Rumor has it the next-generation Xbox may limit exactly what kind of games you're allowed to play. According to sources speaking to Kotaku, the Xbox 360's successor will have some kind of anti-used-game enforcement. There's no explanation of what that means, but speculation surrounding the issue says the console could outright reject used-games altogether.
Online passes are a recent staple in staving off used sales. Limiting what used buyers can access is a protective measure for publishers, much to the chagrin of parts of the gaming community. Chris Kohler of Wired argues that the death of used games is inevitable, and passes are the first step toward something exactly like a native anti-used game something integrated into consoles. He notes, of course, that digital is the future of buying games, but in the meantime we may be looking at "an interim period in which the disc as a delivery method is still around but...becomes more like a PC game, which are sold with one-time-use keys that grant one owner a license to play the game on his machine."
For all we know, if this is legitimate, such a theoretical link between a Gamertag and new game would simply negate the need for online pass redemption codes in every game. This alleged feature comes alongside talks that the Xbox 3 will also turn to blu-ray for its primary format.
Until Microsoft officially unveils details about its much-rumored new device, we're relying on speculation with strong rhetoric to figure out the future of gaming. Would a console permanently banning of used-games be a deal-breaker for you?
