Well here we are again.
It’s always such a pleasure.
Remember when EA released their Pass?
Oh how we laughed and laughed.
Except no one was laughing.
Under the circumstances, the industry is wrong. (And we all want this gone.)
I’ve always been a big defender of most corporate decisions, because I understand that everything comes down to the final dollar. The said corporation may be in the entertainment business, but if they see that a piece of entertainment–whether it’s a TV show or a video game–isn’t turning profit, not only does that say to them that they’re losing money, but also that no one wants or is entertained by it. I have friends who work for Cartoon Network, and it’s something they say all the time when people complain that a particular show or anime has been cancelled: according to our numbers, no one was watching it.
That said, I cannot defend Sony’s decision to venture into the realm of purchasing online passes for content.
I want to give Sony the benefit of the doubt and believe that they are using the PSN Pass as a half-assed attempt to help thwart what has been plaguing the PlayStation Network in general: hackers and pirates. Lately the answer seems to be all about digital rights management (DRM), and creating such an online pass is one such method. With it, they could ensure that a copy of a game is genuine, much like what Windows requires when you first install a new version of Windows. If they find someone who does not have a genuine copy, they can swing down the ban hammer a la Xbox-style, which makes a little bit of sense to me… A little.
But we all know what the biggest reason behind this possibly is, which falls to Sony’s perception that they are losing money due to used game sales. And this is something I can’t get behind.
I understand a company’s need to make sure that people aren’t stealing their products, which is why I’ve always given DRM the benefit of the doubt. However, using a DRM pass to “prevent” people from buying a used game is downright ludicrous. I used to sit on the fence about my position on the used game market until a friend asked what makes game developers/publishers think that their product is better than a toaster or even a car. We sell toasters in garage sales all the time, and we always trade in our cars to buy new ones. So why can’t we do this with games? And don’t quote your EULAs at me; I don’t care.
I’m a huge advocate for lowering the prices of games. Sure, used game retailers will probably still sell them for $5-10 less, but for many, spending $50 on a new game is far more feasible than $60. I can almost guarantee that publishers will see a spike in new game sales if they lower game prices just $10.
Face it, game developers; you aren’t losing nearly as much money in used game sales as you are with the thieving douches who are pirates and hackers. There’s your real problem, and that’s what you all need to focus on to boost your profit margins instead of focusing on how to punish the user who legally purchases a copy of a game. And Sony, after all you’ve been through for the past couple of months, you would think you would be doing everything in your power to get back in the good graces of your users, instead of just fanning the flames of your enemies.
Anyone want to take a bet on how quickly a hacked PSN Pass for Resistance 3 surfaces?
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