The D.R.M. Fairy has paid yet another visit to consumers, this time in a change in policy from Sony and how many devices you are allowed to have software activated on. This new stance is a complete reversal on the policy Sony handed down by S.C.E.A. President Jack Tretton right before the Playstation 3 launch.
In this Wired article he says “You can send that content to four other friends for that initial investment,” said Tretton. “We want to get the game in as many hands as possible.” “It’s not about generating profits at each and every interaction with the consumer,” he said. “I think that really offsets the argument that says, ‘Wow, that’s a really pricey system.”
The Playstation blog
We’d like to inform you of some upcoming changes to the usage policies for PlayStation Network game content. As of November 18, 2011, the number of devices that can be activated on one PlayStation Network account for game content purchased from the PlayStation Store will be updated as follows:
For game content purchased after November 18, 2011, a new policy will apply and the number of devices that can be activated will be as follows:
- PS3: Users will be able to play the game on up to 2 activated PS3 systems.
- PSP: Users will be able to play the game on up to 2 activated PSP systems.
Please note that this update will not affect game content purchased before November 18. The PSP rights include PSP-1000/2000/3000 series as well as the PSPgo system.
PlayStation Network users are able to change the activation setting through each device, and Sony Computer Entertainment plans to provide a new PlayStation Network account management website where users will be able to deactivate particular devices attached to their PlayStation Network account via their PC.
In the end, those who are going to steal the software anyway have ways to do so and will continue to. Digital Rights Management is not going to stop this process it will generate more of it, making the process more complicated and involved will frustrate and annoy the consumer and push them to the free world of piracy. I mean if I am going to be jumping through hoops it might as well be free hoops right?
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