Xbox One PS4 Game Restrictions Up To Publishers / Similar to Xbox One

[PB7]

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Sony must have missed this during their press conference. As it turns out IGN is reporting that the PlayStation 4 will have game restrictions left up to the game developer discretion. Much like the Xbox One. Developers have to be pushing these things behind the scenes. It'll be interesting to see how much more comes out between now and the launch of the new systems.

Sony has confirmed that the digital rights management of PlayStation 4 software will be up to third-party publishers. Speaking on GTTV, Sony's Jack Tretton stated, "The DRM decision for third-party games will be up to publishers."

Microsoft also spelled out its policies on game lending, trade-ins and rentals. "In our role as a game publisher, Microsoft Studios will enable you to give your games to friends or trade in your Xbox One games at participating retailers. Third party publishers may opt in or out of supporting game resale and may set up business terms or transfer fees with retailers. Microsoft does not receive any compensation as part of this. In addition, third party publishers can enable you to give games to friends."

Via: IGN Article 1 & IGN Article 2

 

[cliverederson]

I believe I just read you will have to pay for PS4's "Plus" online service as well in order to play games online. Netflix and Hulu will not be behind a pay wall, but otherwise looks like the "free" online aspects isn't a leg up for the PS4 either. Another interesting note is the PS4 is region free. So much interesting stuff going on right now, I can't wait to see how it all shakes out by the release. I think people jumped on the PS4 is so great bandwagon a bit too much though.

 

[Damnlag]

Yeah, it doesn't surprise me honestly. They're trying to give gamer's what they want and get a win over Microsoft, but they want the same stuff as Microsoft and Microsoft is always ahead of them. I just hope Microsoft didn't take things too far and kill the hype around Xbox with this new console.

 

[cossectansin]

The difference between the XBox One and PS4 in this regard is that Sony will allow you to play a game offline once you own the disc outright, as in buy it new. Microsoft is forcing you to check-in every 24 hours or if you brought it over to a friends house, ever 1 hour. I think that is a pretty glaring distinction between the two.

Yes they both say that the second-hand game market will be left up to the publishers but Microsoft is the own instituting that road block to people who buy games new.

 

[JasonPL]

I'm pretty sure that will only be for online games. If we don't connect to the internet at all, theoretically, we wouldn't have any restrictions.

I have no problems with restricting online servers for new copies. Servers cost money and if the game is going to be played more on one disc it means less money going to the company who created the game.

 

[Haze]

Rather than speculate, we went directly to Sony to find out what’s going on. Turns out, it’s a very similar system to what’s in place on the PS3 now. According to Dan Race, Senior Director, Corporate Communications for Sony, Tretton’s statements were referring specifically to playing used games online. He told me,

The Online Pass program for PlayStation first-party games will not continue on PlayStation 4. Similar to PS3, we will not dictate the online used game strategy (the ability to play used games online) of its publishing partners. As announced last night, PS4 will not have any gating restrictions for used disc-based games. When a gamer buys a PS4 disc they have right to use that copy of the game, so they can trade-in the game at retail, sell it to another person, lend it to a friend, or keep it forever.

This is good news for gamers, indeed. In a nutshell, you can buy a used single-player game for the PS4 and play it all you want. If you want to go online with it, you may have to deal with some sort of publisher-determined DRM, be it an Online Pass or whatever.

Source: http://www.gamefront.com/sony-third-party-drm-refers-to-playing-used-games-online-only/

 

[Damnlag]

I'm ready for all games to be digital downloads so I could honestly care less about trading in games and giving them to friends.

 

[HickJ]

This digital rights stuff is a pain. It seems we're all being delayed or stopped from having any fun with anything because some suit has claimed digital rights to it. Which is really labeling regular people thieves for no good reason.

 

[PB7]

Good find Haze. I never like the online pass program. althoughI'm not a fan of digital ownership either. I like my physical copies.

 

[JasonPL]

We've already come right out and said we're not going to allow online pass. And the word "allow" is key there. Specifically with online, with PS+ requiring a charge to play online, we would not want any publisher [to charge.]

In general, we're all businesses. Sony or Microsoft is never going to be able to tell EA or Activision exactly what they can do. What we like to say at PlayStation is that we set the precedent. The way we are approaching this is that we want this to be extremely consumer-friendly, extremely retailer-friendly, and extremely publisher-friendly. My personal opinion is that it's hard for me to believe that any major publisher is going to put an extra set of used DRM onto game titles because that wouldn't put them in a good spot, right?

Source

Conflicting reports?

 

[Chunkaroonie]

I'm ready for all games to be digital downloads so I could honestly care less about trading in games and giving them to friends.

This is the one excuse I can see for excusing Microsoft's policies regarding used games and lending and what not... unfortunately the policy is ahead of the technology. You can't trade what you don't physically have but this generation is still going to have discs so I think Microsoft really hurt themselves pushing their used games restrictions out as soon as they did. Next gen maybe we wont have discs and then of course used games are gone by the way side but Sony/Microsoft could easily play it up and say it's the only downside to the new advancements in technology.

 

[Damnlag]

This is the one excuse I can see for excusing Microsoft's policies regarding used games and lending and what not... unfortunately the policy is ahead of the technology. You can't trade what you don't physically have but this generation is still going to have discs so I think Microsoft really hurt themselves pushing their used games restrictions out as soon as they did. Next gen maybe we wont have discs and then of course used games are gone by the way side but Sony/Microsoft could easily play it up and say it's the only downside to the new advancements in technology.

Well I'm more surprised that they even brought back retail games and didn't go all out digital. That's what really shocked me.

 

[BlackSolaris]

All this DRM and limitations talk is giving me headaches lately.

Well, not so great news, but still, not as bad as the Xbox One restrictions. I would think that every Sony title won't have this type of DRM or region locking, so i am pretty okay with that.

 

[BitesizeCrayons]

This thread actually just did a lot to make me reconsider the One; you could say that Sony and Microsoft are on equal footing with the used games situation. I also want to add that I find it interesting that Sony isn't allowing online passes; I didn't think highly of online passes at all.