Reave
[13] Hero
The force installs alone will make the systems life longer. If they do however have problems you don't have to buy one at launch. I intend to wait half a year to year before I buy either console to see what problems they have.snip
I'm not sure what you mean about second copies needed for back-up and your friend needing to stay at your house to finish an entire RPG.
If the system craps out on you just redownload it when you get another one. Maybe you don't understand that each copy would be digital regardless if you downloaded it or purchased from the store.
I have a friend in New York and I stay in Philadelphia. I gave him Tales of Vesperia and I did not go over his house nor did he come over my house to get it. I did not send him a USB with the game in the mail either. He simply recovered my Gamertag on his console and brought the game off the marketplace with my account. He can play Tales of Vesperia till his heart is content on his OWN Gamertag using his OWN console after the initial purchase. I can also play Tales of Vesperia on MY Gamertag using MY OWN Console. Even at the SAME time if we wanted too. I also gave him Metal Gear Peacewalker and we can play the MP together on it.
PS3 and Xbox 360 have had DRM since they released. DRM is just being extended to retail games.