Ironman273 Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 PlayStation 4's digital game-sharing policies explainedBy Griffin McElroy on Oct 26, 2013 at 9:50a @griffinmcelroy The PlayStation 4's disc-based game-sharing policies are about as clear-cut as they come ? something Sony boastingly revealed during its E3 2013 press conference ? but the console's policy on digital games hasn't been especially clear until now. In a FAQ posted to its official website, Sony explained the process: Each PS4 user will have a registered "primary console," and once they download games on that console, anyone ? even folks using different logins ? can play them. Moreover, if you've got a PlayStation Plus subscription on the account bound to your primary console, all the users on that console can enjoy "certain benefits," including online multiplayer. Digital games can also be downloaded onto other PS4 consoles when that user is away from their primary console, but in that scenario, only the user who bought the game can launch it. Before you start whipping up clever account-sharing schemes, a piece of fine print at the bottom of the FAQ page explains, "You can use up to 2 systems concurrently: the system activated as your 'primary' PS4 system, and one other system." For more details on the primary console activation process, as well as how Friends Lists will work on the new PlayStation console, check out Sony's official FAQ for more. Source: Polygon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightScreams Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 A policy that they can change as they see fit at any point in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firey Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Don't plan on sharing, however.. that's pretty cool. However.. if you login to another console.. can all owned the games be played on that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead.cell Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 A policy that they can change as they see fit at any point in time. Negative to be negative; you could say this about any and every policy with just about any company. Anyway, this is definitely good news. I'm willing to bet this won't be available on day one, but if they can manage to push it out before Microsoft can figure out their game sharing mess, then they can certainly prove to be successful. The competition is strong this season folks! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightScreams Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 dead.cell, on 27 Oct 2013 - 19:04, said:dead.cell, on 27 Oct 2013 - 19:04, said: Negative to be negative; you could say this about any and every policy with just about any company. Anyway, this is definitely good news. I'm willing to bet this won't be available on day one, but if they can manage to push it out before Microsoft can figure out their game sharing mess, then they can certainly prove to be successful. The competition is strong this season folks! :D Just being honest because they do in fact change policies all the time. That's why you have to re agree with the latest EULA's. I remember they had a policy with a feature called "other OS" was marketed..they nixed that as soon as they deemed it being abused. Trust me, if they see this as something that starts to get abused in any way shape or form, or they think they can make better off financially by changing it...then they will. That's not negative, it's reality and reality isn't always positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spenser.d Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Negative to be negative; you could say this about any and every policy with just about any company. Anyway, this is definitely good news. I'm willing to bet this won't be available on day one, but if they can manage to push it out before Microsoft can figure out their game sharing mess, then they can certainly prove to be successful. The competition is strong this season folks! :D What do you mean a mess? This is pretty much exactly what Microsoft's policy is starting day 1. vcfan, Thief000 and SecretAgentMan 3 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcfan Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 but if they can manage to push it out before Microsoft can figure out their game sharing mess, then they can certainly prove to be successful. The competition is strong this season folks! :D there is no mess. as a matter of fact, the xbox method is better, as you don't even have to register another console to use it. all you do is sign in on any xbox one,and your whole digital library is available. spenser.d, SecretAgentMan and Thief000 3 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead.cell Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 there is no mess. as a matter of fact, the xbox method is better, as you don't even have to register another console to use it. all you do is sign in on any xbox one,and your whole digital library is available. Yeah, my fault. I just did some reading up on it all to be better informed. Both seem pretty even as it stands. The registration bit you mention as far as I can tell is only for the primary console, not the others as far as I can tell. Correct me if I'm wrong though, by all means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper11 Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Not bad terms, sounds about the same as the X1. It also has a system where you designate a 'Home Console', but I'm not sure if all the particulars of both policies match up. Basically, I like the idea of having full access to my digital library on any console I'm using and that anyone using my console can make use of all the premium features I'm paying for. Don't plan on sharing, however.. that's pretty cool. However.. if you login to another console.. can all owned the games be played on that? Well they don't directly say that, but they are implying that any digital game you own can be downloaded to another ps4 when you login. However, if its not the 'primary' console, then only your account can actually play the games, not other accounts on the console like the 'primary' console can. Anyway, this is definitely good news. I'm willing to bet this won't be available on day one, but if they can manage to push it out before Microsoft can figure out their game sharing mess, then they can certainly prove to be successful. The competition is strong this season folks! :D Well you figured out that its not a mess, but I thought I would add one bit here. Their original drm scheme was to allow this sharing access we are talking about to be applied to retail games as well as digital purchases. In effect, your retail purchase would secure you a digital copy which you then could share with friends or via other consoles without needing to use the disc again. So if MS can offer those features again without a regular check in, I think most would welcome it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPyro Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Well they don't directly say that, but they are implying that any digital game you own can be downloaded to another ps4 when you login. However, if its not the 'primary' console, then only your account can actually play the games, not other accounts on the console like the 'primary' console can. No, only the primary account can launch the content. PS4 has multi-login support for up to 4 people so you could still launch a game you own on a friends console and play with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firey Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Not bad terms, sounds about the same as the X1. It also has a system where you designate a 'Home Console', but I'm not sure if all the particulars of both policies match up. Basically, I like the idea of having full access to my digital library on any console I'm using and that anyone using my console can make use of all the premium features I'm paying for. Well they don't directly say that, but they are implying that any digital game you own can be downloaded to another ps4 when you login. However, if its not the 'primary' console, then only your account can actually play the games, not other accounts on the console like the 'primary' console can. Well you figured out that its not a mess, but I thought I would add one bit here. Their original drm scheme was to allow this sharing access we are talking about to be applied to retail games as well as digital purchases. In effect, your retail purchase would secure you a digital copy which you then could share with friends or via other consoles without needing to use the disc again. So if MS can offer those features again without a regular check in, I think most would welcome it. Right but say I have 5 games digitially purchased. Could I go to my buddies house and download those 5 games onto his console? I have to be logged in to play.. but could still get them at his house? I mean.. I assume so.. don't see why they wouldn't... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcfan Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Yeah, my fault. I just did some reading up on it all to be better informed. Both seem pretty even as it stands. The registration bit you mention as far as I can tell is only for the primary console, not the others as far as I can tell. Correct me if I'm wrong though, by all means. misread that. youre correct good sir. essentially the same policy as spenser.d mentioned earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper11 Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 No, only the primary account can launch the content. PS4 has multi-login support for up to 4 people so you could still launch a game you own on a friends console and play with them. Hmm, their wording made it sound like that the ps4 that you designate as the 'primary' console will allow anyone to access the content that is tied to a single account, including some ps+ features. Are you trying to say that even on the primary console, the account that purchased the content must be the one to launch it? Right but say I have 5 games digitially purchased. Could I go to my buddies house and download those 5 games onto his console? I have to be logged in to play.. but could still get them at his house? I mean.. I assume so.. don't see why they wouldn't... I assume so as well, but its not exactly clear from just this info. You should be able to access and redownload any digital content as long as your logged into your account. I'm sure someone will do a more complete demo and make it easier to understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPyro Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hmm, their wording made it sound like that the ps4 that you designate as the 'primary' console will allow anyone to access the content that is tied to a single account, including some ps+ features. Are you trying to say that even on the primary console, the account that purchased the content must be the one to launch it? No, anyone on your primary PS4 can play your content. If you're at a friends house, you can download your content there and launch it; playing with your friends, but only you can launch the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soniqstylz Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 tl; dr it's exactly like this gen for PS3, except instead of up to 5 consoles (at launch) or 3 consoles (now), your content can be played on 2 consoles. The only difference being that any account could launch any content on any PS3 -- now, content is locked to user account outside of main console. So no game sharing accounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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