The Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) claims $6 billion is to be made if it implements new "point of sale" disc activation technology, which would mean for gamers and movie buyers having your media scanned at the counter before leaving the store -- titles would be "dead" off the shelf, until activated appropriately.

The figure is sourced from a recent US study they've conducted, which also brings the claim $800 million in "cost savings and cost avoidance" are to be had.

"It is intuitive that, if we can utilise emerging technology to reduce the shrink in the DVD, Blu-ray discs, and videogame categories and eliminate barriers erected to deter shoplifting, consumers will have easier access to the products, additional retail channels will carry these products, and costs will be eliminated from the supply chain," said Bo Andersen, president and CEO of the EMA.

Capgemini VP Mark Landry added: "The study projects that benefit denial technology will enable retailers to increase revenue from sales lifts from open merchandising, reduced out-of-stocks, new distribution channels, and legitimate sales replacing sales of stolen merchandise. The revenue enhancements would be spread broadly among retailers, studios, publishers, distributors, and replicators."

The EMA is currently looking into the costs of the "benefit denial" tech, stating if results are positive, this could be implemented in stores by Q4 2010.

Meanwhile, gamers are already pointing out their own potential negatives (cost savings aside) for such a system, including hurting the used game sector and game sharing, incompetent clerks (Gamestop, anyone?), machines breaking, etc., just to name a few. What do you think?