Jump to navigation
Advertisement

We don't set PSP Minis price, says Sony News

PSP News by Robert Purchese

8 October, 2009

Sony America's Eric Lempel has said pricing PSP Minis is a task for publishers and developers, not the platform holder.

They, therefore, are responsible for the disparate PSP Minis-to-iPhone prices. Our PSP Minis launch roundup looked at 13 titles, none of which came in much under £2.50/€3.

"As far as pricing goes, the publisher of the title sets the pricing," Lempel told Joystiq.

And, when asked whether price-tags can drop low enough to emulate the App Store, Lempel said, "Yes, absolutely."

"I think they have to carefully look at that, carefully price their content. Minis was intended to be something a little different and we wanted to see a lot of different types of content through Minis," he added.

"If it's not priced correctly, consumers may be turned off at the proposition and say, 'I'd rather just go for this kind of stuff instead of Minis.'"

Head over to that PSP Minis launch roundup for our thoughts on the initial baker's dozen.

Advertisement

Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!

Comments: 1-24 of 24 in total

Poster
Comment Low-scoring comments hidden. Log in to see them!
xXBrombeerXx
08/10/09 @ 08:39
#1
-10
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
No, but you certainly set the proper PSP software prices (too high)...
GamesProgrammer
08/10/09 @ 08:40
#2
+10
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
well im not complaing 2 of the better games last week on minis were marked at £2.50, i cant even get a drink at the cinema for that.
mingster
08/10/09 @ 08:40
#3
-5
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
mini stuff should be £1.99 max
miiiguel
08/10/09 @ 08:46
#4
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
I'm nor sure if it matters who sets the prices (of anything) too high.
mingster
08/10/09 @ 08:48
#5
-1
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
£2.50? I can't even get a handjob off a crack whore for that.
MaxiSleep
08/10/09 @ 08:53
#6
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
The last V8 was 1.99 I think
Stoatboy
08/10/09 @ 08:58
#7
+14
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"If it's not priced correctly, consumers may be turned off at the proposition...", said mouthpiece for company trying to sell the PSPgo at £250.
YobRenoops
08/10/09 @ 09:01
#8
-4
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@xXBrombeerXx No they don't set any of the prices other than the SCEI ones. Check this:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_in...

Key part for those who don't bother to click:

"[Chris] Eden added that what differentiates PSN from the competition was pricing, as well. "We don't set or recommend prices, or have price slots," he said. "Sony just acts as a digital reseller, you're free to set your own prices."

Unlike competing services, he continued, Sony doesn't slot releases into a schedule. Once a game has passed its final QA check, the content is uploaded to the network the following Thursday."
Edited 1 times, most recently on 08/10/09 @ 10:01
TheNinkyNonk
08/10/09 @ 09:12
#9
+12
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
IL 2 Sturmovik on PS Store for PSP: £31.99

Same game on Amazon: £17.99 (with resale value)

The industry thinking downloads are the future: priceless

lambtron
08/10/09 @ 09:37
#10
-2
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Excellent move from Sony.
freakzilla
08/10/09 @ 10:36
#11
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
I completely agree with Brombeer (why the "Xx"?), Sony still has control over how much they charge for their own games and they're even worse, some of the games that were released almost at launch are still going for £15 on the store.
timberwolf
08/10/09 @ 10:38
#12
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
no, but you don't reduce the prices either.
freakzilla
08/10/09 @ 10:42
#13
-2
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
I think Sony are offering a significant profit margin to the retailers with the "Go!", why else would retailers discount a product that won't generate any future software sales? The profit margin is at least more than the PS3's £8/$8 (can't remember).

Edit: I suppose I should point out that I still think its too expensive.
Edited 1 times, most recently on 08/10/09 @ 11:43
NotSoSlim
08/10/09 @ 12:05
#14
-6
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
The Sony games are decently priced imo

Look at GT £21.99 or £17.99 on play.com, still more but not by much
dubdivision
08/10/09 @ 13:02
#15
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
My hatred of apple is weakening, but my love of Playstation is getting tested. I am shocked that there were no release minis at less than £1 (even as a special offer), Then the press would have been entirely positive. EPIC FAIL!.
justanotherdave
08/10/09 @ 13:05
#16
+3
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"The Sony games are decently priced imo

Look at GT £21.99 or £17.99 on play.com, still more but not by much "


The thing is.. they should be CHEAPER on the store, not the same price or a bit more expensive, there cutting out retail, packaging & distribution costs (proberly a good 40% of the RRP), so games selling for £40 at retail could be priced at £25 on the PSN & they would still be making more money than selling at retail.. To charge MORE for a downloadable game is just bloody greedy imo.. There either stupid or there only keeping download prices up to keep the retailers happy, until the PSP2 comes along & they cut them out compleatly.
NotSoSlim
08/10/09 @ 13:13
#17
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@ justanotherdave

I agree with you totally but compared to the EA gamesthe Sony games look like bargains!! They should be cheaper but also Sony could of charged £39.99 for there games but haven't

I think the PSP2 will be digital only but maybe with redeem codes for games in stores
Moz
08/10/09 @ 13:29
#18
+1
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@ justanotherdave:

The problem at the moment is that Sony still have to keep the retailers sweet. They can't undercut them they're selling the games on PSN at RRP which is currently the right thing to do. You'd never get retailers to sell the GO if the games on PSN were cheaper as then PSP3000 would just stop selling as would phsicle copies of games. Which yes is the ultimate goal but Sony isn't ready to go there just yet.

edit/ Back to the actual topic, are people seriously complaining about £2.50 for a game????? Espesially as i'm sure their all better then some of the rubbish you pay £5 for on most mobile phones!! Personally i'm happy for these devs to get a decent profit for their work. Hell it's less then you pay for a Starbucks or a beer! and far less then your average games mag!!!!
Edited 1 times, most recently on 08/10/09 @ 14:33
davisorle
08/10/09 @ 13:58
#19
-1
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"If it's not priced correctly, consumers may be turned off at the proposition and say, 'I'd rather just go for this kind of stuff instead of Minis.'"

No shit Sherlock. Yet a whorehouse is more organised or is it just me? So Sony is "allowing" the higher pricing? aww how thoughtfull Sony is huh? Such a load of crap :)
superfurry
08/10/09 @ 14:09
#20
+3
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Prinny! Can I be the Hero - £31.99 on the EU PSN Store, $9.99 on the US PSN Store.
lord
08/10/09 @ 14:46
#21
+1
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
gamers don't need to cry about it though, we just buy from the app store instead. Simple, really.
mr_writer
08/10/09 @ 15:19
#22
-2
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@ evil

Agreed, its the same with all these who cried over the PS3 price, so in order to still be able to make money sony dropped features that where not vital (memeory card readers, BC, less USB ports) and that allowed them to be able to drop the price a bit.

But they still cried as now they werent getting everything those of us who weren't cry babies didnt get. Yet in order to get the same from an Xbox, (watch dvd's, what HD dvd's, connect to a wireless network, expand HDD space) they would be paying just as much (if not more) then a launch PS3.

Anyway back on topic Sony are right not to force prices, that way more developers will choose to develop for the store, they probably do have a max price as when companies starts charging £5/6/7 for a mini I can't see Sony letting it go. But developers will decide whats best for their game, they may look at the if we sell it cheap it will sell more as people will be willing to pay little even if they don't like it. But on the same time if you charge £1 for a game and it sells 10 copies, thats £10 yeah? Well if the game was charged at £2 and sold just 5 copies it would make just as much money.

But at the end of the day if your bitching about a game costing £3.50 then you really do need a life lol
Edited 1 times, most recently on 08/10/09 @ 16:22
des
08/10/09 @ 17:55
#23
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Oh really?So you get no money from them either...what a deal

NotSoSlim
09/10/09 @ 07:12
#24
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
''Prinny! Can I be the Hero - £31.99 on the EU PSN Store, $9.99 on the US PSN Store''

That a offer the devs came to with Sony America. Mike on the Euro blog confirmed that and that the devs did not make that sort of offer for us Euro gamers, sony blam the devs

Comments: 1-24 of 24 in total

Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!

X View gallery