According to sources this afternoon, Microsoft’s next console will require a constant internet connection just to be able to play games and will – crucially – dispense with the ability to run pre-owned (or, presumably) rented games.
It’s a damning article that will no doubt instantly put some potential owners off the console. It claims that whilst games will be available to buy physically (on 50 GB Blu-rays) the discs will come with one-time activation codes and won’t work past whoever plays them first.
It’s not made clear whether prospective second hand owners can pay their way to re-activate an already activated game, although it’s assumed that this will be the case.
Edge say that the next Xbox will be “absolutely committed to online functionality”.
Whilst the article remains confident, it’s unlikely that this will actually come to fruition. At worst, it’s likely to be an option that publishers can go for – dropping restrictions like this on every single game makes literally no sense to consumers. We’ll see soon enough.
Both new consoles, the PS4 and the Xbox 720, are highly likely to come with motion control in the box. The Xbox will obviously feature a new Kinect revision, whilst Sony’s platform will probably come with the dual camera array we’ve seen hinted at several times recently.
Sony is expected to showcase the PS4 in just two weeks. Sony have already filed a patent that deals with pre-owned games via a clever tagging mechanism.
CR8ZYH0RSE
You know Valve are just laughing pissing themselves hoping these rumours are true.
Kris Lipscombe
Don’t Valve already have exactly these restrictions on Steam? It’s just that it’s done well so no-one minds. Or is there an offline mode that works properly?
djhsecondnature
People do mind though, it’s just a) there’s not much choice and b) the games are considerable cheaper.
Kris Lipscombe
Some people mind but there’s not the same backlash as you get against other DRM solutions on the PC.
CR8ZYH0RSE
That just shows you what i know then.I didn’t know that was the case but as @djhsecondnature says “the games are considerably cheaper”,hence less fuss.
ron_mcphatty
I think there was stacks of fuss at the beginning, remember the Half-Life 2 installing/unlocking fiasco where some people were waiting hours for the unlocking to take place? I think after that Steam really listened to and engaged with their customers, none of the Singstar style stone-walling, and have deservedly gotten a good reputation for the way they run their business. Plus the low prices are always welcome :)
Kris, any idea who put the willy under my TSA name?
kjkg
Amazing McPhatty. Love how it links to your own personal drawing.
hazelam
for downloadable games, steams drm is one of the more user friendly incarnations.
but they lock disc games to a single user, something i am totally opposed to.
having possession of the disc should be all the proof that’s needed that i own the game
matthangzhou
As someone who has an unreliable Internet connection. Always on DRM would stop me from buying on altogether. Look at the debacle that was Australia and Diablo 3.
hazelam
i think you know my thoughts on this if it proves to be true.
if either of those are implemented
one thing i do wonder though, if these anti preowned systems come into play, will ea still include online passes?
hazelam
if either of those are implemented, i won’t be buying.
forgot to finish that sentence before hitting post, that’s what happens when you’re eating, watching a quiz show and reading the site at the same time. ^_^
Starman
Of course there is the possibility of codes not working (this happened to me with gran Turismo academy ed) or missing. Its already happened this gen with Arkham City, Rocksmith etc.. How annoyed are you going to be when you buy a new game only to find the activation code doesn’t work and you have to mess about emailing support.
igotmy9milli
So yo wouldn’t be able to take the game to a mates and play? That would be pretty lame.
The Lone Steven
MS would be commiting sucide if this is true as all Sony have to do is just say “yeah, we don’t have that always online DRM”. PC gamers tend to despise that kind of DRM so i suspect Xbox gamers will loathe it and abandon them. Plus, what happens if the Xbox’s online system goes down? Would you lose all access to your games? If MS are doing it because they know Steam can get away with that DRM, they may want to consider the fact that Steam has low prices so people don’t mind it.
Kris Lipscombe
To be fair if Microsoft were going to do it it’d likely be because it was being forced on them by pubs, putting Sony in the same situation.
xdarkmagician
thats how I see it, if one is going to do it they’ll all do it. A person would like to think that one company would choose not to have it as a selling point, but publishers would probably stop supporting them because they don’t have drm when everybody else does.
xdarkmagician
Let them include their DRM, and ban used game sales, they’ll have to go to court to do it. There are laws that prohibit companies from preventing someone from using something they paid for. And when they do go to court then they’ll finally be exposed, the illegal terms of service, the spyware, the excessive tax loopholes they use during development, selling broken games… all of these things will finally be addressed in a court. If the gaming industry wants to take DRM universal next gen they’re going to be in for the fight of their lives, I can already smell the class action lawsuits burning torches.
Motalla
From what I read, I get the impression that a lot of our community aren’t to keen on jumping to ps4 from day 1. The TSA should change it subtitle to “we know ps3” instead :-)