Sony would be surprised by publisher DRM for PS4 games

Written by David Hing

June 17, 2013 | 13:15

Tags: #drm #ps4

Companies: #e3 #sony

Sony considers it unlikely that third-party publishers will want to bring DRM limitations to the PS4 titles.

Sony senior vice-president of World Wide Studios America, Scott Rohde, said that it would be 'surprising' if publishers wanted to bring game-access limitations similar to those described for the XBox One to the PS4 following the overwhelmingly positive reception Sony got at E3 for refusing to follow Microsoft's lead.

'Technically, they could do something, but it's the standard we're setting that we believe is the right standard and I believe that's the way it's going to work,' Rhode told Polygon.

He added that all the publishers that could have the option to implement DRM systems for their games were present for the Sony press conference at E3 and all heard the cheers of attendees when it was made clear that the PS4 would not have the same game-sharing restrictions as the Xbox One.

Rohde went on to dismiss the fact that Sony filed a patent relating to the limitation of second-hand sales of games last year was simply due to the fact that Sony is a large company that is always looking at different ways that the business could work.

Sony is considered by many industry pundits as the 'winner' of E3 this year after it revealed its next generation console would not have any of the features that the Xbox One has to fight used game sales and would not require a semi-persistent internet connection.

Microsoft subsequently attempted to show Sony up as having merely hidden DRM tactics, but this was later revealed to be Sony saying that implementing DRM is still an option for individual publishers, in much the same way that online passes have worked during the current console generation.

However, in a series of tweets yesterday, veteran developer Cliff Bleszinski accused Sony of 'playing on the internet outrage for free PR' in relation to its stance on used games, claiming that current expectations for triple-A titles are not financially sustainable with used and rental games as a possibility.
Discuss this in the forums
YouTube logo
MSI MPG Velox 100R Chassis Review

October 14 2021 | 15:04

TOP STORIES

SUGGESTED FOR YOU