From the get go, the PlayStation Network allowed purchased downloadable games to be played on up to five separate PS3s. Not on a per-game basis, but on a per-PSN account basis—meaning that any one PSN account could have up to five PS3s "activated". This was great for anyone who owns multiple PS3s in one home or wanted to be able to play games over a friends house. But like all good things, it was abused.
Gamesharing is the act of letting someone else download a game you've purchased, usually in exchange for access to their account so you can download a game they've purchased. Since you had up to five PS3s, it wasn't a big deal if you let one (or more) of those go to a friend (or even a stranger) so you could get some free games. But now, the new PSN Terms of Service is limiting the number of activated PS3s to only two.
Anything you purchase after November 18th on the PlayStation Network will only allow for two PS3s to be activated. Anything purchased before this date will continue to have the five-PS3 limit applied. This new system sucks for anyone who gameshares, but it sucks much worse for anyone who legitimately owns more than two PS3s and wants to play their content across them all.
Sony will also be opening a new PSN account management website, which will allow users to choose which devices they want as their two active PS3s.
We're hearing that you'll still be able to have the two PS3s and two other devices (any combination of PSPs and Vitas), but it's not entirely clear in the ToS wording.
Tell us: How will this affect you? Are your gamesharing days over and done? Are you an owner of more than one PS3 and have been wrongfully screwed due to people absuing the system? Or are you just pissed at anything Sony does because it's the cool thing to do?
