120°

Opinion: THE DRM AND USED GAME ISSUE

A look at how the Used Game debate is defining issues with the gaming industry.

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bemoregeeky.com
Narutone663921d ago

Sometimes it can't be help. Some niche games are out of print and are not being published anymore. Second hand/used games are my only option.

Bigpappy3921d ago

I don't see this issue like most of what I read is seeing it. I but and support the used game market. But I also understand that Digital Distribution is the way forward. I see many benefits to DD over physical. I will list some: convenience; impossible to damage; easier to adjust the price; Better sharing... ; but we need to focus on having owners ship over digital content we buy (Like how amazon sells music as apposed to apple). I think the ownership fight is worth fighting, but the use game fight is really not that important. It will be gone sooner that you think.

Gamers tend to like to try and hold on to thinks that are familiar. But, you need to look at this realistically. Physical media in gaming will soon be insignificant, whether you accept it or not. If the DD is release at the same time as physical and is priced compitatively

eots3921d ago

I would agree that digital distribution is going to be the future. However I do prefer physical media, mainly because I know that when whoever switches off servers etc in the future I will still be able to play the games just by sticking a disc/cartridge in.

I have a digital library on my 360/ps3 and think PS+ is great. But my concern is the one form of DRM that keeps threatening it's head is having to be always online to play. What happens to SimCity for example in 10-15 years when EA have replaced it with a new one(s) and switched the old servers over/off. How will I be able to play the game I paid full price for if it needs to connect each time I want to play it and there is nothing to connect to?

I doubt EA will keep a server running just for the weirdo's like me who play old games every now and then just out of nostalgia.

Bigpappy3921d ago

I don't agree with having to be always online to play, even though I am always connected. What if they allow you to store all your content locally as a back-up? This is what I am getting at. We need to demand the distributors of Digital content give us more ownership of what we by and still enable flexibility of sharing and trading digitally. we have that with physical, but that is going to go away.

bjmartynhak3921d ago

Most of the times at Game or Entertainment Exchange (UK) a 6-month used game is more expensive than a brand new one on the internet. GoW Ascention was £20 used and £15 new at Amazon.

So, the only benefit for me it being able to sell the discs that I don't want anymore. If someone is not clever enough to find cheaper anywhere it is not my problem.

I do like to borrow my games to friends. If digital and physical are at the same price, I prefer the disc.

Most of the times digital, PSN or Live, is more expensive than retail. As long as retailers don't start selling digital versions of the games, just like PC, we won`t have competition and Sony and MS prices will keep more expensive.

Animal Mutha 763921d ago (Edited 3921d ago )

I support the right as a consumer to be able to sell something you own if you wish when you wish. As a partial collector I like to be able to keep my old systems with their most well known titles in storage knowing that they will likely work fine if I use them or sell them in years to come.

The grey area and the one that annoying know-it-alls keep quoting me is the issue of licensing. In the old days when you bought a game on floppy or cd you buy the game. You own it and it's protected by copyright etc. I can still load up sonic - its mine and can't be turned off remotely or stopped fom being sold.

These days when you buy a game on physical media it feels like you are only buying the right to use the game on their terms, that it isn't really truely ever yours to do with as you please. They can enforce restrictions now because we have allowed them to do so. I know this is a simplistic overview of software licensing but it's how it's perceived by average consumers like me and I don't think I have as much freedom with my belongings as I used to.

This will probably become a one way road to digital and I for one will resist it for as long as I can because I hate the idea of not having full control of my stuff within the law. If I sell my Beatles CD, the record company doesn't get a say in it or a cut of the fee. Same with my car.

Games seem to be heading toward a counter position where they are treated like commercial software.

I think the success of the used game market has actually been its own worst enemy and the resulting response from publishers will end up killing it and the freedoms of ownership that we currently enjoy. You know they must hate the thought of game shops making money out of second hand in such volumes but is it much different to CES or Music Magpie in the UK or a used car dealership?

I normally only buy new games when the price has come down a bit. Hardly ever buy used except for my collections or the odd older PS3 game that I never got to play.

mcstorm3920d ago

I did not have an issue with the DRM but I see why people did. I think if Microsoft ect could come up with a way to deregister the game your self when wanting to sell the game could help get around the issue. For me one of the big things I liked about the one was jumping from game to game without the disk and it would be nice if we could still do that.

I think next gen will got down the drm rout and im sure they will find a way to let you activate and deactivate the game for selling and giving it to friends.

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120°

70 percent of devs unsure of live-service games sustainability

With so many games fighting for players' attention and interest losing out over time, time sink games are at risk of eventually losing steam.

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gamedeveloper.com
thorstein10h ago

It was worrisome to begin with.

It's a niche genre with only a handful of hits that can stand the test of time.

CrimsonWing699h ago

What’s to be unsure of!? Look at the ratio of success to failure!

shinoff21838h ago

Yes. Stop all the live service bs.

jznrpg8h ago

Only a few will catch on. You need a perfect storm to be successful in GaaS and a bit of luck on top of that. But a potential cash cow will keep them trying and some will go out of business because of it.

MIDGETonSTILTS177h ago

Helldivers 2 manages just fine…

Keep production costs low… don’t just make custscenes until the mechanics and enemies are perfected first.

Make so much content that you can drip extra content for years, and the game already feels complete without them.

Most importantly: make weapons, enemies, levels, and mechanics that will stand the test of 1000 hours. This might require more devs embracing procedurally generated leveled, which I think separates Helldivers 2 from Destiny’s repetitiveness.

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60°

The Battle Pass Is The Worst Thing To Happen To Modern Gaming

Nameer from eXputer: "Some exceptions aside, I don't think the battle pass is a net positive for gaming with how they're implemented in most live service titles."

got_dam12h ago

Battle passes AND meta gaming both.

DivineHand12510h ago(Edited 10h ago)

I like the way Helldivers 2 does battle passes. It allows you to make purchases on each level of the battle pass and gives you the option of choosing which item to unlock first. The more purchases you make using medals the further you progress. There is no timer and you can earn medals towards purchasing stuff via personal orders and Major orders.

I haven't played much live service games that have battle passes but I remember some games that have battle passes where you progress through it linearly using an exp system. What makes it really bad is that the battle pass will have like 50 or more levels with the cooler stuff being closer to the end. They also have an in-game shop that sells exp boosters so you can reach the end of the pass before it refreshes. Everyone ilse will have to grind their way through.

lucian2299h ago

battle pass in fortnite is perfect; buy one and it buys the rest for every other season as it gives you more money than the first cost. so 8.50 and season ends with you getting 13.00, it pays for the next and you have some pocket change to save up for cash shop. All of which is optional

470°

PS5 Pro specs leak video taken down by Sony

Sony is taking actions as video by Moore’s Law is Dead, has been issued with a copyright claim.

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videogameschronicle.com
andy851d 5h ago

And people say it's all fake because Sony haven't said anything 😂 conveniently forget the PS4 Pro was only announced 2 months before release.

BeHunted1d 5h ago

It's fake. There's no factual evidence other than his own made up specs.

Hereandthere1d 5h ago

What were the specks Sony was afraid of showing?

Shikoku1d 4h ago (Edited 1d 4h ago )

Digital foundry put a video out saying what he leaked was exactly what they also knew about the PS5 PRO. So no it's not just stuff he made up

Babadook71d 1h ago (Edited 1d 1h ago )

If it’s fake what copyright does MLID infringe upon?

😂

andy851d 1h ago

Aye because they'd go to the effort of copyright claiming it if it didn't exist 🙃😂 you'd have to be a special kind to be thinking its not a thing by now

Cacabunga1d ago

They need to reveal it with uncharted killzone or a heavy hitter like this

Ironmike1d ago (Edited 1d ago )

U mean the specs that we'll established digital foundry which said these are the actual specs published a video on 2 weeks ago I mean they are only one of most trusted sites for tech information but they just made up a video for the sake of it

Christopher11h ago

I would love for it all to be fake, but lots of people are saying they've seen/heard the same thing. But, man, we 100% don't need mid-gen upgrades when we're failing hard to optimize current hardware.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 11h ago
Seraphim6h ago(Edited 6h ago)

if I recall Sony lowered sales expectations for PS5 earlier this year. if that is the case we won't hear anything about a Pro until next year or shortly before/when it's dropping. After all, if the Pro was dropping this year/fiscal year they wouldn't have lowered expectations.

As for squashing rumors. Yeah, shit like this prevents potential buyers from adopting now, just like slim rumors in the past. It only makes sense to keep things under wraps from a business perspective. Despite living in a technological age of unfettered access to information we don't need to know whats going on behind closed doors be that at Sony, Nintendo, MS, or amongst any development studios. When the steak is done we shall feast.

JackBNimble5h ago

By the time games are actually made to take advantage of the pro spec's the ps6 will be released or close to it.

jznrpg1d 4h ago (Edited 1d 4h ago )

Just announce it already! I want to preorder one asap. But in reality they don’t want to lessen PS5 sales until Pro is ready to launch so I understand the business part of it. September is probably when they announce it with an early November launch like the PS4 Pro

Ironmike1d ago

Pro won't lessen sales sames ps4 pro never and the ps4 pro was more relevant at the time cos move to 4k this not needed

RaidenBlack18h ago(Edited 18h ago)

Yea, my brother got his PS4 (coz of a good deal) after the PS4 Pro's release.

darthv7214h ago

^^same here. I got a base 4 for only $100 off a guy who bought the Pro. then a few months later I found a guy on craigslist selling a pro for $100 because it was left behind by his former roommate who moved out. That was the beginning of my obsession to buy up the different variants of the PS4 that were released.

As of now I am really only missing the 500m one and the gold slim but otherwise I have pretty much all the other retail ones. https://consolevariations.c...

crazyCoconuts7h ago

Anyone with 4K that appreciates 60fps is gonna disagree about it not being needed.
DLSS is a god send for Nvidia, and there's been nothing like it for AMD...yet ...

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 7h ago
DeadlyFire12h ago

They will announce it around E3 timeframe about May-June whenever they do a showcase for the year.

neutralgamer19921d 4h ago

Just announce it this thing will sell well

Ironmike1d ago (Edited 1d ago )

I don't think it will pll still haven't seen the potential of ps5 yet

Cacabunga11h ago

agreed, but it might sell if they announce some 1st party games to lead the way. if people see the difference with the base version they can move on. for my sake I am still gaming mainly on PS4 (still not finished with RDR2 due to lack of gaming time). I have a huge backlog on PS5 I am hoping to get into.

mark3214uk20h ago

why? game makers havnt even come close to maxing out current spec yet, were getting al lthese new TFlops and game maker are making crappy remakes not worthy of the ps3

Minute Man 72115h ago

The guts of the 5 and X are 5 years old

fr0sty8h ago

People keep saying that, yet we still have games running at near HD resolutions, 30fps, and ray tracing features turned off.

PRIMORDUS1d 1h ago (Edited 1d 1h ago )

I would take that video and upload a torrent of it, fuck that copyright bullshit. If your going to do something that has a chance of being taken down, make a torrent first share it. Then Sony or any other company is helpless and you can laugh in their faces, taunting them to try to take it down 🤣

LoveSpuds18h ago

With kind of analysis and advice, you could be a lawyer for Trump!🤣

tronyx1218h ago

As much as the PS4 Pro didn't represent a major % in the playerbase, announcing a 'better' model will hinder sales from the 'base' model. They are right, business-wise.

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