Will The Next Xbox Really Ban The Use Of Used Games? [Rumor]
Microsoft may be shooting themselves in the foot, folks. According to “sources” close to Edge the next Xbox will require an always-on internet connection, and not only that it will also be unable to play used copies of games. According to the report, games will come with activation codes, just like the CD keys you get with PC games.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumors about Microsoft’s next console banning the use of used copies of games. However, considering the fact that it’s been a year since we first heard the rumors, and they’re still going around can’t be a good sign. It tells me that even if Microsoft doesn’t end up doing this in the end they are still thinking about it long and hard, and that can only spell trouble.
The question is, though, “why?” What does Microsoft hope to accomplish if they really are going to ban the use of used games and require a constant internet connection to play? After all, the United States is not fully equipped with high-speed internet. Despite the fact I live in a county near a major university there are vast tracts of land in this very county that can’t get high-speed internet.
And while I understand the desire to maximize revenue by essentially banning the sale of used games, in the end all it’s really going to hurt is the people who enjoy gaming but have a limited budget. In the past they might buy a game and trade it in for new games after they’re done, but if Microsoft’s plan to restrict the use of used games on their console goes through, you can kiss that goodbye. The worst part about all this is the fact that if Microsoft’s new console succeeds despite the ban on used games and always-on DRM you can bet that Sony is going to take a good hard look at implementing it themselves in their console after the PS4.
Let’s just hope that these rumors are just that, merely rumors.
