Sony is doing some things right
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Nov 8th 2006 at 6:25PM }
Hardcore Casual Gamer highlights two decisions that suggest Sony is handling some PlayStation 3 issues correctly. First, the online PlayStation Store will not confuse or frustrate shoppers with a deceptive points system; and second, downloadable (original) PlayStation games will cost just $5.We're tired of shelling out for pre-paid Microsoft Points, and then doing a mental conversion every time we want to know how much a chunk of downloadable content really costs -- and we're not looking forward to doing the same on Wii. So we're thrilled Sony has cut that step out of the process; and in doing so, is making that straight-up-five-dollar PlayStation joint look a lot more tempting. Isn't Nintendo charging the same amount for NES games? Wait a minute ... gotta do the conversion ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ross Miller @ Nov 8th 2006 5:34PM
OMG JOYSTIQ BIAS. You guys are sooo pro-Sony!!!1!one!1
Kevin @ Nov 8th 2006 6:31PM
Can't wait to download Final Fantasy VII and watch Aeris die.
TheFallen @ Nov 8th 2006 6:33PM
Hmm... deceptive? It clearly states how much each point package costs, what's so deceptive about that? The system works well to allow parents to order points so that their children can make purchases at will without interfering constantly by ordering every single game themselves.
snapperdragon @ Nov 8th 2006 6:32PM
Bahh..oh toughie...each Wii point is what...1 cent? Not too tough to figure that one out friends.
Jeff @ Nov 8th 2006 6:33PM
If you can't do the simple conversion for Wii points you have bigger issues on your plate to worry about...
jp007 @ Nov 8th 2006 6:38PM
Uh, I don't exactly know how to submit a story to the editors here, but there is an article on Slate.com concerning the PS3 entitled "Is the PlayStation 3 Any Good?A few things I hate—and one thing I love—about Sony's next-gen console."
By Chris Suellentrop Just thought readers might be interested...
Andrew @ Nov 8th 2006 9:52PM
If you can't handle converting Wii Points to Dollars, you need to reconsider what you spent 1st grade doing.
2000 Wii Points = $20
2000/20 = 100 Wii Points per Dollar
To make it even easier on you, Nintendo is selling games in 100 point intervals
What's a 500 point NES game cost? Oh yeah, $5.00
How about that nifty Super Mario 64? 1000 Wii Points? $10.00
It's easy.
Mike Crazy @ Nov 17th 2006 3:13AM
1. Nothing new there. But I have to agree with joystiq with this one. Nintendo should be selling NES game for at least $1.50 or $2.00, not $5.00 now that insane. NES game more then 20 years old.
Nintendo would make way more if they sold the game like this. This bigger the game the more you pay. Also popular game should cost the most. Example for ZELDA MARIO ect. on NES they should cost $2, ZELDA MARIO ect. for SNES should cost $5, and N64 game like ZELDA MARIO ect should cost $10.
NES $1.50-$2.00
SNES $3.00-$5.00
N64 $5.00-$10.00
P.S. I for one will not be buy any old games they cost to much. I'll just download new content.
Fish @ Nov 8th 2006 6:49PM
Wait, conversion for the Wii points?
1 Wii point = 1 penny. You'd think even PS3 fanboys could figure that math out. Even though joystiq seems to think it is difficult.
Jacob Striegel @ Nov 8th 2006 10:25PM
"Isn't Nintendo charging the same amount for NES games? Wait a minute ... gotta do the conversion ..."
Because 3rd grade math is hard. 100=$1
OMFG!!!1!!1!! Uber Difficult!!!111!!1
courtney @ Nov 8th 2006 6:49PM
to me the points thing is better. Seeing points and not dollar signs makes it easier for me to buy since I am not sure what i am spending.
sony just sucks.
MSaccarello @ Nov 9th 2006 12:40AM
6. "nifty Super Mario 64" hahaha
But seriously, I wouldn't go about calling it "converting" Wii points to dollars. You'd have to be quasi-retarded to fuck up that calculation.
Numbnuts: "Oh shit! I thought that 800 point SNES game was $5!"
jojo29 @ Nov 9th 2006 11:08AM
PSOne games that are 'must haves'
Vagrant Story
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy IX (my fav )
Xenogears
G*Police
Wipeout
Parasite EVE
Jet Moto
Legacy of Kain
*please add to this list i know im missing some gems*
PS2 games that are must haves:
Final Fantasy X
Kingdom Hearts
God of War
Tekken 5
Tekken Tag Tournament
Marvel vs Capcom
Gran Turismo 3 ( and 4 too )
Dragon Quest
Final Fantasy XII
Soul Caliber 3
Virtua Fighter
Killzone
TimeSplitters Series
Jak and Daxter Series ( 4 games )
Ratchet and Clank Series ( 3 games i believe )
Beyond Good and Evil
*add to this list i ve left out many others*
So
Ethan @ Nov 8th 2006 6:48PM
Wow, that is a much better price than nintendo is offering. See, now we know what sony wants to do this generation, and that is to bring the 21st century into everyones home. By charging more initially, they are allowing for future things to be cheaper. The downloadable games are $5.00 for Sony, and $10.00 for nintendo, from the same generation. And online play is completely free, whereas xbox is $50 a year. Its just going to be a lot cheaper in the long run.
lordroba @ Nov 8th 2006 6:52PM
$5 for a PS1 Game! That's friggin awsome. I remember when Nintendo re-released some of the NES classics for the GBA, like zelda and stuff, and still charged 30$ for them. Anyways, for $5 I'll be downloading a bunch of these. Can't wait to play FFVII, FFVIII, FFIX, and FF Tactics on my PSP. :P
lets just put the gun down and we go get me those fries @ Nov 9th 2006 5:00PM
lol guys let sony get at least some fucking recognition for the things they are doing right man. seriously, the points system is made so it desensitizes ur spending sort of like vegas does, u spend ur chips and u think hey what the hell they are just chips and u dont notice its real money and u spend and spend.
BPM? @ Nov 8th 2006 6:50PM
Andrew, yeah, if anyone has problems converting real cash (well, Yen or US Dollars, anyways... May work differently for other regions) into Wii Points, then they fail at math.
However, Nintendo fails at pricing. Big time. When Sony is offering their entire PlayStation catalog (a fifth generation system) for $5 a game, the same price for an NES download (third genration system) and half the price of an N64 game (also fifth gen), then something is amiss with Virtual Console.
However, with such a competitive price tag, it may cause Nintendo to reconsider the pricing structure for Virtual Console. Here's hoping for 500 Point N64 games, 300 Point Super NES/Genesis/TG-16 games, and 100 Point NES games! :D
(Hey, I can dream, can't I?)
GamerZero @ Nov 8th 2006 6:51PM
I like the MS points system.
It's the best brain-train game I've ever played!
bill pullman @ Nov 8th 2006 6:54PM
joystiq + math = FAILURE.
mykie @ Nov 8th 2006 6:59PM
I don't know about you guys, but I haven't seen the 2000 point Wii points card for any less than $20, usually about $25.
To be honest, I don't think that it's going to be 1 point per penny.
David @ Nov 9th 2006 7:55AM
Thanks for showing everyone how big of a dumbass you are. The Wii points are really hard to figure out. One point is equal to one cent! Wow that so hard! Now go ask the first grader for help if you need it.
quazz4life @ Nov 8th 2006 7:03PM
What most of you fail to realize, is no "official" PS1 list has come out. you don't know what games you'll be able to download, or if some publishers pull their games from the service altogether.
Ethan @ Nov 8th 2006 7:03PM
Yeah, mykie is right, the wii points cards are $25.00 for 2000 points.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5272700
http://www.pricegrabber.com/p__Nintendo_Wii_Points_Card,__27910549/
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=342677&Pn=Wii_Points_Card
Nintendo fanboys + Math = FAILURE.
George Kitchen @ Nov 8th 2006 7:04PM
ninte'joystiq is teh bias as is ninten'gadget 'n nintendo'kotaku they're analogous to a mario/luigi thong
quazz4life @ Nov 8th 2006 7:07PM
"17. Yeah, mykie is right, the wii points cards are $25.00 for 2000 points.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5272700
http://www.pricegrabber.com/p__Nintendo_Wii_Points_Card,__27910549/
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=342677&Pn=Wii_Points_Card
Nintendo fanboys + Math = FAILURE.
Posted at 7:03PM on Nov 8th 2006 by Ethan "
And what you're not taking into account is how the brick and mortar retailer has to make money off of selling an item. $20 on the Wii. $25 from the store. it's the same thing with World of Warcraft subscription cards.
AJ @ Nov 9th 2006 2:13PM
I actually like the point system better. The dollar system is much easier to know how much it costs but I've always felt point systems left it open for you to earn them by beating games.
Kirby @ Nov 8th 2006 7:12PM
Apparently Joystiq thinks that simple math is too hard. No wonder all you do now is post articles about video games.
MetaHuman @ Nov 8th 2006 7:13PM
Either way I wouldn't feel right paying $1.00 for ANY game, NES and upwards. Videogames are not music or TV episodes, I think they deserve more than that. I guess for most people though, a legal avenue of emulation is respect enough. :)
$5.00 is a great price.
@ LORDROBA
Or you could get Animal Crossing and find handy passwords to unlock NES games (there were around 10) including LoZ and SMB. :P
------------------------
As for ETHAN's argument followed by a swipe at fanboys, of course it's going to be a little higher than the exact exchange rate. The retailer's gotta make some money too.
I'd expect it to be the same for PSpoints and XBLpoints through a normal retailer (vs. Online).
FrankTheCrank @ Nov 8th 2006 7:13PM
Man...
what's up with the Sony hatefest?
Everyone seems to have a problem with the PS3. Must be allot of angry 360 owners who got burned. Ouch.
Oh, I can already here it, "we got Halo..." wahhhh...
"we got Gears..." wahhhhh...
Great, have fun with your two games.
As far as I'm concerned, PS3 looks like an unbelievable system, and I'm looking forward to owning one and owning a crapload of kick ass games. I might not get one this Christmas, but the first chance I get, I'm buying one.
The Wii looks interesting as well, but I'm not shelling out close to a grand between the two. So PS3 will do for now.
Playstation Haters, GET OVER IT!! SONY is about to open up a can of whoop ass!
Miniboss @ Nov 8th 2006 7:15PM
"Yeah, mykie is right, the wii points cards are $25.00 for 2000 points.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5272700
http://www.pricegrabber.com/p__Nintendo_Wii_Points_Card,__27910549/
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=342677&Pn=Wii_Points_Card
Nintendo fanboys + Math = FAILURE."
Except that that's the actual physical card. If you bought Wii Points through the actual console, then $20 = 2000 Wii Points. And yes, it has been confirmed (on wii.com, no less) that you can purchase Wii Points through the console.
And yes, you're still buying points. But who cares? It's simple math, and you only have to do the conversion once, unless you suffer from long term memory loss and can't memorize what point values are equivalent to what. I'll give Sony props when all of this actually happens... AND when they don't charge more for more "popular" games.
Ethan @ Nov 8th 2006 7:18PM
What you guys dont realize, is that it is going to cost you more than $20.00 for 2000 points. case and point.
Rob @ Nov 8th 2006 7:19PM
In a way a points system makes a lot of sense, especially when you're dealing with multiple territories and currencies, because points give the appearance that they're charging the same for one thing in different countries. This won't always be the case though, since the cost of acquiring the points might not be an exact conversion.
$20 for 2000 Wii points should be about £10.50 (£12.34 if you include VAT), but it's expected to cost £14.99, which is nice and round.
POOLSCLOSED @ Nov 8th 2006 7:18PM
They won't be $5... Trust me.
Ryan @ Nov 8th 2006 7:20PM
Some people forget that not everyone deals in US Dollars so it isn't always a straight conversion. I hate sony, but I think that it is a very good idea to use the actual cost instead of a points system.
C. Grant @ Nov 8th 2006 7:21PM
Simple math for people living in the US. What about other countries/currencies?
AG @ Nov 8th 2006 7:25PM
I'm with you FrankTheCrank,
Whats with all the hate on Sony? So many of you guys are pathetic. The PS2 was by FAR the best system with the BEST games last generation, what makes you think this generation is gonna be any different. Wow, the Xbox 360 has just sold 6 million consoles(in one year)....
Sell over 100 million like Sony, then we can talk.
When enough PS3's are made and bought up, it will only be a matter of time before many of the exclusive games come back to Sony. That's what happens when you are the leader. I say Xbox 360 has about 1 good year left to make a run, but when the PS3 catches up to it as far as units made it will be lights out for Xbox 360.
Sain @ Nov 8th 2006 7:45PM
You guys are missing the point. Joystick is basically saying that having points masking dollars isn't a good idea. Why can't MS/Nintendo do the same?
Are those points really required?
steve o 3000 @ Nov 11th 2006 7:36AM
2 games? You forgot about:
Alan Wake
Banjo-Kazooie
Blue Dragon
Crackdown
Fable 2
Forza Motorsport 2
Fuzion Frenzy 2
Gears of War
Halo 3
Halo Wars
Infinite Undiscovery
Kameo: Elements of Power
Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom
Lost Odyssey
Marvel Universe Online
Mass Effect
Project Gotham Racing 4
Shadowrun
Too Human
Viva Piñata
BioShock
Cry On
Bullet Witch
Battlestations: Midway
Crossfire
Kane and Lynch: Dead Men
FIFA 2007 (for next generation consoles)
Culdcept Saga
Eternal Sonata (Trusty Bell)
Idol Master
Mobile Ops: The One Year War
Zegapain XOR
Zoids Infinity EX Neo
Project Sylpheed
I'd imagine a few of Sony's few remaining exclusives like MGS4 and FFXIII will end up on 360 also so the devs can make their money since creating these games costs waaay more than before.
The Rev @ Nov 8th 2006 7:33PM
100 ms points is $1.25 omg math is hard!!
thats like 4th grade math
MetaHuman @ Nov 8th 2006 7:35PM
AUGH YOU FANBOIS STOP CUMING UP WITH FAKE IDEAS
HEY HERS MY PERDICTION
Actually, AG, despite their success, they DO have flaws, just like everyone else.
Does it matter which console has the most games? Chances are if I had a different console instead of a GameCube I would still only be able to buy 50 games in the system's lifespan. 'Variety' is great too but obviously the 'variety/or in your view(lack thereof)' was good enough for me. Just because one console has the most variety doesn't mean it has the right thing for me.
@ RYAN and C. GRANT
They probably have local divisions there that would come up with a pricing system, seeing as that some of these will be sold in stores I don't see how they would charged some odd-numbered price.
fable2323 @ Nov 9th 2006 3:37PM
Nostalgia is not your friend. The look on some of these peoples faces when they are brought back down from fanboy heaven after playing some of these games. Seriously, when is the last time anyone here played FFVII? I can tell you, I pulled the game out recently and let me tell you this, it does not stand the test of time. Even the pre-rendered movies look like ass compared to even the in game stuff from FFX. Playstation 1 games are going to look ugly. Mainly because this was the infancy of polygonal games. Now those 2D games are gonna do just fine as this was nearly the pinnacle of 2D gaming (SNES era). Happy gaming indeed....
Omer van Kloeten @ Nov 8th 2006 7:44PM
It's not as if we already have any of the console networks here in Israel (where the XBox 360 isn't out yet, the XBox was never imported and the PS2's network connection was disabled by the importer), but as far as my experience with importers goes, we'll have to make a conversion from points to US$ to NIS (New Israeli Shekel) every time we want to buy something for the Wii or the XBox 360 (and that's after assuming one of the importers will make a groundbreaking move and actually allow a console to go online (and that's after assuming the Wii will even be imported(!))).
I doubt Sony would ever do this (show amounts in NIS) for us, but yay for you guys abroad. -___-#
C. Grant @ Nov 8th 2006 7:46PM
THANKS Sain!
Mabui @ Nov 8th 2006 8:11PM
If I recall correctly Wii points are just Yen.. renamed. I mean 1000 wii points costs what? 1000 Yen? If anything its more of a service to Japan than anything else. I don't know why anyone else doesn't seem to realize that..
Watership @ Nov 8th 2006 8:02PM
Joystiq you don't know what the Sony is doing right yet with the PS3. It's not out yet, the TEST kits everyone has are not retail units, NONE of the store functionality has been shown yet.
Really. Lets see what you have to say a week after it launches.
Ryan @ Nov 8th 2006 8:07PM
@MetaHuman
Yes, here in Australia they say it will be about $30 for 2000 point, so 1.5 cents a point, not so hard, but in say NZ it will probably be something stupid like $35 for 2000 points, which I believe is getting silly.
Sain has got it right, why do we NEED points? ITunes doesn't need it and why is there a need now to balance out pricing so one region pays the same as another region? In Australia (and NZ even more) we always get 'Bent over' on pricing in comparison to USA/Japan, why now use a points system. For example (this is a rough example) the PS3 is going to be sold for around $US500 in the US which means it should be sold for around $AU700 - 800 yet we are stuck paying $AU1000 (not that I am getting a PS3).
Ian @ Nov 8th 2006 9:48PM
Its a good idea, but would you rather be reminded your spending "points" or real money? I'm not saying Sony is doing something stupid, but you'd rather not remind people their spending real money versus points. What sounds better, "Buy this new picture pack from Sony for .99 cents!" or "Spend 80 points for this awesome picture pack!".
Daniel @ Nov 8th 2006 8:16PM
yea, cause its so difficult to convert wii points. its so hard to say 500 points is $5.00. yep, thats a toughy. if you ask me, its microsoft. 1600 for $20? thats difficult.
Ryan @ Nov 8th 2006 8:28PM
@Daniel, did you read ANY of the other comments?
snapperdragon @ Nov 8th 2006 8:30PM
"28. Simple math for people living in the US. What about other countries/currencies?
Posted at 7:21PM on Nov 8th 2006 by C. Grant 0 stars"
Not sure...we don't use the complex metric system over here, so it's your problem to figure out what each point costs :)