re: Microsoft defends the Xbox One's Licensing, Used Game Policies - Great Interview

True. I just want the damn things to get released and for a lot of the stupidity to end.

But, we all know that it'll only get worse the closer we get to release.

This thread was more about understand,not a flame war.

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I don't know why y'all are acting as if Sony isn't offering digital downloads.

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This is surprising to me as well. Sony has been doing day one digital versions for years now.

I said that like pages back.

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If the XboxOne launches with some form of online game equivalent of NetFlix. My statements about not "upgrading" to a next gen console go out the window. I will buy one at launch.

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I don't envision something like this being available for launch but based on the comments in the article, it's coming down the road. Sony would match the service so I don't see PS4 users losing out on a digital game rental system unless their is a significant amount of time it takes them to upgrade their infrastructure.

agree with everything in that post

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I can rent movies and TV shows from the PSN Store

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From other vendors that have networks already in place to host those digital files. The PS3 is just a gateway to use those networks.

I think he means catching up to the Xbox network and the amount of servers that will be available for it from day one.

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Hell I would pay $20 or $30 a month for that and not even flinch.

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Even at $30 a month , that's only the equivalent of buying 4 games a year at current prices. I'm sure I buy that many new games a year.

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But the amount of traffic would increase exponentially if there was a game rental service. You'd have tons of users downloading files at all times. Isn't download times already a gripe on PSN? That's what I'm referring to and it is purely speculation. We've heard about Microsoft's investment on the Xbox Live server side but haven't heard anything from Sony on PSN except chat features. I'd assume they'd be behind at first because they haven't had the pay for play revenue stream to tap in to.
Again, it was just speculation and I was trying to defend PS4 saying it would have a game rental service as well if that's where the industry is going.

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I get that. Even though we haven't heard Sony say what they are doing infrastructure wise, we do know about Gaikai. However, we don't know exactly what kind of capacity it will have other than offering PS3 games digitally. But, you could say that in theory, if they have the capacity to offer PS3 games digitally with Gaikai, they will certainly be able to do that with PS4 games in the future.

Your point is clear. But the jury is still out on if Sony will suffer or Microsoft will prosper when it comes to digital media. What you need to realize is that by your own admission Sony has the infrastructure in some form, almost like they have it in their back pocket if they need it. And they are veiling it by calling it PS3 digital downloads with Gaikai. I don't think Sony is going to fall by the wayside if they follow Microsoft into the digital download format of games distribution/consumption. In fact, some would call that being safe.

If what you're saying is there is Microsoft, being all bold and hipster stepping outside the box and being cool and trendy with their space aged hocus pocus, then okay...but Sony has it too, they're just not making a big deal out of it. And while hard copies are still around, they're saying unlike our competitor, we will not restrict you.