4 ms·

> The big exceptions are video game consoles and alarm systems. This part is the most interesting to me. Alarm systems I understand, though this looks like sec

> The big exceptions are video game consoles and alarm systems. This part is the most interesting to me. Alarm systems I understand, though this looks like security by obscurity, but video game consoles? Are legislators willing to go that far to protect Sony's DRM?

rf15 3y ago
xbox still exists despite everything, and Nintendo is an even bigger player in the space than Sony. So I guess legislators ARE willing to go that far to protect Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft's DRM. The interesting bit here is that only Microsoft is an american company, so it is possible they got the biggest leverage here.
- Dah00n 3y ago
  Nintendo is not a bigger player. You can't just say X > Y hence Z. Quick Google search tells me that.. >PlayStation made $11.3 billion more than Xbox, and $14.7 billion more than Nintendo. Xbox made $3.4 billion more than Nintendo. Nintendo is the smallest. The biggest earner is the PlayStation 5 today and the PlayStation 2 overall.
  - rf15 3y ago
    Those numbers don't seem right, looking at Wikipedia[0]. I'm sure console pricing can skew that a bit, but xbox is basically dead outside the US in terms of marketshare. [0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_consoles_by_region https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_co...
theshrike79 3y ago
Dunno what kind of extra power consoles have but laws don't seem to apply to them the same way. People are screaming to let them install 3rd party software for Apple devices. But why doesn't anyone want the same for the Xbox, Playstation and Switch? They are arguably even more "general computing devices" than an iPhone for example. If Apple is forced to allow 3rd party app stores, why can't I get the same for my Playstation? Why is it different?
- pjerem 3y ago
  > If Apple is forced to allow 3rd party app stores, why can't I get the same for my Playstation? I’m really curious of what effect will the DMA have when it will be confronted to game consoles.
- laserbeam 3y ago
  I think you need devs/producers to complaim about high margins in stores before anyone cares about 3rd party apps. Or about abusive practices (you get thrown out of a store for arbitrary reasons). I haven't heard devs say anything of the sorts for gaming consoles. Certainly barriers to entry are higher and NDAs probably stricter... But, dunno, the complaints are basically non existent in media.
  - theshrike79 3y ago
    AFAIK console companies control the SDKs and Devkits pretty strictly. If you start to complain in public, you'll get neither and that's it for your company.
    - Dah00n 3y ago
      Microsoft gets Sony PlayStation devkits before the release of s new console. I can't see how you could say anything about Sony that would want them to refuse a devkit more than to their competitors. I very much doubt the truth of this.
      - theshrike79 3y ago
        But why did Epic start a huge row with Apple about their percentage of Fortnite IAP sales, but didn't do the same with Microsoft or Sony?
        lwkl 3y ago
        Starting this with Apple is probably much easier PR wise than with Microsoft or Sony since their customers like Apple and Sony. Because most gamers don't care about Apple or don't like Apple (which is fair since Apple doesn't seem to care about them). And the more important reason is that Epic probably already has deals in place with Microsoft and Sony. We have seen that they exist for Activision thanks, to the merger, so why shouldn't Epic have similar arrangements?
pmontra 3y ago
I don't understand alarm systems too. Why shouldn't I be able to fix a part of it? About consoles, I wonder what's inside that we can't replace a failed part with a working one.
lotsofpulp 3y ago
> This part is the most interesting to me. Alarm systems I understand, though this looks like security by obscurity, My phone contains information or can access information that would harm me much more than someone robbing my home (while I am away). And if someone breaks into my home while I am there, the alarm system is not going to get the cops there quickly enough anyway. So I do not see why an alarm system would be considered as something that needs an exception for security reasons, but a phone is not.

rf15 3y ago

xbox still exists despite everything, and Nintendo is an even bigger player in the space than Sony. So I guess legislators ARE willing to go that far to protect Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft's DRM. The interesting bit here is that only Microsoft is an american company, so it is possible they got the biggest leverage here.

Dah00n 3y ago
Nintendo is not a bigger player. You can't just say X > Y hence Z. Quick Google search tells me that.. >PlayStation made $11.3 billion more than Xbox, and $14.7 billion more than Nintendo. Xbox made $3.4 billion more than Nintendo. Nintendo is the smallest. The biggest earner is the PlayStation 5 today and the PlayStation 2 overall.
- rf15 3y ago
  Those numbers don't seem right, looking at Wikipedia[0]. I'm sure console pricing can skew that a bit, but xbox is basically dead outside the US in terms of marketshare. [0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_consoles_by_region https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_co...

theshrike79 3y ago

Dunno what kind of extra power consoles have but laws don't seem to apply to them the same way. People are screaming to let them install 3rd party software for Apple devices. But why doesn't anyone want the same for the Xbox, Playstation and Switch? They are arguably even more "general computing devices" than an iPhone for example. If Apple is forced to allow 3rd party app stores, why can't I get the same for my Playstation? Why is it different?

pjerem 3y ago
> If Apple is forced to allow 3rd party app stores, why can't I get the same for my Playstation? I’m really curious of what effect will the DMA have when it will be confronted to game consoles.
laserbeam 3y ago
I think you need devs/producers to complaim about high margins in stores before anyone cares about 3rd party apps. Or about abusive practices (you get thrown out of a store for arbitrary reasons). I haven't heard devs say anything of the sorts for gaming consoles. Certainly barriers to entry are higher and NDAs probably stricter... But, dunno, the complaints are basically non existent in media.
- theshrike79 3y ago
  AFAIK console companies control the SDKs and Devkits pretty strictly. If you start to complain in public, you'll get neither and that's it for your company.
  - Dah00n 3y ago
    Microsoft gets Sony PlayStation devkits before the release of s new console. I can't see how you could say anything about Sony that would want them to refuse a devkit more than to their competitors. I very much doubt the truth of this.
    - theshrike79 3y ago
      But why did Epic start a huge row with Apple about their percentage of Fortnite IAP sales, but didn't do the same with Microsoft or Sony?
      - lwkl 3y ago
        Starting this with Apple is probably much easier PR wise than with Microsoft or Sony since their customers like Apple and Sony. Because most gamers don't care about Apple or don't like Apple (which is fair since Apple doesn't seem to care about them). And the more important reason is that Epic probably already has deals in place with Microsoft and Sony. We have seen that they exist for Activision thanks, to the merger, so why shouldn't Epic have similar arrangements?

pmontra 3y ago

I don't understand alarm systems too. Why shouldn't I be able to fix a part of it? About consoles, I wonder what's inside that we can't replace a failed part with a working one.

lotsofpulp 3y ago

> This part is the most interesting to me. Alarm systems I understand, though this looks like security by obscurity, My phone contains information or can access information that would harm me much more than someone robbing my home (while I am away). And if someone breaks into my home while I am there, the alarm system is not going to get the cops there quickly enough anyway. So I do not see why an alarm system would be considered as something that needs an exception for security reasons, but a phone is not.