November 4, 2011November 8, 2011

UPDATED: Upcoming Change to PlayStation 3 and PSP Game Content on PlayStation Network

UPDATE: On November 17th (Pacific Time), the PlayStation network will undergo maintenance. Once this maintenance window has completed, the new policy will apply. If you want to purchase content under the current rules, please do so before this maintenance begins on November 17th.

We’d like to inform you of some upcoming changes to the usage policies for PlayStation Network game content. As of November 18, 2011, the number of devices that can be activated on one PlayStation Network account for game content purchased from the PlayStation Store will be updated as follows:

For game content purchased after November 18, 2011, a new policy will apply and the number of devices that can be activated will be as follows:

PS3: Users will be able to play the game on up to 2 activated PS3 systems.
PSP: Users will be able to play the game on up to 2 activated PSP systems.

Please note that this update will not affect game content purchased before November 18. The PSP rights include PSP-1000/2000/3000 series as well as the PSPgo system.

PlayStation Network users are able to change the activation setting through each device, and Sony Computer Entertainment plans to provide a new PlayStation Network account management website where users will be able to deactivate particular devices attached to their PlayStation Network account via their PC.

For more details on how to activate/deactivate the devices, please visit here or contact consumer services.

Comments are closed.

977 Comments

yazter
November 4, 2011 at 6:33 am PDT

5 is too much, but just 2? Wow..
ManaKnight
November 4, 2011 at 6:34 am PDT

I fully support this move. Some people were abusing it and I never approved it. Should have happened MUCH sooner IMO.

Well, I am VERY glad about being able to deactivate a device remotely, since I have a dead PS3 to deactivate.
Morac_
November 4, 2011 at 6:35 am PDT

The support page still says 5.

Also how does one transfer video purchases to a newly activated PS3?
Sony should allow redownloads of video the same way Apple and Amazon do.
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:27 am PDT
  
  This change only affects game content. You can still transfer downloaded video content to additional devices. For more information, visit our Knowledge Center: http://us.playstation.com/support/answer/index.htm?a_id=1521
adolson
November 4, 2011 at 6:35 am PDT

This doesn’t affect me because I buy all my content, but it almost could have. I was considering buying a third PS3 for upstairs, but now I won’t. That made my decision easy.

As long as the promised website shows up, I’m fine with this. Having to send in a dead PS3 system just to get it deactivated is stupid, and contrary to popular opinion, PS3s do die. It only took my first one a few months to go, and the replacement went about a year after that.
whitenickel
November 4, 2011 at 6:36 am PDT

5 is too much, 2 is too little, I think 3 devices would be a better number, personally.
Xx-Your__Mom-xX
November 4, 2011 at 6:36 am PDT

Good. People abused the ability to have content on 5. Wish it was 3, but whatever.
nascent-
November 4, 2011 at 6:38 am PDT

Removing rights you previously allowed? Great. If people are going to steal your stuff, they’ll steal it, you’re just hindering the honest users that like to play at friend’s houses.
BeechV35Pilot
November 4, 2011 at 6:38 am PDT

Damn, I have three PS3s at home. This is very disappointing.
mixedkidbx
November 4, 2011 at 6:38 am PDT

WOW we will finally be able to use a PC and DEACTIVATE devices. Its a bout damn time. I and many other PS3 owners have gone thru a few PS3’s where we were unable to deactivate them because they died or were stolen.
SephTiger
November 4, 2011 at 6:38 am PDT

I honestly wish you guys had posted this before a certain gaming news site had, and also before I raged to PlayStation support…
KamiAmaya
November 4, 2011 at 6:40 am PDT

Well this is full of fail. >:(
nascent-
November 4, 2011 at 6:40 am PDT

Why the hell is it still impossible to deactivate a PS3 from the PC? You can’t remove the ability to play the games on multiple PS3s if you don’t allow people to deactivate them remotely!

Jesus Christ Sony.
NekoNiv
November 4, 2011 at 6:41 am PDT

i have 3 PS3s in my house (not including the 1 with YLoD). this is just wrong. Are you guys planing to buy back my PS3?

the only good that comes of this is…
“PlayStation Network users are able to change the activation setting through each device, and Sony Computer Entertainment plans to provide a new PlayStation Network account management website where users will be able to deactivate particular devices attached to their PlayStation Network account via their PC”
voyte4
November 4, 2011 at 6:41 am PDT

I guess sony forgot what happened to them last time they took out a feature from their users.
Mister-Nep
November 4, 2011 at 6:42 am PDT

This won’t affect me personally, but I still feel a little upset that 3 PS3s are getting cut out. In either case, I’m very glad to be able to deactivate via PC. This’ll come in handy for sure.
EmoSaga
November 4, 2011 at 6:42 am PDT

I am too very glad that I can deactivate via PC, because I have a dead PS3 as well.

I am a little sad to see the 5-rule go away, I mean, I have really close friends, a tight circle of PS3 gamers… we have the best times and are all very fair about it. We usually end up buying what we share anyway.

It’s understandable though. With the VITA coming out and all, we gotta step up the game. I’m all for it, just a little sad.
nascent-
November 4, 2011 at 6:43 am PDT

The site says:
“You can only deactivate a PS3 system using a PS3 only, yoiu cannot deactivate it using a PSP system or PC.”

“Please note, you will currently be unable to activate or deactivate your system using a PC as the site is currently down for maintenance.”

So is it possible to deactivate by PC or not?
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:27 am PDT
  
  It will be possible to deactivate devices via PC.
oreodoh
November 4, 2011 at 6:43 am PDT

I have 2 slim PS3s and one fat launch model PS3 that’s currently dead. I was going to get the dead one repaired to have 3 functional units again but with this news I don’t think I will. It’s no wonder your stock is in the tubes, Sony. With moves like these you’ll be in single digits in no time.
MUGEN02
November 4, 2011 at 6:44 am PDT

How about a real firmware update!
Ratchet426
November 4, 2011 at 6:45 am PDT

Like others have said, 2 devices seems a bit drastic. 3 would be more reasonable and sill avoid the abuses that were obviously occurring to prompt this policy change from Sony.

Don’t get me wrong, 2 devices is certainly better than one, but I add my voice to those asking Sony to consider bumping this to ‘3’. Hey Sony, why not make the 3rd device a perk for Plus subscribers?
EmoSaga
November 4, 2011 at 6:45 am PDT

Yea, 3 PS3s would be a much better choice, I already have 2 in my house, and was going to get a third for my younger brother.
ArchoNils
November 4, 2011 at 6:46 am PDT

Horrible news, I have 3 PS3s in my home, i can prove that, so from now on whenever I feel like playing a game on another device I have to go online first to deactivate and reactivate some of my devices? Bad move Sony, bad move, after a certain even earlier this year you really shouldn’t reduce the experience of you consumers …
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:27 am PDT
  
  You will still be able to activate/deactivate your devices on each system via “account management” on each device.
mixedkidbx
November 4, 2011 at 6:49 am PDT

@nascent

If you took the time to read the post above:

“Sony Computer Entertainment plans to provide a new PlayStation Network account management website where users will be able to deactivate particular devices attached to their PlayStation Network account via their PC.”

Whats so hard to understand what is written?
jaygrady
November 4, 2011 at 6:49 am PDT

@17- It says it plans to have a website. I share with my family but I also have 2 YLOD so the PC deactivation is good with me.
StooBush
November 4, 2011 at 6:49 am PDT

No way I’m getting that third PS3 now. I use them as media servers / BD players that happen to play games. Maybe 5 was too much, but 2 is too few. I can install an iOS app on all of my Apple devices without limit.

It seems to me that this is Sony’s way of dealing with a problem with their software architecture by limiting the end-user instead of fixing the software.

I mean, what happens when the PS4 comes out? An I going to be forced to get rid of a PS3 so I can load all of my PSN games on the PS4? This seems awfully short-sighted and counter to a vision of a Sony-populated household.

I think Sony needs to find a more intelligent way to securely distribute software to end-users without imposing draconian and arbitrary limits on devices. Who is going to buy two copies of a game to cover all of their systems? That kind of policy will not generate any additional income from existing devoted Sony customers. It will just upset them and possibly send them to other systems.

-S
MarkakaJin
November 4, 2011 at 6:49 am PDT

I think 2 activated devices is a better idea. I wouldn’t mind anyways since I’m not that rich to have 3 PS3s. Anywho, I really hope we can manually deactivate a PS3 device without a problem. I would hate to lose all my content I bought from the PSN store.
NemmO_007
November 4, 2011 at 6:50 am PDT

Ok, so you say: Please note that this update will not affect game content purchased before November.
I have 4 ps3, home, gf, brother and workplace, all are for me, i have content on all of them on one account.
How will this work? i will have all the content downloaded befor november on 4 ps3? If i disable one i will lose the games?
How can we have 4-5 activated devices for the content until november and how would the download work on just 2?
We want official answers. Thank you.
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:28 am PDT
  
  The content you purchased before November 18th will not be affected, so you will still be able to play those games on your PS3s as you do today. After November 18th, the first two devices you use with the new purchased content will be your active devices, and each new piece of game content you purchase will work on those two systems. If you want to change those systems, you can do so via “account management” on each device.
GooDer_gAMe
November 4, 2011 at 6:52 am PDT

I’m just wondering if I can get an official reply to confirm how this will work if one person owns 3 ps3’s? Will 1 of my ps3’s not be able to download anymore content from the same account after the 18th? What about current existing content on that syetem? If I currently have 3 ps3’s activated, and I get a game after the 18th, how does PSN decide which 2 system get to play it (Is it just whichever 2 download it first?).
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:29 am PDT
  
  Existing content purchased before November 18th will still be playable on up to 5 PS3s and 5 PSPs. The two active systems after November 18th will be the first two that you access with newly purchased content after the change. If you decide you want to change your active systems, you can activate/deactivate them via the devices themselves or via the new function on the website.
KazeEternal
November 4, 2011 at 6:52 am PDT

I hope this doesn’t mean we’re switch to an always online model for managing DRM. My ISP cut out on me twice last month and I’d hate to think that something so simple would affect my single player campaign.
ThreeLeggedFreak
November 4, 2011 at 6:53 am PDT

Will I be able to buy content on this psn website if I’m away from the ps3 and there’s a sale going on?
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:29 am PDT
  
  The feature on the website that is planned will allow you to deactivate devices via your PC. At this time, you will not be able to purchase content online.
undertaker9999
November 4, 2011 at 6:54 am PDT

Hope the new website comes sooner than later.. I have an original 60 gig that died and I have tons of Singstar Songs on it and I bought a slim and I cant redownload the songs until the 60 gig is deactivated and costomer servicde wont do it unless u send it in so
BluntOwnage
November 4, 2011 at 6:57 am PDT

Thanks for taking away more of the promised features that led to us buying your system.

DLC costs too much, if I couldn’t share, me and my friends would never buy anything off your PSN.

No more of my money for you Sony. Get Bent.
BeechV35Pilot
November 4, 2011 at 7:00 am PDT

#25 – @MarkakaJin – So, let me get this straight, MarkakaJin. You yourself cannot have a third PS3 so therefore you support this move when clearly there are other gamers in this blog who are directly affected by this? WTF, support your fellow gamers, man.

I may not play “Barbie’s Play House” but I support your right to be able to buy DLC for your enjoyment.
SolracTheSin
November 4, 2011 at 7:00 am PDT

So where do we change our activates systems?
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:30 am PDT
  
  To deactivate/reactivate your systems, sign into PSN. Select “account management” under the PlayStation Network icon on the XMB. Select “system activation.”
  
  For more info, you can go here: http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/account/accountinfo.html
  
  We are also working on a new PSN account management website, where users will be able to deactivate their devices at once.
Redaien
November 4, 2011 at 7:00 am PDT

So we’re going from 5 systems to 2 systems? Does this mean I will be unable to earn trophies on my third system for disc-based content?

Maybe sony should take some of their own advice (visible on the right side of the commenting section:

DON’T BE A JERK.
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:31 am PDT
  
  This change only affects game content purchased in the PlayStation Store after November 18th. Your ability to earn Trophies for disc-based content will be unaffected by this change.
Hogwild333
November 4, 2011 at 7:00 am PDT

No one should be complaining about this. If you really have more than two systems then you should be buying the content more than one time anyway. Xbox doesn’t let you have your content on more than one system so we should just be happy that we can have it on two systems. I suspect the only people who will be truly upset about this change are the game sharers and they were just taking advantage of the system anyways.
Doozer17268
November 4, 2011 at 7:02 am PDT

I am sure people are gonna bawl about this since they can’t pirate games from other Users…… Good change!
JokerZombie-
November 4, 2011 at 7:02 am PDT

and if I have a shared account with PS PLUS, how will it work from now on?
Taznorris
November 4, 2011 at 7:03 am PDT

Not going to buy Sony products anymore, getting sick of them taking away features, it really seems they don’t care about their customers anymore, 2011 has been full of fail for Sony.
Moonshiner1820
November 4, 2011 at 7:04 am PDT

Epic Fail! I own 4 PS3’s and now have to decide which 2 I use and which 2 I don’t.
Smooth423
November 4, 2011 at 7:05 am PDT

I am torn. I own 4 ps3’s. I do not play them all at once but I do play from room to room on different systems. I love that you can deactivate different users. But only 2 units playing a game on new games come on. Make it at least three. I mean what do families that play in the same house suppose to do now?
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:32 am PDT
  
  You can activate/deactivate your devices via the account management features on each system to play in different rooms in the house. Remember that any content purchased prior to November 18th will be unaffected by this change, so you will still be able to play that content on your PS3s as you do today.
FriedConsole
November 4, 2011 at 7:07 am PDT

I was ready to be outraged but then I saw the deactivate application being available and I am fine with that.

I didn’t see Vita on there. I assume I can have my content on 2 additional Vitas? Also my PS1 and minis can be on a total of 6 different devices if included with Vita? Correct?
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:39 am PDT
  
  Game content, including PSone Classics and Minis, purchased from the PlayStation Store after November 18, will be playable on up to 2 PS3 systems and up to 2 portable systems, including PSP, PSPgo and Vita.
Redaien
November 4, 2011 at 7:07 am PDT

@Hogwild333:

I don’t game share and I’m upset that Sony is once again taking flexibility away from its users. Having five system activations available was one of the reasons I chose to buy a third system. I understand that any previously purchased content will still follow the 5 activation model. What does this do for consumers (aside from allowing users to manage their system activations at a central location, which is something that should have been available at launch)? The answer? NOTHING. This is all around bad news for consumers.

I for one will be curtailing my spending on the playstation store.
FriedConsole
November 4, 2011 at 7:08 am PDT

If you own 4 PS3s, you probably have enough money to re-buy the content.
DarkHowl
November 4, 2011 at 7:08 am PDT

I honestly think the console number is about spot on (In my opinion at least. No offense to the people above that have three).

I do think, however, that the PSP limit should be three. In my opinion, I’d think that more families own more of a handheld product instead of more consoles. And some families actually own more than one or two handhelds and buy the digital version just so everyone can play at the same time without arguments. Full retail price (that doesn’t change until long after everyone else has dropped the price, by the way) for digital was okay just because of that feature. Now I might as well wait until they drop in price and then buy multiple physical copies if this stays two.
adolson
November 4, 2011 at 7:09 am PDT

Personally, I can’t wait for the December firmware update where they remove Blu-ray movie playback support.
TopDogg069
November 4, 2011 at 7:11 am PDT

I also think 3 devices would be more reasonable but I understand why they are doing it. I sure hope they have this website for deactivating up and running before or on the date this starts. If not, they will get flooded with calls for deactivation
Moonshiner1820
November 4, 2011 at 7:12 am PDT

@42 … great logic. I have 4 ps3’s so I should just happily spend more money than I want because Sony changed the policy that allowed me to use all 4 in the same house with the same account.
FriedConsole
November 4, 2011 at 7:13 am PDT

It is not taking anything away as it only applies to NEW content.
KongWen
November 4, 2011 at 7:14 am PDT

This is kind of a bummer, especially with the excellent cloud saving for save games. I was able to play through a good chunk of House of the Dead at my best friend’s house, and then access my save data back home. Now if I want to do that I’ll have to deactivate my account from my brother’s system?

Question: where is the Vita going to fit into this? Is it going to hog our PSP/PSPgo slots, or will it get its own number of activations as well?
- Karen Spearrin
  November 4, 2011 at 10:40 am PDT
  
  This change only applies to playing content obtained from the PlayStation Store after November 18th, so it will not affect disc-based games played at friends’ houses.
  
  In regards to your question about Vita, it will count toward your portable allocation, which is two systems across PSP, PSPgo and Vita.