XBOX 720 to ban use of used games

[Hall]

You think used games ending up in landfills will influence Sony or Microsoft? I'll repeat a common phrase... "They don't care"

It's not new info that the consoles are money-losers or at best, break-even ventures for Sony and MS. Of course, they've never publicly acknowledged this. It's still a valid business model though....

 

[Teehar]

You think used games ending up in landfills will influence Sony or Microsoft? I'll repeat a common phrase... "They don't care"

It doesn't matter what they think or care.Landfills start overflowing with Sony,and MS used games they will learn to care real quick.Also,if they can't make money on mass produced $600 or who knows what the next gen will cost,then something is wrong with their business model.

 

[king3pj]

It doesn't matter what they think or care.Landfills start overflowing with Sony,and MS used games they will learn to care real quick.Also,if they can't make money on mass produced $600 or who knows what the next gen will cost,then something is wrong with their business model.

$600 is one thing. That is the lowest price point for Alienware's cheapest current gaming PC. Most people expect the PS4 and new Xbox to be around $400 though. The thing is the Alienware will be outdated before you even buy it. It will run current games at less then 1080p resolution if you want the highest framerates.

If they want their new consoles to last 7 years they have to be more powerful than that $600 Alienware and they have to sell it for around $200 less. I don't think anyone will ever make the mistake Sony did launching the PS3 at $600 again. That killed them right from the start. Microsoft got a huge console sales lead on them because PS3 was too expensive for average gamers. Once they started dropping prices the PS3 sales exploded.

It is pretty common knowledge in the games industry that most new consoles sell for a loss. IGN has reported that even the underpowered Wii U is sold at a loss and that system is roughly equivalent to the 7 year old 360 and PS3 . They report that it becomes profitable after 2 game purchases.

Sony and Microsoft will be selling much more expensive hardware and they can't raise their price by huge amounts.

 

[Hall]

It doesn't matter what they think or care.Landfills start overflowing with Sony,and MS used games they will learn to care real quick.

That's your argument against this ? Good luck....

 

[king3pj]

That's your argument against this ? Good luck....

If that was the case AOL would have had a really hard time in the 90s. It seemed like they mailed us installation disks almost weekly.

 

[Teehar]

That's your argument against this ? Good luck....

Perhaps it is one feeble argument,one of many more that can and will be made if they try to implement the ban of used games.

$600 is one thing. That is the lowest price point for Alienware's cheapest current gaming PC. Most people expect the PS4 and new Xbox to be around $400 though

If I remember correctly,PS3 suggested retail price in the US at launch was $499,that was for the whopping 20Gb model.Which would have been right on par or slightly above a gaming pc build at the time.I wouldn't be one bit surprised to see the PS4 launch for $599,maybe even more.Sony nor MS,are going to eat consoles at launch.You'll never convince me that they aren't making a profit on them from the get go.These companies aren't in the gaming business to lose money,they also aren't making all their profits from the sale of games.

 

[king3pj]

Perhaps it is one feeble argument,one of many more that can and will be made if they try to implement the ban of used games.

If I remember correctly,PS3 suggested retail price in the US at launch was $499,that was for the whopping 20Gb model.Which would have been right on par or slightly above a gaming pc build at the time.I wouldn't be one bit surprised to see the PS4 launch for $599,maybe even more.Sony nor MS,are going to eat consoles at launch.You'll never convince me that they aren't making a profit on them from the get go.These companies aren't in the gaming business to lose money,they also aren't making all their profits from the sale of games.

I posted the Sony confirmed specs in the PS4 thread. You won't find anything with those specs in the $600 gaming PC range. The $600 Alienware has a 2 core processor. The PS4 has an 8 core processor. The Alienware has 4GB of ram. The PS4 has 8GB of ram. The Alienware has a current low end graphics card. The exact model number of the PS4 graphics card hasn't been released but it will be higher than that if they want it to last 7 years. If you just do the math you will see that the PS4 will be selling at a loss. You're easily over $1000 if you're trying to buy a gaming PC with those specs.

Yes I'm aware that Alienware PCs are sold at a profit. If the PS4 is in the $400 to $450 price point there is no way it will be selling at a profit with those specs though. It's all about building a big install base and getting a licensing check for each game they sell. That's where the money is. That's why PC games often sell for less than the console version. No licensing fee to Sony or Microsoft.

This is common knowledge in the games industry. Consoles have been selling at a loss for generations. The PS3 launched with $499 and $599 models. They also didn't sell at all until they got below the $400 price point. They won't make that mistake again. I think they will launch at $400. The max I can see for the base model will be $450. The might have a more expensive version with a bigger hard drive.

 

[yourbeliefs]

If the 720 bans the use of used games then Microsoft will look like real idiots..

 

[Derwin0]

...and you're by far in the minority of console owners who have two consoles, let alone three ! Just like above, MS and Sony won't care. The loss will be so minute to them. Even MS adapts to some degree with multi-license copies of software, like Office for Student/Home where they allow (3) PCs to use the same copy. Do they do that with console games today ? Nope -- cause the market is next to nothing.

I have 2 PS3's. Which is nice, as one is for me & the wife, and the other is for the kids.

What I've loved about PSN, is that anything I buy there, can be installed onto both consoles as Sony allows you to install anything you buy on PSN to 2 consoles (used to be 5). All I have to do is have my PSN account on both consoles.
And with physical disc games, I can easily move it between consoles.

As consoles get cheaper in their lifespans, it's not uncommon for families to have more than 1, especially in those with children. Not allowing "used" discs will hurt those families.

 

[Teehar]

I wonder if that ban would also apply to game rentals?

 

[yourbeliefs]

Look, I think it's very fair to assume that the 720 is not going to ban used games. If Nintendo and Sony aren't going to do it then Microsoft would be at a huge disadvantage with their console that the others could easily capitalize on.

 

[Derwin0]

Weren't their these same rumors when the PS3 & 360 came out?

 

[thechaz05]

Look, I think it's very fair to assume that the 720 is not going to ban used games. If Nintendo and Sony aren't going to do it then Microsoft would be at a huge disadvantage with their console that the others could easily capitalize on.

I am not so sure. EA already does something similar with one time use codes to enable online content, which I think is total bs. Point is, if this is true I would not be surprised. I won't be happy about it and most likely won't be upgrading, but not surprised. I really hope I am wrong.

Posted Using The New SatelliteGuys Reader App!

 

[meStevo]

Sony has declined to kill rumors that the whole used game killing scheme is still possible on PS4. The questioning was vague enough that they could be just referring to the current 'online pass' method. They even declined to address it with their own games.

 

[Kraven]

Good point teehar... A lot of people do rent games first before buying them.

 

[yourbeliefs]

I am not so sure. EA already does something similar with one time use codes to enable online content, which I think is total bs. Point is, if this is true I would not be surprised. I won't be happy about it and most likely won't be upgrading, but not surprised. I really hope I am wrong.

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That's different. Online pass is typically used to prevent used games from playing ONLINE. So if you don't care about that content then you don't lose anything. It doesn't stop you from playing the actual game if you don't enter the code. You simply don't get the whole game so to speak. But yes, that is a bs practice as well

 

[JamesJ]

I wish I knew what the "720" specs were going to be, E3 cant get here soon enough...I think PS3 must know that Microsoft has something up their sleeve to want to be shown that early!