Sony prohibits sharing of downloadable Warhawk

There's always been a catch when sharing downloadable PSN games: If it's an online multiplayer title, only one PSN account can use a particular license at any one time, though the license can be shared with any number of accounts across five consoles (so, you purchase and download the game, and then four of your friends can download the game for free onto their consoles using your account, but play using their own accounts). With nothing said leading up to its release, no one expected the rule to be changed for Warhawk, but it has been.

It's not that Sony has lifted the limitation, but rather, Sony has reinforced it further. Each Warhawk license is tethered to one PSN account, the purchaser, and while the game can be installed on up to five consoles using that account (and only that account for playing), a single Warhawk license cannot be used on more than one console within a single day.

The rule change isn't unprecedented, but Sony could have been more transparent about its intentions ever since Warhawk was transformed into a downloadable multiplayer game (also available on Blu-ray). With undisclosed millions likely burned on a disastrous development cycle, during which a potential triple A single-player game was completely trashed, it's understandable that Sony wants to charge $40 to each and every PSN account holder that plays the downloadable version of Warhawk. Next time, just let us know the deal before release day, okay?

Here's the official fine print: "One time fee for download or use solely by the purchasing PSN account on up to five PS3 units, with no more than one activated PS3 unit within a 24 hour period. Content may not be used by any other account."