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In the months leading up to the unveiling of both Xbox One and PlayStation 4, there was much speculation about whether one or both companies would instigate DRM systems designed to inhibit used game sales.
Microsoft did announce plans that would have disrupted the current model of game-ownership and resale, only to backtrack after E3, following widespread dismay at the notion. Sony avoided the issue at its first reveal of PlayStation 4 back in February, but made much of the lack of any plans of an Xbox One-style lock-out during its E3 conference.
According to Andrew House, president and CEO of the worldwide PlayStation business, such a move was never even considered.
"Dating from about our February event, there had been questions about what our online policy would be," he said, in an interview with The Guardian. "And I have to say that we were slightly perplexed, because we had no intention of changing from a model that I think has served us really well for several platform life-cycles."
At its February event Sony did not fully understand what Microsoft had planned, details of which did not emerge until the Xbox One unveiling in May. "Of course, it was really the actions of others, and the reaction coming from consumers, which led to more speculation," added House. "So we felt that with E3, it was a really good opportunity to set the record straight. But there weren't any changes that we'd been considering."
