Yawm.

Wonderufl, more DRM related threads.... crap.

Oh it is right now too. Patches and DLC are all behind a wall you can't get to without an account, and those accounts someday won't be active or working. On PC all that stuff is easily circumvented and not reliant on specific hardware which will fail.

Yes, please, take it that seriously. It was so obviously meant that seriously, truly.

PS3 is pretty bad with tying save files to your PSN account or directly to the PS3. You could always find a free 1 month trial for PSN+ and use that to upload all of the saves. Doing the hard drive backup won't work because it will automatically try to format when you put it in the new console. I think the only way is to have both consoles setup side by side and connected to each other to transfer the data over.

Honestly, PS3 doesn't support a "Move" operation like XBox 360? Move is what the paranoid developers (fuck you Lionhead!) do when they want to prevent someone using Copy to shortcut bullshit-irifiic long achievement requirements (as if we all haven't figured out how to dashboard before the save).

Even then, I think Lionhead is literally the only developer I've ever seen tack this restriction on, no one else cares and you can Copy or Move just fine, USB device, XBox 360 copy cable, or cloud, it doesn't matter.

should not require the PS3s side by side:
http://www.giantbomb.com/guides/how-to-migrate-data-from-one-playstation-3-console-to-another/1290/

this link uses the backup/restore method, which is the same that you would do with changing out the Hard Drive.

Key step is in the whole process is migrating your account to the new PS3 and deactivating it on the old PS3.

Also the key issue with the Hard Drive is that it has to be of the right format otherwise the PS3 will not recognize it. After that you have to make sure to update the PS3 off-line to at least 3.51 firmware --> not sure if there is a new minimum firmware requirement.....

regardless the recovery is not performed until you have PS3 with the desired Hard Drive i.e. new PS3 with stock Hard Drive or same PS3 with newly formatted Hard Drive.

I don't, but PC DRM is irrelevant. Also much more likely to be officially patched out when it needs to be. Also, not hardware reliant.

The reason people should hate DRM is that it endangers the longevity of the game. It risks the game not being available. Right? And to me that is ten times more dangerous on consoles right now, let alone the next round when they inevitably institute a Steam-like system. With patches, DLC and downloadable games tied to specific hardware and only available through specific servers and accounts that stuff is all time-limited like an MMO. Due to the nature of the platform it's not as easily circumvented, either.

When I think about PC games being unplayable in 20 years I kind of laugh, because history has shown us they will be. The players will make sure of that, if not the publishers. When I think of console games being unplayable in 20 years it seems like a real concern. So choosing to game on consoles solely because of DRM seems silly to me, because the PC is where it is least relevant and least dangerous.

What do you mean by the players and publisher will make sure that 20 years from now PC games won't be playable and console games are more concerning. In only a few more years Unreal Tournament will turn 20 and I still regard it as one of the best games ever and I think it will still work. If not there will be a patch or something.