So I guess this isn't possible anymore?

[Dreakon13]

Me and my brother are family (duh...), so we generally aren't too shy about putting our accounts on eachother's Playstations.  On the PS3, this really worked to our benefit.  If I bought a game on my account, we could both download it to our consoles.  We both got to enjoy Borderlands as a result of this.  This is called "gamesharing" I believe.  I also believe discussion of it is frowned upon, if not borderline illegal?  So feel free to close this if I'm out of line, but I just had to clarify this.

 

We're trying to do the same thing on the PS4.  He bought Shadow of Mordor, and when I got my PS4, we tried downloading it to my console.  Now it's telling me that the game is licensed to his account and I'm ineligible to launch it.

 

I understand the reasoning if they effectively stopped people from doing this, now I have to buy the game a second time if I want to play it on my account.  This could easily be exploited by any number of people online spreading their accounts/libraries online and a ton of people getting a ton of games for free.  I get it.  But truthfully, as trusted family members, this is really no different than if he had purchased a physical copy of the game and let me borrow it, which is not only allowed... but encouraged if certain E3 instructional videos have taught me anything.

 

 

Am I missing something, or have Sony just officially blocked this practice now?  Might need to reconsider my plan to go all digital this generation.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Dreakon13

[DEMON]

It could be because the PS4 he is using is his primary PS4, this protects the game licenses and that they must only be played on that PS4.  There's no problem borrowing physical copies of games but when it comes to digital, you may want to put your account on his PS4 so you can play them.

[Dr_Mayus]

Well it isn't really the same as "borrowing" the game as you both get to play it (as opposed to just one of you playing it) Also in the Borderlands example if you wanted to play multiplayer you would have to buy 2 copies (or play on the same ps3) but now you are both playing in different houses with the same copy.

 

So it really isn't the same as borrowing it.

[kidhero99]

Just play the game on his PS4 using your account. Problem solved.

[Dreakon13]

Well it isn't really the same as "borrowing" the game as you both get to play it (as opposed to just one of you playing it) Also in the Borderlands example if you wanted to play multiplayer you would have to buy 2 copies (or play on the same ps3) but now you are both playing in different houses with the same copy.

 

So it really isn't the same as borrowing it.

 

We didn't do that, we played it separately at different times.  Just as we could a physical copy.  So I don't appreciate you insinuating that I would exploit the system in such a way.  We also live in the same house (I'm shacking with him until I save enough to purchase my own place).

 

So yes.  It really is the same as borrowing it.

 

Just play the game on his PS4 using your account. Problem solved.

 

His PS4 is holed up in his room.  As much as I love my brother, I don't want to spend hours at a time crowding him in his room, or interfere with his ability to play other games.  We both work similar schedules, and are around at the same times. 

Edited January 6, 2015 by Dreakon13

[Dr_Mayus]

We didn't do that, we played it separately at different times.  So I don't appreciate you insinuating that I would exploit the system in such a way.  We also live in the same house.

 

So yes.  It really is the same as borrowing it.

 

 

His PS4 is holed up in his room.  As much as I love my brother, I don't want to spend hours at a time crowding him in his room, or interfere with his ability to play other games.

but others did do it. So once again the honest people are punished because of dishonest people.

[QuantumMercury]

Borderline illegal?  Loool, no.  You can play the game on different PS4s if you deactivate the account on one system and activate it on the other before you play the game.  You could also do a few other things but I won't discuss that here.

[Dreakon13]

but others did do it. So once again the honest people are punished because of dishonest people.

 

It'd be cool if they could develop a system to allow a certain level of leniency without shutting the whole thing down.  Maybe something along the lines of having two primary PS4's on your account (a main and a secondary) and a 90 day waiting period each time you change the secondary one.  Or maybe some kind of fee after the initial link if you want to change the secondary one.

 

I dunno, something to say "we understand families and close friends like to be able to share their games, even digitally, but we also can't risk people exploiting the system".  A compromise.  As much as it hurts to say, I think both Microsoft (for Xbox gaming) and Valve (for PC gaming) both offer some kind of family sharing service.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Dreakon13

[kidhero99]

We didn't do that, we played it separately at different times.  Just as we could a physical copy.  So I don't appreciate you insinuating that I would exploit the system in such a way.  We also live in the same house (I'm shacking with him until I save enough to purchase my own place).

 

So yes.  It really is the same as borrowing it.

 

 

His PS4 is holed up in his room.  As much as I love my brother, I don't want to spend hours at a time crowding him in his room, or interfere with his ability to play other games.  We both work similar schedules, and are around at the same times. 

 

I just keep my PS4 in the living room that way me or my bro could access it easily.  Trading consoles with one another might also work, that way you could just play it in your room for that game without having to crowd him.

[Dreakon13]

I just keep my PS4 in the living room that way me or my bro could access it easily.  Trading consoles with one another might also work, that way you could just play it in your room for that game without having to crowd him.

 

My PS4 is in the living room.  My brother is an odd duck.  He doesn't mind me playing with his virtual property, but I'm fairly certain he'd have a fit if we were swapping his hardware from room to room every other week.  Not that I would necessarily care when it came to mine.  Hell, I lug my $1000 beast of a PC to the living room sometimes to play games if I have people over.

 

That being said, I think the only way this would work is either giving up this all digital dream and swap physical discs going forward, or some method of digital sharing that didn't involve deactivating primary consoles (thus limiting his functionality on his games on his PS4 just for the sake of me playing one on mine) or being forced in some capacity to swap consoles.  Which doesn't seem all that possible knowing how we operate.

 

Again, I understand why it has to be this way, but I can't say I'm not disappointed.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Dreakon13

[Glowbugg]

I was just complaining about his exact stuff after Christmas. I got a PS4 for Christmas but my brother doesn't have one, so i let him make a profile on mine. He bought Ground Zeroes, and if I'm on my profile I'm locked out. The game is on my damn console and I can't play it. I was even ranting about that 'here's how you borrow ps4 games' pitch they had. My uncle has 3 kids, should he have to buy a digital copy three times? He's not trying to cheat a system and he's getting screwed. I get why they're against game sharing as a whole, but it seems like a lot of innocent gamers are getting fucked.

[Guest]

It sucks that the PS3 activation system doesn't exist on the PS4, would make things a lot easier.

[Taliesin_2943]

well could always get the pstv console and just play the game remotley from another room its kind of the main selling point the ability to remote play ur ps4 in any room of the house u would ofcourse probably still need to be on his account but if worried about over writing saves just put ur save and his saves on seperate usb drives and load up when one or the other plays

[closertim]

just buy 2 physical copies, or 1 physical copy and share it like in your clip.

[Glowbugg]

just buy 2 physical copies, or 1 physical copy and share it like in your clip.

Some games are exclusively digital.

[kidhero99]

Or just go Gamefly

[BeautifulTorment]

Send me a pm and I will explain how it is possible tomorrow when I have a computer.

[SRS_77_Awesum]

Okay From what i see, it's a typical Gameshare thing. 

Well OP I'll Call you Jack 

and your brother John.

 

Jack (OP) sets His Ps4's Primary as John.

John (Brother) sets his Ps4's Primary as Jacks.

 

Both of you will be able to play each others Digitals.

DOWNSIDE: (NOT SURE) : SOME FEATURES LIKE AUTO DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD MIGHT NOT WORK FOR YOUR ACCOUNT. BASICALLY THE FEATURES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO PRIMARY PS4'S. But it shouldn't be a problem because updates and stuff can be manually updated

 

If I'm wrong somewhere please correct me.

 

I do it with my Friend Nyambe from Highschool in Zambia. He shares with me .

Hope this helps.    

I was just complaining about his exact stuff after Christmas. I got a PS4 for Christmas but my brother doesn't have one, so i let him make a profile on mine. He bought Ground Zeroes, and if I'm on my profile I'm locked out. The game is on my damn console and I can't play it. I was even ranting about that 'here's how you borrow ps4 games' pitch they had. My uncle has 3 kids, should he have to buy a digital copy three times? He's not trying to cheat a system and he's getting screwed. I get why they're against game sharing as a whole, but it seems like a lot of innocent gamers are getting fucked.

Well your uncle can set one buying account on his ps4 as primary and all the kids can play ON THAT PS4. Basically gamesharing can only be done between 2 ps4s. That's what i know.

Your bro could do the same thing as I stated above

[Glowbugg]

Okay From what i see, it's a typical Gameshare thing. 

Well OP I'll Call you Jack 

and your brother John.

 

Jack (OP) sets His Ps4's Primary as John.

John (Brother) sets his Ps4's Primary as Jacks.

 

Both of you will be able to play each others Digitals.

DOWNSIDE: (NOT SURE) : SOME FEATURES LIKE AUTO DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD MIGHT NOT WORK FOR YOUR ACCOUNT. BASICALLY THE FEATURES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO PRIMARY PS4'S. But it shouldn't be a problem because updates and stuff can be manually updated

 

If I'm wrong somewhere please correct me.

 

I do it with my Friend Nyambe from Highschool in Zambia. He shares with me .

Hope this helps.    

Well your uncle can set one buying account on his ps4 as primary and all the kids can play ON THAT PS4. Basically gamesharing can only be done between 2 ps4s. That's what i know.

Your bro could do the same thing as I stated above

Do you know how often you can change your primary PS4?

[antithesis]

You can install a digital PS4 game on as many PS4 consoles as you like. But you can only play it on a Primary PS4, which means Activating / Deactivating accounts on demand. I'd be interested in BT's super-secret solution, but AFAIK, that's how you'd do it.

 

Also, be sure both accounts are on both PS4s - if the purchasing account isn't on the PS4, the game won't run.

 

One option is to buy a PSTV and stream games from your bro's PS4 to your living room TV. Setup your PSN id on his PS4 and on the PSTV and use your account to play games, so your trophies will pop instead of his. The downside to this is the video stream is 720p rather than 1080p, so you lose some visual fidelity, but it'll do the job.

 

Also, a wired network setup works far better than wireless to mitigate lag on the PSTV. In a wired scenario, be sure to TURN OFF "Connect Directly with PS Vita/PS TV" under Settings > Remote Play Connection Settings on PS4. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it forces the PSTV to connect over wired ethernet instead of wireless, which all but eliminates lag.

 

I'm a big advocate of digital games on PS3, precisely because we can install and run them on two PS3s concurrently (I do it in the same physical house). But that doesn't seem possible on PS4, so perhaps disc is the wiser choice if you plan to share your games.

Edited January 6, 2015 by ant1th3s1s

[kidhero99]

Do you know how often you can change your primary PS4?

24/7 I believe

[Auto-Tomato]

As already stated setting each others accounts to primary on the others console will solve this problem, similar to the PS3 set-up, but it does have issues.  Uploading to the cloud is no longer auto, but can be done manually; remote play with any Vita that might be owned requires (I think) a primary account which could possibly mean a constant cycle of activating/deactivating accounts; if there's any online outage like the one suffered over Xmas then each others digital purchases will be locked out...   There's probably other issues too, but it's subjective just how inconvenient they are.

 

I do think that Sony should allow the activation of 2 primary accounts, as I don't think the current set-up is in any way family friendly (I have two PS4s in my family and four in extended family).  As for abuse of the set-up, I don't imagine the majority of people would allow strangers access to any currently in use account which has personal info on it, they'd be foolish to do so, and even then with 1, or as I think it should be...2, primary accounts who'd really get access anyway?

 

The debate about game sharing is an interesting one, but I've always seen the ability to share digital content with a few family members or friends, as a more than fair trade off for the negatives of owning, or should I say licencing, that content...compared to physical purchases.  I can't lend digital as I can physical, I can't sell it or trade it, I can't 'collect' it...effectively when I'm done with a digital purchase it's deleted off my hard drive and gone into the ether leaving little trace I ever 'owned/own' the content.   I believe a proper, legal, digital game sharing set-up would go a long way to encouraging people to buy digital, and I think it would be fair to allow sharing with a limited number of other users.

[Cleggworth]

Set your primary console as his, set his as yours. Done

Its more complicated than it used to be but its essentially the same as you are still effectively limited to 'gamesharing' to two devices. This way though if you own the content you can play anywhere which is useful if you have multiple consoles

[DaivRules]

 But truthfully, as trusted family members, this is really no different than if he had purchased a physical copy of the game and let me borrow it, which is not only allowed... but encouraged if certain E3 instructional videos have taught me anything.

 

 

Am I missing something, or have Sony just officially blocked this practice now?  Might need to reconsider my plan to go all digital this generation.

 

It IS different, because it's not a physical copy of the game. Next time, buy physical copies and you wont have any of these "problems" AND you'll be able to sell it when you're done.

[Guest]

24/7 I believe

Yeah that's correct, as much as you like.