No pre-owned games to be allowed for PS3

Found on Sony on Tuesday, 08 November 2005
Browse Software

A patent may allow Sony to ensure that no game would be playable from any console other than the one in which it was first read.

The technology would allow an authentication code to be read and then rendered unreadable, making the software unplayable on any machine but the one which first read it.

But this has caused considerable backlash from the gaming community. While many are aware of the double profit companies make on pre-owned games, this would ensure the death of trading games between friends and even going to a friend's house to play a little multiplayer.

While the PS3 hasn't been expressly mentioned in the patent in English or Japanese it would be the obvious place to employ this new technology, regardless of how little gamers will appreciate it. Between this and the DRM scandal, Sony could be looking at a serious drop in interest in the PS3.

Sony and DRM, the neverending story. Less people will buy a PS3, more people will try to break the DRM, and Sony will whine again. I already can hear all the complains about how evil the gamers are and how much their hurt poor Sony.