Third Party Publishers Could Bring Restrictions to PS4

[StewShearerOld]

Third Party Publishers Could Bring Restrictions to PS4

The PS4 may support used games, but third party publishers don't have to.

It was the shot heard around the gaming world. The Xbox One would be $499 and filled to the brim with consumer restrictions while the <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124815-PS4-Will-Not-Block-Used-Games-or-Require-an-Online-Connection>PS4 would be $399 and restriction free. Sony announced it to cheers and in one fell swoop stole the show at E3. Symbolic victories aside, the picture may not be as perfect as presented. Sony has revealed that, though it doesn't condone such actions itself, there is nothing to stop third party publishers from bringing DRM to PS4 versions of their software.

"Technically, they could do something," said Sony exec Scott Rohde, speaking to Polygon. Even with the option present however, Rohde doesn't think publishers will attempt software restrictions on the PS4. "All those publishers were sitting in [our] press conference last night," said Rohde. "When Jack, punch after punch after punch, and the house almost came down with all the cheers, they heard that. They heard it loud and clear and they saw the reaction to what our friends in green talked about. I think it's pretty clear that we've set a nice precedent."

You couldn't blame some gamers for not sharing Rohde's confidence. It is not secret that many in the game industry are paid online passes, that said, you can safely bet that if publishers can enact DRM that someone will probably try.

Source: <a href=www.polygon.com/2013/6/14/4426656/publishers-bringing-xbox-one-like-limitations-to-ps4-would-be>Polygon

Note: The original article neglected to mention Sony's stance against online passes for PS4. We have added that in.

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[ScrabbitRabbit]

This is to be expected. Online Passes were console DRM, after-all. If the Xbox One manages to set a precedent then I can see several PS4 requiring serial codes to play the single player, too. Still, I'm not sure they'd be able to incorporate a "phone home" system like the Xbone uses. Maybe.

 

[Dark Knifer]

snip

Slight spelling mistake, in your link you say xbox one and ps3, thought that might help.

OT: In theory, but sony doesn't seem too open to that option so it might be rather difficult.

 

[StewShearerOld]

snip

Slight spelling mistake, in your link you say xbox one and ps3, thought that might help.

OT: In theory, but sony doesn't seem too open to that option so it might be rather difficult.

Psh... I don't know what E3 you were watching but Jack Tretton totally said "PS3."

Thanks for the help!

 

[Frostbite3789]

Just like they can to the PC. And PS3. And Xbox 360. Non-news is non-news.

 

[Dreadman75]

Well that's certainly unfortunate. It's nice to see Sony sticking to it's guns but hearing what could be a reality like this is sobering.

I suppose the best we can hope for right now is that the third-party devs out there will wise up and listen to their consumers on this point. It's a long shot but hey, crazier things have happened before right?

 

[thethird0611]

Isnt this exactly what Xbox is doing? "Oh, you can have used games, but its up to the publishers if they are going to allow it."?

So that means that there should be just the hostility towards Sony as there is to Microsoft... lets hope this so called equality that is talked about in R&P is used here to.

 

[Doclector]

This is to be expected. Online Passes were console DRM, after-all. If the Xbox One manages to set a precedent then I can see several PS4 requiring serial codes to play the single player, too. Still, I'm not sure they'd be able to incorporate a "phone home" system like the Xbone uses. Maybe.

Pretty much this. Technically, they could do something like asking that you sign up to an online service of their own then only allowing you to play if you were logged in, even in a single player game.

But this isn't sony's fault, technically, they could do the exact same thing on any console. Point is, while sony's trying to avoid the problem, microsoft is outright worsening it.

Also, the guy has a point. Publishers would be stupid to ignore the reaction that the DRM/used games issues on consoles have gotten.

TLR this isn't sony saying they're giving the option for such things. It's sony saying that they can't really do much to stop publishers trying to pull their own tricks.

 

[BrotherRool]

What Sony is saying is third-party publishers have exactly as much opportunity as they did with the PS3. They kept off then and with all Sony's positive buzz, hopefully we're as likely to be able to keep them off now

Isnt this exactly what Xbox is doing? "Oh, you can have used games, but its up to the publishers if they are going to allow it."?

So that means that there should be just the hostility towards Sony as there is to Microsoft... lets hope this so called equality that is talked about in R&P is used here to.

The difference is Microsoft have provided anti-used game support and said 'you can use this if you want' and Sony have done none of that but have said they can't stop publishers forcing you to sign up with some random website and tie an account to their online system, as they couldn't with the PS3. That's still a very different thing and is a lot less evil on Sony's part

 

[Andy Shandy]

So basically, it's exactly the same as the PS3.

And with EA dropping online passes, there aren't really many big publishers using them any more. The only one I can think is Ubisoft.

At least it hasn't been misinterpreted in this article like has been in other places.

 

[Baldr]

So basically, it's exactly the same as the PS3.

And with EA dropping online passes, there aren't really many big publishers using them any more. The only one I can think is Ubisoft.

At least it hasn't been misinterpreted in this article like has been in other places.

No, 3rd Party publishers are allowed to go beyond online passes, Sony is allowing them to use any DRM they want.

 

[Elamdri]

I mean, this is a reality that every platform has to face. PC has been dealing with this for a long time. The publisher SHOULD be the one make the DRM decision because as a consumer, you can chose whether or not to support a publisher like EA that engages in DRM.

If the PLATFORM however is the one that is enforcing DRM...well then what do you? You have to completely jump to a platform that doesn't have DRM. And if there are no platforms that don't have built in DRM...well I guess screw you then?

 

[PirateRose]

If they really want to kill the used game market, they need to drop the prices of the games new. End of story. All this anti-used game methods they are doing now, is just shooting themselves in the foot because everyone is just going to start waiting for the games to drop in price before buying. Especially if they have experienced buying several bad games at $60.

Hell, do what the movie industry does. That first week of release, most movies tend to be 20% off or more. That will really drive sales the first week a game is out.

 

[Korten12]

http://www.destructoid.com/did-sony-confirm-drm-on-ps4-after-all-not-quite--256052.phtml

Please read this. It really clarifies a lot.

 

[Knight Captain Kerr]

So it's just going to be the same as PS3 then?

 

[Irridium]

So basically, it's exactly the same as the PS3.

And with EA dropping online passes, there aren't really many big publishers using them any more. The only one I can think is Ubisoft.

At least it hasn't been misinterpreted in this article like has been in other places.

No, 3rd Party publishers are allowed to go beyond online passes, Sony is allowing them to use any DRM they want.

Again, exactly like with the PS3. Like how some use online passes, and some like Capcom occasionally require you to be online to play them.

http://www.1up.com/news/capcom-always-online-psn-drm-decided-case-by-case

 

[theultimateend]

http://www.destructoid.com/did-sony-confirm-drm-on-ps4-after-all-not-quite--256052.phtml

Please read this. It really clarifies a lot.

Yeah I think the OP was worded mostly for traffic.

Starting to become a bit too common here.

 

[LordMonty]

Nothing changed from ps3 too the ps4 bar sony themselves dropping the whole online pass BS and making us happy

 

[Trishbot]

There is no change in policy now. It's the same policies from PS3 on PS4.

Publishers could impose restrictions right now, but I'm happy to see them moving away from Online Passes and Always-online...

... Except for Microsoft.