California, the biggest state in the US when it comes to both population and the sheer volume of tech companies squeezed into its borders, has just passed the country’s most extreme right to repair bill in the US (via Ars Technica). It’s the third state to pass such a bill, but goes further than either Minnesota or New York in that it forces companies to support their products for longer. But while it will cover gaming PCs and laptops, games console manufacturers get a free pass.
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There are exceptions, however, and it seems like games consoles are somehow exempt from this right to repair requirement. Guess someone’s been lobbying against the inclusion of consoles, eh? The bill itself talks specifically about an “electronic or appliance product” or just a “product”, but stipulates that doesn’t include a video game console.
“‘Video game console’ means a computing device, including its components and peripherals, that is primarily used by consumers for playing video games, such as a console machine, a handheld console device, or another device or system. ‘Video game console’ does not include a general or an all-purpose computer, which includes, but is not limited to, a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or cell phone.”
So, that means your Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch consoles are all seemingly exempt from having to offer long term support, but at least in the computing space your PC and laptop will be covered.
Ok, hear me out. My intuition tells me its because consoles are subsidized. The manufacturer loses money or breakes even in order to make money back in the games sold. I think Nintendo is an exception. So having the additional expense of having to support them harms the hardware subsidy model.
Gotta admit… That sounds like a “them” problem. If they want to sell it at a loss, that’s on them. Make console prices more expensive.
Bring more gamers to the PC & Steam Deck.
Maybe, but why should that exempt them? If the model doesn’t work anymore then it doesn’t work. Who cares. They’ll still sell consoles and make money. They might cost more upfront or something, but they’ll still sell them.
I assume that they managed to get it exempted based on piracy concerns.
Frying your console’s motherboard attempting to install a mod chip is not a big deal if you can replace it yourself on the cheap.
Even better, it would mean those selling mod chips could just buy the motherboards and sell pre modded motherboards.
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Wouldn’t that be an argument for right-to-repair? If the user has to buy another console because theirs broke, the company has made twice the loss for the same number of games bought (or fewer, because the user has less money to spend on games). Reparing looks like a win-win here.
Nintendo has been the only game company I’ve seen be directly vocal against the Right to Repair stuff. 🤔