Sony "unreasonably" restricts PS3 software to two consoles only

[digibucc]

i honestly believe most customers don't care that or even feel they are being treated any way, especially poorly. it's a product, they consume. end of story.

i do not see a problem with sony limiting purchases to 2 physical machines. 5 is common in pc activations but a console is not a pc. i can't think of very many valid reasons why you need a single purchase to be available on 5 machines. i'm not defending sony, they're pricks. i just don't see this as a glaring example of said prickiness.

as for the tvs, i'd imagine it has something to do with them being priced more than 2x the leading competitor

 

[Easy Rhino]

yea, i can understand them but i think it will bite them in the ass eventually. also, like you said most people don't care. we at tpu and on other sites are a very small minority.

 

[ChewyBrownSuga]

while i understand why they are doing this, i think it is a bad business decision. i really don't see them making consoles far into the future as they constantly work to screw over their best customers and they can't even protect private data and they couldn't thwart that massive hacker attack that took down the PSN network a few months back.

I really don't understand how limiting PSN downloads too 2 accounts is a bad business decision.

This only affects people with 2 or more Playstations. I wouldn't call someone who gives out their account name and password to other people so they can download the newest DLC for free "their best customers".

Also you gotta remember that the PSP Vita will becoming out soon, and that uses nothing but the PSN to get content.

 

[1Kurgan1]

All I got to say is people complain about DRM on PC... lol.

Not to say that I mind this at all, I understand why they did it. I just like how publishers push for console releases because of pirating, yet the 360 torrents are always the first out there and things like this happen.

 

[newtekie1]

Digital anything is still able to be distributed. Its not money in the factor of used game market(hard x digital), its the capability to share that digital piece of software. When you buy it, don't you have or should have a "license" for that software?

Not according to the license, no, you can't share it.

Its like saying that digital download of Windows 7 on my USB stick, can only be installed twice. 2 Different machines(discovered by machine ID, and IP connection online). After that, you need to re-buy 7 ect...

The OEM Windows license only lets you install it on 1 machine, so yes it is like saying that, because that is how Windows is too.

I have some content from the PSN store, and have multiple friends with PS3's. Basically I will suffer from this. Because I can only log on to my PSN Network profile on 2 different systems and no more to use my digital content threaded into my PSN network profile.

Correct, your friends can no longer illegally use the digital content that you have bought and allowed them to use.

THIS IS A FIRST STEP OF LOCALIZATION AND LOCK-DOWN OF FREEDOM when it comes to digital content(via videogames) usability. All they have to do is make it were hard copy's of video game content are only to be played on X number of system's.

First step? Not really, the first step was putting that you can only use it X number of times in the EULA agreement for the content. This type of thing has been around for ages, Microsoft has been doing it since at least 2000, so yeah, I'm not too worried about the end of the world coming because of it.

AND having to be forced to go "Offline" to bypass some of this "bullshit" is BULLSHIT. It's practically saying that you sacrifice half the ingenuity and purpose of the hardware because of the decisions in corporate.

Going off line has nothing to do with it, you can only install it on 2 systems, you have to be online to do the install. Going offline was the example of how people are currently taking advantage of similar systems(steam) and the current system. The new system of limiting number of actual installs is the way they are combating that.

Example: Itunes online ID(account), they release that your music can only be on 2 of there devices and no more.
Outcome: Fuck apple, I have 4-10 devices @ this moment in my house.

That is a false example, as long as you have the file, you can put it on any number of devices you want. However, with itunes you can only download and install the file once! After you download it the first time you can't download it again. Sony is at least letting you download the purchase twice! That is double what Apple gives.

 

[digibucc]

licenses are formulated to give the buyer as few rights as possible. you are buying the disc. but you don't own the disc, or the content on it. you can use it - because what you really bought is a license, not a piece of software. but try and replace that software for free when all you have is a license - screwed there too.

granted a lot of companies are moving to digital distribution, so that alleviates the problem of losing a disc or needing an update , but alleviate doesn't mean eliminate.

 

[RoutedScripter]

It's a shame we can't cover consoles as news, because this is just the kind of dick move from Sony (the consumer friendly company that brought us the CD rootkit ) that royally pisses me off - and I don't even have a games console.

It would dumb TPU down. Definitely attracting all the noobs.

 

[n-ster]

and we don'ty want Xbox 360 vs PS3 and Microsoft vs Sony shit... That would be even more chaotic than the Thailand flood thread

Look at how many tumes Apple haters have crapped Apple threads... Now imagine that x 10

 

[BumbleBee]

TPU needs more editors if it's going to cover gaming news.

 

[qubit]

TPU needs more editors if it's going to cover gaming news.

This wasn't a news post, because TPU doesn't cover consoles usually. You can't tell by looking at the OP that it's not a news post though. The giveaway for a news post however, is it will often, but not always, have something like "Source: xxx" in small text at the bottom. My OP didn't.

 

[BumbleBee]

looks like news to me... you just didn't post it in the right section.

 

[qubit]

A news post appears on the front page. This didn't.

 

[newtekie1]

This wasn't a news post, because TPU doesn't cover consoles usually. You can't tell by looking at the OP that it's not a news post though. The giveaway for a news post however, is it will often, but not always, have something like "Source: xxx" in small text at the bottom. My OP didn't.

It will also have "techPowerUp! Forums > www.techpowerup.com > News" at the top of the page.

 

[BumbleBee]

this is a news story no matter what section it's posted in. Kotaku labeled it a top story and received almost 30,000 hits. nothing wrong with posting console news unless Wiz doesn't like ad revenue.

 

[qubit]

this is a news story no matter what section it's posted in. Kotaku labeled it a top story and received almost 30,000 hits. nothing wrong with posting console news unless Wiz doesn't like ad revenue.

Well, I guess it's a semantice difference really. When I say a "news story", I mean one that appears on the front page. This is a forum post about a news story. If I had done a proper story on it, I would have made a much longer post than the couple of lines I put in and would never use the phrase "dick move" in it, either. You could say I have posted news in the forum if you like and so could anyone else do the same.

It will also have "techPowerUp! Forums > www.techpowerup.com > News" at the top of the page.

Duh, of course. <facepalm> There's yer giveaway.

 

[Wile E]

If I remember correctly, you can deactivate the content on a console if you want to put it on a different one. So really, it;s you can only have psn stuff on 2 consoles, AT A TIME.

 

[qubit]

If I remember correctly, you can deactivate the content on a console if you want to put it on a different one. So really, it;s you can only have psn stuff on 2 consoles, AT A TIME.

Yes, you do remember correctly. The article did mention being able to deactivate. Still, what a pain. And what happens if you forget to deactivate first on the machine you no longer want it on - can you do it from the new target machine? I should hope so, or you can see how someone could get stuck.

 

[DannibusX]

Unreasonable would be to limit it to one. How many people have three PS3's in their house?

If you can deactivate, then it's a non issue. I'm pretty sure you'd be able to call support if you forgot and they could handle deactivating a former console that was tied to your PSN account.

 

[BumbleBee]

Unreasonable would be to limit it to one. How many people have three PS3's in their house?

If you can deactivate, then it's a non issue. I'm pretty sure you'd be able to call support if you forgot and they could handle deactivating a former console that was tied to your PSN account.

this feature was never used as it was intended.

you buy DLC and share it with 4 other friends so they don't have to pay or when a publisher decides to stop selling DLC on PSN you can sell that exclusive DLC up to 4 times.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

theres one big problem with this

DEAD PS3 = used console

already seen this happen with a few games my friends have, there Console died a few times + they had there info on a friends console,

at this moment with his now 3rd PS3, hes been locked out of some 20 games on his account and Sony support essentially told him to eat a dick, they wont allow him access to his own paid for content,

so while it makes sense it also means if your console dies and you replace it a few times your pretty much fucked. I love how people missed that aspect completely

all this new situation does is make the situation worse. I guess were lucky this isnt retroactive otherwise there would be alot of problems

supposedly you can deauthorize content, but Sony support told him they couldnt do that so yea. circle jerk for the win, eitherway dosent effect me any sold my PS3 a few weeks ago

 

[n-ster]

theres one big problem with this

DEAD PS3 = used console

already seen this happen with a few games my friends have, there Console died a few times + they had there info on a friends console,

at this moment with his now 3rd PS3, hes been locked out of some 20 games on his account and Sony support essentially told him to eat a dick, they wont allow him access to his own paid for content,

so while it makes sense it also means if your console dies and you replace it a few times your pretty much fucked. I love how people missed that aspect completely

all this new situation does is make the situation worse. I guess were lucky this isnt retroactive otherwise there would be alot of problems

supposedly you can deauthorize content, but Sony support told him they couldnt do that so yea. circle jerk for the win, eitherway dosent effect me any sold my PS3 a few weeks ago

I still see no problem in limiting to 2 installs.

I see a problem with Sony's customer support. They should be able to deauthorize. Tell him to call a few times. I know he shouldn't be subjected to this bad service but he should make the effort regardless if he wants the games lol

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

hes called 5 times, lol this isnt rocket science most of the content is older stuff that he lost, but its still a bunch of BS. granted i feel its titles he wont actually play again, but then when you buy something you do expect to be able to use it right? If he does want it bad enough hell do what i do bitch at customer support untill they do fix the issue. lol but hes one of those quiet dosent say much types his problem tho not mine i dont buy every game that comes out period.

 

[n-ster]

shit, I'd be ripping apart Sony customer service... Granted I'm really good on the phone

I'm sure I could easily escalate it to some person that is important enough to just say to his employees to give me my games and give him peace LOL

Also, you can ask for permission to record the phone convo, and then when he says he can't do anything, logically ask if Sony is preventing me to play the games I bought because Sony's console broke or something of the sort (I'm more of a in the moment guy so this isn't the best way to say it lol) and then back it up with some legal BS ie: Sony is stealing from me... If you get an employee to agree to that, then playing that to a manager does wonders lol

But again, this isn't the problem, Sony's customer service / tech support is

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

correct but thats the issue with corporations you should know this from are dealings with companies who sell us enthusiast products theyll do every thing they can to keep from giving you something for nothing 99% of the time, the other 1% is luck

with sony its 99.9999% nothing .00001% lucky,

and yea hes not really capable of dealing with customer service in a way that will get results, but i also feel its his own fault, he has some 300+ games for his PS3, i told him lay off sony support microsoft lol you have a 360 elite that hasnt been used in 8 months.

but still its something to consider when they put a lock up then stone wall you when you have legitimate claims. but this is nothing new when it comes to dealing with sony either.

just keep it in mind if you have bad luck with consoles and there longevity, my buddy mike is on his 3rd PS3 personally in 5 years and he cleans it regularly with compressed air and wipes it down with a clean cloth on a regular basis, his stuffs immaculate but he does it use it alot,

First one had the mobo failure.
second one was PSU failure,
current one works alright but the Blu ray drives a bit well best way to describe it finicky, should this unit fail it will be unit #4 his luck with consoles is about the same as mine with PC hardware, to give you an idea at least with this gen of consoles, add in those failures with ToS, and license terms that stonewall you it results in a pretty good cluster#### of awesome for said consumer, especially if they cant deal with customer service,

were lucky we deal with it regularly with parts we know how to handle those situations, average joe dosent, they dont know key things to say to get the gears turning, again just some user feedback im aware of from friends, on a side note, a buddy of mine has a 360 first gen thats said in a tiny trailer subjected to extreme cold and heat and hes a 2 pack a day smoker console still runs strong go figure. and his 10 year old PS2 still works as well. rather amazing honestly.

 

[Super XP]

Shit like this is what should make people BOYCOT the Sony Playstation and it's games period. If people continue to bend over for these Sony Pricks, then so be it, don't bitch and complain.

I still see no problem in limiting to 2 installs.

I see a problem with Sony's customer support. They should be able to deauthorize. Tell him to call a few times. I know he shouldn't be subjected to this bad service but he should make the effort regardless if he wants the games lol

You should have a right to play a game you purchased anytime you want on any PS console you want. And you should have the right to buy and sell anything you buy regardless. Letting a company do something stupid like this is just asking for more stupidity in the near future.