Sony Sticks it to Microsoft on Used Games and Always-Online - E3 2013

[Sephiroth]

Rewatching Sony's "used game" moment on video, the applause clocks in at about 25 seconds from beginning to end, which is really incredibly long for a sustained reaction at this kind of E3 press event (the Vita price announcement, for instance, got ten seconds of applause). More important than the length, though, is the precise nature of the reaction.

It starts even before the words are fully out of the presenter's mouth, as soon as a small piece of the crowd realizes just what is being said. Then the cheers sweep across the room and start to fade a bit, only to pick up again, as if a large segment of the audience collectively felt the need to reinforce just how much it supported this move. Sony received another sustained applause break of about 27 seconds less than a minute later, after laying out more details about the PS4's simple used game policies. Then there were ten more seconds of applause with the news that the system doesn't make online checks to confirm game licenses. That's over a minute of applause given to this one issue alone. That's "State of the Union address" levels of ridiculous.

Think for a second about what these people were cheering. Sony was basically announcing that retail games on the PlayStation 4 would work just like retail games on every system since the Magnavox Odyssey; that is, the person in physical possession of a retail game has the right to play and/or resell it. At literally any other console launch in the short history of the video game industry (with the possible exception of the Wii U), this kind of announcement would have been greeted with confusion and bemusement. "Of course you can sell your games or trade them with friends when you're done with them," the audience would think. "That's how it's always worked. How could it work any other way?"

It was the months of widespread rumors that either Sony or Microsoft would actively block used games that set up the massive crowd response tonight. But it was Microsoft that opened the door wide for Sony by finally clarifying last Thursday that publishers of Xbox One games would be able to disable used game sales, and that the system would require online checks to enforce these ownership licenses. By bucking the status quo so drastically, Microsoft created a situation where Sony could look like a hero just by maintaining it.

Source: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/0...ut-of-e3-2013/




That sort of reaction is priceless!

[CloudStrife7x]

when all saw this last night, i was like take that MS lol

[drizzy]

i bet Microsoft people wanted to punch this guy, still the ps4 is better in every way that is my next console

[13Dannyboy13]

I almost started clapping myself when I saw that during the press conference, good thing I remembered it was 3am though before I did...lol. After watching both MS and Sony from E3, I'm definitely going back to Sony. I could care less about the online checks, my connection is stable, but the bullshit DRM and used games policy killed any chance for me staying with xbox. I buy most of my games used, so I'd rather buy a game take it home and play instead of having to jump through hoops just to get it to work. Can't wait to see the numbers when the new consoles get released, should be interesting.

[SiN]

better hope they aint full of hotair.... ps as did this before...

[Hacker-T]

wow really funny that Microsoft doesnt even show any response to that video...
Not even any1 similar video-reply to sonys mocks ... :/

[Dag8Hec]

The funniest video Sony made about sharing games on PS4.

[nicola37]

wait a minute, will xbox one require online autentication? I never heard of it. I can't believe their are doing. As well as kill used games, it is a very stupid thing. I strongly hope it is just a rumor.