Xbox Live Marketplace: I Stop Being Stupid
How did I miss this?I wrote about the Xbox Live Marketplace earlier today, and in writing about the publicized features I totally, absolutely missed the stealth feature: Xbox Live Marketplace is a Trojan horse for the most effective anti-piracy system ever created.
I feel like a total idiot for not seeing this immediately. Now, before I share this theory with you, please realize that Microsoft has confirmed none of this. However, I think it's entirely plausible.
Here's the method. Most console games have a feature where you earn points for playing and this unlocks additional content/items. What Microsoft has done, though, has centralized that "currency" as Microsoft Points. You earn points by playing games and they can also be purchased (very clever idea).
So all kinds of game are going to use Microsoft Points. And if I understand the network correctly, to use those points, you're going to have to go online via Microsoft Live before you can use them. Guess who can then check to see if you have a modded Xbox? And if you do, no points for you. No marketplace access.
Think about how this could be extended. In the most extreme scenario, a game is created that awards points for each level completed. So after playing four levels, for examples, all gamers would have ten points. To play the next four levels, they have to be unlocked, and it takes ten points. Now this isn't a big deal, because you are guaranteed ten points if you've played through the first four levels, but again, if your Xbox is modded to play pirate discs, you're not going to be able to play the rest of the game, because when you go online to unlock the levels, you'll get busted.
Genius. That's the most effective anti-piracy system ever created. And they give away basic Live access for free. That makes all of this possible, because everyone, in theory, should have a Live account. That's probably why they give away basic access for free.
Do I think they're actually going to use the level unlocking scheme in a form that extreme? [Holy crap, I've turned into Dr. Seuss.] Probably not, although I do think they'll use it for all kinds of bonus levels and material. But will they use the basic concept of making Marketplace as robust as possible and denying access to people who have modded their 360's? Absolutely.
As I said before, I haven't spoken to anyone at Microsoft about this--it's just a theory. But if I'm correct, it's an ingenious way to control piracy.
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