First pay-to-play game appears on PSN

By Ellie Gibson Published 17 July, 2009

Like having a coin-op machine at home.

Sony has launched a new pay-to-play game on the Japanese PlayStation Network.

As reported by Kotaku it's a new version of Trash Panic titled 100 Yen Gomibako, and the clue is in the title. The game costs JPY 100 (GBP 0.65 / EUR 0.75) to download and that includes three credits.

Once you've used them up, however, it costs another JPY 100 to play again. Hands up who can remember when this was all just 10ps?

At least you get some extras for your money, including play modes that have to be unlocked with old fashioned hard work in the regular version. There are also some PlayStation Home items but you do have to play to unlock those.

Or you could just download regular Gomibako - read our review to find out why it's worth the bother.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (22) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • el_pollo_diablo #1 3 years ago

    Dangerous precedent alert.

  • Steroyd #2 3 years ago

    Nostalgia. -_-

  • JohnnyWashnGo #3 3 years ago

    Woah - WTF?

    If I wanted to play in an arcade I would do. I play at home for the luxury of NOT having to feed the machine to continue.

    This is not good news.
    Edited by 1 at 17/07/09 @ 09:39

  • Zomoniac #4 3 years ago

    One game, 100 Yen. I should play it, once.

  • Milk #5 3 years ago

    I'm surprised it has taken this long tbh.

    I can't decide if it's good or bad news tho'. What if you owned the game once you had bought a certain amount of credits?

  • SYS64738 #6 3 years ago

    Indeed. I hope this is not a sign of things to come. I guess people can always vote with their wallet...

    @ Milk: In my book this is bad bad news, going to an arcade in Tokyo a while back I've lost a small fortune comprised of countless 100 yen coins playing a game for what.. half an hour? Obviously this concept only really works with super-arcadey gameplay but still a worrying trend.

    Edit #2: On second thought, this COULD work as Milk has already mentioned if you pay per game up to a certain amount from where you own the game, e.g. for demo purposes.
    Edited by 2 at 17/07/09 @ 09:49

  • Dizzy #7 3 years ago

    I thought we left this behind us in the late 80s?

  • SeesThroughAll #8 3 years ago

    I don't think it's such a big deal, because in the current "buy-it-at-once" system, I still get to buy some very good PSN games without demos (even though I think demos should be mandatory). I don't think people will participate (buy) much on this.

    Although obviously, I can easily imagine corporate weasels delighted by the idea.
    Edited by 1 at 17/07/09 @ 09:59

  • schnide #9 3 years ago

    Bring it in all you like, you won't get me doing it.

  • flaming.carrot #10 3 years ago

    Trash Panic is f*cking terrible, not even worth 65p IMO. I made the mistake of purchasing it thinking it was going to be similar to Tetris.

  • mashk #11 3 years ago

    What kind of fuckwittery is this?

  • KreyAtiv #12 3 years ago

    First pay to play PSN game and probably the last. I mean who is going to bother forking out money each time to play it, when you can get the other Trash Panic with as many goes as you want?
    May get away with it in Japan, but I doubt it'd be as popular over here.

  • smirny #13 3 years ago

    i do not approve of this.

  • seasidebaz #14 3 years ago

    One game, 100 Yen. I should play it, once.

    I thought you got 3 goes for 100¥?

  • Kenshin001 #15 3 years ago

    It won't wash in the West. Sony feel they can use and abuse their Jp user base though. They certainly seem to pay higher prices for some downloadable games and this is just another step in that direction.

  • Jos #16 3 years ago

    Some games I've bought and only played a few times I wish had had this model...

  • Collymilad #17 3 years ago

    LAWL

    Bet everyone thought MS would be the first to do this.

  • Doctor_What #18 3 years ago

    So it's basically a demo that you pay for?

    Hmm... I'll pass on that one, thanks anyway.

  • TitusCrow #19 3 years ago

    its allways a travesty with the PSN of late >

  • #20 3 years ago

    Some people already have a coin-op machine. It's called an XBOX 360.
    Want to play online? Insert coin!
    Want to pay £80 for a £30 120HDD? Insert coin!
    Want to pay £50 for a £20 USB wireless adapter? Insert coin!
    Want to change your gamertag? Insert coin!
    RROD! GAME OVER!

  • THATinkjar #21 3 years ago

    Basically paying for a demo, then. Count me out.
    Edited by 1 at 18/07/09 @ 09:22

  • Roamer #22 3 years ago

    Collymillad: They're already doing something worse. Charging for online play, regardless of which games you own or how much you play. I'm a sucker though, I'm paying for it, on the off chance that I'll fancy a game of Left4Dead.

    What really annoys me though, is the painful process of quitting Xbox Live once you've joined. It's easy enough to subscribe to the service by entering your credit card details on the console, but once you want out you have to call their customer service for "security reasons". Complete bollocks and I'm surprised any journos haven't done a story on it...

    Sorry for going off topic, this always gets me ranting.

  • 3william56 #23 3 years ago

    "Paying for a demo"?
    Errr... no. Demo is free, and plays for 3 minutes. Can buy the whole game for 9 bucks, and play forever. Or can pay 100 yen for whole game, 3 goes. Then pay if you want to play again. This too complicated for you?

    Can't say I care much as long as demos remain free, and you have the option to buy the whole game at a normal price. Can't imagine it'll fly though; 1 buck per go (or 3) is way too steep. A buck per hour maybe.