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

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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.

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977 Comments

  • So the five systems stay for pre-11/18 games, then we get another two systems for 11/18 and going forward? When does the activation site launch?

    • Game content purchased from the PlayStation Store prior to November 18 will be playable as it is today, on up to 5 PS3s and 5 PSPs. Content purchased after that date will be playable on up to 2 PS3s and 2 PSPs.

      The new feature for the website is still in development and is coming soon.

  • most of yall complaining over nothing. you can still transfer games on the ps3, you can only have 2 active accounts at a time. its better then none, i haven’t heard 360 game sharing, so most of yall lucky to even be able to do it

  • I hope the website allows us to deactivate ps3/psp because if not, it’s going to be a storm of feces.

    • Yes, the new PSN account management feature on the website will allow you to deactivate all devices tied to your account via a PC.

  • Attention Playstation Networkers, all gamers should read my post.

    Are you sick of features being taken away from your ps3? I am. So i propose that every single gamer out there go buy ONE SHARE in sony stock, when we have 200 million gamers with one share each, we will own controlling stock in sony itself and WE THE GAMERS WILL HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY DO TO OUR SYSTEMS, that is the only way to make ourselves heard. Are you with me? I have my single share….

  • I do not support this at all.. I have a solid reason to this because i live on a 4 story house with the inclusion of my cousins and many relatives.. And we have 5 ps3’s ( We can’t play on each other ps3’s because its really hard to go upstair then downstair to play on 1 ps3) and we only have 1 account in which we buy games.. So now after 18th Nov. it’ll be really hard to decide whom to deactivate.. Really Annoyed by Sony :@

  • you can game share on the 360 and there is no limit….and 360 is super pirated….

  • I think this is a really good move. The kind of DLC “sharing” system that allowed small groups to use DLC that was only bought once for five different people simultaneously was not cool for developers at all. Developers shouldn’t have to endure lower DLC sales on the PS3 because of this, and I’m sure this change is partly in response to developer complaints.

    I really, really like that they’re planning an activation website that will actually work and let you activate/deactivate devices without needing to do so via the physical system. Hopefully it actually happens and doesn’t stay as a “plan” forever. I know from personal experience that it’s impossible to deactivate a PS3 on the console after it dies unexpectedly, so this would be a nice improvement – and with only two systems activated at a time, it seems more like a necessity for when hardware fails.

  • I can’t believe people are applauding Sony for stripping out even more features out of their systems. I stood by Sony when they took out BC and OtherOS because it made sense, but getting rid of the 5 cap and trying to justify it by finally giving us something that should have been there from the start? No. That’s just ridiculous. I have been an avid Sony supporter since the 90s, back on the PS1. But if this is how you are going to treat your customers, Sony, I will make the jump to Microsoft sooner rather than later.

  • all i can say is wow — i have a psp , a pspgo and was going to get a vita – but i wont be able to use all 3?
    i guess no vita

  • Let’s release a system that will stop working on Apacalyps3, then force “hackers” to attack our psn, and then we’ll remove every cool feature from the system.

    I hope no one buys your Vita. Sony loves to rip off their loyal fans. You soul-less, heart-less demons!

  • I have bought 4 since 2006. And 2 of them work!! I have another FAT PS3 but it needs a new power pack.

  • I dont mind so much about the reduction in system numbers as long as the vita doesnt count as a PSP when it’s released, although 3 systems would have made more sense. The important thing here is that Sony is finally making it possible to remove DEAD YLOD machines from our accounts. it seems incredibly short sighted and stupid that as systems die and we’re forced to replace them with refurbished or brand new systems that the old systems remain latched to our account because it’s impossible to deactivate them before you send them back to Sony. All of my current 5 slots are filled because I still have a dead PS3 attached to my account! If I needed to buy a slim PS3 to replace my current 60gb I’d be forced to rebuy everything for it, and that’s not going to happen.

  • If xbox 360 didn’t suck so much, I would switch to them, and I don’t live in China, so I guess I’ll have to stick with ps3.

    Sometimes siding with the devil is a necessity.

    By the way, Sony is the devil in my little analogy there. You like that?

  • I’m SUPER stoked about being able to deactivate devices via PC. I had activated a PSP that disappeared and was never able to deactivate it. This will be a very helpful tool.

    Thank you, Sony!

  • wow so many people complaining that they cant gameshare anymore. so they instead threaten Sony to leave to go to Microsoft where they don’t allow no more than one active system. personally i don’t see why anyone would need 4 or more ps3’s in the same house. but hey if you want to leave Sony bye i guess.

  • @112 At least Microsoft is straightforward. They don’t strip features out to punish a small group of people.

    I’d rather have a console that still does everything it does when I take it out of the box 2 years later than a system that slowly loses all the things that make it unique.

  • I’m very dissatisfied with this change. I have 3 PS3 consoles in my home. 1 in the living room, 1 in the multi purpose room, & 1 in my bedroom. I had plans this holiday season to buy 2 more for kids moving out & moving on to college.

    Sony, if you follow through with these announced changes I will not be paying for 2 additional new PS3 consoles & I’ll be buying less PSN items. This news combined with the trend in copy protected save files & separate “online passes” is establishing a slippery slope which is pushing me away from using your products.

  • @Kane22_
    Why would anyone need 4 or more PS3s? Kids, extended families?

    How does that even affect you? Not everyone here that is upset is gamesharing.

  • @112

    so in your world, it’s completely impossible for someone to have three kids, each love to play games, and they buy them each a cheap used PS3 off ebay so they’re not fighting over one single system, and they have one for themselves so they don’t have to wait for the kiddies to go to sleep?

    and obviously since they’re the parent, they’d be buying the content and sharing it between each of their children’s systems, at least until the child is old enough to make their own account and purchase content on their own.

    not everyone who took advantage of the 5 active systems limit was a game sharer.

  • ITS ABOUT TIME!!!
    It was just ridiculous the number of people who would ask me for my info just to be able to “game share”. That went for friends and even total strangers I’d meet online!!!
    I believe that that is totally wrong and that it could eventually lead to there being ZERO video game companies in business. I love this hobby, but if theres no mulla to pay the bills for all the employees, taxes, rent, resources than say bye bye to your fave developers. No more games. That would suck.

  • Does no one have family. I am sure most younger people had their ps’3 bought by their parents. I work hard for my money. I bought every ps3 myself. I have a family and we all use our ps3’s in the same household. Yes many people game-share with friends and there is nothing wrong with that. So you can take a disc game to someone’s house and its alright. But game-share and your stealing? Get out of here.

  • @FriedConsole

    I have a download list near 4000 downloads, (about 80% is RB Tracks) and your saying rebuy my content. Even if its after 18th…

  • this is a good change

  • i have 2000$ game in my PSN account
    and now you want to remove me 3/5 of my SLOT account
    I WANT ALL MY MONEY BACK!
    TAKE BACK ALL THE GAMES I BROUGHT ON YOUR PSN, SONY.
    THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON I BROUGHT ON THE PSN

  • only had 2 left anyway

  • I like how we are going to have total control over our activations. I have no problem with this move since we can delete one activation with the snap of a finger, and add a different one – all from the convenience of a website.

  • Great, Sony has now decided to get stricter about game sharing. The fact that they are lowering there limit to two each makes me think they want to be more like Nintendo. The option to deactivate systems helps, but it does not make up for everything that has been taken away since the PS3 was launched. I know that Nintendo is stricter about this, but they aren’t using online passes with first party games. I wonder if there will be a buy as a gift option added to the PS Store. If game sharing is now more limited, I think it would be nice to have the option to buy stuff from PSN as a gift for someone and have it added to their PSN account.

  • Like most others I fully approve of this. I had my launch 60GB die on me a couple years ago and I’ve had it sitting in my closet since. I really didn’t want to be charged for sending it in so figured I’d wait for the local electronic recycling drive. Now that I’ll be able to go somewhere and deactivate that system I can send it out with no worries.

  • my kids is going to cry! seriously i was a BIG supporter!!
    buying games EVERY weeks spending over 100$ each month FOR SUPPORTING YOU SONY
    AND LOVE YOU GAMES BUT NOW ALL THIS IS FINISH
    I HATE HATERS!

  • I’m extremely pissed off with this move. I don’t care if you’re trying to limit or take control of gamesharing. But you are straight up hurting the paying customers that have multiple ps3’s. I use all of my ps3’s very often. And now you’re telling me I’m going to have to buy 2-3 copies of a game using multiple accounts just to satisfy my gaming needs for upcoming titles? This is easily the worst move Sony has made in the 15+ years I’ve gamed with PS.

    Repeal Sonycare!

  • I kind of wish the limit was 3, but 2 is fine I suppose. I can definitely see where this stands from a business perspective as people game share way too much.

  • people game share way too much?
    if you have your phisical disc and pass it to 10 of your friend isnt called GAME SHARED?!?
    so they all MAKE TROPHIES FROM THE SAME DISC
    HEY WE HAVE TO STOP THIS TOO!
    PHISICL DISC SHOULD BE ACTIVATED TO ONLY 1 PS3 SO NOBODY CAN PLAY THE DISC AFTER!!!!!!!!!!
    I HATE HATERS!

  • IM MORE THAN PISSED OPFF MAN!

  • IM FELLING RIGHT NOW RUB & VIOLATED AT THE SAME TIME
    BY A BIG $ CORPS

  • I have to say, this is really silly. I understand wanting to place some sort of limit on things, but two devices is ridiculous. All I can say is you better have that deactivation site up by the time this rolls out. Products break down, and Sony’s the first company I’ve encountered that makes it difficult for someone that is willing to just go out and buy a replacement.

  • seriously I WANT ALL MY MONEY BACK
    TAKE ALL YOUR STUPID GAMES BACK
    AND THAT PS+ subscription
    I HATE IT NOW!!!

  • this is bull im going to sell my stocks before they crash more than they are im a big ps fan you guys just gave 360 more reason to be bought get those guys in suites that run sony out and put in a real gamer who know what the [DELETED] there doing this is so much [DELETED] sony should change there name to microsoft2!!!

  • so for the two people yelling at me. what you are gonna do go buy a 360 to where you’ll definitely have to re-buy every content for each system. if you guys want to get mad at someone get mad at all the idiots who took advantage of the 5 account limit. but of course instead you go right after Sony. and for anyone who bought there ps3 just for gamesharing to me is stupid. why do you guys think the sales on 360 are so much greater there than on ps3. no one seems to be looking at everything from both ends just only there side. yes i do agree the limit should be at least 3 but o well. im not gonna leave Sony to start all over again for another company as so many people apparently are gonna do lol.

  • You better make it easy to deactivate ps3s online. I currently have 2 busted ps3s that are done for with ylod so Im on my 3rd one. I keep calling customer service but you guys keep refusing to deactivate since according to you I can install my stuff on 5 playstations.

    • Soon, you will be able to utilize the new feature on our website, which will allow you to deactivate all the systems tied to your account via PC.

  • Wishing i wouldn’t have bought my third ps3 now, have two at my house one in the bedroom and one for the living room. Bought a third for my parents house where i stay for about a week at a time, my little brother also plays on the system full time while im away. Think i’ll just stop purchasing games off of the psn and stick to disc based games from now on, guess that playstation plus purchase was useless. If we are going to be limited to 2 system activations i think we should be able to share home content and premium avatars and themes, or you can just keep forcing me to rebuy the same thing twice….whatever.

  • i just brought a new slim 320gb PS3 last weekend for my son bday
    i should have NEVER DO THIS

    and BTW i have 20.58$ still in my account I WANT MY MONEY BACK
    i’ll NEVER SPEND a $ AGAIN in YOUR PSN

  • Wow! What an awful plan guys! 2 accounts is way too few. Especially if you personally own more than 2 PS3’s like many hardcore PlayStation fans, I know, do. Not to mention, the households that have more than 2 PS3’s. Allowing 3 accounts to be simultaneously active will be much more sensible AND fair.

    Hopefully, it will not also be poorly executed. I mean… they WILL have this Account Management Website up before November 18th, right?

    I’m kinda at a loss on this one, Sony……I think, over all, I find this news a bit disturbing.

  • i have a YLOD system, so the “playStation network account management website” is a little usefull…anyways i lost all my save files pictures etc etc, thanks sony

  • @Kane22_

    I wasn’t “yelling at you”. Not once did I make mention of buying a 360. I understand why they are taking these measures, but there has got to be a better solution to the problem. All they’re doing is hurting their paying customers. It’s like cutting off your arm because your finger is infected.

  • @ Cyb3rfr34k-iso i hardly doubt you buy anything, considering I have see your name on many of the hacking sites and the last part of your id is ISO which is the extension for RIPPED AND PIRATED GAMES. I say just ban
    Cyb3rfr34k-iso….

  • Well I have 3 working PS3’s in my house that I use, basement, living room, bedroom. Now I have to pick and choose where to download my content or I have to buy it twice?? I don’t like this move at all.

  • Great news now hopefully this will stop those stupid “can I gameshare with you” messages. I have 2 PS3s so this works fine for me.

  • I have 3 systems at home, and all get used. I really dislike this particular move by Sony, and it’s something of a slap to the face of your most loyal customers, imo

  • As someone who CHOSE Playstation network because of the ability to play MY games and my content on five devices, I am disgusted that you are removing yet another one of the features that I BOUGHT A PS3 FOR! I got a ps3 based on the idea that i’d be able to play my games at my friends house (Friends with an S). Now I have to choose which of my friends will have my account on their ps3s and the rest won’t. This is a fatal mistake on Sony’s part, and one i will NOT accept. Heed my warning that you WILL be loosing sales both from me and from other users until such time as you allow us the rights WE deserve. WE are the consumers, the people who GIVE YOU OUR MONEY. the very least you can do is not TAKE AWAY a portion of what we gave you our money for!

    Also i see a huge flaw in your bs “Please note that this update will not affect game content purchased before November 18.” It WILL affect this content because we still won’t be able to attach 5 ps3s to the content we bought that claimed it was usable on 5 ps3s when we can only activate 2 ps3s! this is a huge problem which will deny our friends access to the content we legally let them use! PLEASE don’t do this Sony!

  • @homeboy79 for me, it is the MOST DISTURBING NEWS
    it now DONT WORTH to buy a 29$ games on THE PSN when the actual phisical disc is 20$ on every shop
    i tought that’s why we were paying a bit more money on the PSN because we had the possibility to install over 5 PS3 THAT MEAN I DONT STEAL NOTHING I PAY MORE MONEY AND EBGAMES CAN SELL MY USED GAMES SINCE THEY ARE DIGITAL!

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