A newly discovered patent by
NeoGAF user gofreak has re-kindled rumours that Sony might be looking into suppressing second-hand video game sales, something retailers like EB Games or US equivalent GameStop rely so heavily on. The patent was originally filed on the 9th of December last year, and details a method that could possibly stop used games from being played without any form of Internet connection.
In order to resolve the above-described problems, an electronic content processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a use permission apparatus provided for use in a recording medium that stores electronic content for a user of the electronic content; a medium drive configured to read the electronic content from the recording medium; and a reproduction device configured to reproduce the electronic content read by the medium drive. The medium drive has a security management unit configured to read from the recording medium an article ID that is an ID of the electronic content or the recording medium. The reproduction device has a security management unit configured to convey a reproduction entity ID, which is a reproduction device ID or a user ID, together with the article ID read by the medium drive to the use permission apparatus when the electronic content is to be reproduced.
The use permission apparatus includes: a use condition storage for storing a use condition that defines an attribute of an entity accessible to the electronic content; and a determining unit for determining whether or not a combination of the article ID and the reproduction entity ID conveyed from the reproduction device fulfills the use condition. The security management unit of the reproduction device determines a reproduction mode of the electronic content based on a decision result as to whether or not the combination thereof fulfills the use condition.
While the above text may seem like gibberish to some, the patent outlines that the system will use RF tags to determine whether the game has been played previously, and if so, makes it impossible to play. This new system could see the second-hand gaming scene pretty much deplete, however so far it is purely rumoured as to whether Sony's next-gen console will actually use it. Previously Sony has patented ideas, however has never acted on them so time will tell. The next Sony and Microsoft consoles are expected to debut at this years E3, so stay tuned to AusGamers for more.
For those looking for more information, you can browse the full patent
over here. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below on what this might mean for next-gen consoles, good or bad.
Posted 03:31pm 04/1/13
Then on the other hand i see how hard these EB c**** jew everyone with their second hand market buying for nothing more or less and selling sometimes quite a lot and would like to see them burn for it
Posted 03:46pm 04/1/13
Posted 03:46pm 04/1/13
Anyway in the end it is the consumer who opts to choose to buy used games from EB.
Posted 03:53pm 04/1/13
Posted 04:27pm 04/1/13
Posted 04:32pm 04/1/13
Posted 04:45pm 04/1/13
I think technically you could sell your account with steam which basically is that what you're asking for in bulk?
Posted 05:17pm 04/1/13
Posted 05:22pm 04/1/13
It's not written in law that valve is an exception (in precedent or in some legal bs).
Posted 05:22pm 04/1/13
Posted 05:23pm 04/1/13
Much prefer to walk through public transport all day with NFC receiver accepting $1 payments from everyone with a NFC enabled swipe card/NFC phone with linked card.
Posted 06:13pm 04/1/13
Even then, it locks out multiple account house-holds...
Posted 07:06pm 04/1/13
When you buy software, you never actually own the software though do you? You just get a license to use it, so all you really 'own' is the physical medium, and this wouldn't stand in the way of you re-selling the physical medium, its just the license to use it that isn't transferrable, so I think it'd be a tricky thing to test under law.
If this went through, I can see there being something like if you pick up the game secondhand you can authenticate it and buy a license to play it from Sony for $xx, like the current system where they bundle those one time use codes with new games and if you buy it secondhand you can buy the code online for $10. That way they're still getting their cut and allowing games to be passed onto your friends or whatever, while still putting a damper on retail second hand game sales cos people aren't going to want to buy it from EB/Gamestop at a ridiculous price, then pay again when they get it home.
Posted 07:24pm 04/1/13
You own the right to use the software. They recently (rightly imo) ruled in Germany that making this non-transferable was bulls***.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57465746-92/eu-court-sale-of-used-software-licenses-is-just-fine/
If you sell someone a software license its a non-tangible asset and should be transferable under right of first sale, the same way you can sell a book or a movie. This sort of bulls*** shenanigans gives software development a bad name.
Posted 09:06pm 04/1/13
Posted 10:47pm 04/1/13
I WOULD like the capacity to 'on-sell' my software licences (esp in systems like steam)
S***, I'd be happy enough if they'd allow me to at least 'loan/transfer' them (y'know, like you used to as a kid, 'borrow your mates games'...)
Posted 10:47pm 04/1/13
Posted 11:45pm 04/1/13
It's been proven time and again (DVD/Bluray/HdDVD), if the decryption mechanism is in the hardware you are just giving smart people the way to get around it.
Posted 08:08am 05/1/13
Posted 12:13pm 05/1/13
Posted 12:25pm 05/1/13
Halo 4 made $300 million in its opening week. The game market is not struggling.
Posted 01:48pm 05/1/13
Posted 01:50pm 05/1/13
Posted 09:13pm 05/1/13
Posted 11:52am 08/1/13
Right of first sale is: In a nutshell, the giant corporatroxes are trying their damndest to make it so that you definitely do not own stuff you buy; that it is merely licensed to you under conditions that they dictate.
It's not clear (yet) what effect this case will have here in Australia - not sure how, or if, the Free Trade Agreement will deal with this stuff - but it is a scary thing.