Citing "sources with first-hand experience of Microsoft’s next generation console" The EDGE-online is reporting that games purchased on Blu-ray disc will require online activation on the console, and be tied to a single user account from that point.

The mechanism is obviously the same as seen with many PC games that tether to services such like Steam and Origin, but would be a first for a standalone games console, where device owners have been long-accustomed to secondhand sales.

Sony's next generation PlayStation console has also previously been rumoured to include similar functionality, but whether or not either manufacturer will actually implement such protection for the console's launch is uncertain.

Neither Sony or Microsoft have officially announced their upcoming consoles yet, so obviously are not confirming or denying such reports. There's also no word as to whether any accommodations will be made for users to on-sell or trade secondhand games.

The notion has already impacted the share price of traditional retailer GameStop, which Games Industry International reports has slipped 6.5% since close of trading yesterday to $25.04, owed to the EB Games parent company's heavy dependency on secondhand game sales.