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Rumour has it that Sony is looking to the PC games market to help solve its growing piracy problem on the PlayStation 3 - with the introduction of serial keys to its games.

According to 'a very reliable source' quoted by PS3-Sense, Sony is attempting to address the recent revelation that it failed to properly secure the private signing key for its flagship console - leading to clever tinkerers producing third-party firmware that allows unofficial software and illegitimately downloaded games to run on unmodified hardware - by looking to the PC retail market for solutions.

Unlike the PS3, the PC doesn't have a hardware DRM system built in to it - despite attempts by groups like the Trusted Computing Group, formerly the Trusted Computer Platform Alliance, to introduce such a thing - relying instead on software-based DRM and a surprisingly old-fashioned guarantee of a game's uniqueness: a serial key.

Printed on the product's packaging, the key is a unique identifier that promises that the game is the real deal - and usually verifies itself with an online server, preventing the game from running or accessing multiplayer features if the same key is in use elsewhere.

It's a solution that the PC gaming industry has been using for years, but if the rumour that Sony is looking to use it as a bandage for its thoroughly broken PS3 DRM proves true, it could have one major hurdle in its path: unlike a PC, the PS3 has no keyboard.

While the PS3 is compatible with USB keyboards, and has an optional Bluetooth-connected miniature keypad accessory, many gamers rely solely on the console's controller - using the on-screen soft keyboard for those rare occasions when text entry is required.

If every game that's purchased requires the entry of a code - and, given the code's requirement for uniqueness and high entropy, they're usually around 24 alphanumeric characters in length - it could soon prove a pain for gamers.

Worse, the move would effectively kill the rental market for PS3 games - and, if Sony decides to tie each serial key to a PlayStation Network account, could even block second-hand sales.

Sony, for its part, hasn't confirmed or denied the rumours - but it will certainly have to do something to get the genie back in the bottle.

This should be across all consoles. Buying games used hurts the industry.

There's always away around CD keys, Look at PC programs as well - ie Photoshop, ect..


Keygens/hacked files.. So there's really nothing to worry about ( as of yet )

say goodbye to gamefly(game rental for $5 a month) lmao

there will always a way to play pirate games !...

i don't see how this would work, You have places like Blockbuster, & other rental places. How would they work ?

Please read what I posted after that...:FU:

This is horrible what if you want to playa game on your friends ps3?

Exactly ^^^^^^^^

XD! A video game system....that will have product keys for their games?...>XD NEVER going to happen. I mean it's a nice way to fight back but hahaha....PC games are STILL be pirated there is keygens all over the net for every single new pc game. You think this is gonna stop people? lol This made me laugh. It would be....well unrealistic. Because the ps3 is a video game system...not a computer. End of story, product keys are for PC apps/games. lol...I highly highly doubt they could ever do this to a actual ps3 game. It just seems unrealistic and...well...funny, goofy and quite frankly a childish response. If that's true I will laugh even harder. Because honestly that would make things actually easier on people that pirate. Finding a serial number or product key will be ten times easier then paptching an eboot or sfo file. lol

Oh and yes I would also like to add...what if you wanted to go over to someones eleses house and play your game on their ps3?....Especially if they dont own the game. I feel this is...like I said before very unrealistic and quite frankly a very dumb idea. It would actually scare people off from ps3...Sony would lose money.