I can get the licensing thing but you all know that if Datel tried to get their product licensed, Microsoft would say no. Think about it. Have you seen how ridiculously expensive Microsoft memory cards are? The Datel memory cards give you WAY more bang for your buck and include microSD slots from what I heard. Obviously a HDD gives you more bang for your buck but since hard drives have a shorter lifespan than flash and SD memory, they aren`t exactly all that reliable for storage. That reminds me, I gotta back up all my saves to my expensive as hell M$ memory unit with all the horror stories about people losing all their game saves after their HDD crapped out. Do you think Microsoft would agree to allow a competitor to release a memory card with way better bang for your buck on their console? No, they wouldn`t. They want you to buy their overpriced first-party accessories instead because that`s how they roll. So if Datel happens to win, it will be great but I don`t think it will happen. If Microsoft wants to lock out unlicensed hardware and software through firmware updates, they can do it.
And honestly I see no problem with people releasing unlicensed software on consoles. There is nothing morally wrong about it. If Wisdom Tree wants to release Bible Adventures on the Xbox 360, let them. lol. If the homebrew community wants to release unlicensed eroges on the Xbox 360, let them. The user agrees to play at their own risk when they buy games that aren`t officially unlicensed. But this isn`t about protecting the user or about morals. This is about console manufacturers wanting a cut that they aren`t entitled to (see: when the copyright laws used to be a lot more sane, Nintendo was unable to successfully sue Wisdom Tree for creating games that bypasses the NES and SNES lockout) But now with the new draconian DMCA laws, the law has changed and the corrupt entertainment industry have their way now. You dont have to get software licensed in order to have it work on a Windows OS. Why should it be illegal to do the same for a console? You are effectively screwing over indie developers this way. What if I want to make a video game that Microsoft doesn`t approve of (XNA has almost zero standards but they still won`t accept say an eroge for eg. lol)? Why should it be against the law for me to release the unlicensed game on the console when I can release it for Windows-based computers without having to answer to anybody?







