Sony explains PS4 digital game pricing

EG - "So, what's going on? We put Eurogamer readers' complaints to Fergal Gara, who runs PlayStation in the UK. He told us that the launch pricing of games on the PlayStation Store was affected by Sony's desire to keep shops on-side during the crucial console launch period."

[Evil_Abed]

Microsoft's reasoning for no day 1 digital releases was the same, to keep retail happy. It is bull. So much cost is eliminated from their side and yet insist on charging EXTRA.

What about considering that digital also means bandwidth usage? some people have a cap and that stuff ain't cheap and so to be ripped off like this is not cool.

[JackBNimble]

So buy the disc based game then... there, problem solved.

[badz149]

I don't really know about other regions' PSN but I always find many Sony's PS3 and Vita games to be cheaper on PSN compared to retail here in Malaysia. I can't say for all games though as EA's games on PSN are almost always more expensive than retail. other 3rd party games are almost the same price with retail.

there is really no reason for digital copies to be more expensive than retails but comparing PSN/XBL game prices to Steam prices is a terribly unfair comparison. I don't think Sony or MS would want to anger retail chains THAT much or give them a serious run for their money by lowering digital game prices on PSN/XBL because the market for physical copy is still a huge part of console gaming while Steam is basically only competing against retail/physical pc games market which is already on the verge of extinction!

I think there is an agreement between Sony/Microsoft and retails here that is not allowing retail prices to be too low because physical copies are having RRP of $60. these game stores make money from every physical copy they sell.and if digital is so much cheaper, it will disrupt the balance of the market and make many retail chains that exclusively sell games collapse.

it sounds like a perfect scenario for Sony/MS to maximize profits, right? but it really isn't! Sony/MS need these retails to sell consoles and games because there are many more of these retails than Sony's/MS's own retail store combined and most people get their gaming supplies from these 3rd party retails. when was the last time you go into a Sony store and buy a PS3 and its games? more likely never.

I'm just thinking of a logical scenario here and in no way supporting higher priced digital copies. let's just hope these things will be sorted out soon and both Sony/MS work to make going digital feels really worth it.

[JohnnyBadfinger]

"But but but Sony is for the gamerz"

The ps4 is only a good deal if you live in the US. Like with Xbox you get shafted if you dare to live outside the mighty USA.

Sony is a money hungry corporation and like Microsoft they want your money not your hearts

[ExPresident]

I'm glad you only have 3 bubbles.

[JohnnyBadfinger]

Yeah I know... Though I only need 1

[Gabenbrah]

Sony, I wish good luck competing with those digital prices once the Steam Box arrives.

[Angeljuice]

Steam box is just a re-branded PC, its not so much competition for Sony/Microsoft as it is for Dell/HP etc.
I don't believe it will have much of an impact on genuine console sales at all. Sony are already competing with steam (its not arriving with the Steam Box), so your point is null.
The only new thing Steam Box brings to the table is that funky new controller.

[Gabenbrah]

And PC gaming to the living room.

[Kenshin_BATT0USAI]

Well, we know the specs of one of the IBuyPower Steamboxes and it's very notably better than the PS4 and X1 at a competitive price point($500). I'd argue that is reason enough to consider it competition. Anyone who looks at it and thinks otherwise is clearly opting to be blind to the fact.

[Mikelarry]

its this simple you want consumers to sings this digital is the future song you best start lowering prices nothing more, nothing less

[Rzep]

Haven't bought a boxed copy of a game in years, don't even have a dvd/bd in my PC. Oi next gen why you so last century.

[ion53]

Why the hell do us brits in the UK have to pay up to $30 more?! Outragous. It's the same game over in the US... So why does the UK?!

[Jihaad_cpt]

taxes?

[konnerbllb]

Your economy is different. Your minimum wage is also likely much higher than ours. You make more, you pay more. Exchange rates. Math. Jargon. The works.

[ion53]

But to keep it real... I'd rather £40 in store, and £60 physical disk. It'd make more sense as they're trying to go all digital.

[s45gr32]

In the UK videogame shops still exist here in the U. S. video games are sold through department stores like Walmart or Target. Funnily enough in the UK you can buy physical copies of Steam games not here in the U. S....

[Soldierone]

It's to "keep retail happy" yet just a few months ago we almost had an 100 percent digital reliant generation.... lol

In terms of retail happiness though, here in the US the only one that really matters is GameStop. Pretty sure all these other major stores that don't know what came out last week couldn't care less.

[MegaRay]

Thats why I have both eu and us accounts.
I cant see why someone cant do the same?

[nirwanda]

This is completely the wrong way to keep retail happy, they should have made downloads cheaper and made prepaid cards available at retail like apple do with itunes.

[medziarz]

Yea, raising the prices of digital games at launch would be smart

as one million people trying and failing to download their games at the same time would be a marketing failure for PS Store and digital distribution in general. The retailers will be happy and maybe allocate better shelf space for the new console as they experience good launch game sales.