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Iâm sure Sony will figure out how to fuck things up for users as they always do.
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Thank fuck for an article that actually understands what itâs talking about - this whole âthey did it on GeForce NOWâ point from Jez has been doing my head in as itâs not the same thing, as GFN actually breaks the publisherâs licensing agreements so requires them to agree to changes.
This goes through it much more at a real technology level - that itâs unlikely that Sony games would be blocked at the store level, and if anything their best bet would be blocking it via PSN or a hardware / DRM block.
Store blocks are unlikely because while stores might be best placed to spot it (as MS likely passes a flag saying âthis is an Xbox, use big screen modeâ) the biggest store is Steam who would likely say âweâre not bending the rules for one medium-sized publisher - youâll be the ones losing loads of money by not selling here, not usâ, let alone the issues with various other stores (Epic etc.) and key sellers (that might not mention the blocks).
However with PSN/DRM blocks, while Iâve no doubt Sony are stupid and vindictive enough (cheered on by console warring morons) to try and block it, I get a feeling their shareholders and lawsuits / competition regulator investigations might be enough to make them think twice or back out of it eventually if they did:
- Gamers would just use cracks on their legally bought games to get around the DRM / PSN requirement anyway - and while getting them from piracy sites they might just decide to pirate the full game anyway, so it feels like a hiding to nothing for Sony as shareholders want the sales instead
- Why block a sales stream when youâve already âwonâ over the competition, and so the small boost in PlayStation sales would be far outweighed by the lost income? Again, shareholders wouldnât be happy
- Lawsuits from âmy PC is somehow seen as an Xboxâ to âI bought these games on my old PC, but my new Xbox PC isnât allowed to play them!â, as well as ones from consumer groups, would likely pile up against Sony
- Competition regulators might finally get some teeth and decide to investigate once Sony are the only true âhigh end consoleâ players left and are abusing their dominant position (wishful thinking as theyâve done fuck all so far, but maybe this would push them over the edge?)
Just honestly feels like it would be stupid of Sony to pull this stuntâŚ
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Itâs possible that Sony can try to enforce platform restrictions through DRM or Online Only Requirements. The PSN account requirements, as mentioned before for games like Helldivers 2 could be used in some way on this yet-to-be-fully defined hybrid PC-like-Xbox. If they successfully block PSN logins on whatever form new hardware from Xbox takes, itâs logical to assume the game wonât run.
Wouldnât this mean that Sony would be blocking you off a game you already purchased? I just donât see that happening nor would Valve allow any of this, because it just makes things complicated for them. If they do enforce PSN restrictions they could also face antitrust scrutiny, doesnât look like a very smart move to me.
It is not Sony who holds the cards in this scenario, it is Valve and Epic. Sony have to play by their rules and not the other way round, Valve can easily tell Sony to take their cards and go home if they donât follow their guidelines, that allowing steam games to be played wherever Steam is present.
Sony doesnât have many options- continue to sell games on Steam or not. Maybe theyâll go back to increasing the exclusivity window to soften the blow.
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Iâm 99% sure most of Sonyâs userbase will continue to buy PlayStations. Itâs just what they do, what theyâve always done, and what they will do. I really donât think me being able to play GoW-on-Steam-via-an-Xbox is going to sabotage their major userbase, which is âI want the new thing, I want FIFA, I want a Blu-ray in one, always gone Sony, good enough for me.â
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I think that unless Sony engineers a way to block Windows games from run on *checks notes * Windows then there is no way to enforce this, from the Steam perspective.
Even the block on certain games from running on SteamOS and the Steam Deck came from it not being able to run anti-cheats that were built for running inside WIndows, not in Proton layer.
I think that, materially, there is no difference between Steam running on an âXboxâ PC running Windows compared to an ASUS ROG Ally running Windows. The only difference would be if they retroactively brought Steam to the Series X and S, which I think we all know is not going to happen.
I dont think it would take much âengineeringâ.
Now to preface that, i think trying it would be ill advised and the anti-competetive blowback wouldnt be worth it for them.
With that said, the game could do something as simple as query WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) and abort if the system model matches an Xbox. Systems (particularly manufactured ones) have identifiers in WMI and you can test it on your own computer. For example: wmic computersystem get model on my work machine returns âPrecision 5560â
I use these sorts of things all the time based on any number of criteria from OS version, OS build number, installed software etc, to build collections that either exclude or include systems based on those criteria. For software deployments, OS upgrades etc.
It wouldnt be much of a hurdle at all for them to identify unique attributes to the console and take whatever action they want.
But again, I dont think it would be wise or that they will pursue it. Particularly for one of the main reasons highlighted in the video. The PC releases are already coming much later than the console version. There isnt much to be gained here as anyone who waited two years to play a game isnt going to run out to buy a playstation if you try to block the game on the system they have. They just wont bother.
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It also would be beyond easy for MS to randomize the return strings of, checks notes, the WINDOWS MANAGEMENT INSTRUMENTATION. Sure thatâs a cat and mouse game, but itâs one Sony wouldnât be able to keep pace with. 
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I figure MS would just do it the American way and sue them. Or now that our government is for sale, just pay the Adminstration to ban PlayStation in the US. Lol.
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Even if they get a way of blocking there will be ways to bypass it and play the games normally since itâs supposedly just Windows
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Xbox would probably love if Sony tried to do that lol. Xbox would flame them up in court.
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