EDGE: What Microsoft’s always-on Xbox means for PlayStation 4

Do you not recall the rumors just months ago that Sony was doing the same thing and even filed for a patent on how they were going to do it?

I remember that... and it was doom and gloom in that thread too ha.

So many melodramitic responses in both threads going on right now.

If MS does this, I would expect Sony to follow suit. I am surprised it took this long to happen in the console arena. Its been going on for a long time on the PC side of things.

The whole online pass thing in the last few years was almost like a slow introduction to what will come down the line, or so it seems.
 
If they do it, it's not a bluff. The math is simple, PS4 doesn't exist and doesn't come with install base included.

These systems have to sell, if Publishers only release their games on one console the other will stop selling and the one with the games will eat up all the sales. This wouldn't happen from night to day, but the console with terrible 3rd party support would see its sales slashed by two thirds in a matter of months.
once again. Think about this for a moment. Lets say bobby kotick decides to hold COD back from PS4 (not going to happen, but I'll indulge you) and only releases on Durango. You think EA is going to follow suit? You think they like each other? No. EA is going to take that moment and go for blood. They will release Battlefield on BOTH consoles and officially take over COD as best selling FPS.

It's not simple at all.
 
EDGE is probably the most reputable gaming magazine in the world with a long and illustrious history, if they print something like this twice on one day then you know they really trust their source. Saying they're fishing for hits is clueless nonsense and/or damage control.

However I still think either Sony and MS will both do this or neither will. Signs are pointing to them both doing it. Better get used to it I guess.
 
The "Trial Balloon" is quite common in media and reporting. The real leaker asks to be anonymous and releases the info to see public reactions. If the source is pleased they officially announce whatever it is they were testing. If public reaction is bad, the information lives on as a rumor forever.

So your "what if" question really isn't impossible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_balloon

Except its Edge, not Microsoft, that's delivering this news.

You have to believe Edge is willing to stake their reputation on something that may not pan out.
 
This is a win-win-win model. Gamestop can still sell used game (albeit at lower margins), publishers dont get screwed by 2nd hand market, and gamers still get physical discs.

This is not a "win-win-win" model. I can still play my NES games. This model would virtually ensure that in 30 years I cannot play these games.
 
sony will follow, but i really hope they don't. i want the copies i own to actually have some kind of value.
used games is part of the video game CULTURE, and it won't be the same if it's taken away from us. it's like if your government suddenly decides to ban the sales of second hand homes, cars, etc. why is it even legal?
 
I just love how none of these companies take in consideration the crappy bandwidth limits we get here in Canada.

Somebody's going to have to adjust.

Wait....

How do bandwidth limits here in Canada impact the supposed "always on" internet connection of the NextBox?

I highly doubt it will involve sending and receiving massive amounts of information.
 
GAFs lack of critical thinking skills never fails to amaze... IF Microsoft was to implement this feature exactly as stated by Edge, Sony would become the next Nintendo... Meaning the only reason to buy a PS4 would be to play Sony 1st party games. Publishers would overwhelmingly choose MS because they are against the 2nd hand market.

The most likely scenario is a platform wide implementation of what publishers are already doing. You can resell your games to Gamestop but the "full" game can only be unlocked by purchasing
an unlock code.

The used game + code will still be cheaper for you then new retail but the publisher will get a portion (the code) of the used game sale.

This is a win-win-win model. Gamestop can still sell used game (albeit at lower margins), publishers dont get screwed by 2nd hand market, and gamers still get physical discs.

Some of you already thought this through but it is amazing how many gaf members jump off the deep end.

So you'd essentially be buying the codes if you were to buy it used....along with the disc (basically a holo set of gigabytes that would be useless without the code)

That could make sense.

Devil's Advocate here....

But what would they give me (the consumer) when I traded in this disc? Probably far less than they already do (which is pathetic right now at best).

Hurts Gamestop and consumers then.
 
You'll get blasted for this post, but I feel you. Some of the same people lamenting the death of third party after third party are the same crying over measures that would help these same companies stay in business. The sticking point for me ultimately will be pricing schemes. If MS drops their fascistic approach to pricing controls and allows publishers to alter pricing at will, this will be great. Otherwise I think it will be disastrous.

You really think that having no used games will make these companies stay in business? The used game market is a tiny piece of the entire industry and most game trade ins go on to be used to purchase new games. In the end it is all a wash.
 
Because of this news, I am buying the new Xbox and only the new Xbox.

I support the developers. I do not support GameStop, or shit second hand stores. I want my money to go to people who deserve it. If I want to buy a game at a cheaper price, I'll wait until its a cheaper price. Simple as that.

If I want to play my game at a friends house, I sign in on live at my friends house.

Last time I purchased a second hand game was for my SNES- and I'll never do it again - not after seeing how difficult developers lives can get, how worn down they become by the chaotic and stressful working conditions. Compared to who? People with some petty desire to make a quick buck back because they didnt have the patience to wait until inevitable price decline?

Seeing guys like Schaefer and others needing kick starter to fund a game because there's too much inherent risk in B games with a dreadful second hand market that cores out any revenue.

I am not greedy, unlike the circus of people which have their own petty goals in mind. Using new releases as a fake rental? Fuck that. The second that goes back to the game store, that rips $40-50 right out of developers pockets- developers and publishers closing left and right? Who fucking cares? I gots me my monies! We must look at the reasons for this! (Derp, second hand sales IS the reason)

What an utter disgrace the gaming community is. No wonder its looked upon like its an irrelevant art form, a children's toy... The majority of so-called gamers are children.

iOS locks you in? No problem!
Steam locks you in? No problem!
XBLA and PSN locks you in? No problem!
Durango locks you in? Omg end of world cry piss and moan

Fucking hypocritical.

I want my favorite developers to stay strong forever, whatever of them are left... I want my favorite games to be made, not just the flavor of the moment- rehash rehash rehash.

But no! I must be able to recoup my monies! Who cares about the state of our hobby! I want my monies!


Oh give me a freaking break. That is such a dumb position I don't even know where to start.

I bought used all the time as a kid. It's what I could afford, what I could buy at the time. My first console was an NES my grandfather won at a church raffle, and my SNES came from a pawn shop. All my games were used. My parents never bought me any video games, so it was up to me to buy them on my own with what little I could save up.

Now I'm in a position where I don't have to buy used anymore. I want to support devs. I go digital whenever possible to give devs maximum revenue, and when I can't, I buy new. I still wait for sales on certain games when I'm not sure I'd enjoy it as much, and I buy DLC for games I thoroughly enjoy, sometimes for no other reason than to throw devs more cash.

To praise the Xbox or the PS4 in going this direction is missing the entire point. This is not in the best interest of the consumer, at all. But what else is new.
 
what IF they block the used games sales BUT sell the games cheaper say like $50 or $45 or even $40 for new games? what do you guys think? can this happen for next gen with the banning of used games sales?
 
Sony HAS to follow suit, otherwise they are fucked!

I think the point of the big publishers releasing their games on the only console that allows no-used games is a given. This is what the publishers have wanted for decades!

With no third-part support, where does that leave Sony? Up a shit-river with no toilet paper, that's where!

Oh my GOD! My world is spinning too fast! I need to get off!!!!
 
You really think that having no used games will make these companies stay in business. The used game market is a tiny piece of the entire industry and most game trade ins go on to be used to purchase new games. In the end it is all a wash.

It's so tiny that every electronic's retailer on the planet pretty much has gotten into the used game business. Used games are a huge business.
 
Leaks have been fishy for a while now:
- Initial DF/Eurogamer article goes into full detail about the next PS4. Xbox gets mentioned but no follow up article about that;
- Nvidia developer goes into great detail about the DF/Eurogamer article, praises the PS4 hardware but has less kind words about the next Xbox;
- Durango specs released, with some interesting tidbits still deemed to be "incomplete";
- Orbis Roadmap and types releases, charting in bizarre detail how everything will go;
- Poll is setup to ask to people what they want to know about the PS4;
- We get the PS4 unveiled article, what makes it weird is that moments after it is updated because of CPU confusion;
- Sony announces the February 20 event.

Bottom line is this all feel like the leaks are very controlled. Like it feels all too convenient leading up to the Feb event.

Maybe I’m reading too much into this.

And MS for some reason is not letting any positive rumors out to counter all these fishy articles? I don't know man, maybe we have to accept that there's a big possibility that there's a slice of truth to some of these rumors.

There are too many negative articles/rumors lately with no "response" from MS to still be positive for Durango and doubt or dismiss with confidence all this shitstorm.
 
EDGE is probably the most reputable gaming magazine in the world with a long and illustrious history, if they print something like this twice on one day then you know they really trust their source. Saying they're fishing for hits is clueless nonsense and/or damage control.

However I still think either Sony and MS will both do this or neither will. Signs are pointing to them both doing it. Better get used to it I guess.

No I don't. I'll stick with my Nintendo consoles, thank you very much. The idea behind this is simply stupid. I cannot think of one other medium where someone cannot buy a used item. And what happens if you have a faulty connection, or no access to the internet? It's anti-consumer, and I don't need to put up with it.
 
What's the real world possibility of Microsoft using an anti used games system in their console and Sony deciding to allow used games completely?

Because I've seen people in both this thread and the over before stating that one would not do something like that without the other doing so too, yet this source states that only one of them will be adopting an anti used games approach?
 
Makes for an easy choice whether I should buy the next xbox or the ps4. This is of course assuming they both don't ban used games.

Personally I think this will be a disaster. People are going to think long and hard before buying games now they are stuck with them. What is going to happen is that people are going to buy two games a year: COD and Madden.
 
So...the implication of all of this is that they're hearing Sony isn't stopping used games, or they just aren't hearing anything at all?

Cause this would be a mother-of-all philosophical differences if one does this and the other doesn't.

This is all speculation. The one about sony grew out of a patent listing and the next xbox is some sort of "insider" confirmed. This feels a bit hard to believe that either company will do this.

The only way I see them bending to this is if pubs started promising exlusives to the company that plays ball with the idea. Then we will really see which consumer is stronger. The one that cares about AAA titles more, or the one that cares about the second hand market more.
 
I just sold 12 games via Craigslist yesterday for gas money. The idea that those physical copies would be useless in any other console is almost infuriating to me. I understand that developers could use some of those secondhand dollars from Gamestop, but taking away the ability to resell our own games and requiring an online connection are NOT the answer. If this is true, I hope it blows up in Microsoft's face.
 
GAFs lack of critical thinking skills never fails to amaze... IF Microsoft was to implement this feature exactly as stated by Edge, Sony would become the next Nintendo... Meaning the only reason to buy a PS4 would be to play Sony 1st party games. Publishers would overwhelmingly choose MS because they are against the 2nd hand market.

No way in hell, you can bet that PS4 will have an install base that would foolish to neglect. Sony's Day 1 Digital initiative is more than sufficient a device to keep publishers happy. There's more than one way to skin a cat.
 

Sure I'm not debating it's headline news but go check the sources for most of those articles and they all point back to here. GameStop's stock didn't drop when this spread, no one developer or insider went to a news source and mentioned it. I'm sure if you look through pattent applications by various tech companies you'll see lots of anti-trust and anti-consumer applications made. In this instance someone has said to a member of the gaming press what Microsoft intends to do, not what they might have researched and then EDGE went and followed up on that story.
 
what IF they block the used games sales BUT sell the games cheaper say like $50 or $45 or even $40 for new games? what do you guys think? can this happen for next gen with the banning of used games sales?

If they did that, it would certainly make it easier to swallow.

But I HIGHLY doubt that publishers will charge $40 or $50 for a new game. I'm just not seeing it.
 
GAFs lack of critical thinking skills never fails to amaze... IF Microsoft was to implement this feature exactly as stated by Edge, Sony would become the next Nintendo... Meaning the only reason to buy a PS4 would be to play Sony 1st party games. Publishers would overwhelmingly choose MS because they are against the 2nd hand market.

I don't think Sony would say 'no' if that was the situation they were faced with.

The truth would likely be far messier than that if it did happen, though. Japanese pubs would be supporting Sony, and they'd probably pursue deals there. Amongst others, where one pub absents a platform, a rival could see opportunity and break ranks. Retail would get behind Sony, most likely.

It would be a risky bet that Sony wouldn't be able to drive a userbase, and once that gets past a certain point, it'd become very difficult for pubs to ignore the new games market on that platform. More pubs would break ranks, in seeing an opportunity to get a leg over pubs ignoring the platform. Continuing to punish Sony in this scenario, where there was a non-negligible PS4 base, would be punishing themselves, and shareholders etc. would take notice.

It would be really messy in the early days if pubs followed through on such ultimatums, but I don't think it would be a sustainable situation.

If there was a credible threat of wholesale loss of content support, though, I really don't think Sony would risk that. And rumours around third party next gen games suggest PS4 SKUs for games from a number of western pubs, so either they didn't say no, or there weren't such grave threats.
 
I don't know what's worst. EDGE replying to their own rumors the next day acting as if their blog is different from the others doing the same thing, or that people have thrown out the rumor possibility because EDGE says they're right.
 
What is a videogame system with no Fifa? With no Call of Duty, no Battlefield, no Madden?

Gamers would just simply buy the system where those are on. They wouldn't think twice about it either.

This shit is bleak

This really depends on how things work out .
If PS4 get more sales early on they not going to have a choice in the matter .
You really did EA investors would let them get away with not putting FIFA on PS4 if they have a huge lead in EU .
 
Makes for an easy choice whether I should buy the next xbox or the ps4. This is of course assuming they both don't ban used games.

Personally I think this will be a disaster. People are going to think long and hard before buying games now they are stuck with them. What is going to happen is that people are going to buy two games a year: COD and Madden.

Welcome to PC gaming for the last 20 years.
 
Let's assume for a minute that this is true and not a controlled leak.

MS put up massive walls around their garden, publishers are happy but gamers aren't. Sony have a nice open playground that publishers aren't happy with but consumers are. Consumers buy PS4 to avoid the newly walled garden, but the publishers are intent on releasing their games on NXTBX only to keep their property away from used gamers and pirates.

At this point, investors step in and tell them to get real and release their games on the other console as well since development cost additions are not going to very large given the similar architecture and the sales potential is worth any hit they might take on piracy/used games.

All of these publishers bar Valve have got investors to answer to, so even if Bobby Kotick says no COD on PS4, investors would force his hand to release the game on the more popular console.

The other problem for MS is that they have just released Halo 4 on 360, so that cartridge in their gun is empty right now. They will have no Halo game at launch for NXTBX to force adoption from the hardcore gamers, nor will they have a Gears of War title. In the face of that there is nothing from MS's first party to force gamers onto their platform. There is a good chance that an exclusive next gen COD on Xbox will fail in favour of PS3 and 360 versions because very few want to get the box itself and it's not like Activision aren't going to make COD on current gen boxes.

If MS do release NXTBX with this terrible implementation of used game and piracy control, I fear for the future of Xbox as publishers are not going to ignore PS4 given how popular it is in Europe and how unpopular anti-consumer moves are around these parts. People in the US might get on board, but there is absolutely no way we will in Europe.
 
Because of this news, I am buying the new Xbox and only the new Xbox.

I support the developers. I do not support GameStop, or shit second hand stores. I want my money to go to people who deserve it. If I want to buy a game at a cheaper price, I'll wait until its a cheaper price. Simple as that.

If I want to play my game at a friends house, I sign in on live at my friends house.

Last time I purchased a second hand game was for my SNES- and I'll never do it again - not after seeing how difficult developers lives can get, how worn down they become by the chaotic and stressful working conditions. Compared to who? People with some petty desire to make a quick buck back because they didnt have the patience to wait until inevitable price decline?

Seeing guys like Schaefer and others needing kick starter to fund a game because there's too much inherent risk in B games with a dreadful second hand market that cores out any revenue.

I am not greedy, unlike the circus of people which have their own petty goals in mind. Using new releases as a fake rental? Fuck that. The second that goes back to the game store, that rips $40-50 right out of developers pockets- developers and publishers closing left and right? Who fucking cares? I gots me my monies! We must look at the reasons for this! (Derp, second hand sales IS the reason)

What an utter disgrace the gaming community is. No wonder its looked upon like its an irrelevant art form, a children's toy... The majority of so-called gamers are children.

iOS locks you in? No problem!
Steam locks you in? No problem!
XBLA and PSN locks you in? No problem!
Durango locks you in? Omg end of world cry piss and moan

Fucking hypocritical.

I want my favorite developers to stay strong forever, whatever of them are left... I want my favorite games to be made, not just the flavor of the moment- rehash rehash rehash.

But no! I must be able to recoup my monies! Who cares about the state of our hobby! I want my monies!

Good for you buddy keep supporting big business anti-consumer practices. Just don't complain next time you're sold a box of shit because you deserve it. But hey at least the box of shit is yours forever( or until your box of shit player stops working/goes offline.)
 
once again. Think about this for a moment. Lets say bobby kotick decides to hold COD back from PS4 (not going to happen, but I'll indulge you) and only releases on Durango. You think EA is going to follow suit? You think they like each other? No. EA is going to take that moment and go for blood. They will release Battlefield on BOTH consoles and officially take over COD as best selling FPS.

It's not simple at all.

You seem to misunderstand the situation. MS wouldn't do this alone if Publishers weren't backing them.

It's really simple, what does MS stand to gain from this? This would mostly benefit 3rd Parties. It would be crazy to do this if Publishers would just release on both systems. Which is why it doesn't make sense.
 
This is not a "win-win-win" model. I can still play my NES games. This model would virtually ensure that in 30 years I cannot play these games.

That's because you're a collector. Most gamers these day have the attention span of a goldfish - and it's no wonder with how many titles are multiplayer centric and only retains an active audience until the next big thing comes out.
 
To those saying that people will flock to the PS4, what if they have no choice? What if MS did this by securing publisher-wide exclusivity deals with the majority of the big publishers? If CoD, Madden, FIFA, ect are all Xbox exclusive, does the PS4 even have a market anymore? Sony would be in a Nintendo-like position where they have to support their console almost solely with first party releases, and I'm not sure they can do that.
Of course they can't. Sony would be positively crippled. If all the third-parties were on board and MS was leading the charge, it would be tantamount to holding a loaded gun at Sony's head.

It's also more complicated for Sony because their customer-base is more spread out in terms of different markets and economic situations. North America/UK is pretty homogenous but Sony's heartbeds in mainland Europe and Japan are vastly different in terms of market realities. Sony can't really say we'll adopt these practices in North America but nowhere else. But if they adopt them elsewhere, they won't command the same audience in the markets where they've made headway versus Microsoft due to less of an online infrastructure or Japan's xenophobia.
 
i still refuse to believe this would happen. edge running an editorial on it gives me pause, though.

and yeah, it would be a role reversal in some ways. sony might not get the us back in one generation, but they'd nail down europe at least. with japan being in their back pocket, they'd have the best-selling console in the generation.

it's probably not an irreversible move by microsoft either. they could always release a patch or new hardware that doesn't do this if they actually go through with it.
 
I understand why you are doing what you are doing.

But what is your actual take on this - if true. Are you okay with it? Do you like/dislike it? Or do you refuse to comment on anything that is not confirmed.

Personally I dislike it and kinda like it at the same time both sides of the argument have positives and negatives. I think destroying the used game market will hurt more than it would help and we've already seen how bad online passes can be with EA.

We need more clear details on how the system would be implemented and who has the most power in the equation.

I don't like to speculate or assume but when I do I try to base it off some kind of logic that falls within the realm of possibility or what I've seen in the past.

I said this in another thread, but I actually like the idea of people reacting to this. Just because, if it ends up being true, I would rather the negative press get built up high early on. But then again, I don't like this move. So yeah.

If you notice I don't have any problem with someone who makes it clear that it is speculation but the people that seem to take it as confirmation without any evidence any official word usually force a reply out of me. It's not that they take it as a confirmation it's that they're confirmation can spread like wildfire and only worsen the speculation.

I'm with you I also do not like this move if done either by Microsoft or Sony.
 
Welcome to PC gaming for the last 20 years.

...no?

Digital distribution (as in: no used, much less piracy) has proven that even small games can sell good.

See XBLA recent revenue chart. Or even Steam sales.

AniHawk said:
and yeah, it would be a role reversal in some ways. sony might not get the us back in one generation, but they'd nail down europe at least. with japan being in their back pocket, they'd have the best-selling console in the generation.

It's a bit early for such a prediction. I mean, people thought FFXIII going multiplat would have killed the ps3 for good.
 
I cannot believe some people are defending this shit.

"it's innovative yo"

"It could save publishers and stuff"

This is so dumb.

It takes away from basic rights of being able to borrow stuff from friends, selling your own stufff if you want to, and just sucks in general.

The always online stuff is dumb too. My internet connection goes off for whatever reason and I can't use my console to play a single player game? fuck you.


Online passes? fine. I don't play online that much. It sucks but it doesn't ruin the entire experience in case of internet failings.

This is fucking horrible if true and anyone who supports this shit is a fucking tool.
 
They can't really be compared. How often do you see such massive price cuts like steam and GMG sales for Games on Demand and PSN?

Sure they can be compared, lets not bend the rules in one sides favor to justify our causes. Used games haven't been around since the early 90s, long before Steam ever arrived. And what, Steam has sales twice a year?

lol
 
i still refuse to believe this would happen. edge running an editorial on it gives me pause, though.

and yeah, it would be a role reversal in some ways. sony might not get the us back in one generation, but they'd nail down europe at least. with japan being in their back pocket, they'd have the best-selling console in the generation.

it's probably not an irreversible move by microsoft either. they could always release a patch or new hardware that doesn't do this if they actually go through with it.

basically came here to post this. I still don't believe it, but EDGE seems to be doubling down on it.

And its not that I don't believe that MS would block 2nd hand games... its that Sony isn't going to as well.
 
Top Bottom