[Rumor Proven False]Sony may allow Digital Trade-Ins and Gifting soon.

[Wavergray]

Source: https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2019/03/26/playstation-digital-gifting-trading-patent/

 

Quote

"We got word that SIE filed a patent for gamers to be able to perform digital trade-ins gift games, much like on Steam. It’s important to note that this feature hasn’t been officially confirmed and patents that never see the light of day get filed all the time, but this is still a telling discovery."

Quote

The patent

"A user can use the digital copy and perform various modifications to the digital copy. A value can be determined for the digital copy based on the various modifications. At a later date, the user (e.g., owner) is free to give away, sell or trade the digital copy to another party in transaction with terms based on, for example, the determined value of the digital copy."

 

The biggest weakness of digital games has always been the inability to do anything with the game after you are done with it. If Sony go through with this it will be a real pro-consumer move.
 

Quote

Correction: It appears that the source only selectively applied that text of the patent, completely ignoring the title of the patent, which is “Tangible tradable collectibles having a digital copy,” as well as the first line of the patent, which is omitted, stating “Tradable physical collectible objects are described. In particular, systems and methods for using the tradable physical collectible objects facilitate generation of a digital copy that can be used within a network game.” The described patent is about Amiibo-like figures, not about digital game trades and gifting.

 

Edited March 26, 2019 by soultaker655

[RevengeancePrime]

This would be really good for me if Sony implements this since I buy almost all digital.

[DrewFrostStormy]

Oh how I hope this is true and happens ;-; 

[Deceptrox]

It would be cool if you can return the game and get back at least half of the money you paid.

[MidnightDragon]

This is neat, but remember a lot of patents are issued for things that never become reality.

[sepheroithisgod]

As someone who has bought most of this gen digitally, this is ingenious, but there has got to be some sort of limitation. I don't see how Sony goes positive with this feature in place.

[Dreakon13]

8 minutes ago, sepheroithisgod said:

As someone who has bought most of this gen digitally, this is ingenious, but there has got to be some sort of limitation. I don't see how Sony goes positive with this feature in place.

 

For trade in's at least, you'll probably get pennies for the games and in the form of PSN wallet credit... which only ensures those trade in's turn into future PSN purchases.  I can see where that benefits Sony.  Not to mention the number of people who will trade in games thinking "I'm never going to play this again" just to turn around and re-purchase it for full price a few months later when DLC gets released or their buddies start playing it again or something.

 

This also jives with Sony's recent moves to pull all PSN vouchers/purchase-ables from retail stores... further ensuring traffic directly to their storefront.

Edited March 26, 2019 by Dreakon13

[lordzeze]

If this is true, then the decision by Sony to stop allowing retailers to sell digital game codes makes a lot more sense now. They would want to have as close to complete control of the process as possible for the trade in to work..

[iGGTheEnd]

I highly doubt this will ever get implemented and it will be taken away the second they get 100s of complaints from little timmys getting scammed.

[thefourfoldroot]

If we can sell to others this will be a game changer. If we can only sell back to Sony then it'll be nowhere near as much of a saving as physical secondhand as you'll still be forced to pay full extortionate prices for "new" digital games.

[Avatar_Of_Battle]

It would be interesting to see how they determine what your value is on digital trade ins. Especially taking in price vs age and the fact that a digital game can't wear down and break like a disc. (which would take far more abuse than most responsible people will ever cause)

 

Sending a game as a gift seems like a cool idea, but it reminds me of my friend really wanting to play Dead Space 3 with me in co op and he basically just gave me the PSN money to buy it since I couldn't at the time. (it's an extra step but people really do have a thing about extra button clicks lol)

 

 

[kidson2004]

Oh boy! This is some serious stuff if this goes through. 

[GothGirlMaxine]

Imo, this is a good idea, but what if someone buys a game on discount sale and wants to trade it? Would Sony pick up on that and offer less because of that? I mean, people wouldn't end up making money from this by any means, but still. Regardless, good idea.

[Lava_Yuki]

This would be amazing to have! i currently only buy digital games if there's a massive 70-90% PSN sale like they had at New Years etc., and if the game is cheaper is cheaper than a used physical. Otherwise I just stick to used physicals from Amazon and wait around for price drops and sales. 

 

I think if they allow trade in digitals, sales would increase for digitals and possibly decrease for physicals, which might leave Gamestop out of the water soon but they were never the best game shop anyway. I wouldn't mind trade in psn credit, as I don't plan on giving up gaming any time soon. 

 

Gifting games would be great too instead of having the option of only psn vouchers. 

[KingGuy420]

I just want gifting. I can't even count how many times I wished we had that feature.

[DaikichiKawachi]

I'd be happy to sell back to Sony my licenses for Wander and Blues and Bullets just so I never have to see them again. I'll even throw in my trophies for those games too. No, I insist.

[yowzagabowza]

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=2&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1="SONY+INTERACTIVE+ENTERTAINMENT+AMERICA+LLC"&OS="SONY+INTERACTIVE+ENTERTAINMENT+AMERICA+LLC"&RS="SONY+INTERACTIVE+ENTERTAINMENT+AMERICA+LLC"

 

This is the source link from the PSLS article. This has absolutely nothing to do with selling or trading digital games. It's for turning physical collectibles into digital representations, then THOSE can be modified and transferred. Much like Amiibos.

[Fr_0zt]

Sooooooo, can you lot give me some PSN cards for my bday?

[LucianaRosethorn]

I would love it if you could gift someone a game or instead of sell a game you can pass it onto someone, I have a few accounts so it would be great to have all the games I own onto a single account. 

[dannyswfc9]

This system needs to happen and would be very easy to do. It would entise more people to buy digital copies of games. Even if you got hardly anything for a game it would still help towards a new game, because at the minute people have tons of games that have been platinumed and have mostly no use what so ever. 

[Guest]

That be nice I guess. Have a lot of digital stuff bought and platted that I wont ever play anymore. Would like to gift to some buddies. I dont know what the buyback is from Sony if so though. If their worse than Gamestop then forget it. Hahaha 

 

Also would be nice to have a digital rental service.  Say $15/mo allows 1 game, 20$/mo 2 games out. Sorta like Gamefly but with digital.

[Alantor32]

26 minutes ago, yowzagabowza said:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=2&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1="SONY+INTERACTIVE+ENTERTAINMENT+AMERICA+LLC"&OS="SONY+INTERACTIVE+ENTERTAINMENT+AMERICA+LLC"&RS="SONY+INTERACTIVE+ENTERTAINMENT+AMERICA+LLC"

 

This is the source link from the PSLS article. This has absolutely nothing to do with selling or trading digital games. It's for turning physical collectibles into digital representations, then THOSE can be modified and transferred. Much like Amiibos.

(Press X to doubt)

[ShonenCat]

The idea of gifting is a wondrous thing indeed. However, you can count on the feature being limited to two accounts that connect to the same regional storefront. Meaning, your friend from Japan most likely won't be gifting you games onto your American account.

[Sofa King]

I'd be happy to get any value back for digital purchases I no longer need, it's better than the nothing we get right now.

[Squirlruler]

100% behind this. I have been wanting to gift games for a long time. Here's to hoping it will come true.

Edited March 26, 2019 by Squirlruler