Xbox One Used Game Policy Leaks: Publishers Get a Cut of Sale 379
Chewbacon writes "Details about the used-game policy on Microsoft's newly-announced Xbox One console have been leaked. The policy explains how used-game retailers can survive Xbox One destroying the used-game market as we know it: they have to agree to Microsoft's terms and conditions to do so. In summary, the used game retailer can still buy the game from the consumer, but they must report the consumer relinquishing their license to play the game to a Microsoft database. They must also sell it at a market price (35£ in the UK), but the publisher will get a cut of the price. The article goes on to explain how Xbox One will phone home periodically to verify a player hasn't sold the game according to the aforementioned database."
A big downside is that we're likely going to see the end of cheap, used games. A potential upside pointed out by Ben Kuchera at the Penny Arcade Report is that this would unquestionably boost revenue for game publishers, giving the smart ones an opportunity to step away from the $60 business model and adopt pricing practices seen on Steam and iTunes (neither of which allow the purchase of "used" games/media). Also, it's worth noting that even if the policy leak is 100% correct, it could change before the console actually launches.
Corporate greed (Score:2, Funny)
Why do I foresee Xbox 1's license server being dos'd into the ground day 1
"Own" is dead? Time to rent. (Score:2, Funny)
I dropped $60 for a product, not a rental. This means I own it, it's my property.
If you're not gonna sell me a product, I'm not buying. If you're gonna "license" it out to me, I'll rent properly and not pay you shit. I'll gamefly, I'll netflix, I'll blockbuster. Okay, that last one might be tricky.
Re:Fuck you, MS (Score:5, Funny)
Absolutely, because if there's one company you can trust, it's Sony.
This is exactly what consumers want! (Score:3, Funny)