Rumours over the last few months suggest that we could have a future where games will be locked to one console when the next gen arrives. This will effectively kill of the second hand market.

What are you opinions on this?

What are the good and bad points from all perspectives?

Edit: Some nice points here guys. Yours just might make our article. Another question for you. Just pretend Sony and MS have announced that yes they will console lock the games on their system. I don't think that they would outright lock the game. Maybe, like somebody suggested on here, account lock. Even account lock might be too harsh. So how would they get around it? Could you pay a price to unlock a second hand game for another account? This could keep retailers onside because they could buy second hand games, unlock them (at a price), then re-sell for a profit. Any other ways on variations can you think of?

Edit 2: Could there be something that Sony could do to sweeten you up to accept console/account locked games?

I don't think this will be the case.

neh

... they will be locked to accounts

A good point. Probably more likely than being locked to a single console. It would mean you'd have to buy a new game everytime a newer model came out.

This could bring down the price of games. I think Developers/Publishers don't like people to experience there games and they don't get a cut of the profits. If they make more from their games then they have more room to bring down the price.

good point. We still have the main problem though

At least one of the big three (Nintendo) have openly stated that they have no such plans.

Which is good. It could help sway the other 2 for the same thing.

They could at least consider binding games to accounts so I can take my games to couch gaming at friends' ...

If I can, I don't really mind.

If any console manufacturer attempts to do that, they'll see a loss of fan base and sales. No one can risk losing any amount of momentum at this point. And regardless, every company realizes that the second-hand market will always exist as long as there are physical games at retail.

I have a hard enough time that any company would even try something tying a retail disc to any one particular account. That in itself wouldn't be any different for virtually any end user. Saying that someone couldn't even lend the game to their roommate that has a different console? Again, loss of fan base and sales.