E3 is underway, and unlike editions of the past few years, we’re treated to all new console reveals (if you ignore Nintendo, who’s already had one out for a bit… did you know?) which means people are excited. It’s been more than 7 years after all! And while a lot of folks had been talking about Microsoft’s XBox One and it’s next-gen Kinect and rumble-trigger controllers… Sony just gave them a slap heard round the world with the PS4. How? Two things: 1) the ability to share, sell, rent or lend any game, without restrictions and 2) pricing the console at $399 rather than Microsoft’s $499. There. Case closed. Sony wins.
It might look like we’re exaggerating, but in case you haven’t been keeping track, this matters because the XBox One will officially make it near impossible to do anything with your games once you’ve paid for them, unless the publisher allows it, which is unlikely. Yes, Microsoft is ready to deal a fatal blow to an entire industry built around renting games and reselling used ones. Worse still, the console has to check in to a central server every 24 hours or even single player games stop working! You’re not online? You’re a soldier stationed in the middle of nowhere? Tough luck, no XBox One for you, son. Rumble triggers, next-gen Kinect, super ultra TV central? That won’t matter to a lot of people who’ll be more than happy to flock to Sony for what is likely to be just as good a gaming machine for $100 less, and 100% more freedom. Good job, Sony.
Incidentally, you should watch the instructional video below. It’s Sony’s step-by-step on how to share a game when you have a PS4.
Special provisions aside, the 24h check in is going to be a problem. Your own Internet at home is down for whatever reason? Can’t even play single player games. And what if Microsofts sever goes down or is overloaded during your scheduled check in process? It happens, remember the recent fiasco with Sim City being unplayable? Then what? Being unable to play single player games on your own console that you paid $100 more than the competitors’ for is terrible.
As for it being up to the publishers’s choice to allow it or not… why give them that option? Sony isn’t. Even assuming that only a minority of publishers refuse to allow their games to be resold (which, lets be real, is unlikely), what if it happens to a particular game you own? It’s going to suck not being able to at least get $10-$15 back for a game you’re tired of playing. Or not being able to lend it to your friend to play. It’s ridiculous and upends the very concept of personal ownership! This policy is not a publisher requirement, clearly, since Sony is not similarly restricted, so why cave in to the publishers’ demands when they dint have to?
I didn’t say anything about the Live service and I agree with you about the XBox being more robust. But that aside, pricing the console at $100 more than the PS4, along with some ridiculous restrictions on ownership is a pretty surefire way to send people running to the competitor. I’m not sure there’s any exaggeration.
Wow, so much false information in this article. I guess you guys are trying to emulate Kotaku: If so, well done!
Ok… Could you kindly elaborate?
The PS4 may well be the first Sony product I have bought in many years. I used to have a house full of Sony but dumped them over the Memory Stick nonsense. The rootkit scandal sealed the deal for me and the only Sony product I have left is a 20 year old clock radio. I have had an Xbox 360 for years and about 90% of the games I have were bought used. I am simply not going to buy a system with no used games available.