Sony and Microsoft’s policies when it comes to used games on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles are obfuscated behind countless layers of double speak and poor explanations. And their presentations during E3 likely won’t do anything to change that, Cowen & Company analyst Doug Creutz tells GI.biz. Both companies are expected to focus on games at E3, and that’s likely all they’ll talk about, Creutz says.
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One might come with restrictions on used games, possibly tying games to user accounts and charging a fee to re-activate them for other players. Microsoft and Sony have been largely quiet on the issue—Sony moreso, as Microsoft executives actually issued several statements, albeit conflicting ones, after the Xbox One’s announcement. Unfortunately, those statements did little to clarify the console’s restrictions. Other reports claimed that used Xbox One games will cost almost as much as new ones.
Creutz says Sony and Microsoft’s jobs at E3 will be to convince gamers that their machines are for them, and neither is likely to mention used games as part of that strategy. If his prediction turns out accurate, it may be that we’re not going to like those policies when they finally are revealed.
Creutz adds that neither Sony nor Microsoft is likely to announce a price for its next-gen console, though he expects Nintendo may announce a Wii U price cut.
