GameStop Corp. Message Board
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Sony's PS4: patent and used games
It's amusing how various blogs chose to interpret the patent Sony has filed in the most speculative of ways -- its relation to used games resale. The RFID (NFC) chip to be embedded into the media (bluray, etc) will allow the console, or more precisely the remote server communicating with the console over the Internet, to authenticate the disk. Thus, the disk will serve as proof of authenticity (patent calls it "permission tag"). A technology on which this authentication is based can be PUF (Physical Unclonable Function) or a cryptographic key.
While it's possible that Sony MAY choose to use the RFID tag to _permanently_ link the physical media to an online account, it is insanely speculative.
It's plausible that Sony will use the tag to simply ensure that no pirated copies of the game enter circulation since cloning the physical tag is much harder than copying digital content alone. Additionally, even if one wanted to link the RFID tag to a particular online account, then it should also be possible to un-link it prior to resale. All it means is that at any given time, there can only be one account linked to a particular RFID tag.-
Sony's PS4 launch was a total confirmation they are playing a game of chicken with Microsoft to be the first to announce "no used games" each afraid the other will not follow suite and leave the other high and dry. LOL My new laptop has more impressive specs that than thing!
Sentiment: Strong Buy
- 2 Replies to somelooneyperson
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You know the chairman, or whoever it was from Sony, was very evasive about the used game issue and I believe he left it at something like the technology is there (blocking that is) and it would up to developers to make use of it. Pretty shrewd if that is the case. Moves the blame somewhat away from them and it's the devs that think this would help them the most.
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Sony and Microsoft both recognize that anti-used game measures at this point would be too anti-consumer so they are going the route of promoting digital distribution and streaming as a way to cut out some of the losses they incur from used game sales and capture higher margins.
Your laptop does not have better specs. I doubt your laptop is running an 8-core 64-bit CPU and a GPU that runs 1.84 TFLOPS....
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Everyone seems to be overlooking, intentionally or otherwise, the fact that serialization of the discs (what everyone's calling "anti used games" tech) has the clear capability of NOT blocking used games from being played as well - and, in fact, provides a clear benefit of allowing developers to make a percentage of money from used sales where they currently see none.
Another huge benefit is that the added money made from used games will fuel further development and add-ons which can also be activated with used games.
However, nobody wants to hear a story about a house NOT burning down, and "analysts" love to wait around with a gas can.
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