[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] If you haven’t heard the internet chatter, Microsoft is working on the next generation of Xbox, believed to be called the Xbox 720. I think they should just take the plunge and go 1080 but heck that’s just me.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] New reports are coming out of multiple sources suggesting that when Microsoft introduces this new gaming console it’s not only going to have a ton of bells and whistles but it’s also going to introduce serial key locked console games. This news is coming out of gaming site Kotaku.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] With mounting pressure coming over piracy concerns and the game studios losing profit share to recycled game giants like GameStop, Microsoft is said to be testing games that are serial locked like software. According to TMCnet this serial locking could work like Microsoft software does where you must have an activation license to make the game operate on your console.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Kotaku was able to get a statement from Microsoft:[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] More after the break “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.â€[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] If the rumors are true than as the hardware manufacturer Microsoft feels it’s their duty to lock down their systems to protect the intellectual property rights of their game studio partners. While I remember taking my good ole Atari and Coleco cartridges over to a friend’s house to play, those days may be over which could come back to bite Microsoft in the bullocks should they be the only game system manufacturer to implement a serial key locked system.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Some game developers, like Activision are proactively working to force more game purchases. Take their mega hits Skylanders for instance. With the Skylanders game they’ve saturated the market with secondary toys that can be played cross-platform on multiple systems including Wii, Xbox, PS3 and Nintendo DS. The only caveat is that each household needs to buy their own copy of the game.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] There may be more creative ways to heavily encourage buying individual copies of games rather than just locking games down with a serial key.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] What’s more is that stores like GameStop contribute to the bottom line for hardware and even software when the latest titles come out. Such a small percentage of users actually modify their systems to play THE SITE THAT CANNOT BE MENTIONED FOR LEGAL REASONS games that the serial key locked software is actually viewed as an attempt to discourage resellers like GameStop who rely on the recycled model to increase margin.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] If Microsoft takes the ability to trade and re-sell games away that will affect their bottom line on new games sold as people will think long and harder about whether or not they want to buy the title in the first place.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] source: TMC[/font]
there is always a workaround, if its thought of by a human another human can fink of the way around it
Not going to happen, the next gen titles will still be on disk(probably blu-ray) and Microsoft will push Games on Demand and then after brick and mortar used game stores go out of business, they will push this kind of bullcrap which will be around the 3rd or 4th generation Xbox.
would that not kill the second-hand market like Game etc. When there was talk about making all game download that was soon stopped because it would kill of all the stores and mess up the economy even more maybe I'm wrong but I dont think they would make 1game only work on one console. No popping round to your mates with your game to have a laugh......
I waited so long to purchase my XBox 360... I only play boxing and wrestling games, so I haven't missed much... I'm kinda regretting getting an XBox 360.... I can't even get my music on my XBox 360 hard drive because of limits from Microsoft not allowing me to copy from flash drive to hard drive without special software and a cable. So I could see Microsoft killing their own sales and such with this serial key feature. I mean crap... Look how they killed their operating system on PC... Activation of Windows XP lead a ton of people to the Linux world, people like my mother, who only uses the computer for email and FaceBook. I tell you, I expect this from Microsoft, because their stupid and don't listen to their customers. Their concern is with making money and not listening to their consumers.
[font=georgia,serif]wow tis all i can say though the whole code thing is going to far we like to play games till they finished it or that it wasn't satisfing to mthe consumers and wouldn't be able to get there money back and microsoft can be sued by the numbers of people. they should pull back even though they put themselves in the half prossessing it. They Will Get F'K UP.<img src='http://www.xpgamesaves.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lfo.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='-_-' />[/font]
I don't care about the serial keys, but this move by Microsoft Studios will shift the users to the PC even more. Thus ending the video game console market from Microsoft.
If this happens they probably going to get sued big time for monopoly. microsoft going to put 100 of thousands of people out of work. serial key lock that means the game disc can only be played on one console period. Say GOODBYE to borrowing games from a friend, buying used games from craigslist or trading your game for another at gamestop or any other used gamestores. If they going to Games on Demand (GoD) only on Xbox 720 then they going to have a huge problem on their hands. I know the game studios wont have enough money to spend on servers just to have people download an 8gb game. No matter what they do to stop pirates, they always going to find a way to pirate in matter of days. It took 24 hours to hack the XGD3 lol. Even when PS is behind on technology I bet they going to find a big jump in sales when microsoft drops the ball
