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Button Mashers is a periodic audio podcast covering a range of topics in the gaming industry. This blog was created for myself, Tetsuotrunks, as well as a few guest co-hosts, to contribute our 2 cents on topics that really don't warrant any discussion, or to just express things that we'd like to get off our chests. Check back often, as we update frequently and feel free to leave any feedback.

March 2008
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Home » Archives » March 2008 »
PlayStation Network: Daylight Robbery
By CloudANDTidus on 03.01.08 at 12:44 AM CST
As you may of read, I recently downloaded the free Patapon demo from the website version of the PlayStation Store. While I was there I was incredibly tempted to download the PSone classic "Theme Hospital" for the bargain basement price of 3.49, but something stopped me. It wasn't a problem with my PSP hardware or the Store itself. It wasn't even the price, which I actually felt was a great deal.

The real problem was this:

PlayStation Network: Daylight Robbery


Journalists have praised Sony in the past for implementing a system far superior to the ridiculously complicated "point" system Nintendo and Microsoft uses, by doing the decent thing and showing real prices. On the PlayStation 3 console they also allow you to (and I know this is such a radical new age idea) take out the exact amount of money you want to spend from your credit or debit card.

Sony's dirty little secret it seems, that I've never seen brought to light anywhere online, is that the website version of the PlayStation Store goes against all these sensible principles. You see the PlayStation Store is in fact committing what can only be described as daylight robbery.

It's a simple math problem.

Classic games from the PSone generation cost precisely 3.49 on the UK Store, however Sony will only allow you to withdraw cash in multiples of five or ten. This is unless you wish to bring your Store balance to 100, in which case Sony is suddenly happy to withdraw the exact amount. Funny that.

The problem here is that 5.00 - 3.49 = 1.51. That's 1.51 I can't get back.

After the debit withdrawal from your card of 5, there is no change at the PlayStation Store. Your money is gone. Sure, Sony gives you "Store credit" to the value of your change, but what good is that? Even if I keep withdrawing 5 at a time and buying PSone classics, my change will continue to escalate as such:

1.51
3.02
4.53

At this point I have enough to buy another classic game using my change. Of course now 4.53 - 3.49 = 1.04 and the process starts all over again. Without spending an incredible amount of money I don't see how your store balance can actually be brought down to zero, meaning it is impossible to spend the cash you have given Sony.

The result of this is Sony is stealing.

When you go to Amazon.com, you don't withdraw "store credit", you give them the exact amount the advertised product costs. So why won't Sony do the same? This may sound like a petty rant over 1.51, however that was my 1.51 that Sony took from me without my say so, and has given me nothing in exchange for it.

The great thing about consumer choice is the ability to shop elsewhere. If GAME screws me over, I shop at Woolworths or Argos. However the PlayStation Store is effectively a monopoly because the products it sells (minus the XBLA port where and there) cannot be purchased anywhere else.

So what do I do? Continue to lose money through an unfair system that Sony has no justification for using? Or simply to never shop there again.

I think I know my answer.
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