Analysts seem to believe that Sony’s DRM claims regarding PlayStation 4 were nothing more than a clever use of word games by Sony’s marketing department to get the reaction that we have seen from the community. Still, sources are indicating to us that Sony really has no finalized DRM policy for the PS4 and that what has been said so far leaves the door wide open.

While some might suggest that this is sour grapes coming from the other side, the reality is that while Sony may choose not to use or introduce DRM on the titles that it releases and publishes from its internal studios, the door was left open for 3rd party publishers to implement DRM on the PlayStation 4, in a similar way to the method that works on the Xbox One.

While publishers and developers believe that strict DRM is necessary to protect their bottom line, it would seem that how the DRM will be implemented in the end continues to change. We think that it isn’t done changing yet. It is very likely that more changes, or tweaks if you will, will happen on both sides prior to the release of the console.

Transition to the new business model will be that software licensing, rather than ownership of the disc, is something that developers and publishers are going to force us to adopt. The reality is that it is better for their business model; and the freedom we have enjoyed with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 we will remember in passing as the gaming industry takes another turn.