Earlier today there was a rumor leaked talking mostly about how the PlayStation 4 (PS4) would somehow restrict its userbase by closing off the ability to play used games with the console. Any more details than that were scarce, and of course this is nothing official, but that didn't stop some from getting a little anxious.
According to recent statistics, Gamestop's overall stock has dropped a drastic 5% overall since this morning's rumor. And as if that's not enough to dishearten gamers worldwide, it seems that Sony did in fact apply for a patent this morning.
Sony has voiced concerns about used games before. They've even talked about this sort of thing. The fact of the matter is, nobody really thought they'd go through with it. Used games benefit retailers as much as new games benefit mega corporations such as Sony and Nintendo. So it's not too far fetched to see why Sony would take this course of action.
Michael Pachter over at Wedbush Security had this to say:
"Sony benefits little from a unilateral decision to block games. The company's first party software sales represent less than 10 percent of overall sales on its consoles, and it is unlikely that blocking used games would result in a lift of more than 10 percent in new game sales. That means that Sony's sales would rise only marginally if the PS4 blocked used games."
A big thank you to Kotaku.com for bringing this to the public's attention. It's a scary thought, living without used games. Hopefully this will stay a rumor. Until we hear more on the matter be sure to subscribe to Dalton on Examiner for more gaming news, reviews, and more.
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