Console games? How do they work?

[KieuVanQuan]

I heard console gamers tend to trade games between each other. (or sell online for a very low price) How is that possible? Ain't they got a key attached to they accounts, like on PC? I don't get it. I wanna get GTA V for PS3 so can I just buy it from ebay or something? 

 

Do I gotta create a rockstar social club account and get a legit code first? Or wtf?

 

Thanks. (I'm new to console gaming)

[Fasauceome]

if you have a disk, you can just give it to someone else and they can use it. times were simpler. nintendo switch works the same way.

[KieuVanQuan]

3 hours ago, fasauceome said:

if you have a disk, you can just give it to someone else and they can use it. times were simpler. nintendo switch works the same way.

So how do I join online in gta for example? What about my account? I still don't get it...

[Fasauceome]

Just now, KieuVanQuan said:

So how do I join online in gta for example? What about my account? I still don't get it...

To play GTA online, you need an online account, and whatever Playstation's version of Xbox live is.

[tatte]

The disc is the key, which also presents a few downsides. Disc needs to be inserted in order to play the game, and if anything happens to the disc you naturally lose the ability to play the game. Discs however don't lock to specific consoles, you can take your games to your friends house and play them on their system etc. No activation limits, lost licenses due to lost account or need for gazillion different programs just to access all your games (in comparison to Steam, Origin, Uplay, GOG, Battlenet, Discord, Microsoft Store and all the ones I'm not even aware of yet).

 

What comes to accounts for multiplayer etc, you need to create an account to use modern consoles to begin with. Games usually use that account automatically, the same way some games are able to automatically use your Steam account. Your achievements, save games, digital purchases (usually) and such are linked to that account, so you need just one account for everything. This too has it's downsides, for example this generation both Sony and Microsoft makes you pay for the ability to play online multiplayer (but in return they throw random games "for free" at you).

 

So, to recap:

1. Purchase a PS3 and register a free account with Sony. PS3's online multiplayer is free.
2. Purchase any game disc, new or used. Or borrow one.
3. Insert disc, play online.
4. ???
5. Put the disc up for sale and get something else.

[KieuVanQuan]

1 hour ago, tatte said:

The disc is the key, which also presents a few downsides. Disc needs to be inserted in order to play the game, and if anything happens to the disc you naturally lose the ability to play the game. Discs however don't lock to specific consoles, you can take your games to your friends house and play them on their system etc. No activation limits, lost licenses due to lost account or need for gazillion different programs just to access all your games (in comparison to Steam, Origin, Uplay, GOG, Battlenet, Discord, Microsoft Store and all the ones I'm not even aware of yet).

 

What comes to accounts for multiplayer etc, you need to create an account to use modern consoles to begin with. Games usually use that account automatically, the same way some games are able to automatically use your Steam account. Your achievements, save games, digital purchases (usually) and such are linked to that account, so you need just one account for everything. This too has it's downsides, for example this generation both Sony and Microsoft makes you pay for the ability to play online multiplayer (but in return they throw random games "for free" at you).

 

So, to recap:

1. Purchase a PS3 and register a free account with Sony. PS3's online multiplayer is free.
2. Purchase any game disc, new or used. Or borrow one.
3. Insert disc, play online.
4. ???
5. Put the disc up for sale and get something else.

Decent explanation. So that means that my account 'ID' for GTA Online would be my registered Sony name?