As we reported last night, Knack is now available to pre-order through the SEN Store, and if you look further into that – in the description – you’ll notice a bit of small print regarding how many accounts you can play the game on.
One-time license fee for play on purchasing account’s designated, primary PS4™ system and other PS4™ systems when signed in with purchasing account.
So that means you can’t share the game with your friends or family members, as you were able to on PS3, at least not unless you want them using your account to play the game, but you will be able to play the game on any PS4, just as long as you’re signed into your main account before you do so.
Essentially then, you’ll only have one system able to play the game on all accounts, rather than the current two you have with PS3, which was recently reduced from five. It’s actually quite similar to how the Xbox 360 currently works in this regard.
It makes a lot of sense, though if you’re planning to buy two or three PS4s for different family members, then you might have to rethink things when it comes to sharing – you’ll all have to use the same account to play these games.
What do you think? It seems that this new system is great in certain ways – as you’ll be able to play your games on any PS4 – but also a hinderance if you’re planning to have multiple PS4s in your household.
UPDATE: Oddly, it also says “One-time license fee for downloads to up to 2 console systems that are associated with the purchasing account.” which could mean that you’re able to use the game on all accounts on two systems, or it could just be leftover terms from the PS3 era, as it contradicts the previous part, and this same section appears in the terms for current games including Tomb Raider.
Gamoc
Identical to the Xbox One’s model as well isn’t it?
lacerz
Ugh… people.
“One-time license fee for play on purchasing account’s designated, primary PS4™ system and other PS4™ systems when signed in with purchasing account.”
This has already been covered. You can designate ONE PS4 as your primary. As the primary, all accounts can play your games using your account. If you want a secondary console, anyone wanting to play your games will need to use your account. The console designated as the primary is the family console.
lacerz
Sorry, the above should have said “As the primary, all accounts can play your games using their account.”
Kamokazi-UK
It was bound to happen. A few people won’t like it and kick up a stink. I’m OK with this though.
Voolar
Buy a boxed copy and you can lend it around.
jimmy-google
I still buy boxed wherever possible. I’ve certainly got no plans to buy a second ps4 anytime soon anyway
Death_489
https://store.sonyentertain…
That’s for ps3 . It says ” One-time license fee for downloads to up to 2 console systems that are associated with the purchasing account ”
Same goes for knack .
https://store.sonyentertain…
Except that there is a new feature where you can put your account in any console and play any game from your account as long you signed in .
That’s what i understood .
Yahavage
Ugh, this sucks. Me and my partner have seperate playstations and seperate accounts. One of the great things about getting download games was that we could both play online together with games we’d only purchased once. Of course it makes business sense, but we don’t suddenly have money to start buying two copies of games so… bleh. If anything we’d now be discouraged from buying from psn store, as in the past we’ve purchased things on the basis of ‘oh, co-op!’ or online play.
I know you have this issue with physical media, my point is this was one thing encouraging us to make digital purchases.
Oh well!
jimmy-google
You still as I understand it. The main console can be signed in as anyone and the other console needs to be the person that bought it. It’s when you go over 2 that you have an issue
Yahavage
Ooooo right. Oh well, hope that is the case! That’s what I get for reading articles on the sly at work :/ lol
Joshua Hood
You could still buy the game on account A, then log into account B on the PS4 it was purchased on, as well as account A on the other PS4, and that would still work, surely?
a inferior race
That’s how I read it, will need to be confirmed that it works that way though
XisTG
Kind of a bother, as me and a friend lend each other PSN games. Just another nail in the digital coffin :)
KeRaSh
Does this imply that you have to be online to play your downloaded game? How else would they verify is the account is not already signed in and playing the game at the same time? What about PSN outages? :/
jimmy-google
Probably on a second console so you are signed in but if you can play on any user on the main console the download could be digitally stamped so you don’t need to be online
KeRaSh
Ah, makes sense. Thanks!
TSBonyman
Not encouraging for digital purchasers who want to share their games but i’l lbe sticking with discs mostly anyway.
Stefan L
Well between this crappy move and the inevitably crazy online pricing we’ll no doubt continue to see, I’m quite glad we’ve still got discs.
Steam’s Family Sharing might currently be pointless, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.
Console manufacturers need to get a grip.
Tuffcub
Yes they do, and counter the massive losses they make by stopping people “sharing” games to complete unknowns across the internet. This makes perfect sense.
robcam73
Also it states clearly “One-time license fee for downloads to up to 2 console systems that are associated with the purchasing account.”
Which suggests you can use on two systems as you currently can. Please read WHOLE terms before reporting falsly
Bilbo_bobbins
I’m sure I read somewhere you can use two systems??? Are you sure this is correct people?
robcam73
It is not correct.
“One-time license fee for downloads to up to 2 console systems that are associated with the purchasing account.”
Bilbo_bobbins
I’ve just seen you comment above. I think this might be incorrect, well I hope it is. It was a while ago but I’m sure they confirmed what you said.
Blair Inglis
That looks standard leftover terms from PS3 titles – a lot of them say that too. Might be correct, but contradicts what’s previously said so seems like a copy and paste to me.