Roy42 wrote:I'm genuinely curious: What is there about this console that's even worth buying it for?
The games more than likely, specifically any exclusives that they create that either interest you enough or are heralded as must play landmarks (assuming that happens). Same for any console that we as gamers look at. I bought a Wii U for the games, I will do the same with a PS4 more than likely.
I give not a hoot about features of any of these machines but I do know they will all have great titles. The question is what do I buy my 3rd party titles on in terms of making sure my investment is protected in the future in terms of access and availability.
I do wonder if we are moving to a situation that your content is all tied to your account. Previously there was a distinction between disc based releases and any downloaded content we bought from the marketplaces, one of which we could trade in and lend to our hearts content and another tied to both machine and login. Now there is nothing really stopping all the hardware manufacturers tieing everything you buy, whether it be from a shop or the dedicated store, to your account through product keys and online activations.
How that is dealt with that after is down to the manufacturer. Microsoft are going the whole hog but I guess you could just stop lending by blocking users if the activation key is already in use and provide the users access to de-authorise themselves. There are many layers here I supposse.
I can live with software registrations, especially if it means once it is installed I can just put the disc away and not need to use it again, it just depends how far they go in curtailing how we can access what we have bought. Part of me wants Sony to go the opposite and not have this at all. The other part of me loves the idea of having my whole library that I can access on any PS4 just through my login. It is a tough balancing act.