Sony To Patent Hardware-based DRM?

[EXCellR8]

Apparently Sony is cooking up a new method of DRM that will potentially render second-hand games unplayable... and you wouldn't be able to borrow or rent games with this DRM either if I understand this correctly.

Sony would outfit its retail game discs with radiofrequency tags and programmable memory chips. When inserted into a system, the disc would wirelessly collect unique information about the console. If someone attempted to play it on a different machine, the identifying data stored on the disc wouldn't line up and some form of block would be imposed, though the details are slim.

Seems like another bad idea to try and prevent piracy, but ultimately hurts the consumer and used game market by making games basically worthless after initial purchase. Dumb.

[zedron]

Dont see it working out as they hope though. That pretty much eliminates buying and selling used games piracy aside. I guess I wont be able to sell back my 2 weeks old game back to Game Stop for $20 any more.

[EXCellR8]

yea exactly, and let's say there's a way around it to eliminate such conditions... can't see that being exploited lol

just a really dumb idea it's almost going backwards imo

[Adrenaline]

Makes me wish MS didn't make you pay to play online... Unfortunately with this I'd still end up buying Sony, I just don't buy and sell enough used games to offset the monthly subscription to XBox Live.

[Siegler]

why can't they have an account like steam where you can only play the games you bought with a certain activation code?

[EXCellR8]

wouldn't that defeat the concept of second-hand games too? unless you could authorize a valid product code transfer or something that would basically be the same thing :/

[zedron]

why can't they have an account like steam where you can only play the games you bought with a certain activation code?

[Punisher11]

[Double R]

Meh. Companies always patent shit that never actually come to fruition. Sony would be stupid to try and actually implement this.

[Siegler]

it's also just protection so they can sue the pants off anyone that tries to make this.

[P-Spec]

Makes me wish MS didn't make you pay to play online... Unfortunately with this I'd still end up buying Sony, I just don't buy and sell enough used games to offset the monthly subscription to XBox Live.

$5 a month breaks the bank?? what are you a hobo?

[Tony_YYZ]

$5 a month breaks the bank?? what are you a hobo?

I pay like $40/year for XBL. Just don't pay retail for the subscription and you're good.

BestBuy even had it on sale for $30 here back in August.

[EXCellR8]

I remember Live for the original XBOX almost every game had a 3 month free card i made it almost a whole year using those fkn things

I wouldn't pay a dime for it today, not with 90% of the user base being 13 year olds who think their thugs. Even playing with my friends isn't worth $40/yr, not with PC/PS3 being free. Sorry buddies...

[Adrenaline]

I remember Live for the original XBOX almost every game had a 3 month free card i made it almost a whole year using those fkn things

I wouldn't pay a dime for it today, not with 90% of the user base being 13 year olds who think their thugs. Even playing with my friends isn't worth $40/yr, not with PC/PS3 being free. Sorry buddies...

This, and also after Netflix and SiriusXM I have enough monthly fees, also don't particularly like Microsoft