| Speculations about alleged prohibition of second-hand | | | | game system copy protection. According to the |
| sales of PS3 games and PS3 consoles have circulated | | | | papers, game systems would verify the legitimacy of |
| in the past months. These rumors were fueled by | | | | PS3 games and register the codes to a particular |
| market reviews about Xbox 360 consoles beating | | | | console. Other than this, the verification codes would |
| the Blu-ray-optimized Sony consoles in sales come | | | | be deleted after registration, making the discs |
| November. Naturally, the company would employ all | | | | unreadable in other PS3s. The process will effectively |
| measures to maximize individual sales of PS3 games | | | | prevent resale of the game discs and console |
| and their new consoles. No confirmation nor denial | | | | exchanges. Sony had kept other plans and details |
| was heard from the Sony camp, but now, the | | | | about the technology but Wedbush Morgan industry |
| speculations seem true with the technology patent | | | | analyst, Michael Pachter, suspects that the company |
| Sony had procured. | | | | is toying with the idea of patented games. Pachter |
| Sony patented a technology - probably, a software - | | | | also pointed out that the competition from Microsoft |
| that could prevent use of borrowed PS3 games, | | | | might discourage Sony from tightening software |
| rented consoles, and resale of game software and | | | | security for game discs. The most likely targets of |
| digital hardware. This undisclosed technology was | | | | this new technology are internet-based and |
| patented five years ago in Japan but Sony had | | | | downloadable PS3 content like music and movies. |
| remained quiet about it. Queries about proprietorship | | | | Whatever the electronic giant's plans are, the new |
| are now prevalent, reminiscent of the hullabaloo | | | | technology manifests changing ownership trends |
| about Digital Rights Management. Whether the | | | | when it comes to digital content. Even if gamers buy |
| electronics giant attempts to change the concept of | | | | their consoles at $600 or their PS3 games for $100, |
| ownership in the digital arena or not is not yet clear. | | | | they do not own it. They cannot reproduce or share |
| Presently, no information has been released about | | | | it with their friends because Sony is still the ultimate |
| the software and its uses. But there have been | | | | owner of the software. No matter how much they |
| scattered rumors that Sony may incorporate the | | | | shell out, they are just buying the license to use the |
| software in the upcoming PS3 games and consoles. | | | | software. Sure, the copy protection patent will make |
| There would be time enough for Sony to address | | | | it difficult for pirates to manufacture counterfeit |
| this before the games and consoles' release in | | | | software but it does so at the expense of the |
| November. Market analysts have agreed that it is | | | | gamers. Analysts are right not to put patenting |
| rare for an electronics and technology company to | | | | software above Sony because the company was |
| patent new technology without the intention of using | | | | once involved in trouble because of this. It can be |
| it in their new products. If this is true, then the $1 | | | | recalled that downloaded music from Sony has an |
| billion- worth industry of used consoles and games is | | | | accompanying software that installs itself |
| endangered. Social gaming is also at risk because the | | | | automatically in computers to prevent copying and |
| new technology might prevent game-sharing. This | | | | reproducing files. Though Sony later apologized, the |
| means that gamers can't come over to their friends' | | | | software had already inconvenienced thousands of |
| houses to share a new game or simply to play | | | | users. Copy protecting PS3 games would put Sony, |
| together. | | | | the PS3, and the gamers at a disadvantage. |
| Documents filed by Sony describe a process of | | | | |