What Gamestop are ya'll checking at? The one in downtown Las Vegas inside the Luxor suite? In Hollywood off of the Walk of Fame? Maybe you should check in one that is more on the outskirts or in the suburbs, or a real city.
The idea behind the whole thing isn't bad, but it was poorly executed.
Switching purely to online store isn't all that bad, but it won't happen overnight, and it specially won't happen if Sony tries to sell the idea by trying to shove it along with a higher priced and limited new device.
The first thing I "watched" on the PSPGo is that I'm not going to be able to replace it's battery.
And then, I read that the price would be even higher than a regular PSP, which I think is already pretty expensive.
I mean, really... I can't understand what Sony is trying to do here.
If they are trying to push a new format, they have to add functionalities, make the overall device better, put lower prices and THEN maybe, only maybe, they'd have a winner there.
I also think that eventually the console market will find a way to push the online market concept through.
I see Valve and Direct2Drive as good experiences. But they know what they are doing by having weekend sales and other stuff that really gives new clients an advantage point for switching to the new idea.
My biggest problem with purely digital entertainment is there is zero re-sale value. And, yes, that's part of the point considering how huge used sales are. Can you imagine what would happen to Gamestop if they couldn't sell new or used games anymore? Strategy guides, systems, and previous-gen games only, I guess.
this doesnt work. theres no competition just sony. on pc it works. there are several digital distributors you can choose from (not to mention you can choose a physical copy if you need it).
if you think sonys pricing is unfair and you have a pspgo you cant buy from anywhere else.
People are forgetting that this entire article is based around the idea that in order to make such a comparison you have to overlook things like the PSPGo isn't being marketed for current PSP owners, the trend towards people like digital (rather than physical) more and more, and how you can't even play the UMDs they are comparing on the unit to begin with.
This article in my opinion, is outdated, it is intended for PSP-3000 and lower owners who may be thinking about downloads and not for PSPGo owners. I don't know if it's poor journalism or simply a way to get discussion started but this article is fairly misleading.
I like how so many of the articles written about the PSP Go, and DD in general, focus on how its terrible for the consumer, because it eliminates price competition among various retailers (which for just released games does not exist anyway), and eliminates used sales. None of them mention that it also eliminates scarcity. Because, you know, being able to find a game more than 2 years after release is a terrible, terrible thing.
@verrius: That's one thing I do like. Just not a big fan of paying at "just released" retail prices for a 2 yr old game that doesn't include everything I'd have got from buying the game at retail 2 years ago.
Good thing I rarely buy used. I never buy used if it's a company I want to support, unless there is literally no other realistic option, such as when I bought FF7 a year or two back. I still can't believe I found it at a gamestop.
The games on PSN seem to go for about the same price as a new copy of the game. To expect any less is kinda silly IMO. I mean, sometimes used games can drop below 5 dollars. Sony can't match or undercut that when the suggested retail price for a new UMD is 15 or 20 bucks.
At most, you would find it for $1 less at Gamestop for a new copy. From Amazon.com it's actually MORE, unless you buy from one of their second hand retailers. In which case shipping costs make it end up costing just as much.
Sony cannot afford to undercut second hand retailers dude. To expect so is unrealistic.
@SacGamer: Why can't we expect lower prices on the PSN rather than in B&M stores? They don't have to pay for packaging, shipping, or any other middle-man fees. If they want me, as one possible customer, to buy digitally, they need to lower the prices. Sure, convenience is one factor, but I'd much rather pay less over not having to carry around 1 or 2 spare UMDs. I know they had some games on the PSN for $22 when I could get a new copy in stores for $20. If I could buy a physical game and save $2, then possible sell it back and earn $5-$10, then that's saving me $7-$12. After a few games, that can add up.
@SacGamer: I just say get the PS3 3000. You have the option to go digital OR physical. Then you can do really whatever you want. Now just with the PSPGo, they'll be putting all the games on the store so now you'll have even more options.
You know, I see all these complaints about digital costing the same as physical on PSN. This is no different from digital distribution via Steam or even Direct 2 Drive. You pay as much as you would in store for a physical release, all manuals are digital. You have a limited number of active installs depending on which ones you buy. Yet these services don't receive as much flack as Sony is getting for their PSN store. In a lot of cases, I see complains about games that aren't in Steam. They too have problems about having CD keys converted to digital. Only a limited number of games can be converted and this is because either Valve owns it or the company who made the game is allowing it but very few do this. It's the same complain there too, it's because of whatever licensing agreement they have with distributors and other stuff.
The whole no manual argument seems kind of mute. A manual is available with the download and accessible via the PSP main menu and they're in full color with diagrams of both the PSP-x000 and the PSP Go if it's a recent release.
Understandably there are some games that might be more expensive then retail. Usually after a period of time, games that aren't selling anymore and just showing up used start to get sold at a discount to get them out of the store before they ship them back to the warehouse or returned to publishers. This is very apparent with smaller releases that have limited runs. Some places cash in on this and actually do the reverse and start up charging limited availability games as they start to disappear from retailers hence some of the pricing being skewed.
Sure, there are some games on PSN that aren't worth the price they ask for. There are some on there that I'm really tempted of getting since I haven't seen physical copies off anymore. The advantage of the setup they have though is that I know that they'll still be around next week or the week after and might even get a limited time sale instead of rushing to get it and not playing it right away. I'm not going to outright switch out my existing games to digital (NIS America is the exception with their current sale)
Here's a link to Siliconera's pricing comparison they did late last week. It only follows Amazon but it covers what's available via PSN right now.
@excel_excel: Content wise is usually just game and manual. Not much else unless your getting something from pre-order and that's just the store's way of getting you to get it from them. Usually in the form of a cheap calendar or sample OST and they usually screw you over by only offering certain pre-orders from certain stores if it is actually good.
I mean unless it's from NIS America or Atlus, the extra content is pretty trivial for PSP games.
that's the biggest issue I have with buying PSP games on PSN (other than the fact Sony STILL doesn't grasp the concept of PSP demos and video as standard)
Despite the bad rep the PSPGo "supposedly" has, the Internet is littered with reviews of people who bought it (both positively and negatively). There are literally thousands of reviews of it from people who, get this, BOUGHT it for the purpose of doing so.
Think of all the people who don't own their own blogs or websites, in other words, the average joe, who don't buy it to review it, but buy it to play it. If even half of those people bought it as compared to the people who spent the last week reviewing it did, I'd say the console's launch was a success.
I work in a computer store that sells them, and we sold out twice so far. Our third shipment is arriving in a couple of days. And I live in Canada, in a ghetto location. What does that say about it? There is demand. Albeit my particular circumstance isn't enough to make an accurate quantitative judgement of the console's success as a whole, I think it's done well.
In the end, no matter what people think of it, people are speaking with their wallets. If it makes money, SUCCESS! Even if it's badly criticised. In the end, money determines the outcome, not the comments of the people of Kotaku, who despite their comments, probably went out and bought one regardless (only considering those who apply, they ARE out there).
@brass2themax: The NPD numbers will tell the truth, along with the next 3-6 months. The N-gage was hated by hardcores also but causals picked it up. We see how well that worked.
Your lucky with your US pricing but its the pal users that get bummed... really hard.
I am sorry but PSN pricing in the UK is past ridiculous. I will be avoiding buying games at those prices... apart from maybe Trine, which I will buy soon.
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Switching purely to online store isn't all that bad, but it won't happen overnight, and it specially won't happen if Sony tries to sell the idea by trying to shove it along with a higher priced and limited new device.
The first thing I "watched" on the PSPGo is that I'm not going to be able to replace it's battery.
And then, I read that the price would be even higher than a regular PSP, which I think is already pretty expensive.
I mean, really... I can't understand what Sony is trying to do here.
If they are trying to push a new format, they have to add functionalities, make the overall device better, put lower prices and THEN maybe, only maybe, they'd have a winner there.
I also think that eventually the console market will find a way to push the online market concept through.
I see Valve and Direct2Drive as good experiences. But they know what they are doing by having weekend sales and other stuff that really gives new clients an advantage point for switching to the new idea.
10/05/09
10/05/09
if you think sonys pricing is unfair and you have a pspgo you cant buy from anywhere else.
10/05/09
This article in my opinion, is outdated, it is intended for PSP-3000 and lower owners who may be thinking about downloads and not for PSPGo owners. I don't know if it's poor journalism or simply a way to get discussion started but this article is fairly misleading.
10/05/09
Actually, I think the article is for people who still haven't decided whether to be smart and buy a 3000 or go balls-out and get a GO.
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10/05/09
Also, cheapassgamer.com says "hi".
10/05/09
The games on PSN seem to go for about the same price as a new copy of the game. To expect any less is kinda silly IMO. I mean, sometimes used games can drop below 5 dollars. Sony can't match or undercut that when the suggested retail price for a new UMD is 15 or 20 bucks.
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10/05/09
[www.gamestop.com]
[www.amazon.com]
At most, you would find it for $1 less at Gamestop for a new copy. From Amazon.com it's actually MORE, unless you buy from one of their second hand retailers. In which case shipping costs make it end up costing just as much.
Sony cannot afford to undercut second hand retailers dude. To expect so is unrealistic.
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There is...no reason to hate on Sony's pricing here. Seriously. Unless you buy used, the prices are fine.
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The whole no manual argument seems kind of mute. A manual is available with the download and accessible via the PSP main menu and they're in full color with diagrams of both the PSP-x000 and the PSP Go if it's a recent release.
Understandably there are some games that might be more expensive then retail. Usually after a period of time, games that aren't selling anymore and just showing up used start to get sold at a discount to get them out of the store before they ship them back to the warehouse or returned to publishers. This is very apparent with smaller releases that have limited runs. Some places cash in on this and actually do the reverse and start up charging limited availability games as they start to disappear from retailers hence some of the pricing being skewed.
Sure, there are some games on PSN that aren't worth the price they ask for. There are some on there that I'm really tempted of getting since I haven't seen physical copies off anymore. The advantage of the setup they have though is that I know that they'll still be around next week or the week after and might even get a limited time sale instead of rushing to get it and not playing it right away. I'm not going to outright switch out my existing games to digital (NIS America is the exception with their current sale)
Here's a link to Siliconera's pricing comparison they did late last week. It only follows Amazon but it covers what's available via PSN right now.
[www.siliconera.com]
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10/05/09
I mean unless it's from NIS America or Atlus, the extra content is pretty trivial for PSP games.
10/05/09
PSN: €36.99
Play.com: €23.49
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Some of the pricing...not cool Sony...not cool
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Think of all the people who don't own their own blogs or websites, in other words, the average joe, who don't buy it to review it, but buy it to play it. If even half of those people bought it as compared to the people who spent the last week reviewing it did, I'd say the console's launch was a success.
I work in a computer store that sells them, and we sold out twice so far. Our third shipment is arriving in a couple of days. And I live in Canada, in a ghetto location. What does that say about it? There is demand. Albeit my particular circumstance isn't enough to make an accurate quantitative judgement of the console's success as a whole, I think it's done well.
In the end, no matter what people think of it, people are speaking with their wallets. If it makes money, SUCCESS! Even if it's badly criticised. In the end, money determines the outcome, not the comments of the people of Kotaku, who despite their comments, probably went out and bought one regardless (only considering those who apply, they ARE out there).
I'm planning on getting one myself soon.
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Haha.
Love,
Sony
10/05/09
I am sorry but PSN pricing in the UK is past ridiculous. I will be avoiding buying games at those prices... apart from maybe Trine, which I will buy soon.
Still SONY changes those prices.
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