Retailers won't stock PS4 if it blocks pre-owned - Pachter

by Ben Salter Featured 19 Comments 34 Votes 1477 Views 30/03/2012 Back to News

Rumours circulating yesterday suggested that the PlayStation 4, or Orbis, will include functionality to block pre-owned games. The only analyst to ever comment on gaming, Michael Pachter, says retailers won't stock the new console if Sony follow that path.

"It isn't really in Sony's or Microsoft's best interests to block used games," Pachter told Games Industry. "It would benefit Activision and EA slightly, and would hurt GameStop a great deal. If Sony unilaterally did this, I could see GameStop refusing to carry their console, and sales of the PS4 would therefore suffer."

He went on to say that it will only be successful if Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo all try and block pre-owned sales.

"If one does it and the others don't, the one who does it will see a loss of market share."

Link to us http://pc.mmgn.com/News/Retailers-wont-stock-PS4-if-it-blocks-pr

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Retailers won't stock PS4 if it blocks pre-owned - Pachter Comments

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Kudos: 281,475

Gryllis

Hard to disagree with him on this one.

30/03/2012

The member formerly formerly known as ICC_06, formerly known as Ben.

Kudos: 14

doiru

We saw the same thing with PSPGo. You could only get one at the EB or Game in Brisbane city by special order; they didn't maintain stock of them after the launch.

That was due to to the digital distribution platform cutting them out of the profit chain, but if these retailers feel that this is going to cut them out then anything's possible.

30/03/2012

Kudos: 16,950

-PAYZEE-

...i hope this doesnt happen...

30/03/2012

...dancing in the meteor shower with no pants on at the end of the multiverse...

Kudos: 259

Taari

hopefully, Sony is smart enough to allow used games and backwards compatibility. Don't they remember the backlash when they pulled PS2 compatibility for the PS3? [Facepalm]

30/03/2012

U.S

Kudos: 57,922

Atar

yeah sony are fools ppl still play PS2 game, i know that i still do

30/03/2012

~(*_*)~

Kudos: 1,485

Gaminggirl

Dont know why you u guys care about backwards compatibility so much. If and when the ps4 comes out just keep your ps3 plugged in not that difficult.

Also everyone is in panic mode these are just so called rumors, i hope that you can buy second hand games when the new consoles come out, but for playing ps3 games on it, no i want the best technology the system can have and move forward and making it play ps3 games will be just holding it back and make it cost more.

30/03/2012

Adelaide Crows

Kudos: 24,461

Makra

Does he go under the name Patcher when he isn't making far fetched claims? :P

30/03/2012

ㅈㅈ

Kudos: 33,849

Blob

The fact that he said something accurate warrants it's own news post :E
Guess there's a first time for everything.

30/03/2012

Your mums bed

Kudos: 21,075

gargoyles

the first time he hasn't said something stupid.

30/03/2012

It's none of your business: ლ(╹◡╹ლ)

Kudos: 14,239

abujaffer

@Taari Removing PS2 functionality greatly decreased the PS3's price. It was a smart move, since everyone that was that much of a Sony fan had already bought the system; everyone else could make do with a couple "HD remakes" every now and the to sample some PS2 goodness.

@GamingGirl 150 million PS2's. 60 million (or slightly more) PS3's. That's a lot of people that would appreciate backwards compatibility in the PS4.

It uses Blu Ray (based on this rumor of course; everything hinges on this rumor), so that's not the problem; the problem is the processor architecture and the "single PSN account." [Rage]

30/03/2012

3D world... where everything, even flat stuff, are in 3D.