Does your console company thank you?

Being a long time gamer I have participated in many console runs. Going on 30 years of gaming I can tell you that most companies take your money and not even consider you as an asset to their success.

I been a Sony Loyalist since they came out with the PSone. Many hours lost on Tobal#2. I had signed up for the Playstation Underground. After I noticed receiving a few shirts and demos I bought my brothers a PSone and registered their hardware to my account. More freebies kept coming in.

Ps2 launched and the internet is finally accessible in most homes and the PSU is now an online thing. I register all our PS2's (5 at the time) and the more I added the more they would send me. Indeed this is awesome; was my thoughts when I opened a Sly raccoon statue!

For a while Sony seemed to be the only one to do this (as I was unaware of Club Nintendo) and after winning clan tourneys for SONY the gear got better, Hats, more shirts, game beta tests, and all kinds of promotional gems.

I later bought a Wii waiting for the PS3 launch and noticed this thing called "Club Nintendo" and for every game I buy and or take a survey on, I get coins and can buy little neat odds and ends.

I cant help but to be overly happy at these meaningless trinkets and perks for taking a part in their success. Sure it might be monkey scratch when looking at the value. I just think even saying Thanks is a good way to let people know that they are appreciated... despite any hangups

[Bladesfist]

Steam thanks me, I got 3 free games for just getting achievements this week. Portal 1, 123 kick it and costume quest :D

[HakatoX]

Thats AWESOME!! I love hearing things like that.

[Bladesfist]

Thanks, oviously someone does not like me getting free games :S

[STONEY4]

I got Devil May Cry 3 and Alien vs. Predator for free for completing some Steam holiday achievements too. Seriously, Steam is awesome. Not to mention all the insane sales they have going on these 2 weeks.

[jeseth]

Sony upgraded my (and everybodys) Ps3 to a 3D Blu Ray player for free ...

So they saved me a few hundred bucks. Sony is the only company that seems to really be interested in keeping their consumers. They could have just as easily not made the PS3 a 3D machine but they did ... and for FREE.

They earned my loyalty and aprreciation a long time ago and that 3D update was the last in a long line of consumer based gestures.

[theonlylolking]

Yes, uncharted series is enough of a thanks for me.

[HakatoX]

right.... completely not the point I was trying to get at... yes they do a job... and their job is to make games... THATS THEIR JOB! and we supply them with the success.....
A GAME IS NO WAY A THANKS FOR YOUR PATRONAGE!

[Hicken]

I disagree, to a certain extent.

Continuing to produce games that appeal to your core consumer IS a sort of thanks, especially in this day and age where some companies think it's perfectly acceptable to take your money and make virtually NO games for you.

Granted, it's not the same as getting free stuff for no reason, but it DOES make you feel like the money you put into buying that console was well-spent; the company behind it is supporting it by offering you unique experiences, and lots of em.

Again, it's not the same as, say, winning a free trip to Spain, but as a gamer, I feel like having more games to choose from is also a reward.

[mendicant]

@lol,

Man you're sad.

[Tony P]

Allow me to bring up the elephant in the room:

What does MS do for 360 owners?

(It's not a snarky question; I really don't know.)

[HakatoX]

Kind of the point of the blog. I would genuinely like to know if MS does give some sort of thanks. also got a cheap holiday card from Sony.

[Tony P]

Well, since no one answered, I just looked it up myself:

http://rewards.xbox.com/

Of course, it's more pretty XBL Gold-centric as with everything 360, which always kills it for me, personally.

[mendicant]

They give away games and points as well. I'd rather have that than a whistle or a hat.

[fullmetal297]

Well I remembered Microsoft give everybody with Gold membership a free copy of Undertow after the servers had to be shutdown because of the number of people playing online during Christmas of 2007.

[lorianguy]

Wasn't Sony contemplating rewarding PS3 users on a rewards program? I have a feeling that was the case but that it was later axed.

Ah yes, found a link: http://blog.us.playstation....

More digital items or trips across the world than novelty items there.

Club Nintendo was great for me - I must have gotten at least 5,000 wii points from it.

As for Microsoft.. I think they have yet to launch some kind of similar program. Do let me know if they do though.

[fullmetal297]

Dude read the posts up ahead of you.
http://rewards.xbox.com/

[lorianguy]

OK, now I know, thanks.

My comment was posted almost 2 weeks ago. Before they appeared.

[s45gr32]

STEAM has reward me as a gamer. Free games, free cloud saves, and amazing deals :-). I just bought batman arkham city for twenty five dollars.........

[Bladesfist]

And all because of competition. As we have loads of free cloud services on PC, Steam has to make the service free. Competition is great and so is steam.

[hellvaguy]

Xbox live just added free cloud saves last patch, but some would argue its not free because you pay for the live service to begin with. But idk, its still a nice perk when you have multiple consoles or playing at friends house.

[Bleach]

Sony constantly thank me and my friend, they are always giving us free credit for the PSN store.

[generalthadeape]

I got a "Xbox Loves You" t-shirt for my avatar from Microsoft as a free download just a few days ago.

Sadly, red is not my color & it looked horrible as a short sleeved shirt.

No, I'm not joking-- it just doesn't look very good to me, that's all...

[TooTall19]

I got a real t-shirt from PlayStation last year from the rewards program. Onlive has been the company that has treated me the best. They have given me at least 5 free games, and a free console for being a founding member. I have become a loyal OnLive fan, even though I primarily play on PS3 right now.

[lumley666]

sony always thanks me with great games, they gave me a pat on the back wen they released U3 and just recently gave me a wink with 'last of us' lol

on the other hand MS gave my mate a big kiss wen they released sesame street kinect haha

[Ethereal]

I have received Thank You cards from Sony during the holidays =)

[tigertron]

I get beta tests from Sony so I guess thats their way of thanking me...and they did send me a free copy of Casino Royale (my first Blu-ray) back in 2007.