Microsoft has been the center of controversies because of different practices that the public considers hostile to consumers, but according to Geoff Keighley Microsoft is not the only one trying to control used games; Keighley has said on Bonus Round TV that Sony has been considering a form of DRM to control the secondary market.
Talking about the distinction between MS’s practices and Sony’s, Keighley said that Sony is seen as a “White Knight” that is not going to restrict used games and that he doesn’t think that it is necessarily true–he believes that publishers won’t allow one system to do one thing and another to do something else.
“The one thing that is amazing to me is that right now we’re not hearing a lot from the game publishers about what their view is on this. The console companies are becoming the bad guys. And, you know, Microsoft is getting beaten up a lot on it. Sony, I think, has been seen as this kind of white knight so far that’s not going to restrict used games. Based on some of the things I’m hearing, I don’t think that’s entirely true, because I can’t see publishers allowing one system to do one thing and one do another.”
I don’t think Sony is willing to risk the success of its console by pursuing that objective–especially after the backlash that Microsoft is getting because of its DRM practices. To neglect the consumer’s opinion would destroy Sony’s advantage. And if they are still clinging to the idea of a DRM system, gamers are about to yank the idea out of their hands.
Following the rumor of Sony’s DRM a NeoGAF post mustered the troops to bombard Sony’s executives through Twitter and let them know the general consensus regarding DRM practices; key personnel include Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida. They received a deluge of tweets where “fans” let them know their feelings regarding the possibility of used games DRM; the NeoGAF post suggested to avoid flagrant language and to be respectful so that Sony’s executives would address the tweets open-minded.
“The gist of it is that Sony is listening to the backlash that Microsoft is getting and they are basing decisions off of this. I would assume MS is also, but I don’t know that for sure. But I can say, for sure, that the past week’s PR nightmare for MS has not been lost on Sony and they, in fact, do have a used game ‘solution’ working and have been going back and forth for months on whether to use it. This past week is pushing them strongly into ‘Yeah, let’s not use that.’ “
Sony’s position is yet to be confirmed.
