390°

Sony's UK Prices Are Obscenely High

gamrFeed compares console prices in the UK and USA, and concludes that Sony is by far the worst offender as far as price disparity is concerned.

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gamrfeed.vgchartz.com
bmw694686d ago

Interesting that it can differ so much between manufacturers - how does Sony think they can get away with it?

JokesOnYou4685d ago

Just another reason Im glad to be an American.

xabmol4685d ago

I feel you name is rather appropriate right now...

JokesOnYou4685d ago (Edited 4685d ago )

your comment doesnt make much sense in the context of this topic...uhh unless you like paying more for the exact same product. Fact is big budget devs and the 3 console manufacturers all know the American gaming market is the single most significant market in terms of sales=successful business. Consequently they cater to American gamers more than any, with lower prices, more services, and new products first etc= another reason Im glad I live in America, Im not rubbing it in just stating one of the small reasons of many more big reasons Im happy Im American.
Dont be so bitter, kid.

ProjectVulcan4685d ago (Edited 4685d ago )

This looks bad. It kinda is, but the reasons are of course, all tax- VAT (paid by for the consumer to HMRC) is included in the price whereas in America i believe that you may have to pay a local and state sales tax on top of the quoted price. Far as i was aware when travelling it is usually somewhere between 6-10pc total.

Also Sterling is weak right now against many currencies. Great if you are exporting, but terrible if you are going abroad i.e changing currency or importing, like these goods are.

Sony have previously pointed to weak currencies for the apparent disparity in the price of their goods imported into the uk and the relatively high tax rate here. Of course just prior to the recession, Sterling was incredibly strong again the dollar and euro, asian currencies etc fuelling cheap imports. Those days are long gone now.

Living in the U.k isn't exceptionally expensive compared to some countries, but compared to the United States goods can be more expensive which isn't a surprise. All anyone has to do is look at Americans moaning about rising petrol prices, when the U.k easily pays MORE than twice as much per gallon as the most expensive areas in the U.S....

heroicjanitor4685d ago

@Biggunz you're gonna need more than 3 pixels in that map :p

MadDonkey4685d ago (Edited 4685d ago )

Sony stuff is expensive in britain but the prices are based on RRP right? Well no one pays RRP for a PS3 slim over here. The slim might be priced at 280 quid but everyone knows its dead easy to get it for 250 with a game too in some cases. First link i saw: http://www.electrocentreltd...

249 quid = 400 dollars.

With a 7pc sale tax on the american price it would be more like $375. I guess you can get stuff below sticker price too so its less, but still.

Jus sayin tho, no one pays RRP for a slim these days unless you are stupid

The Great Melon4685d ago

@Biggunz

Why is Taiwan under the evil-doers category?

Thoreau4685d ago

i hate to agree with jokesonyou but i love being an american.... we are the best.

Denethor_II4685d ago (Edited 4685d ago )

You trying to start a shit storm with that comment JOY?

I'll take my NHS over being wheeled out of hospital because I can't afford the medical bills.

SilentNegotiator4685d ago (Edited 4685d ago )

@Jokes
Once the morons in Washington eventually pass a VAT tax (instead of fixing spending and cutting entitlements), we'll be on our way to similar price adjustments.

And let the haters hate. Our politics might be messed up and we might have health issues, but despite the "stupid American" stereotype, we're one of the more educated countries. Compare our statistics to places that have pointless animosity towards us, like Canadians and the Brits, and you'll get to have a good laugh at these "intellectual superiors" (In before someone uses UNICEF's worthless study with one age group)

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 4685d ago
doctorstrange4685d ago

The disparity should have been measured as a % so we can get a true scale, but yeah, this is not nice at all.

Daver4685d ago

...

Its not only Sony, almost everything in UK is more expensive. It has to do with the cost of life of each country.

Blacktric4685d ago

Sony Europe is one of the worst company divisions I have ever seen. It's such a damn shame that a great company like Sony has an awful divison like that. I'm still waiting for the PAL release of Uncharted 2 GOTY just like I waited more than enough for the release of God Of War Collection. Not to mention very high price tag of Vita in comparison to US.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4685d ago
naznatips4686d ago

Vita is only priced the same as the 3DS in the US. Everywhere else in the world pays significantly more. Sony clearly is showing where their focus is.

evrfighter4685d ago

b-b-b-b- but the US is insignificant!!!

Balflear874685d ago

3DS = 250 $ and 250 €
PS Vita = 250 $ and 250 €

So..........

Ascalon944685d ago

I dont understand the pricing though, If I recall the Euro is worth more than the American dollar, so shouldnt it cost less Euros?

naznatips4676d ago

No, the 3DS is 230 €, and 180 £ vs the Vita which is 250 £.

Balflear874676d ago (Edited 4676d ago )

IT IS NOT 230 €, 3DS official price is 250 € in spain.

Switching between pounds and euros neither tell us the real price.

You have to check €'s native price

asbuwango4685d ago

in Japan
3DS=25000 yen
Vita=24980 yen
So...

naznatips4676d ago

No, it's 23600 yen for 3DS and 25000 yen for Vita. Where did you get this info? (check Amazon)

SonyPS3604685d ago

I can't believe some of you idiots are actually trying to defend it.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4676d ago
jdfoster004686d ago

I know VAT and other taxes contribute to these higher prices in UK but that's too much of difference. Priceing should really be dropped in UK as US are getting a far better deal

gunnerforlife4685d ago

TAX over here for those that earn over 150 grand is like 40% or 48% :/
and for companies its just a killer, UK is the worst when it comes to VAT, thats why you got all kinds of companies leaving this country because only the very big companies like sony can take such a high VAT rate.

JokesOnYou4685d ago

You're missing the point yes the VAT is usually why all the consoles are a bit more expensive, but sony charges far more than both nintendo and microsoft for their products compared to the other two American pricing even when you consider the VAT the desparity is much higher. I've been to a few other countries but with the exchange rates being so different depending on where I went I never really paid much attention to gaming costs compared to America, although I've heard a few times on n4g, Australia gaming prices are ridiculously high.

badz1494685d ago

gaming in Australia makes you think new prices on eBay is extremely cheap!

greatjimbo784685d ago

Gunner, corporation tax is completely different to VAT or personal tax. Sony doesn't pay VAT, it pays corporation tax which currently is about 22%.
It's the merchant and us that pays VAT. The merchant has to pay VAT on the transaction, which in turn is added to the overall cost of the goods.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4685d ago
Kushan4685d ago

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that businesses don't actually pay VAT, they claim it back?

greatjimbo784685d ago

You're right. Basically, the only people that pay tax on goods are the consumers. Sony can claim back any taxes it pays when selling to the merchant(rebate through corporation tax). And the merchant passes VAT onto the consumer.

jack_burt0n4686d ago

SRP is meaningless in the UK.

Kantor4686d ago

I hold on to some hope that we can push for lower prices in the UK, but it seems very unlikely.

Jazz41084685d ago

And people say ms is greedy

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280°

Sony Taps Bungie's Head of Revenue to Lead Live-Service Games

Sony has recruited Bungie's head of revenue Jaremy Rich to head up its live-service gaming division, Rich has announced on social media.

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techraptor.net
ChasterMies15d ago

Please do not put Destiny’s monetization into Sony’s first party games. The monetization is what’s driving players away from Destiny.

just_looken14d ago

The new temp boss is the sony cfo bean counter so i can see this being a thing get every penny.

Cacabunga14d ago

PlayStation officially losing it.. fans will never support gaas games

just_looken14d ago

@car

The new boss did a interview in japan he wants to tap into the mobile market like nintendio so he give 0 fucks about gamers/fans

https://www.pushsquare.com/...

Redemption-6414d ago

@Cacabunga
You only speak for you and those who think like you, but most fans will support what they want. Playstation and PC fans are literally supporting Helldivers 2 and that is a gaas. Maybe you wouldn't, but many more would if they like it.

Huey_My_D_Long14d ago

@Redemption-64
Look, Im not making any judgement calls about this guy, but I will say that Helldivers 2 GaaS model is unique to Helldivers, and legit the only other game I can think of thats similiar was the Avengers game except HD2 pass is still better.
The fact that you can earn in game currency in a way that doesnt make you feel like you have to grind forever, as well you being able work on that pass that you bought...on your own time without a time limit...that right there is fucking huge to me, and I can't name any game other than avengers that avoided trapping players with FOMO logic...I think GaaS on HD2 shouldn't be compared to the rest of the industry...it should be copied.

Einhander197214d ago

Cacabunga

Helldivers 2...

Redemption-64

In Europe it's a 60 40 split favoring PC.
In the US its a 60 40 split favoring PS5.

So PlayStation owners supported the game just fine, it's not getting carried by PC or anything like that.

FinalFantasyFanatic14d ago

@just_looken,
I'm perfectly fine with the way Nintendo entered the mobile market, I never touched their mobile games, meanwhile, the console/handheld stayed the way it is. As for being a bean counter, he's probably going to reel in these massive budgets that Sony's studios have had lately, I haven't played Spiderman 2, but I cannot see how they almost tripled the budget for that game.

@Redemption-64,
That's an exception to the rule, I'm expecting a lot of these GAAS games from Sony to fail, to be fair, they only need a few to succeed, but I would have preferred that they put more of their resources into other types of games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 14d ago
DivineHand12514d ago

True their monetization is driving players away and at the same time, their decision to chop out content and convoluted systems is keeping new players away from the game.

Joe91314d ago

I don't think that will happen based on how things worked out at Naughty Dog now that we know what we do, seems they had the option to fully commit to live service games or stay making single player experences so they gave up on their live service game. We are not sure how things came about with Bend making a live service game but I hope that was not a forced situation. Sony doesnt seem like they are forcing studios to switch up but we will see, Sony's bread and butter is single player games it is how they dominated the console market.

Obscure_Observer14d ago

Yeah, I though Sony learned something from all their failures in the LS segment under Bungie´s disastrous leadership and supervision which led to games been cancelled, studios closed and all the people laid off.

Looks like Bungie still plays a major role in Sony´s LS initiative and Sony is not backtracking on their GaaS plans.

S2Killinit14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

Are we forgetting that Destiny is also a highly successful franchise? I feel like that definitely deserves mention here.

Besides, there is no reason why a person cant learn from past experiences.

Joe91314d ago

I agree, people act as if Destiny flopped when it came out lol it took 9 to 10 years for the numbers to fall yet people are still playing it add the success of Helldivers 2 no wonder Sony is going forward down this path.

S2Killinit14d ago

Personally, I see no problem with Sony also having service games as long as they make good ones, and more importantly they deliver the AAA story driven games that they are known for. So yeah, I agree 100% with you.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 14d ago
Christopher14d ago

I mean, this person made some pretty bad decisions at Bungie. I hope they've learned from them because I definitely don't see those type of ideas as good for PlaySation in general.

CrimsonWing6914d ago (Edited 14d ago )

Honestly, what’s to learn from? How to make people happily continuously dump money into a single game over its life-time? Buy season passes continuously for several years with a smile on our faces?

GaaS is a design decision that is everything wrong with this industry. The fact that Helldivers 2 did so well and people defend the monetization because it was $40 and is a fun game, scares the sh*t out of me to see that the door is open and all shift will probably be to replicate that in future games. We already know the ROI for traditional game dev cost isn’t doing it for them.

I thought with Jimbo leaving we’d see a change for the better… I’m not so sure now.

S2Killinit14d ago

Service games are being offered by everyone. Sony cannot afford to only create single player AAA games. No one can. They already said they will be doing both.

Abnor_Mal14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

Ps5 gamers in 2023 seemed to play more live service types of games, so regardless to how people feel about them, numbers don’t lie and Sony is going where the money is. I mean look at the excitement around Helldivers2, people are showing that they want live service games.

Christopher14d ago

They play long-time existing live service games like CoD, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Destiny 2, and the like. Mass majority of new live service games are considered failures and aren't moving gamers away from older games.

just_looken14d ago

Yep the huge issue with live service is they need paid players along with a reason to play them.

You forgot mobile market that also taps into that player base as well as the eve online style games there is only a certain amount of krakens/whales blind supporters compared to the amount of live service games we have its not sustainable math wise.

700 restaurants making food for every seat for 1000-3000 eaters just does not work out

Einhander197214d ago (Edited 14d ago )

Christopher

I am not a big live service fan and literally own zero of the games you listed, but that is not true, unless you call games that aren't the top games to be failures.

There are tons of live service games that are profitable.

Games don't have to be the biggest game ever they just need to make more than they cost.

I challenge you to show professionally prepared data that shows that more live service games fail than make enough to keep going.

Because all the data that I have seen shows that live service is less of a gamble than making a big AAA budget game which needs to survive off retail sales.

FinalFantasyFanatic14d ago

I sometimes wonder if we're at saturation point, where it's hard for a new game to join those ranks unless it's particularly exceptional, people only have so much time and money to devote to these types of games.

romulus2314d ago

Correction, they have no issue playing good live service games

shinoff218314d ago

Lol it's not even a quarter of the ps5s sold. Helldivers may have been a hit but let's not say most are enjoying it because truth is most(the real most ) don't care about it.

S2Killinit14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

I play what is fun. If a live service game is good I’ll play it as long as its not a money scheme which Helldivers is not.

And Im a single player gamer.

mastershredder14d ago

How do you kill a franchise that already been killed?
Destiny’s grind, cash-in-on-playbass-cha-Ching, and pop-culture-insertion mainstream-me-too bs totally killed any rep Bungie had. Sony/Bungie, if you are doing this to ward-off players, it’s already working.

crazyCoconuts14d ago

Headline truncated:
"... off a cliff"

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80°

Sony May Soon Let You Decide How Much NPCs Talk In Games

Sony has patented to add multiple dialogue modes to let players switch between how many conversations with NPCs they want in the game.

blackblades20d ago

Sony is like the only ones outta the 3 that has atuff like like this pop up changing thing in ways.

just_looken20d ago

Sony in the past has always been first at bat with new ideas/tech but in the end never fully use it or just toss it away.

blackblades20d ago

I think they did use some but yeah most usually never happened but at least they thought about it. Sony seeks things like this and other, Nintendo seek different ways of playing going by there different controler designs and console designs.

just_looken20d ago (Edited 20d ago )

some of the other stuff sony want's/owns never used
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://www.eurogamer.net/s...
https://metro.co.uk/2023/03...
https://decrypt.co/114754/s...

monitor/adjust game difficultly as you play
https://www.techradar.com/g...

Sony nfts
https://www.theblock.co/pos...

Pay ai to play the game for you
https://thebusinessofesport...

Oh all the above last 12 months

I just imagine a evil scientist with test subjects when it comes down to sony recent patent reports.

Kaii20d ago

Will we get dialogue options that won't spoil puzzles in a matter of seconds? :p

280°

Judge rules in PlayStation's favour in $500m patent infringement lawsuit

Genuine Enabling Technology was seeking damages, claiming the tech allowing PlayStation consoles and controllers to communicate infringes its rights.

Read Full Story >>
gamesindustry.biz
S2Killinit22d ago

Big victory for Sony. And a long time coming.

DarXyde22d ago (Edited 22d ago )

Crazy to think the savings from this lawsuit allows them to develop one AAA game.

Make it Bloodborne 2, please and thank you.

22d ago
Profchaos22d ago

Sounds like patent trolling they tried the same thing against Nintendo with the same pattern.

Motion and control input traversing over higher and lower frequencies seperate from each other allowing the controller to do both

Pyrofire9522d ago

Patents suck. Most of them are complete garbage.

Knightofelemia22d ago

So to recoup the money Genuine is going to take on Nintendo or Microsoft next. I hate patent lawyers they are some of the worst bottom feeders out there.

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