Nextbox Rumours : Final Predictions & Hopes/Dreams

[BID0]

Maybe, maybe not. Either way second hand sales are still more damaging to the economy than piracy is.

No, they're not! "Damaging to the economy"...a transaction has occurred between two willing parties, that's economic activity right there. Just that neither willing party happens to be a publisher wanting to double-dip their profits.

When you pirate something, no transaction has occurred, no money has moved around etc. No economic activity has occurred, although the pirate benefits massively of course.

How come this argument isn't applied to movie on Blu Ray/DVD? You can sell those 2nd hand, but no company would dare produce a system with an activation code tying it to the Blu Ray/DVD player.

But the money is going to people who've not had anything to do with the product.

As for the DVD argument, it should be applied to that too really. However the second hand market for those is tiny in comparison and isn't pushed ahead of new stock.

[Fatal Exception]

There's only one type of game I'll buy in the knowledge that I can't resell and that's gooseberry fool £3 games on iPhone.

This, and cheap Steam sale games, or cheap indie PC games,

That would be any PC game these days. And it doesn't bother me.

[KK]

Pretty funny how we're all debating something that has a very slim chance of even being implemented.

I think the most we could expect is a system where the game can only be traded/played on 3 systems or something before being locked out (where a fee would then be required to re-activate it, much like the passes we have currently).

[NickSCFC]

I like the sound of reactivation charges for each console, but what happens if the online service is shut down?

[KK]

I like the sound of reactivation charges for each console, but what happens if the online service is shut down?

Well if they're anything like Ubisoft, the response to that question would be "strawberry float it, they can wait.".

[NickSCFC]

I like the sound of reactivation charges for each console, but what happens if the online service is shut down?

Well if they're anything like Ubisoft, the response to that question would be "strawberry float it, they can wait.".

I've got a load of Dreamcast games that are second hand and I'd have had no problem paying SEGA an extra £3 to reactivity them to play on my console.

However, SEGA shut down their online service in the mid 00s, and I bought most of my Dreamcast games after that. So if Sega had implemented a system like you proposed for Nextbox, I'd now be unable to play those games.

[Rik]

See how many people boycott Xbox when they find out their games have no resale value, it'll be a bigger flop than the 3DO.

Look at this another way.

This is being driven by publishers, now Nintendo/Sony may decide they want nothing to do with it, so what follows then.....

Publishers say to Microsoft thanks for protecting our interests, have exclusivity on our product because we know we are getting paid for every single copy ever sold, suddenly the next GTA or Call Of Duty is only on Nextbox.......that drives sales.

I personally think this may be an idea being tossed around at an early stage, even if true I think it will come with some sort of online activation system that will not be limited to one activation just like an expanded online pass now.

[NickSCFC]

So what if Microsoft were to drop out of the console industry after th next gen and shut down Xbox Live?

Future generations of eBayers won't be able to play these old games because there's no way of activating them.

[Rik]

True, but why would Microsoft or the publishers care?

[NickSCFC]

True, but why would Microsoft or the publishers care?

No, but they'll put off a huge proportion of the market in doing so and will effectively kill their business.

[BID0]

Emulators? Crack the console?

[KK]

This is being driven by publishers, now Nintendo/Sony may decide they want nothing to do with it, so what follows then.....

Publishers say to Microsoft thanks for protecting our interests, have exclusivity on our product because we know we are getting paid for every single copy ever sold, suddenly the next GTA or Call Of Duty is only on Nextbox.......that drives sales.

They really going to limit those games to one system? This was like when Bobby Kotick was threatening to take their games off the PS3. Even if the PS4 was doing terrible business, you'd still be looking at at least 30 million or so customers, on top of all those on the Wii U.

Games are too expensive, marketing budgets too large & the customer base too big to start doing something like that.

[Rik]

True, but why would Microsoft or the publishers care?

No, but they'll put off a huge proportion of the market in doing so and will effectively kill their business.

Like I said that will depend on how publishers treat the situation, if Microsoft say we will do this and we want exclusivity in return then people who want to play those franchises run out of options.

[NickSCFC]

http://m.computerandvideogames.com/3349 ... -halo-dev/

$60 games are expensive - and gamers shouldn't be forced to keep them, argues Saber Interactive's Matthew Karch

In January a report claimed Microsoft might move to block used games with its next Xbox, forcing gamers to shell out for new copies rather than picking up a cheap deal from the Gamestation bargain bin.

Some game designers have come out to support the proposed move, but today's soapbox developer believes it would be very unfair to block the public's right to used games.

Saber Interactive CEO, Matthew Karch, who's currently heading up promising shooter Inversion, and whose studio built the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary campaign, argues that a different approach to the problem is needed.

Writing for CVG, Karch shares his thoughts on Xbox 720's rumoured pre-owned prevention...

Inversion is due to release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in early 2012. Read our latest impressions.

"I don't think we should prevent people from playing used games. I understand why they would want to do it, but I think the approach should be different.

"As long as games are distributed on physical medium as physical goods, players should have the right to buy and sell them.

"$60 is a lot to pay for a game and if a player buys a dud and is stuck with it, then that's just not fair to force him to keep it. If people buy Inversion and it's not for them, then why should they be forced to turn it into a drink coaster?

"Publishers feel that reviewers have too much control now and if games can't be traded then reviews will become gospel. This doesn't serve anyone's interest.

"For me the approach is to bring the cost of games down and to sell them as digital content where they can't be bought and sold. If someone pays $15 for a game, then it's less painful if they need to keep it.

"If people buy Inversion and its not for them, then why should they be forced to turn it into a drink coaster?""Last time I spoke about this, some people misconstrued my comments to imply that I didn't think that games should be "full-length". This isn't the way I feel about it.
"A $60 game has about $30 of waste in it in getting the game to retail. I really believe that with digital distribution you can get that same full-length experience for $30.

"With Inversion (or games like Battlefield or Gears), for example, you could break that experience into two components - single-player and multiplayer - and sell them for $15 each or sell them combined for $30. If someone spends $15, then the trade-in value would be minimal anyway even if it were permissible.

"I think thats the way to go - lower the costs for the same access by bringing them to market digitally. Then a no-used solution is fair."

[Rik]

This is being driven by publishers, now Nintendo/Sony may decide they want nothing to do with it, so what follows then.....

Publishers say to Microsoft thanks for protecting our interests, have exclusivity on our product because we know we are getting paid for every single copy ever sold, suddenly the next GTA or Call Of Duty is only on Nextbox.......that drives sales.

They really going to limit those games to one system? This was like when Bobby Kotick was threatening to take their games off the PS3. Even if the PS4 was doing terrible business, you'd still be looking at at least 30 million or so customers, on top of all those on the Wii U.

Games are too expensive, marketing budgets too large & the customer base too big to start doing something like that.

On the flip side you are getting money for every single copy unlike the competition consoles, that may offset that income in publishers eyes.

[Kanbei]

I wouldn't have a problem with no trade-ins if games were cheaper (say £20) but all this will do (if it happens) will make shops boot up game prices by about £10 in order to make more money on them.

[BID0]

And then those companies will go to the ground for not being competitive.

[Jam]

I'd be perfectly happy for download only to come in as long as games were not priced higher than £15 / £20.

[Venom]

I like the sound of reactivation charges for each console, but what happens if the online service is shut down?

Exactly. To play an old console like the Sega Megadrive all you need do is have the cartridge.
Lets hypothetically say Sony introduce this system with the PS4 and then go bankrupt. All those PS4 games will be locked to future generations. Or at least until a hardcore hack comes along but it certainly wont be as easy as just getting an old console down from the loft and turning it on.

[mic]

..."I think thats the way to go - lower the costs for the same access by bringing them to market digitally. Then a no-used solution is fair."

I couldn't agwee more with that line of thinking. If it's digital then it CAN'T be sold - faiw enough. But costs should also come down to weflect the fact that the game is no longer going thwough the wetail pwocess.

Split games into single and multiplayer - spot on. I couldn't give a toss about Gears' multiplayer, fow example, and sold the game as soon as I'd finished it, so why should I be fowced to pay for an aspect that I have no intewest in? Games like Left4Dead or Wowld of Wawcwaft, convewsely, awe ALL about the online aspect, and don't weally wequire a costly single player mode - a saving that should be passed on to consumers.

Well done, that man.