Sony Blocks Online Play On Used Copies Of PSP SOCOM Game

Video game publishers generally aren’t too happy that companies such as GameStop reap huge profits from buying and selling used games, and Sony has devised a way to hobble the system from sapping away sales of its newest PSP shooter — slap DRM on the game’s online mode.

IGN reports that retail copies of SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo 3 come with a code gamers need to input to unlock online play. If you don’t have the code, you can buy online access for $20. And those who download the game illegally are out of luck if they want to take the battle online.

Is this a heavy-handed corporate move that will backfire or a valid defense against piracy and resales?

SOCOM Fights Piracy On PSP [IGN]