SONY: Like the PS3, 'PS4 is not designed to lock disc-based games'

BUT: You never know what 'third-party' publishers will do, we don't have control over them, so basically they are free to find wants to control your content on the PS4 if they so wish!


After comments made by Tretton after the Sony E3 event, it restarted the DRM debate, Sony was clear they are 'not locking down the system', but it seems 'publishers' might still do so, just there is no direct system inplace for them, they could we guess come up with a form of 'online passes' or 'one-time code', just the third-party publishers would have to use their own servers and resources to manage it, unlike XB1 that has an central Live database in the Cloud to manage all the DRM options.

Quizzed on the matter of DRM by GameTrailers, Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton said: "We create the platform. We've certainly stated that our first party games are not going to be doing that, but we welcome publishers and their business models to our platform.

"There's going to be free-to-play, there's going to be every potential business model on there. And again that's up to their relationship with the consumer."

Asked again about DRM he added: "We're not going to dictate that. We're going to give them a platform to publish on."

"The DRM decision is going to have to be in the hands of the third parties - that's not something we're going to dictate or control or mandate or implement."
Later on, another Sony boss this time from UK tried to clear up SCEA CEO's comments:

VideoGamer.com: Jack Tretton suggested that DRM policy [on PS4] was down to third-party publishers. Is that the case?

SCEE PR representative: We've been trying to clarify that point because obviously it seemed counter to what we said last night and... Our stance is, it'll be the same as PS3, basically. Our position, certainly from a first-party publisher is, we are not having DRM and the architecture has been built actually for that. Clearly we have to respect our third party publishers and look to them to look to their own models. That's the open system, the open relationship we have with them, but the system isn't designed to support that.

Fergal Gara, SCEE UK & Ireland MD: We think it comes down to the fact that a lot of the online gameplay will use the servers owned and operated by the third parties. It's not out of the question that they might decide they want certain passes or certain restrictions, so I think that is all that Jack was getting at. The point remains true that we are not enforcing DRM.

VideoGamer.com: It still seems to be unclear whether third-parties will be able to lock disc-based PS4 games to user accounts. Can you clarify whether or not they [will have that option]?

Fergal Gara: For disc-based games I believe that is not the case - we will not be locking them. It's also interesting now the Online Pass goes, so by virtue of including online multiplayer in PlayStation Plus that effectively replaces and supersedes any Online Passes that we may have used in the past.

VideoGamer.com: Does that apply to third-parties as well or will third parties still be able to implement Online Passes if they so wish.

Fergal Gara: I think the same will apply to them. PlayStation Plus gives you online multiplayer, so I think it would be foolish - it might still be their decision but I think it would be foolish to have a double mechanic in place for online multiplayer.
NEWS SOURCE: PS4 third-party DRM debate continues (via) VideoGamer