Sony has patented a new technology that could be implemented to block used games.
Spotted by NeoGaf, the patent application for an “Electronic Content Processing System” and “Use Apparatus” would associate individual game discs with matched user accounts…
Games that are discovered to be tied to another user’s account could potentially be rejected. The system works, according to the document, by attaching contactless RF “tags” to each game, which can be be read without a network connection.
“A game playing system includes a use permission tag provided for use in a game disk for a user of a game, a disk drive, and a reproduction device for reproducing the game,” reads a line from the patent’s abstract. “The disk drive reads out a disk ID from the game disk. When the game is to be played, the reproduction device conveys the disk ID and a player ID to the use permission tag. The use permission tag stores the terms of use of the game and determines whether a combination of the disk ID and the player ID conveyed from the reproduction device fulfills the terms of use or not.”
In the patent filing, Sony said in a content business like the games industry, it is “vital” to redistribute a portion of the proceeds from sales to developers, who do not see a dime from second-hand sales. Sony said though the second-hand market may expose new gamers to a particular title, in the long run, this does not benefit developers.
“In such a scheme where the electronic content is bought and sold in the second-hand markets or the like, the sales proceeds resulting therefrom are not redistributed to the developers,” reads a line from the filing. “Also, since the users who have purchased the second-hand items are somehow no longer potential buyers of the content, the developers would lose their profits otherwise gained in the first place.”
Sony said this patent would effectively “suppress” the second-hand game market if it ever comes to fruition. This technology would also be applicable to other forms of electronic content, including images and music.
Analyst Michael Pachter attributes the GameStop share price drop of 5% on Thursday, to the spotted patent above. This is what he said:
In a note to investors, as reported by Kotaku, Pachter warned against dumping GameStop stock, saying there’s little chance such a system will be implemented.
“The news has negatively impacted GameStop shares, and we think the reaction is overblown,” he said, adding “Sony benefits little from a unilateral decision to block games. Sony’s sales would rise only marginally if the PS4 blocked used games.
“Sony would be materially hurt if its console blocked used games and competitor consoles from Microsoft and Nintendo did not.”
Pachter said Sony’s patent may offer individual publisher the opportunity to implement an anti-used game system at their own discretion rather than a system-wide ban.
Pachter was among a number of analysts who pooh-poohed the rumours and advised investors to remain faithful to GameStop. GameStop’s shares may also have been seen as less desirable following analyst comments that it had not sold as many Wii Us as expected.
The patent was originally applied for in September and was published today.
Now, keep in mind this is just a filed patent, so it doesn’t necessarily indicate that Sony will prohibit gamers from playing second-hand titles on the PS4 or any other device. However, it would match perfectly with all the recent rumors surrounding Sony’s next-gen console.
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You can read the full patent application HERE.
