Sony hints at SingStore prices

By Ellie Gibson Published 12 May, 2006

No more expensive than iTunes.

Sony has revealed a few more snippets of info regarding SingStar PS3 - including news of how much we'll have to pay to download tracks via the new SingStore service.

As previously announced, SingStar PS3 will let you download all the songs featured in the PS2 games plus selections from an ever-growing catalogue of new tracks. They're still keeping quiet on exactly how much each one will cost, but have confirmed that you won't have to pay any more than you would for a track purchased from iTunes - i.e., 79p.

Sony has also previously stated that the game will ship with shiny new silver microphones, and it turns out they'll be much more high tech than the red and blues we're used to - meaning they'll be more sensitive to the nuances of your voice, so rubbish singers are in trouble. You'll be able to purchase wireless microphones, too, if you so desire.

SingStar PS3 is due to launch alongside Sony's new console on November 17th.

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 (23) Latest comment 6 years ago

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

  • Tejstar #1 6 years ago

    "They're still keeping quiet on exactly how much each one will cost, but have confirmed that you won't have to pay any more than you would for a track purchased from iTunes - i.e., 79p."

    Well that's fair imo. Looking forward to it!

  • Eighthours #2 6 years ago

    Great stuff! Sounds brill.

  • jellyhead #3 6 years ago

    Are these just extra tracks?
    Will the game itself come with any tracks or will you have to download them all?
    Cynical view i know but this is Sony we're talking about. :)

  • IAmBatman #4 6 years ago

    But I can use my old microphones too, right?

  • Psi #5 6 years ago

    sony in lower price shocker!

  • [maven] #6 6 years ago

    Does that price include the videos?

  • ChrisOTR #7 6 years ago

    To me, the value here depends a lot on what you're able to do with the track once you've got it.

    If it's stuck in Singstar and that's it, it's a rip-off IMO. But, if you can put it on your mp3 player or whatever, it's a fair deal :)

  • Fozzie_bear #8 6 years ago

    If it's stuck in Singstar and that's it, it's a rip-off IMO. But, if you can put it on your mp3 player or whatever, it's a fair deal :)

    Seems a bit harsh - especially if that includes the video too. Currently pay £20 for 30 songs or 67p each - some of which probably aren't wanted. Seems like a very good deal to me.

    Bit concerned about the new mics being bad news for crap singers though :(

  • ChrisOTR #9 6 years ago

    Just a personal opinion Fozzie :)

    But for me the whole idea of "data longevity" (can't spell that word it seems) is very important. I'd be unwilling to pay anything but an absolute pittance for any kind of download that isn't something that is in a format that allows me absolute freedom to do what I like with it.

    I don't want to pay nearly a quid per song IN ADDITION to the price of the game in the first place. It's just too much outlay for me.

    What do other people think?

    EDIT: To put that a better way - I don't want "absolute freedom", I just want to know that the music/video/whatever will work on my new PC 5 years down the line, not be stuck in a proprietary format on the hard disk of some obsolete console.
    Edited by 1 at 12/05/06 @ 13:27

  • Garwoofoo #10 6 years ago

    I hope the PS2 Singstars and mics continue to work.

    Don't fancy paying to redownload all the songs I've already got across the multiple existing Singstar discs.

  • Fozzie_bear #11 6 years ago

    Fair enough then Chris! Can see your point but i reckon the 79p per track will turn out to be wrong anyway.

    If they've said "no more than i-tunes" then that doesn't mean 79p. Music videos on i-tunes are £1.89 each.

    Re - the old singstar stuff. Pretty sure that they said that putting your old discs in would unlock the songs you've already got and let you download them for free.
    Edited by 1 at 12/05/06 @ 13:44

  • ChrisOTR #12 6 years ago

    That's good and in a way that exactly what I want to see them do - commit to letting you keep what you've already bought...

  • tonynibbles #13 6 years ago

    Thats good value.

    HD Video too - nice!

  • mazzl #14 6 years ago

    sooo lets start a global idols on sony's "live"

  • Wrestlevania #15 6 years ago

    Fozzie_bear: "If they've said 'no more than i-tunes' then that doesn't mean 79p. Music videos on i-tunes are £1.89 each."

    How much are HD music videos on iTunes though..? Let me guess; there aren't any, meaning Sony can make up whatever price they think is reasonable. Sell Granny now.

    If the direct comparison to iTunes means you'll be able to buy a music track on its own (i.e. without video) then Sony haven't exactly lied, have they? They won't have made very good use of their technology either in that case, but, "details"...

    Edit: Too many wordses.
    Edited by 1 at 12/05/06 @ 14:12

  • Tomo #16 6 years ago

    Hey, that would be good. As someone pointed out, ~69p per song at moment so that's pretty fair for selecting your own ones.

  • NoCodeNed2 #17 6 years ago

    I don't know, but I doubt new mics would make it harder to play - surely the code measures what pitch you're singing at and whether you're in the 'easy', 'medium' or 'hard' range of the target?

    Better mics won't change your pitch but they might make the signal of your voice sound better...well, just clearer in my case - I don't think anyone could put a positive spin on my vocal ability : )

  • jack_klugman #18 6 years ago

    Surely we'll all be singing into funky wireless Sony Ericson bluetooth headsets just like the stars.

  • tonynibbles #19 6 years ago

    I bet they'll launch with the entire back catalogue of PS2 SingStar titles available to buy online.

    Which, might seem pointless if you've got all the PS2 SingStar titles already, but then - you'll want to be able to sing your favourite tracks from SingStar 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 with the new features available on the PS3 version.
    Meh. I can see my self buying a shitload of songs _all over again_. If they're nice they'll have an import from PS2 disc utility - but well, that's never gonna happen.

  • York #20 6 years ago

    Not sure I agree with the "only if we can do other stuff with it" argument, ChrisOTR.

    I mean, even now, the tracks on Singstar are only for gameplay. The only difference is that now you can choose your songs. Which is fair enough.

    Now, if Sony launch a PS3 iTunes service where you can't export the songs, then we can yell rip-off :)

  • kangarootoo #21 6 years ago

    Wow, a positive Sony thread duirng E3. The power of karaoke is limitless.

    @ChrisOTR
    I see this purely as a pricing point. Comparing the song cost to tunes you can listen to anywhere might create a negative view, but listening anywhere isn't really what SS is all about. Comparing the cost of 30 songs all of which you like, with the cost of a current Singstar disc that only contains 3 of your faves, probably makes for a better comparison.

    30 songs at 79p a pop costs just under £24. Compare that with £15 for a disc that contains 30 songs and decide how many of those 30 you actually like. Thats the real comparison I think. If you love most of the bundled songs then it may still seem like a bad deal and thats cool if so, but at least then you are comparing on level ground.

  • urban #22 6 years ago

    ofcourse it'll be higher, you're getting a video and the config file for how to sing along.

  • kangarootoo #23 6 years ago

    Videos on iTunes costs about £1.80 I believe. Not sure what the res and compression are like.