PSN pass and game locking

     Another shot has been fired in the battle on previous owned tiles, this time by Sony. They announced today that they will be starting up a new program in September called “PSN Pass”. The pass is a one time activation code that will be available when you purchase a new copy of a game. The code will allow the owner to unlock the game for use with the online services. Once activated the game essential becomes locked to any other user. Again, another shot on the used game industry. With this pass, it will also stop others from loaning games out to friends or from companies like Gamefly who do game rentals to allow its consumers to get full advantage of the game. The first game to have this new pass program will be Resistance 3.

     You would think with the year Sony has had publicity wise, a move to lock out games would be pushed back a little bit. Well, I guess when you are in this deep, might as well just let everything fly. Why is it when you have industries fighting over money its the consumer that gets screwed? Has anyone of the brilliant minds in these companies thought about us? Not sure about you but I am getting pretty tired of getting the business end of the shaft in this war. I've already listed my concerns with GameStop and their ripoff of a trade in system. Now I have to worry about forking out full price for every game I want? This was suppose to be the golden age of gaming! This was when everyone from developers to retailers were to get together and make the industry a great media hub. Instead we are squabbling over money and leaving the bad taste in the mouths of the consumers. I personally am just about ready to call it quits.

     With this game locking nonsense, what gives me motivation to shell out the big dollars for the new game systems hitting the market next year? How does this option sound? Lock all the games you want but make them all multi-platform games so I don’t have to by several game system. Just a thought. Until us consumers start talking with our dollars, neither side will listen. Since the only thing they want is money, maybe if we start cutting down the flow of cash they will realize how much power we have. When there is no one buying their locked games, maybe someone will notice it's the gamers that dictate what should and shouldn't happen in the industry.