here's the deal though (to those that only think this applied to sony or games), i opens the door to this type of deal to other media (as ajspiano caught on to w regard to the other big names).
so ok sony does it. then all the game console manufacturers do it (don't think it can happen? remember when only certain games were on certain consoles? now how many times does a big release hit and it hits all of them, i know there are a few franchises still unique to each but this is a normal aspect of the product life cycle, homogenization of the product/market place).
look at blue ray, it's not just 'sony picture classics' movies in that format. other studios use it, it is the 'new standard' for HD.
so then the record companies want in, now theres encoding to effectively do the same thing for CD's.
it's bad news all around for everyone except the the big kids.
in fact i read tech reports that there is a move by other manufacturers for either next gen or the one after that for consoles to do away with gaming title hard coppies all together (they want it all to be digital download like many titles are right now like on steam or xbox live, or playstation network), so even if this patant doesnt move fwd there are similar moves overall toward this type of control on media.