why will the playstation 4 not play used games?

Question

I heard that the ps4 won't play used or borrowed games, can't you lend your games like you lend your car?

Answer 1

Firstly, so far, that is just a rumor.



Secondly, it would likely use a system similar to the CD-Keys used for MMORPGs. Basically, you would have to register the key that comes in the game case with your PSN account, which then ties that key to your account irrevocably. The disk would then be effectively worthless to anyone except you, because the key would already be used and therefore invalid. Unless the publisher comes up with some system to sell additional keys (much like what EA is doing for online access on their games, charging $10 for a new key).



Why would they do this? Becaause many big-wigs in the gaming industry see used games as the cause of a downward spiral for the industry, where they have to charge more for their games new in order to recoup the development costs, which makes more people want to buy used, which makes them have to raise the prices. Instead of looking at the real problem: "why does every game have to have a gigantic development budget?"

Answer 2

the reports say that the ps4 will play used games but you will have to pay to play, for example you buy a used game,, the game will just offer you demo version of the game and you will have to pay to unlock the full version, just like some pre-owned games to get today that you have to pay to play online if the online code has been used



but worrying reports about the new xbox is that there will be NO used games for that console due to all the games will be available download only,, which will not be good news for game stores world wide



mind you these are just reports and they can easily change day in day out, so i wouldnt pay much attention to them yet,,

Answer 3

it hasn't been confirmed yet. it's a possibility.



you really can't blame sony, ms, nintendo, ea, rockstar, square-enix, etc. for wanting to make it impossible to play used games. think about it. how would you feel if you were the game maker. say you make 10 dollars for every game sold. so for every person that buys a game used, you're losing 10 dollars in profit. think about gamefly. say it buys 10 copies of your games, but how many times have those 10 games been rented out to other gamers? probably hundreds, if not thousands of times. that's a lot of money you just lost in profit because gamers didn't buy your game new, but they still got to experience playing your game, basically for free. it's legal robbery or legal piracy or whatever you want to call it. the simple fact is that used game takes money away from game makers.

Answer 4

I don't believe it's possible for a system to reject a game unless the disc is unreadable. There's no way the PS4 would restrict game usage to brand new games only, because eventually, all games become old and used.

Answer 5

Actually those were the rumors for the 3rd gen Xbox. Microsoft has said that is not the case though.