Console Wars Heat Up....Against Consumers

Check out this article from Yahoo! News about the future of console gaming. if you own a XBOX or PS3, pay attention. The next generation versions of these consoles are going to be coming out in the next few years and some early reports have people buzzing.

However, the buzz is not about the high end, next-gen graphics or some new design scheme, but rather the games being played...or should I say, NOT being played. According to the article, "signs continue to point to a future in which games are no longer really yours to own, instead just a virtual right to play -- just as long as you're connected to the Internet, have a unique ownership ID, and aren't playing a used copy."

This means, essentially, that if you borrow a game from your friend, it won't work. If you purchases a game from some dude on Craigslist, it won't work. You couldn't even buy games from a reseller like Gamestop. All used games would either be useless cup coasters or come with huge sign-in fees or missing content. 

Sound far fetched?It just happened with batman: Arkham Asylum. Used copies were unable to play a whole portion of the game (Catwoman missions). 

Thoughts? Does the used game market represent a danger to game developers? Should console developers back off? Will this put Gamestop out of business?