like a potentially cost effective option for gamers during these hard economic times. Should it ever come to fruition, that is.
[Thanks, MrEverdred01!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ps360owner @ May 20th 2009 12:29PM
i think its an awesome idea i would love it.do it sony =]
charlie b. @ May 20th 2009 12:47PM
i would also like to express my fondness for this particular beer.
required @ May 20th 2009 1:28PM
love it. much smarter than a demo.
Access Granted @ May 20th 2009 6:58PM
So with this we get to play the latest and greatest the day it comes out sounds good. Count me in! I love cost effective options.
Snailking @ May 20th 2009 9:26PM
SEGA Channel for the psp.
coffins outside the door @ May 20th 2009 12:34PM
Yes, please.
Storm Eagle @ May 20th 2009 12:35PM
Oh. So it's a downloadable version of GameFly for PSP owners. I smell another lawsuit!
Duke @ May 20th 2009 12:49PM
You spoke before you thought on that one didn't you.
Storm Eagle @ May 20th 2009 12:52PM
No, I'm pretty sure I thought it out. That's why I thought it was funny. And why downvote it? Apparently whoever read it didn't think prior to performing said act. I'm not bashing the service, I think it's going to be a great thing for PSP owners. It just sounds like GameFly's available service in download form, and the last thing Sony needs is another lawsuit....even though the likelihood of that is 0. But thanks everyone!
InFaMoUs1- @ May 20th 2009 12:53PM
DUMB ASS
Last time I remember GameFly wasnt the only video game rental service.
InFaMoUs1- @ May 20th 2009 12:56PM
@Storm Eagle
"No, I'm pretty sure I thought it out. That's why I thought it was funny. And why downvote it? Apparently whoever read it didn't think prior to performing said act. I'm not bashing the service, I think it's going to be a great thing for PSP owners. It just sounds like GameFly's available service in download form, and the last thing Sony needs is another lawsuit....even though the likelihood of that is 0. But thanks everyone!"
Holy Shit! Think before you post a comment! Yes Sony is going to get sued for offering PSP game rentals through the PSN Store.. uhm hello GameTap, BlockBuster, Hollywood Video all off one or another type of video game rental or subscription service. God you one dumb mother fucker.
Storm Eagle @ May 20th 2009 12:57PM
@InFaMoUs1 Yes, I'm aware of that, thank you.
InFaMoUs1- @ May 20th 2009 12:58PM
So please explain to me how Sony is going to get hit with a law suit? For offer their games and property for rental?
Storm Eagle @ May 20th 2009 1:00PM
@inFamous1 God. IT WAS A F****ING joke! Or haven't you ever heard of one before? Why don't you stop taking things so literally? Yes, Infamous1, I REALLY think Sony is going to get sued for this new service. I was just making the connection with the recent news over their Dual Shock technology and this new service.
So again, let me reiterate my last statement:
This is going to be a good thing for PSP owners. No. I don't really believe Sony is going to get sued. No, I DONT HATE SONY. Got that? Good. I'm glad we're all friends again.
Jesus....
Black Mage @ May 20th 2009 4:03PM
@Storm Eagle If it makes you feel any better I got the joke before you had to explain it
el serpiente @ May 20th 2009 4:15PM
I got the joke, but I downvoted you anyway because it wasn't funny.
Josh @ May 21st 2009 4:53PM
Holy shit, you people are fucking uptight.
Josh @ May 20th 2009 12:40PM
*INTERESTING*
SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ May 20th 2009 12:54PM
i like that idea. i mean as long as they had up to date games on there and gave a reasonable amount of time to finish the game. and if they did a subscription thing like GameFly where you can have a certain amount of games at one time until you maybe deactivate them depending on your subscription. i'd be all for that. i mean i wouldn't want that to be the only means of getting games but it would certainly make me play more games if it was cost effective, and i would be able to give money straight to the devs instead of say Blockbuster.
great idea Sony, now run with it!
Extinction @ May 20th 2009 12:58PM
Rental service = sony not going download only
Its not rocket science, Sony cant go download only on PSP or any system, not with only like 4% of the world having broadband. PSP sells poorly enough as it is, excluding 96% of the world would make that even worse and we'd get less games as a result.
Anyone thinking PSP is going download only any time soon is a moron
Peter Moore @ May 20th 2009 2:44PM
If I'm a moron, then I don't know what the hell that makes you.
Extinction @ May 20th 2009 6:41PM
"If I'm a moron, then I don't know what the hell that makes you."
Smarter than anyone thinking Sony will go download only, and cut off 96% of the world who dont have broadband from getting games.
Selling to less people = less games being made
Sony isnt that stupid. Stop thinking they'll go download only. It's not going to happen. UMD isnt going anywhere
carg0 @ May 20th 2009 1:00PM
*old, pompous, British voice*
downloading games via internet to be played on your portable consoles?! downright preposterous! i will not tolerate such ridiculous notions of -- ZzZZzzzz ZZZzzzZzz
Enduros @ May 20th 2009 1:01PM
I'm all for this. Sounds like a great idea to me. However, since I never play any games on my PSP I won't use this service. If Sony can't get off their lazy asses and add a second joystick then I won't get off my lazy ass and buy their games. As it stands now, I only use my PSP as an mp3 player and I use the internet radio quite alot too. I still love it though.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ May 20th 2009 1:13PM
Hmmmm...depending on the price for a few days for a rental I could see the use in that....especially with the rumors of PSP going digital downloads only, it would be a good way for people to test games out before purchasing....I mean they cut out the middleman to make THEMSELVES more money....and with the content being software its going to be a little easier to control than a UMD which can simply be rented copied and sent back....
Duke @ May 20th 2009 1:17PM
Do people HAVE the ability to copy UMD's right NOW?
EncodedNybble @ May 20th 2009 1:42PM
Won't necessarily be easier to control.
The DRM schemes and time restrictions can be cracked. As long as all the bits of the game are on your machine (and you have access to those bits) anything can and (sadly) will be pirated. This is why DRM will never win and companies should start moving away from it (glad iTunes finally did away with that crap) and find a different business model to derive money from.
This rental service won't do anything to stop renting->copy->sent back.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ May 20th 2009 2:34PM
Duke its simple now to make and image file of a UMD using homebrew tech....I mean I suppose it could be easy to hack a downloaded rented title as well so that it will work indefinitely but I believe it would be more difficult. Why?? because the games could be made so that they have to gave the LATEST firmware update for them to work, which most likely would fix and holes in the code preventing the hacked game from working and even the hacked PSP from even being able to download another title for renting purposes....it will stop rent>copy>send back of game IF the game is JUST digitally distributed...
Scuffles @ May 20th 2009 2:51PM
I'm sure the number of zero day copies floating around torrent sites and PSP2 running modded software will be just as prevalent in the future as it is now with the PSP... Download only has nothing to do with curbing piracy it has everything to do with shutting down used game sales.
Personally I might mull over renting a game online but only if I already thought it was going to be really good and I didn't want to end up disappointed..... and then I'd still want a physical copy.
Honestly I will stick to my good oll UMD games until companies can prove that they aren't arbitrarily going to shelve a project and pull the authorization servers out from under their paying customers feet. Sorry if that means I won't be doing much business with you in the immediate future sony
EncodedNybble @ May 20th 2009 2:55PM
But how will your device know what the latest firmware is?
It can only do so by having an external connection to something.
So you're saying this portable device (to be used on the road and on planes, etc.) will need to access the internet every single time you want to play a game?
Doesn't seem very likely to me. If that does become reality, then I won't be buying and PSP games anymore as I'm pretty much without internet access when I play my PSP.
EncodedNybble @ May 20th 2009 3:22PM
@scuffles
You don't need PSN access after you've already bought the game to keep playing it.
If they pulled the rug out from under us, for whatever reason, your game is still on your memory stick and you can still play it.
Available for download after that time, not gonna happen, but the same could be said for games that stopped being produced. Of course, you could still buy those rare games for super crazy prices from people trying to rip you off
The current DRM structure for PSN games does not allow that concept (transferring of games from one person to another), but once you have the game, it is yours as long as you have access to those bits (which could be on a hard drive somewhere for backup too).
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ May 20th 2009 4:07PM
oh trust and believe it has VERY much to do with Curbing Piracy....Seen any hacked PSN or XBLA Titles?? If the PSP has an ALWAYS one connection via a cellphone tower(like The Amazon Kindle) then it could easily keep updated with firmware...Hell there are PLENTY of ways to keep the software from being hacked....Some Devs have already said that Used game sales aren't a big deal because its spreads word about them as a studio and their product which in turn could lead to a NEW purchase later.....
EncodedNybble @ May 20th 2009 5:10PM
Just because it hasn't been done doesn't mean it isn't possible.
Anything can be cracked if you have complete access to all the bits (which you do for PSP PSN titles at least). Now, whether or not people care enough, that's a different story.
As for always connected device, that's all fine and dandy, but it would be a dumb idea to require an internet connection to play a game, if so I'd never really be able to play a game when I travel abroad or am in a plane. I doubt the Kindle requires the connection to read books you've already downloaded as that would be pretty dumb.
I'm not saying going all PSN wouldn't curb piracy, it probably would until the DRM got cracked, but it doesn't make it pirate proof. Just to reiterate, if you have access to all the bits of a game, you can play it without needing to be verified through whatever DRM scheme.
Probably the reason why you haven't seen many PSN games pirated is 1) people don't care enough since they are smaller games that are cheap 2) no one wants to buy a PS3 SDK for 10k just to be able to crack some DRM.
I have DRM with an extreme passion as it prevents real users from doing stuff they want. I wish companies would just learn to change their business strategies to cope with the fact that DRM is expensive and doesn't work and a lose/lose scenario.
EncodedNybble @ May 20th 2009 5:18PM
doh, have = hate.
Damn you laziness!
Extinction @ May 20th 2009 6:50PM
PSN games have been pirated, both on PSP and PS3. Being downloads makes them easier to pirate actually
David Black @ May 20th 2009 1:15PM
It actually sounds like a great idea. This way, if you rent a game that has a high replay value and you want to keep it then you could just buy it off the PSN. Also, why buy a new game then flip it at Gamestop if you could just rent it from here? Way for Sony to figure out a possible way to cut out the middleman.
David Black @ May 20th 2009 1:16PM
Your slightly faster reflexes beat me to my punch. Damn you Texans!
airtoast @ May 20th 2009 4:57PM
Aha, I knew it. After I filled out the PSP survey and told them what a terrible, awful idea a subscription rental service would be, I come over here and see all the kids loving the idea. So it looks like it will be a reality then.
Why would anyone want to pay for games they won't own and yet have time constraints and obligations under which to play them? Did this idea work so well for Napster and GameTap?
No one except dedicated kids and teenagers will have time to bother with a PSP subscription service. The way to try out games should be FREE demos.
EncodedNybble @ May 20th 2009 5:25PM
Seems to work pretty well for netflix, blockbuster, game fly
TM @ May 20th 2009 5:28PM
I wonder if that is how they hope to stop piracy
Sean @ May 20th 2009 5:37PM
I wouldn't mind this if it worked similar to the tv and movie side of the store they already have. Obviously the time limit for game rentals would have to be longer than the tv/movie service, but maybe a 10 day rental for a digital copy of a game would work. It would depend an awful lot on the price for the rental period.
j.howlett @ May 20th 2009 6:22PM
sounds workable but i don't like subscription based services for things like games and music.
Extinction @ May 20th 2009 6:43PM
"Seen any hacked PSN or XBLA Titles??"
On PSP, every PSN title has been pirated.
On PS3, some PSN titles were pirated via PS3 proxy and game sharing
EncodedNybble @ May 20th 2009 7:14PM
Thank you for proving my point.
Having all the bits on your machine means you have the game.
Removing the DRM is just a matter of time and DRM is really no ones friend.
You guys should read some rms docs, he's pretty smart but a little crazy, but he's right.
EncodedNybble @ May 20th 2009 7:25PM
well, not prove as it is just your words for now, but, assuming you are telling the truth, it is proof :) My point being that PSN titles are crackable and DRM sucks :)
Techway @ Aug 3rd 2009 6:52AM
I'm selling GameHire.com at auction, if anyone is interested.
https://auctions.godaddy.com/trpItemListing.aspx?miid=25851518
Techway @ Aug 3rd 2009 6:54AM
Forgot to mention. Just over 4 days left.