The next generation PlayStation has reportedly been code-named “Orbis,” and it will feature an anti-used game system and offer no backward compatibility with PlayStation 3 games, Kotaku reported on Wednesday. According to multiple unnamed sources, Orbis will have some kind of measure built into the console that will prevent it from playing used games. Users will be able to buy new games for the system on Blu-ray disc or as a PlayStation Network download, and if a user chooses to buy a disc, it will supposedly be locked to a single PSN account. Users will reportedly be required to log into Sony’s network to play games, with no offline mode available. Read on for more.
If a user does trade in a disc, the pre-owned customer will be limited in what they can do in the game, and may be forced to pay a fee to unlock and register the full title. Earlier reports claimed that Microsoft’s next generation Xbox could include a similar feature, however GameStop CEO Paul Raines said a used game block would be highly unlikely.
Similar to how Sony removed the PS3 Slim’s backwards compatibility with PS2 games, the company reportedly has no plans to offer backward compatibility with PS3 games on its Orbis console. The next-generation PlayStation is seemingly slated to launch during the holiday season next year, and it will feature an AMD x64 CPU and AMD Southern Islands GPU capable of running Orbis games at a resolution of 4,096 x 2,160 pixels, or at 1080p in 3D mode.
