Sony’s plans to not restrict used game sales on the PlayStation 4, or have any sort of DRM, are about more than just keeping consumers happy. As SCE Europe president Jim Ryan pointed out, “there are various levels on which you can look at these things”.
In conversation with VG247, Ryan stated that, “The gaming eco-system in the UK is a somewhat fragile one. That’s another factor. We all know just how difficult it is for retailers, and while we’re never going to make a policy decision to cushion the lives of video game retailers in a particular market, it’s a factor that we need our retail partners to survive and hopefully prosper.
“That very fragile ecosystem is one I feel shouldn’t be lightly tampered with.”
And then there other countries that can’t fit the online requirements of a console like the Xbox One, such as the Middle East, India and Africa. “If you’re talking about a mass level, an issue like that is very fundamental. We take a long-term view on those markets, and we invest heavily in them. In those places it isn’t a core gamer issue: it’s a fundamental issue.”