Licensing should work across different platforms.
Licensing should work across different platforms.
With the release of GTA 5 for PC, I began to wonder if purchasing a game for one platform—like GTA 5 on PS3—would grant access to it on all platforms. After all, buying software usually comes with a license, so paying for the game once shouldn’t require additional fees for another system. What are your thoughts?
It also requires financial investment to create a game for various systems.
Some games are like that already. But for bigger titles and more so with those that have online gameplay, the account system needs different licenses on different platforms.
Certain games, particularly on systems like PlayStation 4 and Vita, feature a crossbuy system. The issue arises because Sony/Microsoft charge fees to release titles on their platforms, aiming to capture a share of the revenue. When a game is available for PC and console, fewer people may purchase the console version since it’s often cheaper. Console manufacturers prefer exclusive titles, while developers encourage buying multiple copies to boost profits. Many players have noticed this pattern with games like GTA on 360 or PS3, where they’ve purchased both the console and PC editions.