270°

The $7.9 Billion Lawsuit Against Sony For PlayStation Store Prices Doesn’t Make Sense

First, there really is not evidence that the 30% cut Sony is taking is a harm to consumers, given that the cost is passed to developers and publishers. If Sony games were say, 30% more expensive than competitors perhaps this would make sense, but price parity across the industry including with rivals like Xbox shows this isn’t the case.

You could view this as a wider industry problem, but it’s Sony specifically being singled out here. And something like anti-competitive laws would not seem to have to do with dictating what kind of cut Sony can take from publishers. Also, it’s ultimately the publishers who set the price points for their games, hence why some games are still $60 and others are now $70. Sony is not mandating those prices.

156d ago
BeHunted156d ago (Edited 156d ago )

It does make sense. PlayStation is the only platform that forces you to purchase their digital games only on PlayStation store, while over at Nintendo or Xbox you can buy their digital games on other storefronts like Amazon, Game, TheGameCollection, Cdkeys etc..

Source:

Sony to Stop Retailers Selling PS4 Game Codes on 1st April 2019

https://uk.pcmag.com/sony-p...

mkis007155d ago (Edited 155d ago )

CD keys isn't a site MS sells to on purpose though. All others don't actually see those codes go on sale any more than the xbox store. I've never seen a brick and mortar store reduce the price of a digital code card for a game. If xbox charges the same to carry those codes isn't it just an illusion of choice?

DivineHand125155d ago (Edited 155d ago )

Having the option of purchasing game codes does make digital games priced closely with it's physical counterpart. While Sony does lockdown your ability to buy games digitally there are a few cracks in their wall that offers an opportunity for digital only gamers.

If they sell a game that is bundled with PS5, people will sometimes sell those codes on cdkeys or eBay for low prices. I was able to get God of war Ragnarok for $25 a few months after launch and I was able to get spiderman 2 for $45 a week ago using this method.

il-JumperMT155d ago

did you read the article? the lawsuit is because sony takes 30% cut on their platform. The price is dictated by publishers.

Meanwhile steam takes 30% also, and Epic Launcher with only 12% cut still will make less revenue than PS Store or Steam.

RupeeHoarder155d ago

Apple also takes a 30% cut. This lawsuit is dead in the water.

Glemt155d ago

No, the lawsuit is because Sony takes a 30% cut AND games are not sold via different (online) stores. Just the 30% is not the issue here. It's the combined practise of not being able to buy the games anywhere but on Sony's store, and then they charge 30% for it.

Steam takes 30% but you can buy keys and "physical copies" (often just boxes containing Steam keys) via different retailers, making it a more competitive marketplace.

mkis007154d ago (Edited 154d ago )

Glemt
By that logic playstation network codes sold at every retailer ( including costco's year round $100 for $90 code) means that your argument is satisfied. Games are available to purchase with codes sold in stores.

I think i have proven the lawsuit argument shouldnt get too far.

Pocahontas155d ago

Where do you buy Apple apps not from their store? You are allowed to do this. Plain and simple. Courts are corrupted enough now though.

156d ago
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90°

The Epic Games Store Has Two More Freebies this Week

It's time to add two more games to your library for free from the Epic Games Store.

Read Full Story >>
terminalgamer.com
100°

Outriders Dev's Next Game Has Been Canceled After Publishing Agreement With Take-Two Fell Through

Outriders developer People Can Fly's next game has been canceled after its publishing agreement with Take-Two Interactive fell through.

Read Full Story >>
twistedvoxel.com
Tacoboto1d 11h ago

"the capital group of PCF Group S.A."

If you're getting funding from a group that needs two different ways of Acronyming itself, things will not go the way you want them to.

banger881d 5h ago

If it was more online-only crap then good riddance.

jjb198115h ago

Outriders was crap. They slapped that game together and threw in a loot system to get players' attention. This game was absolutely jank and the always online nonsense made it stutter like crazy. People Can't Optimize.

thorstein14h ago

I liked Outriders but I could see where the artistic vision was compromised. The way the industry is now, it wouldn't surprise me that upper management would scrap something that didn't pull in money via gaas, mts, or other means.

280°

Microsoft’s Surface and Xbox hardware revenues take a big hit in Q3

Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.

Read Full Story >>
theverge.com
darthv721d 8h ago

Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.

solideagle19h ago

you should apply in MS PR team buddy, I think you will do a great job in my humble opinion :)

Sonic188116h ago

I thought darthv72 and Obscure_Observer already work for Microsoft 🤔

dveio16h ago

MS: "Xbox services and content without AB up 1%, with AB up 62%. Hardware down 31%. In total a loss of 350 mill."

darthv72: "Seems about right."

MS: "Excuse m ..."

darthv72: "I don't hardly play on my consoles directly."

MS:

Lightning7711h ago

What he said was facts. How he plays games is no concern of you. Don't get too mad about it.

Cacabunga19h ago

I can tell people like you are an absolute minority..

If service is up means their fans and fanboys accepted this model and subscribed to it. The near future you will see a big decline because the service is saturated.

darthv725h ago

to you it may seem like the minority... but your bubble is shrinking because more and more are following suit. convenience is a hell of a drug and its also why physical sales only amount to 30% of overall game sales. times are changing, you either get with them or you get left behind.

neutralgamer199216m ago

Darth

30% physical sales: yet Phil and xbox division are in a rush go give up on that 30%. they don't have any right to give up any piece of the pie since the control such a little of the pie to begin with

also, the market is clearly speaking that the model Xbox is pushing isn't working right now the keyword being right now. you are right about freedom to play anywhere so i hope they put their games on steam

shinoff218318h ago

But that's been ms for years. When things aren't going their way they try to change the way things are said. For instance console sales are down, they stop telling how many sold instead telling us how many hours spent in halo or headshots. So it makes sense console sales down just say people are playing on more devices then previous. What they won't say is how many xbox players jumped ship to ps5.

Cacabunga17h ago

Hardware sales are so bad that Sony and Nintendo are blowing the sales off the water with their hardware.

If Xbox are losers, others aren’t..
Xbox already tried everything with Xbox live then subscriptions went down so much that they had to find something else. Their fans subscribed then reached saturation rather quickly.

Hardware and exclusive games is where it’s at! Keep gamers excited, announce decent software and people will support you

itsmebryan13h ago

@shin
Well keep it simple Sony 's operating income is down 26% and Microsoft's is up 32%. No MS spin there, just facts. 😉
Cheers

S2Killinit5h ago

MS is after diminishing consoles as a medium. They want to destroy this market because they couldnt win. MS’s vision is to dissolve console gaming.

romulus2311h ago

Odd that a company that touts you dont need the hardware to play is already touting another console in the works.

darthv7211h ago

They are not reliant on the HW but still want to maintain a presence (no matter how small) is a good thing. It shows commitment to the craft. It reminds me of SNK and how they made games for their own hardware (Neo Geo) while also making them for others because they knew there was a market to do so. They knew they would sell more to others but also sell to their own niche fan base.

TheEroica5h ago(Edited 5h ago)

Perfectly reasonable post down voted by insecure corporation friendly folk.... But not gamers. Real gamer want accessibility and ease of acquisition for all.... Company shills are the only ones still telling us that hardware locking people from games is good for us.

Chevalier22m ago

@Darth

You should stop parroting metrics like an idiot without context.

"Xbox content and services revenue grew 62% in Q3 from a year earlier, “driven by 61 points of net impact” from the purchase of the third-party video game giant, Microsoft said."

61 of the 62% was from their merger so net increase is ONLY 1%

https://www.mesaonline.org/...

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 16m ago
purple10121h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos21h ago

I'm not surprised surface is struggling they aren't relevant anymore

DOMination-11h ago

In the last two years they've started exiting the consumer market altogether. All of the newest Surface products are business models only. They can't seem to work out what they want to do with it.

XBManiac20h ago

Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.

SimpleDad20h ago(Edited 20h ago)

"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."

That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.

purple10120h ago

Activision: "we gonna need a bigger rucksack/backpack please"

Microsoft: "why's that"

Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'

Profchaos19h ago(Edited 19h ago)

Top brass have also wanted to start seeing returns on the 100 billion they have put into various Xbox related moves so seeing more multiplatform games is highly likely especially from abk

It's basically saying that PlayStation is the reason Xbox is afloat right now thinks to Ps5 versions of COD

Kornholic18h ago

So basically PS and PC gamers' money is keeping Xbox on life support.

MrDead11h ago

The only growth MS will get out of the console industry is if it supports it's rivals platforms. Xbox is a pointless machine now. I can see them on a big push for live next, and they won't give up on trying to buy Steam.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 11h ago
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