PlayStation®Store General Discussion

[obliviondoll]

texinick wrote:

---

obliviondoll wrote:

I don't see the need for anyone (even with a large family) to have their account registered to more than 2 consoles. If you have 3 consoles and 5 family members, you'll be able to work out a pattern where each console can have someone on it without messing everyone up. It might takea  bit of planning, but you can. And if you think you need 3 PS3s to yourself, I'm sorry, but you don't. If you live out of 3 different houses, Have one PS3 that stays in your most permanent home, and another that you take with you when travelling between the other two. Also, if you can afford to buy 3 homes and a PS3 for each, feel free to give me some loose change. A casual $20,000 or so would go a LONG way in my life.

---

hmmm, it's that kind of narrow-minded, inconsiderate thinking that is probably running Sony right about now.

How about the example I gave originally?  I have a PS3 in the lounge, and one in my daughters room.  My partner has one also, as does her daughter.  So, from what you're saying, we shouldn't be able to use one account for to buy all our PSN games?  Why not, exactly?

There are MANY 3+ child families out there.  So what you're saying is, they can't all use one account to buy games from the PSN for the 3 children?

Just because YOU don't need the functionality now, which, I might add, WAS GIVEN TO US AND THEN TAKEN AWAY, doesn't mean no-one deserves it? 

And if no-one needed it, then Apple wouldn't be saying, hey guys, you can buy Movies, TV shows and Apps from us, and you can run/watch them on up to 10 devices!!!

Are Sony really that arrogant they think they can cut the number of activations down, and we'll all buy two copies of a game within the same family?  Judging by the majority of Australians that continue to bend over and get happily shafted by Sony's pricing structure I'd say the answer is a resounding yes.  I, on the other hand, will not stand up to the crooked business practice, and I'm voting with my wallet.

---

So you have 4 PS3s, and 4 people.

One PS3 in the lounge, one in each bedroom, form the sound of things.

EVERYONE has their account registered on the PS3 in the lounge, the children have their accounts on their own PS3s, and the adults have their accounts on the one in the master bedroom. Or am I wrong?

If you're mostly buying hardcopy games instead of digital, you won't be stuck with who can play what games and where. If you're buying digital, then you have the PS3 in the lounge which everyone can play any game on, because everyone's account will be registered on that PS3.

And they haven't applied this change retroactively, so products you already bought aren't affected.

I think the important thing for Sony should be a willingness to bend or adjust these rules for families like yours in certain situations - or, if the parent/child account functions don't work in such a way to allow purchases to be made on a parent account and transferred to the child, they need to fix THAT instead.

[texinick]

Not far off, but you missed one rather crucial point.... Online Passes are subject to the same 2 console rule, as is DLC. What if we bought MW3 Elite and wanted to share that? Or Uncharted 3 Fortune Hunters Club? It's not unheard of that 3 of us will be online at the same time in the same game... But it means we have to buy two lots of DLC, or two subscriptions to Elite etc. As it is, we haven't bought any DLC content since the change over. My main account is a Playstation Plus account. But we can only use that content on 2 out of 4 consoles. So should we really pay for two subscriptions, as a family, when Sony let us do this before, but changed it on us. If it had always been two consoles, I wouldn't be so upset because we would have known about it up front, and could have opted for a better set up. But they changed this a few weeks after we added the 3rd and 4th consoles, and many years into the PSN's life, so it was a compete waste of money buying those extra consoles.

[econodog]

I know where you're coming from. We also have 4 consoles at home and the recent "2 active consoles restriction" is frustrating. At least all the content purchased before the changeover is easy enough to play on all four consoles without choping and changing activations.

We just use the loungeroom console (upgraded to a 500GB harddrive) as the ps+ unit and the main active console with all the dlc and games etc...

I think they're missing out on sales due to the new restrictions. For example, we downloaded the Gotham City Imposters beta and enjoyed it. If I could have purchased it and used it on all 4 consoles at once, I would've purchased it day 1. However, for all four consoles to be playing at the same time, we would need to buy two digital copies... so we ended up giving the game a miss. Might pick up a couple copies when it's 50% off, but by then the online community will have died.

[kuldoog]

aww sbs your so helpful, cheers!  but it's still weak sauce...punishing the people who purchased multiple units... it's also a monumental mistake doing it when the ps4 is just around the corner..... all the people burnt by this will think twice before purchasing a ps4, i'll definitely reconsider multiple console purchases if the rule still applies next gen!  

[smokeypsd]

Exactly kuldoog, multiple consoles/handhelds just doesn't seem to exist anymore in Sony's vocabulary. The concept for some reason has vanished. Before Sony executives would trumpet and be proud of the freedom Sony offered their customers, I would also proudly explain why Sony was wonderful in how they handled things and changed my mind about the digital world.

This is wrong, it's terrible how blatantly transparent this move punishes us. To be told that it's actually ok, this will not affect the majority in most cases just adds insult. This also points to a pattern. A terrible ongoing one of. what else can we expect down the track for Sony to say, we need to do this to protect ourselves. This won't affect most people, it's all good.

Not. Buying. It.

[texinick]

I reckon we're all screwed as gamers, but most of the sheeple haven't realised it yet.

Sony & Microsoft are pushing digital downloads.  It's the future, there's no doubt.  This should be truly alarming for many reasons:

1) Pricing.  In Australia, retail prices for games are $110.  New, full PS3 games on PSN are selling for $109.  We can go to the shops, and pick new releases up for the first few days from the likes of Big W for $80ish.  Aside from the fact that Sony & Microsoft TOTALLY IGNORE the exchange rates (1 UK Pound does not equal 2 AU Dollars, and 1 US Dollar = 1.07ish AU Dollars!!!), when all games go digital, Sony & Microsoft can screw us into the ground and set the pricing they want.  There is no-one to answer to.  Please explain how a new game in the US can sell for US$40, which is the equivalent of about AU$37, yet here it retails for $110???  I don't understand how Sony & Microsoft justify this.  It's completely crooked.

2) Used Games.  If downloads are only digital, there will be no used game market.  If you want a game, you have to buy the game at full retail, aside from the odd discount.  If you're a family with more than two gamers, then you either need to buy TWO full-price copies, or stuff around with activations everytime you want to play on the third console.

3) Gaming Anywhere.  If the next gen of consoles stick with a 2 console limit then you can forget grabbing your copy of FIFA 15 and running up to your mates place.   Microsoft, at least, allow you to put games you've bought onto a memory stick, and take that to a mates place.  You can play games you purchase via XBLA on any console as long as your gamertag is signed in.

Maybe by then, the likes of OnLive will be available in Australia, and we can give Sony & Microsoft the two finger salute :^) 

Or better still, we'll see a Bluetooth 4.0 controller announced that can link with the iPad... then we'll have controller-based gaming on the iPad. We already have mirrioring to a HDTV via an AppleTV if desired.  With Apple's more equal pricing structure between different regions, their ability to release products across regions all at the SAME time, and their 10-device limit..  they're going to pull gamers away from the console market by more than just a handful.

Ah, its all pointless whinging anyway.  Sony made the change.  It's just another terrible decision, amongst the many, that have defined the PS3's life.  Some of us won't ever forget the way we've been treated.  All I can do is smile smugly to myself when money that would have gone to Sony, goes to someone else, and so far, there's been quite a bit they've missed out on.

[Jack_Daniels08]

---

texinick wrote:

I reckon we're all screwed as gamers, but most of the sheeple haven't realised it yet.

Sony & Microsoft are pushing digital downloads.  It's the future, there's no doubt.  This should be truly alarming for many reasons:

1) Pricing.  In Australia, retail prices for games are $110.  New, full PS3 games on PSN are selling for $109.  We can go to the shops, and pick new releases up for the first few days from the likes of Big W for $80ish.  Aside from the fact that Sony & Microsoft TOTALLY IGNORE the exchange rates (1 UK Pound does not equal 2 AU Dollars, and 1 US Dollar = 1.07ish AU Dollars!!!), when all games go digital, Sony & Microsoft can screw us into the ground and set the pricing they want.  There is no-one to answer to.  Please explain how a new game in the US can sell for US$40, which is the equivalent of about AU$37, yet here it retails for $110???  I don't understand how Sony & Microsoft justify this.  It's completely crooked.

2) Used Games.  If downloads are only digital, there will be no used game market.  If you want a game, you have to buy the game at full retail, aside from the odd discount.  If you're a family with more than two gamers, then you either need to buy TWO full-price copies, or stuff around with activations everytime you want to play on the third console.

3) Gaming Anywhere.  If the next gen of consoles stick with a 2 console limit then you can forget grabbing your copy of FIFA 15 and running up to your mates place.   Microsoft, at least, allow you to put games you've bought onto a memory stick, and take that to a mates place.  You can play games you purchase via XBLA on any console as long as your gamertag is signed in.

Maybe by then, the likes of OnLive will be available in Australia, and we can give Sony & Microsoft the two finger salute :^) 

Or better still, we'll see a Bluetooth 4.0 controller announced that can link with the iPad... then we'll have controller-based gaming on the iPad. We already have mirrioring to a HDTV via an AppleTV if desired.  With Apple's more equal pricing structure between different regions, their ability to release products across regions all at the SAME time, and their 10-device limit..  they're going to pull gamers away from the console market by more than just a handful.

Ah, its all pointless whinging anyway.  Sony made the change.  It's just another terrible decision, amongst the many, that have defined the PS3's life.  Some of us won't ever forget the way we've been treated.  All I can do is smile smugly to myself when money that would have gone to Sony, goes to someone else, and so far, there's been quite a bit they've missed out on.

---

You are aware that there are a lot of factors in terms of pricing. It's not just the companies gouging the prices to get more out of you. You are aware that the base rate of pay in Australia is far higher then the other two countries you have listed? This would be a direct reason as to why the cost of the games are higher in Australia. There's so many other factors that essentially if you find that a digital copy is more expensive, don't buy it. You have the choice to purchase a hard copy of a game as an alternative.

Companies are already releasing online passes to combat the used game market. To be honest, Sony and Microsoft do not care about used game sales. The only people who care are companies that offer trade in values and resale the used games. In the future, with online passes becoming more popular, you'll either by a full retail game or two if you have more then one child who wants to play on a different account at the same time. Alternatively purchase a second online pass but then you'll have to swap the discs between consoles which can be tedious with kids.

There's distrubition rights on DLC that does not allow it to be copied to a USB stick and taken elsewhere. There is a strong reason behind this and I believe it's Sony backing their anti piracy / game sharing views. Which as a company that licenses the software to you, that are entitled to do so. If you don't like it, don't buy the DLC.... You have the choice.

''it's just another terrible decision, amongst the many, that have defined the PS3's life'' 

Yet you've purchased three PS3s and wasted time ranting about the problem your having? Not to mention numerous game purchases / DLC that you have purchased. You keep smiling to yourself though, I doubt anyone cares.

[texinick]

Wow.. so obviously a Sony fanboy that hasn't been directly affected or pi$$ed off by anything they've done.  Lucky you!

"You are aware that there are a lot of factors in terms of pricing. It's not just the companies gouging the prices to get more out of you. You are aware that the base rate of pay in Australia is far higher then the other two countries you have listed? This would be a direct reason as to why the cost of the games are higher in Australia. There's so many other factors that essentially if you find that a digital copy is more expensive, don't buy it. You have the choice to purchase a hard copy of a game as an alternative."

Yes, completely aware thank you. However... the base rate of pay in Australia is unlikely to be one of the reasons. 'parallel import restrictions' are more than likely the main culprit, with distribution costs up there too. Neither of which should apply to digital downloads.  The retailer is also taking a large chunk.  $78 for a new title from Big W, or $110 from EB Games.  Sure, volume purchasing makes a difference to the wholesale price.. but that's a lot of profit for EB Games.  Although I wonder how many people really pay the full price at EB Games.  When digital downloads first came about, software companies would sell their 'downloadable' products cheaper because there were no manufacturing costs involved. Sony/Microsoft and all the other publishers, don't have to produce manuals, burn disks, buy packaging or pay any transport costs for digital products, yet they still charge the same FULL RETAIL prices that EB Games sell for.  Not the wholesale price, or a discounted price.. but the FULL whack. 

There is no alternative with PSN/XBLA games.  As for pricing on PSN being out of Sony's control... how is it the majority of PSN released games are cheaper on Xbox live, as is much DLC.

Similarly, IF it was related to base rates of pay, then all companies would have the same issues... yet Apple, as an example, can reduce their prices in Australia to not far off US prices (we have GST included in our prices, they don't), as a DIRECT result of the change in exchange rates.  The US dollar has gone from $US1 = approx  $AU0.70 cents, to $US1 = approx AU$1.07. Yet there has been NO change in Sony or Microsofts pricing between Australia and the US or the UK.  Of course the exchange rate plays a major factor in the setting of prices.  In fact, if anything, retail prices for games has RISEN.  They were $99.95 for new releases, that figure is now $109.95. 

"There's distrubition rights on DLC that does not allow it to be copied to a USB stick and taken elsewhere. There is a strong reason behind this and I believe it's Sony backing their anti piracy / game sharing views. Which as a company that licenses the software to you, that are entitled to do so.."

If that was the case, then Microsoft wouldn't let you do it either.  But they do.  Anything you buy via Xbox Live CAN be put on a USB stick, and taken to a mates place where you can use that content, provided you are signed in with the Gamertag that bought the content.

"If you don't like it, don't buy the DLC.... You have the choice."

I do have the choice, I don't like it, and I haven't been buying it since the change in activations.

''it's just another terrible decision, amongst the many, that have defined the PS3's life'' 

Yet you've purchased three PS3s and wasted time ranting about the problem your having? Not to mention numerous game purchases / DLC that you have purchased. You keep smiling to yourself though, I doubt anyone cares.

No, four.  They were all purchased before any of those terrible decisions directly affected me.  But many, many gamers have been affected by some or all of those decisions.  Just because they don't affect you doesn't mean they aren't valid issues. 

You obviously cared enough to respond :^)

It must be wonderful to be in a position where money isn't an issue, and you are happy to pay much more than anyone else around the world to play games.  Screw everyone else and how it might affect them right?Obviously, pricing is one of those areas that is affecting one heck of a lot of gamers.

I'm sure most people couldn't care less about my rants, but if nobody every said anything, these companies would assume we'll all just lay back and spread our legs for corporate business.  You may be happy to do that.  I'm not.

[texinick]

Regardless... My previous comment the you replied to, was really about the future of gaming, and the dangers of digitally-delivered games, which is where I believe we'll end up.

Sony already know gamers aren't ready for it today,  just look how well the 'PSP Go' sold.  I can't see it happening on this generation of the consoles, but I'm pretty certain it will happen.  Apple have already stopped disk-based distribution of their software, it's only a matter of time before others do too :^)

[mogzilla]

right with you texinick, I wont be buying any new Sony products which is a shame as i've been a fan of playstation since the ps1 and the last new game I bought was socom confrontation.
I think its about time apple produced a console.