Morgoth Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) Sony actually getting serious about blocking used games for the PS4? Follow up: Gamestop investors are panicking like little chickens now due to DRM rumor "We think the reaction is overblown," Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter said in a note sent to Gamasutra. Yo Pachter, thanks for telling us the obvious. This statement alone should warrant at least a $0,567 million in bonus payments. "Good job Mike!" Edited January 3, 2013 by Morgoth Rain makes everything better.
alanschu Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) That line is more a lead in to the Pachter's other comments. Though you should probably more thank Gamasutra for stating the obvious, since they felt like separating it. Pachter obviously had more to say than just that. According to Pachter, blocking used game sales wouldn't do much for Sony's bottom line, given that only 10% of its console game's sales are published by Sony itself. Such a move, he says, would open the floodgates for Microsoft to be the good guy and offer the next-gen console with more options, something Sony can't afford to let happen. Having said that, used game sales are living on borrowed time anyways, as the game industry becomes increasingly digital. Edited January 3, 2013 by alanschu
AwesomeOcelot Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) According to Pachter, blocking used game sales wouldn't do much for Sony's bottom line, given that only 10% of its console game's sales are published by Sony itself. Doesn't Sony charge a licensing fee? And how can someone say only 10% of ps3 game sales? Only 10% of all the fish in the sea. Such a move, he says, would open the floodgates for Microsoft to be the good guy and offer the next-gen console with more options, something Sony can't afford to let happen. Which console are publishers more likely to support? They can also turn it off or selectively use it, so that they can use it as leverage over retail while it has limited value as leverage over themselves. They can also charge less for new releases if they know demand is going to rise sharply with a lack of a second hand market. People go on about markets and how they correct things and make things better, think about what happened in the PC market with DRM. When publishers all started using similar draconian DRM measures, did a publisher decide to be the good guy? No, they all acted in unison, collusion. edit: I just googled Michael Pachter and he seems to be the go to guy for idiotic comments about the game industry. Edited January 3, 2013 by AwesomeOcelot
alanschu Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Doesn't Sony charge a licensing fee? And how can someone say only 10% of ps3 game sales? Only 10% of all the fish in the sea. Yeah I don't really understand what Pachter is talking about (not the first time he's made me shake my head at clearly talking out of his ass either). If only new copies of the game can be sold, Sony would probably come out ahead. When publishers all started using similar draconian DRM measures, did a publisher decide to be the good guy? No, they all acted in unison, collusion. CDProjekt did with The Witcher 2, as have various indie games as well (although with mixed success). Though things like Ubisoft's always online didn't really catch on.
AwesomeOcelot Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 CDProjekt did with The Witcher 2, as have various indie games as well (although with mixed success). Though things like Ubisoft's always online didn't really catch on. Independents like CDProjekt have always been like this, The Witcher 2 is an indie game as well. I'm talking about the publishers that have published more than 2 games (every 4 years). The Witcher was released in 2007, I can't remember when DRM started to get offensive, but for me it was probably around 2001/2002. DRM doesn't work, DRM never helped a game with sales unless it's part of the infrastructure like a MMO or Diablo 3.
Morgoth Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Call me old fashioned, but why not just trying to create a kick-ass game that everyone wants to play and make money based on that premise? DRM is just apologetic nonsense for the weak. \semi-joke 1 Rain makes everything better.
Nordicus Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) Because the altruistic, and the artistic, video game companies have been trampled on by ruthless unfair chaotic capitalism and 95% of the ceaselessly swashbuckling internet, causing the CEOs to live on crackers and dirty water. They spend time and money on DRM because they WUV US! And we never-ever-ever love them back Edited January 4, 2013 by Nordicus 1
pmp10 Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 Doesn't Sony charge a licensing fee? And how can someone say only 10% of ps3 game sales? Only 10% of all the fish in the sea. Yeah I don't really understand what Pachter is talking about (not the first time he's made me shake my head at clearly talking out of his ass either). If only new copies of the game can be sold, Sony would probably come out ahead. He likely meant that it would lose them customers and they wouldn't profit much in the end. Whether Microsoft would really play the 'good guy' is the more interesting question. Plenty of publisher/developers want to kill used sales and shipping your console without an option to do so may be a risk. I guess customers will end up screwed either way.
alanschu Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 He likely meant that it would lose them customers and they wouldn't profit much in the end. Then there's no point in mentioning that the move wouldn't benefit Sony because Sony only makes up 10% of the total sales. That he uses the word "only" is an implication that the move wouldn't benefit Sony very much. Though I very much disagree that it would lose Sony enough customers that it likely wouldn't pay off for Sony.
mkreku Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 People backed Ouya enthusiastically despite the project being extremely dodgy, so why not do it again? How was Ouya ever "extremely dodgy"? Swedes, go to: Spel2, for the latest game reviews in swedish!
AGX-17 Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) People backed Ouya enthusiastically despite the project being extremely dodgy, so why not do it again? How was Ouya ever "extremely dodgy"? Opinions. Speaking of opinions, and Ouya, it looks as though it's just an Android smartphone/tablet with most of the smartphone/tablet capabilities removed except gaming apps, and a control pad instead of touch screen controls. That's fine for casual, cheap gaming, but it's not going to be a competitor for "hardcore" gaming/gamers whose primary entertainment source is video games. I know it's supposed to be fully modifiable, but I doubt you can stick a core i7 and GTX 680 in there, much less find games that could utilize more than 2-5% of that processing/rendering power. Edited January 4, 2013 by AGX-17
Hurlshort Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 The focus of the Ouya pitch seemed to be that they made a controller. I've just seen a lot of consoles fail, so backing an independent one seemed like a terrible idea. 1
AwesomeOcelot Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) I don't understand the complaint that it's just a smartphone, I heard that a lot when the project was getting funded. ARM is used in a lot of devices, Tegra is one of a few graphics targeted implementations. The only thing smartphone about it is the OS, which is the most widely used and supported OS on ARM architecture. You will find that CPU and GPU solutions are used in a variety of devices. Why would the games be casual on the OUYA? Whether games are casual or not does not come from the hardware. It's more powerful than consoles before 2000, and in some ways it's more powerful than the PS2, GC, and Xbox. The hardware of the OUYA isn't going to be modifiable, nearly everything is integrated, there's no capacity for expansion, the modification ability is in the software. Which was one of the major features of the pitch, no license fees, cheap dev kits, completely open platform. There are challenges for OUYA. A console is successful based on the games it has, OUYA has an edge over Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo because it's cheap and open, there's less barrier to entry. They're going to have competition from other low power ARM based devices such as consoles, there's no reason why a software developer couldn't turn a smartphone into a console with an interface for TV and games designed for the gamepad, it's basically the same hardware. KickStarter is going to play a role in games being ported to the OUYA, so its up to OUYA backers to also push for games to be ported to it. ARM hardware has way shorter cycles than other consoles, it's more like PC GPU cycles, every 6 months, Tegra 4 devices are already out, so it's only a matter of time before a $100 Tegra 4 device will be available, that's going to be a problem for OUYA. Edited January 4, 2013 by AwesomeOcelot
mkreku Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 ...Tegra 4 devices are already out, so it's only a matter of time before a $100 Tegra 4 device will be available, that's going to be a problem for OUYA. What..? Show me. Swedes, go to: Spel2, for the latest game reviews in swedish!
AwesomeOcelot Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 ...Tegra 4 devices are already out, so it's only a matter of time before a $100 Tegra 4 device will be available, that's going to be a problem for OUYA. What..? Show me. I was mistaken, I meant ARM Cortex-A15, the CPU that Tegra 4 is based on.
Katphood Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 Are these guys serious?! http://megagames.com/news/father-hires-game-assassins-kill-his-son%E2%80%99s-avatars There used to be a signature here, a really cool one...and now it's gone.
Orogun01 Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 Are these guys serious?! http://megagames.com...s-son’s-avatars Yeah, that article is totally fake. You expect me to believe that a Chinese man cannot find a job farming gold? I'd say the answer to that question is kind of like the answer to "who's the sucker in this poker game?"* *If you can't tell, it's you.
zinccopper Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 Are these guys serious?! http://megagames.com...s-son’s-avatars Yeah, that article is totally fake. You expect me to believe that a Chinese man cannot find a job farming gold? I saw the original article few days back, so if it is fake, it is faked by chinese medium. On other note, THQ's brilliant business plan fails again: THQ Clearlake buyout not approved by judge, five buyers interested So THQ is dead for sure then. I am glad to hear that Ubisoft only wants 75% off bargain sale, which means those good IPs mostly will end up in better hands.
Calax Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 Depends. They can still undergo full bankruptcy proceedings and restructure themselves. If they manage to rebuild their business model from the idiocy of "terrible movie tie in schlock" and start working on new IP's and keeping successful ones going, they'd be able to survive pretty well. They have some VERY talented teams under their banner, and are TRYING to rebuild themselves around that, which is good. It's just that they're going to need to sell some properties and liquidate some assets as well as find backers to keep going Victor of the 5 year fan fic competition! Kevin Butler will awesome your face off.
Oner Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 http://youtu.be/rQTxxCnMWJw Looking good That actually sounds interesting. And I feel sorry for THQ. Giveaway list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DgyQFpOJvyNASt8A12ipyV_iwpLXg_yltGG5mffvSwo/edit?usp=sharing What is glass but tortured sand?Never forget! '12.01.13.
BruceVC Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/01/01/2013-preview/ Now this is an interesting article, a really comprehensive list of games for 2013 . There are some good ones on the way, 2013 is looking faaaaaaaaantastic. There are some titles I have never even heard of but that only adds to the excitement. "Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss” John Milton "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” - George Bernard Shaw "What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead" - Nelson Mandela
Morgoth Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 http://www.pcgamer.c...1/2013-preview/ Gorky 21? YEEEEESSSS!!! Rain makes everything better.
Lexx Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 If there can't be Incubation 2, then at least there will be Gorky 21. Not bad. "only when you no-life you can exist forever, because what does not live cannot die."
BruceVC Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 http://www.pcgamer.c...1/2013-preview/ Gorky 21? YEEEEESSSS!!! You are not the first person to express excitement about this so now I am really interested . What was good about the first one as I have never heard of it until now? "Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss” John Milton "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” - George Bernard Shaw "What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead" - Nelson Mandela
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