Future-proofing downloadable titles (XBLA/PSN/VC)

[LugNutX]

Obviously, downloadable titles have really made an impression on this generation of consoles. Some of the best games released were digital-only, while others purchased AAA titles digitally.

As it stands now, PSN and XBLA games are tied to your account (and console, to an extent), while Wii Virtual Console titles are tied to your console. We already know that these digital downloads will not translate over to the future generation.

So what happens if Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo decide to shut down service for their older consoles one day? What happens if your console dies and they no longer offer license transfers? I know this has been debated to death on the forums, but has anyone found a solution? All of the consoles offer ways to backup your games, but the backup is useless if the games won't play on another console.

So what's the solution? Are we hoping that the DRM will eventually be cracked after the console is no longer supported? Are we hoping that emulators catch up down the road, negating the concern over broken hardware?

OMG, HOW DOES EVERYONE SLEEP AT NIGHT?

[fastbilly1]

My bet is on emulators. Since I can play most VC titles on Dolphin, eventually there will be something similar for XBLA and PSN.

[Opa Opa]

Even when the Wii was relevant you could pirate WiiWare and VC games. It was pretty simple actually.

I'm sure there will be (or there already is- never have checked) a way around psn/live service security.

[Nemoide]

I'm pretty sure you can log into your account even if it's not connected to Live, so as long as your Xbox works, it will recognize the games you own.
If you're concerned about harddrive failure, you can back things up on USB sticks. If the whole thing bricks after Xbox Live support ends... I GUESS YOU'RE SCREWED?

I'm more concerned about the original Xbox. I have DDR song packs downloaded that I'm not sure I'll ever be able to regain if the harddrive dies. I had an Xbox die once already and lost all my saves... I bought a memory card to protect myself only to find that many games are incompatible with it for some reason!

[lisalover1]

Yeah, piracy will probably be the most practical method of preserving your purchased digital games, unfortunately. I say that it's justified in such a case. What I want to know is what will happen to all the PlayStation+ games I've accumulated since I've used the service. Will they all be permanently unlocked just before the PS3 PSN servers are shut down? Probably not, but that would be a great last act of altruism on Sony's part.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

I'm not sure about PS3 games, but there are plugins to decrypt PSP DLC and PC applications that allow you to turn PSN .pkg files into standard .iso files. You can pirate pretty much anything available on PSN, but it's also useful if you have legally bought games from several accounts like I do.

[dsheinem]

yeah, for those who follow "scene" culture (e.g. piracy), are there "backups" of pretty much every PSN/PS3 XBLA/360 game already "out there"?

[jay_red]

yeah, for those who follow "scene" culture (e.g. piracy), are there "backups" of pretty much every PSN/PS3 XBLA/360 game already "out there"?

I cant speak for ps3 these days, but for the 360 if you have a "jtag" or RGH (reset glitch hack) console you can run any unsigned code, including full retail games off an internal or external HDD, all XBLA games can be downloaded, emulators and homebrew. You also run a custom Dash board, its actually almost just like how the original xbox is currently. You can even rip dvd games to the hard drive.

And while the "jtag" mod was limited to consoles that had not been updated past a certain point, the RGH can be applied to almost any console, so in the future when the console is no longer supported, and we can all accept downloading games as we do for older consoles, it will be possible for us to keep all those indie gems alive.

[lisalover1]

yeah, for those who follow "scene" culture (e.g. piracy), are there "backups" of pretty much every PSN/PS3 XBLA/360 game already "out there"?

Yep, the vast majority of games on XBLA, PSN, and WiiWare are up for pirating. Taking a casual stroll along The Pirate Bay will definitely confirm this.

[dsheinem]

yeah, for those who follow "scene" culture (e.g. piracy), are there "backups" of pretty much every PSN/PS3 XBLA/360 game already "out there"?

Yep, the vast majority of games on XBLA, PSN, and WiiWare are up for pirating. Taking a casual stroll along The Pirate Bay will definitely confirm this.

Cool. Then it seems that hardware mods + piracy will be the way to go in the future, once these titles are no longer sold.