Sony’s Answer To PS3 Piracy: Serial Codes?

This is a great idea. Remember when serial numbers stopped piracy on the PC? Good move, Sony.
 
Spewn said:
This is a great idea. Remember when serial numbers stopped piracy on the PC? Good move, Sony.
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Anything similar to serial keys for copy protection would be to protect online titles from people playing pirated titles online, which is where the biggest problem is. This system has been working fine in PC game for years now, no reason to think it would fail on the PS3.
 
I see developers being down for this.
Case and point, the none existent used pc game market.
Gamestop is gona be pissed.
 
Dirk13 said:
Someone brought up a good point about this killing rentals and in effect really hurting the PS3 sales in general. It is hard for me to justify spending 60 bucks on a game that lasts 15 hours or less and most console games clock in at that or under. However I could go rent them for a week and be done with them, or find out I should purchase it instead. With this new system in place that will never happen and the games people are on the fence abot will go unplayed.
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I was so pissed when I bought Heavy Rain. I beat that game in 2 days. Waste of money. Reminded me of when i got Shenmue for the Dreamcast. I wish I woulda rented it and saved a lot of money.
 
DNAlevelC said:
I was so pissed when I bought Heavy Rain. I beat that game in 2 days. Waste of money. Reminded me of when i got Shenmue for the Dreamcast. I wish I woulda rented it and saved a lot of money.
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You could have purchased Heavy Rain for $50 when it was new and traded it in for close to $40 right after you beat it. Its not like every game is $60 and then you can never get rid of it.
 
DNAlevelC said:
I was so pissed when I bought Heavy Rain. I beat that game in 2 days. Waste of money. Reminded me of when i got Shenmue for the Dreamcast. I wish I woulda rented it and saved a lot of money.
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I'm pretty sure everyone called it before it was released :p. It was a good interactive movie but a terrible videogame.
 
I waited until now to get Heavy Rain, got it used from craigslist for $25.
 
defiant007 said:
Hate to burst your bubble but there ARE SEVERAL games on steam which still have multiple layers of DRM, including install limits and constant connection requirements.

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=17037164&posted=1#post17037164

That's one issue. The other is the fact that you are trading digital convenience for loss of consumer rights and ownership.

Personally I would rather the inconvenience of physical media (which I can in any event bypass) over loss of my right to lend, borrow, sell something I have paid hard earned money for.

I also hate being at the mercy of the content providers who can decide to revoke your or alter your software for vexatious reasons, or could otherwise become insolvent.

It would be one thing if there was an appreciable difference in price by buying the digital version, but the fact is that digital prices are identical to the physical versions. The only people who benefit from digital are the devs/publishers who laugh all way to the bank whilst stomping all over consumers.
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Agree 100%

I buy many, many less PC games than I did in the past. And now, I impulse buy nothing. I always need to google the game to see what kind of copy protection it has on it before I buy it. I will not buy games that want remote-server-authentication. I refuse to be treated like I'm the enemy, and there's no guarantee that game will work in future years.

They do it on consoles, and I'll stop buying there too. My limit for a remote-authentication, DRM'd game is $10 or so. Anything more than that and I will not do it.

My latest to pass up on was Civ V because it uses Steam DRM. I love, love Civ. I bought the special edition of Civ4 and each expansion as they came out. But I'm not 'buying' a copy that requires calling home to Valve's servers to install. I don't even have an issue if they would remove the DRM later (like say a year after release). But they don't, because people are letting them take away their rights to property ownership. Now it's a license with a EULA that you intrinsically agree to somehow and not your property.

I don't have any problems with this kind of thing for rentals. But I don't own it if I can't use it without some remote server verifying "yes, you really own this and I'll let you play it now".
 
GreenMonkey said:
Agree 100%

I buy many, many less PC games than I did in the past. And now, I impulse buy nothing. I always need to google the game to see what kind of copy protection it has on it before I buy it. I will not buy games that want remote-server-authentication. I refuse to be treated like I'm the enemy, and there's no guarantee that game will work in future years.

They do it on consoles, and I'll stop buying there too. My limit for a remote-authentication, DRM'd game is $10 or so. Anything more than that and I will not do it.

My latest to pass up on was Civ V because it uses Steam DRM. I love, love Civ. I bought the special edition of Civ4 and each expansion as they came out. But I'm not 'buying' a copy that requires calling home to Valve's servers to install. I don't even have an issue if they would remove the DRM later (like say a year after release). But they don't, because people are letting them take away their rights to property ownership. Now it's a license with a EULA that you intrinsically agree to somehow and not your property.

I don't have any problems with this kind of thing for rentals. But I don't own it if I can't use it without some remote server verifying "yes, you really own this and I'll let you play it now".
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This makes no sense whatsoever. Why are you even on a PC then? You haven't been able to fully outright own the majority of PC software for over 20 years. I've used Steam for over 10 years now and have zero problems playing any game I own on it. I don't trade any of my games so reselling and or lending doesn't effect me. My biggest complaint is the lack of local lan capabilities in the majority of all games now. Steam at least has 4 pack deals on most games which allow me and my buddies to keep playing together at insanely reduced prices.
 
bigdogchris said:
This will never happen.
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This.

This be a complete and total PR clusterfuck nightmare.
You'd have Microsoft and Nintendo earning more sales and their new ads would say "our consoles don't have this shit". Then you'd have Sony CSR's committing suicide from having to field calls all day long from customers complaining about their games not having a valid code anymore. Then you'd have mom and pop game stores crying foul, and corporate entities like Gamestop would be crying foul and suing for God only knows what, but I'm sure there's something out there they could sue over this. :D

Never never happen. Sony may want it to happen, they may think it's a good idea...but it's not. It's a pipe dream with too many negative consequences. Coming up with this would certainly doom the Ps3 to last place, and that's something that Sony does not want to happen.
 
I called sony last night to see what they had to say about the cheating in MW2 and they said we are working on it. LOL just admit it, you guys got owned and now I am paying for it
 
Climber said:
This makes no sense whatsoever. Why are you even on a PC then? You haven't been able to fully outright own the majority of PC software for over 20 years. I've used Steam for over 10 years now and have zero problems playing any game I own on it. I don't trade any of my games so reselling and or lending doesn't effect me. My biggest complaint is the lack of local lan capabilities in the majority of all games now. Steam at least has 4 pack deals on most games which allow me and my buddies to keep playing together at insanely reduced prices.
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I only buy 2-3 PC games a year at this point. There's a reason I buy console games now instead.

Some of us have a tight budget and can't afford to drop $60 on something you cannot resell, cannot return, and cannot get refunded. At least I can sell a console game and recoup some funds.

I've only bought one Steam game - Team Fortress 2 - I spent $10 on. Steam DRM is DRM like anything else. I don't want games to call home to Valve any more than I do EA or Sony or whoever. I didn't do DRM'd music with iTunes for the same reasons.

I wouldn't put up with this kind of crap for a chair or a TV or a car, not for DVDs or BD, not for music, and I'm not willing to do it for software. It's not any different.

I think serial keys are fine - but online authentication of them...is bound to end in trouble for honest customers when pirates keygen their serial keys and use them up.
 
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steam works, the second hand market needs to die, if you cant afford it then simply wait for it to come down in price, or maybe what sony is doing with the ps3 is right which is allow full game downoads that can be used fully for a limited amount of time including trophies etc on psn+
 
Tricky2ufellow said:
steam will forever keep all my games
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Companies fortunes come and go and I'd be VERY surprised if steam is around in anything resembling it's current form in say 30 years time. If we are lucky then they will release a final patch that removes the protection but I wouldn't bet on it.

Also IIRC some games distributed on steam have their own activation systems as well that are beyond steams control.
 
one of the advantages of a console is the ability to put said game in and play. Entering a code is just an extra hassle that alienates all of the legitimate users and does not stop anyone from pirating a game.
 
Haven't touched my PS3 in months, this could be the tipping point for me to just to go ahead and sell it.
 
All the cd key does is prevent pirates from playing online. Has been working pretty well for PC games for years.
 
Rash said:
steam works, the second hand market needs to die, if you cant afford it then simply wait for it to come down in price
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Without the second hand market the prices will take MUCH longer to drop. The only reason PC game prices drop so quick is because publishers are abso-fucking-lutely DESPERATE for sales. Except for Blizzard, but you don't see their prices dropping at the astronomical rate other companies games drop at.
 
Signal said:
I didn't think the firmware upgrades ever affected the games playing and if it did, I thought it was included on newer game discs?
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Its not? I thought it was? I didnt have interwebs and it still updated when I played newer games.....maybe I was wrong.
 
If this supposed serial key is for games with online component than I say go for it, it will keep those asshats from my online fun... If this is for all the games, even those without any MP whatsoever than it's have to be the most idiotic piece of info I read in a while if in fact it's true. I mean even a complete cretin knows that you can go around serial keys to play a game if you pirate it.
 
What if someone steals your S/N?
Then you'll be the one banned + pissed off.
 
How often does that happen? I also don't shop at gamestop so that reduces my risk greatly.
 
bazylik said:
How often does that happen? I also don't shop at gamestop so that reduces my risk greatly.
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Well,
If "crackers/hackers/whatever" find out the algorithm used for S/N's, they could replicate or make anything... Just like they do with any software or game we have now...

I don't think it's a good idea at all
 
DSee said:
Well,
If "crackers/hackers/whatever" find out the algorithm used for S/N's, they could replicate or make anything... Just like they do with any software or game we have now...

I don't think it's a good idea at all
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SN is a great idea, just look at pc games. Sure piracy is huge but none of them get to play in online servers because of serial numbers.

Sure keygens can generate fake serial numbers that get accepted however, the server request and check a database with the real serial numbers.


It takes ages to brute forces for a working one too if the server have some anti brute check.
 
All this will do is kill the 2nd hand market so publishers can price gouge for longer. It might stop multiplayer pirating, but I dont think that's going to be as big of a problem as pirating single player games initially anyway.
 
Climber said:
This makes no sense whatsoever. Why are you even on a PC then? You haven't been able to fully outright own the majority of PC software for over 20 years. I've used Steam for over 10 years now and have zero problems playing any game I own on it. I don't trade any of my games so reselling and or lending doesn't effect me. My biggest complaint is the lack of local lan capabilities in the majority of all games now. Steam at least has 4 pack deals on most games which allow me and my buddies to keep playing together at insanely reduced prices.
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and as far as my opinion on games, the standard prices need to be dropped by 50% and all second hand use can be killed off. by dropping prices significantly, buy the game new or not at all. the biggest issue i think people have is this sense of entitlement that the publishers should allow them to play their second hand copy unimpeded and free of charge. the publishers currently arent, and cannot block you from selling the disc, but, if you're connected to their servers, they make the rules and because you didnt buy the game first hand, you're not entitled to what came along within that purchase price. i know many argue about the sellers reinvesting in more games, however, not everyone feels like taking that approach and look strictly at one sale one person, one resale one sale less. this new serial isnt even an antipiracy measure as much as it is an anti resale measure. these arent homes or cars here, these are games. too many times people have too many rights in a specific category and not enough in another. in this category people are feeling too entitled. i dont buy games until they are cheap enough that i can afford them, and then i buy them off of steam fully knowing i will never get a dime back on that investment.
 
lgestle said:
I think we all knew this was the next step on consoles. The only question was when. This may just be a rumor for the PS3, but will happen eventually.
I can't wait for digital release only.:rolleyes: I'm scared to think what might be comming to an online console market place for day 1 releases:(
COD MW25 Demo -$14.95 Buy Now
COD MW25 Single Player -$39.99 Buy Now
COD MW25 Multi Player -$69.99 Buy Now
COD MW25 Complete Edition - 149.95 Buy Now
COD MW25 Map Pack 1 - $24.95 Buy Now
COD MW25 Map Pack 2 - $24.95 Buy Now
COD MW25 Map Pack 3 - $24.95 Buy Now
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I believe this to be accurate in what Activision really wants to charge for Call of Dookie.
 
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