Xbox 720 may block used games

[Drew]

Microsoft will upgrade its disc technology for its next Xbox from DVDs to Blu-Ray discs, catching up to rival Sony, games industry sources tell Kotaku.

Sony's PlayStation 3 currently supports Blu-Ray, which can contain 25 or 50GB of data compared to DVD's 9GB.

But that disc detail could be far less impactful to the next generation of game consoles than the assertion I've heard from one reliable industry source that Microsoft intends to incorporate some sort of anti-used game system as part of their so-called Xbox 720.

It's not clear if that means that the system wouldn't play used games or how such a set-up would work. Obvious approaches—I'm theorizing here—like linking a copy of a game to a specific Xbox Live account could seemingly be foiled by used-game owners who would keep their system offline. My source wasn't sure how Microsoft intended to implement any anti-used game system in the new machine.

A push in any way by Microsoft against used games would likely be cheered from publishers sick of seeing retailers like GameStop crow about their revenues from the sale of used games. But it could potentially anger consumers who rely on buying cheaply-sold used games or even pass games to relatives or friends.

One source familiar with Microsoft's plans for the new Xbox said Microsoft plans to ship their new Xbox with a new version of its red-hot Kinect hands-free sensor system. The new Kinect would contain an on-board processor, a feature originally intended for the first Kinect. That processor would enable a new Kinect to more effectively detect users' motions.

I'm also hearing that Microsoft is interested in making a smaller controller for its new console.

And what of gaming site IGN's report that the machine could be six times more powerful than the Xbox 360? From some industry sources I'm hearing that that's the right ballpark and that Microsoft is estimating they might even get to 8x the Xbox 360. But another insider clarified that no one in the industry has development kits yet and that any talk about specs right now is still hypothetical.

[UPDATE: A Microsoft rep e-mailed me the following statement: "As an innovator we're always thinking about what is next and how we can push the boundaries of technology like we did with Kinect. We believe the key to extending the lifespan of a console is not just about the console hardware, but about the games and entertainment experiences being delivered to consumers. Beyond that we don't comment on rumors or speculation."]

"Xbox 720" is being used as shorthand by reporters like me to refer to the next Xbox. It's not necessarily the name of the next device. Tech sites Semi Accurate and Fudzilla have reported that the first chips for 720 development kits are going into production, leading to a possible late 2013 release despite my earlier reporting which had pointed to 2014 as the year of the next Xbox and PlayStation.

Nintendo's next console, the Wii U, will go on sale later this year.

http://kotaku.com/5879202/sources-the-next-xbox-will-play-blu+ray-may-not-play-used-games-and-will-introduce-kinect-2


I'm a big Xbox fan but if Microsoft includes this "feature" I definitely will do my gaming somewhere else.

[AnticorRifling]

I'm kind of curious how this technology will work.

[Drew]

They could do what some of the PC games are doing and require that you must be online to play.

[AnticorRifling]

I guess. I don't know of many single player games that require that though? I think campain mode in SC was the first I heard of it.

[Asha]

While it's a pain in the balls (see Ubisoft) I have to support anything that protects against piracy BUT only being able to use one disk per machine is a bit much. Good bye decades old tradition of swapping and lending games.

[Keller]

http://kotaku.com/5879202/sources-the-next-xbox-will-play-blu+ray-may-not-play-used-games-and-will-introduce-kinect-2


I'm a big Xbox fan but if Microsoft includes this "feature" I definitely will do my gaming somewhere else.

Same. I love my xbox much more than any PS I ever played, but I will gladly return to PS if they try this.

[Gelston]

I guess. I don't know of many single player games that require that though? I think campain mode in SC was the first I heard of it.

Any game made by UbiSoft. There are also a lot of games now that require online activation via Steam before you are allowed to play. Also look at the thing game makers have been doing by requiring codes for certain content, the codes coming free with the game but 19.99 or so to get a new code.

[Androidpk]

Diablo 3 will require a constant internet connection, even for offline singleplayer.

[Ceyrin]

Gamestop and other game retail stores will be pissed.

Many game retailers make a lot of good money reselling used games. For Microsoft to just up and remove that possibility from their business plan... well... I expect some retailer resistance.

With that in mind, unless Microsoft has some plan to combat that and make those retailers happy in some other way, I sincerely doubt this would actually come to pass.

[Gelston]

I think it is the game developers pressuring them. They have never really fancied used games.

[kookiegod]

Yah, I really don't see how this is possible without alienating a wide base.

A lot of the US still doesn't have high speed internet, so an always on connection would cost them vast amounts of sales.

Frankly, unless they move to a fully downloading game platform, they need game stores to distribute. Even Best Buy has a used game program. They'd hurt their entire retail channel who'd likely push back and not sell the hardware, let alone the software.

~Paul

[Smythe]

Games pretty much'd hafta be disposable. if games cost 5 euro, whose gonna care? Might be a good ting.

- Smythe

[Latrinsorm]

Gamestop and other game retail stores will be pissed.

Many game retailers make a lot of good money reselling used games. For Microsoft to just up and remove that possibility from their business plan... well... I expect some retailer resistance.

With that in mind, unless Microsoft has some plan to combat that and make those retailers happy in some other way, I sincerely doubt this would actually come to pass.Like Gelston said. If you make a type of store angry enough to not work with you, you still have the game to sell by other means. If you make the gamemakers angry enough to not work with you, that's all she wrote.

[Jarvan]

The thing is, most of the people that buy the game used wouldn't buy it new anyway. They would wait till it's cheap, 25 or less, then buy it. Which at that point, the game makers are barely making back anything.

Having all games downloadable is the only way I see this happening, but to do this, they would really have to start offering 1TB hard drives included. Locking it to an account is one thing, but locking it to a system tho is another. You have a system crash, and you have to buy all new games? I don't think so.

Also, there are still a decent number of people who refuse to have an "always on" internet connection, or can't afford one.

In 5-10 years, I could see DLing of games only. Basically removing retailers completely. Heck, I have 5 Gamespots within 10 miles of me. Only 1 of them even carries PC games anymore. Dling them is cheaper for the gamemakers, and easier generally. But, then MS will have to do away with a subscription for online play.. which I doubt they want to.

[Gelston]

If the 720 takes this stance they will attract developers. People will by this regardless. The PS4 will follow suit. If a game store wants to fight it they will have no games.

The argument that people who buy only used games would fall flat because they WOULD buy the game full price if they had no choice. Otherwise they would never play any game newer than current games.

Gents, the internet is a big thing now. Soon countries will be judged by internet access and not literacy.

[Delias]

The argument that people who buy only used games would fall flat because they WOULD buy the game full price if they had no choice. Otherwise they would never play any game newer than current games.



Not having enough money to buy a new game doesn't lead to buying a game new if you can't buy it used. It leads to not buying it at all.

If a friend can't lend me a game he's been talking about to try, I am less likely to buy it without having experienced the gameplay. I probably only buy an average of three games a year, so I can afford to buy them new. If I were a more avid gamer, I would be all about used games to keep the cost down. I couldn't afford to buy 10 new games a year... well, I could afford it, but I couldn't justify the expense. That's like three payments on my wife's car.

Of course, I still enjoy Masters of Orion 2, and Rome: Total War (with various mods). I'm totally willing to play old games rather than put money into a system I disagree with.

[Fallen]

I don't pirate games now, but if Xbox did this, the only way I would own one of their systems is if I bought one modded to play pirated games.

[Warriorbird]

In a kindlier view, they just have sales eventually and get all the money Gamestop would.

[Skeeter]

I'm selling all my stock in gamefly

[kookiegod]

I don't pirate games now, but if Xbox did this, the only way I would own one of their systems is if I bought one modded to play pirated games.

Bingo.

Heck, in my biz model for Games2U, I'd have to do that.

Crazy.

[Gelston]

Rome: Total War (with various mods).

I love the SPQR Mod.

[Latrinsorm]

Not having enough money to buy a new game doesn't lead to buying a game new if you can't buy it used. It leads to not buying it at all.Aha, but why are the prices so high? It could be that developers know that people buy games used, and they know they get $0 from that, so what the price really is is for two, three, four people buying any one copy of game. If developers know that people literally cannot buy games used, it stands to reason that prices will come down.
If a friend can't lend me a game he's been talking about to try, I am less likely to buy it without having experienced the gameplay. I probably only buy an average of three games a year, so I can afford to buy them new. If I were a more avid gamer, I would be all about used games to keep the cost down. I couldn't afford to buy 10 new games a year... well, I could afford it, but I couldn't justify the expense. That's like three payments on my wife's car.True, but a robust demo system is inevitable at this point (c.f. Internet being a big thing now).

[Gelston]

There actually are quite often demos for console games on the internet. PS3 even has a thing that lets you play 60 minutes for free of a bunch of games.

[Ceyrin]

Aha, but why are the prices so high? It could be that developers know that people buy games used, and they know they get $0 from that, so what the price really is is for two, three, four people buying any one copy of game. If developers know that people literally cannot buy games used, it stands to reason that prices will come down.True, but a robust demo system is inevitable at this point (c.f. Internet being a big thing now).

If there's one thing history should have taught us all by now, it's that using logic on concepts like 'prices coming down' because of X, Y, or Z... never holds up.

People are already used to paying 40-60$ per game new... there's no reason for that to change.

Fact is, despite inflation/deflation in our present economy... new games have been 40-60$ for the past 20 years as far as I can recall... and I've been a gamer buying games for the past 20 years, so my anecdotal history is not without validity.

If anything, prices are likely to rise, not fall. If only new games will sell, then fewer games will likely be sold, and thus they'll need to raise their prices to cover their development and advertising costs.

[Androidpk]

FF6 for SNES cost me $70 brand new at Software Boutique. This was back in 1994.

[Jace Solo]

No one has brought this up yet...and I suppose to most it's not a concern but...

WHAT ABOUT THE TROOPS!?

There goes all gaming aboard ships or in warzones. That's what we did with most of our down time...constant internet connection? We were lucky to have a connection to a computer every now and then, let a lone use up a line for an XBox. Even when we did it wasn't what we'd think of as "stable".

Booo, three jeers for MS.

[Asha]

OH SHIT THE TROOPS!!

[Gelston]

No one has brought this up yet...and I suppose to most it's not a concern but...

WHAT ABOUT THE TROOPS!?

There goes all gaming aboard ships or in warzones. That's what we did with most of our down time...constant internet connection? We were lucky to have a connection to a computer every now and then, let a lone use up a line for an XBox. Even when we did it wasn't what we'd think of as "stable".

Booo, three jeers for MS.

It pissed me off that I couldn't play SC2 while deployed.

[Ceyrin]

FF6 for SNES cost me $70 brand new at Software Boutique. This was back in 1994.

So did Chrono Trigger.

[Drew]

FF6 for SNES cost me $70 brand new at Software Boutique. This was back in 1994.

Neo Geo AES games were only about 200-300 dollars per cartridge.

[Androidpk]

By the way, all of this supposed information is just speculation. Most of it is laughable. Especially when it mentions..


And what of gaming site IGN's report that the machine could be six times more powerful than the Xbox 360? From some industry sources I'm hearing that that's the right ballpark and that Microsoft is estimating they might even get to 8x the Xbox 360. But another insider clarified that no one in the industry has development kits yet and that any talk about specs right now is still hypothetical.

No shit, the hardware inside the x360 console is 7 years old.

[Bobmuhthol]

If you bought one 7 years ago, sure. Newer 360s have hardware that is less than one year old.

[Androidpk]

They still have the same xenos GPU but yeah, smaller cpu, new motherboard, hd, optical drive..

[Delias]

I love the SPQR Mod.

I have been playing the Europa Barbarorum mod lately. After the all-factions mod, I beat it (many times) with all the different factions, and needed something new.

[Drew]

If you bought one 7 years ago, sure. Newer 360s have hardware that is less than one year old.

Mine is 6 years old. 1 replacement model from the original RROD issue.

[Warriorbird]

Neo Geo AES games were only about 200-300 dollars per cartridge.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/70/Samurai_Shodown_cover.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/79/Samurai_Shodown_II_cover.jpg

[Androidpk]

$200 is too pricey for one game, unless its

http://www.411mania.com/siteimages/steel%20battalion_50163.jpg

[Gelston]

I heard in that game if you died, you had to start all over again and it would delete your saved games.

[Androidpk]

If your mech gets destroyed you have a limited amount of time to hit the eject switch, if you don't hit it in time then all your data is lost and you start over.

Better view of the controller http://www.slcentral.com/steel-battalion/sidecontrol.jpg

[AnticorRifling]

That looks AWESOME!!!!

[Ceyrin]

Yeah.

It's the first time I've wanted to own an Xbox of any sort.

[zoopy]

a

[Gelston]

a

Is that just the laziest spam bot in existence or what?

[Fallen]

My guess is its a bot designed to bump other bot's posts. Though obviously it is not error proof.