Echochrome cheaper on PS3 or more on PSP; a matter of perspective
by Christopher Grant 
{ Feb 8th 2008 at 2:40PM }
Sure, the price could change for the North American market (as Siliconera sagely points out, several games from Jeanne D'Arc to Patapon have been cheaper here) but what about our Japanese gamer brethren? With Patapon going for a ridiculously low $20 on UMD, could they really charge much more for the simple, yet similarly bewitching, Echochrome?
Gallery: echochrome
[Via PSP Fanboy]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Trev @ Feb 8th 2008 2:56PM
It might be to cover production/packaging/shipping costs, but that's about all I can think of. It would be better if they split the difference or just released it as a PSP download to keep the cost low for both versions.
FOXHOUND @ Feb 8th 2008 2:59PM
Japanese gamers... if the PSP version is cheaper here, just import. :\ It's not region locked or anything.
Maurice M @ Feb 8th 2008 3:07PM
IMO this should have been a title that was made specifically to be transferable to PSP from the PS3. Similar to the PS1 games.
Jack @ Feb 8th 2008 3:11PM
Thats weird. Why not just DL in 1080p glory to your PS3 and remote play for PSP?
Organic_Shadow @ Feb 8th 2008 3:24PM
I expect:
$20 - PSP
$10 - PSN
This game MUST have been just a LITTLE too big to be a PC Store download for PSP. That distribution method suits it better in my eyes.
Gott @ Feb 8th 2008 3:56PM
Echochrome huh? Why did people pay $600 for a system and then go buy a black and white stick figure game. I don't get it...
FidliousWong @ Feb 8th 2008 4:02PM
INO, RITE?
I mean, I bought my PS3 and there are literally zero games or anything else on PS3. It's a big vacuum. In fact, it's stealing games from my classic gameboy collection... that stack shrinks weekly. But it's all gonna pay off on a downloadable title....
Jon @ Feb 8th 2008 4:28PM
Why did you buy a Wii when you can just go outdoors and exercise for free? Or a 360 when you can just join the army and shoot people for free?
James @ Feb 8th 2008 6:34PM
Pretty much my thinking too. Donut get me wrong the PS3 has some good games, but I'd be urinated (just like 360's early days when the best game for yonks was that Geometry Wars game) if some hyped game was something like this.
I'd rather buy this on a weaker system or as a super cheap indie PC title.
ThornedVenom @ Feb 9th 2008 12:04AM
It's called potential: it's not because it's there that it means that you have to push it all the way. More horsepower allows more possibility.
But of course, that's in pure ideal Game Design world: in the real world, consumers have expectations. But hopefully, this generation is starting to show the change in some trends, such as accepting lower standard games available on PSN, XLA or even VC/WiiWare.
Because as it had been hammered over and over again, gameplay is more important than graphics. (If that were false, then WoW would be doomed and I'd be wondering what the hell I'm doing wasting my time on the Peggle demo)
Abscissa @ Feb 9th 2008 8:28AM
ThornedVenom: I completely agree that a high-powered system like the PS3 should have simplistic low-powered games like this for whenever a PS3 owner wants something fun, but doesn't need any fancy glitz.
BUT, the thing that a lot of people are complaining about, myself included, is this: If we don't already own a PS3/PSP, why should we have to buy a $200-$500 piece of hardware just to play a game like echochrome that would have absolutely no problem running on cheap hardware we already have like the PS2 or, in echochrome's case, even the PS1.
It's like having a movie that was shot in standard-def black&white with a grainy lens and releasing it on BluRay/HDDVD, but not regular DVD.
Abuzar @ Feb 9th 2008 11:58AM
That's not the ONLY game we buy dumb fuck. I also buy Xbox live arcade games because ,get this, they are FUN!
You're too much of a fanboy to understand that concept though.
Mr Khan @ Feb 9th 2008 2:30PM
Wii owners buy hardcore games, as PS360 owners buy casual stuff
Plus, its echochrome, a perspective-based puzzle game, who can resist?
GRANTED @ Feb 8th 2008 4:12PM
if this is $15 or less in the states, it's a definite download. gott: some games are pretty, and some are clever. as long as they are fun, that's all you can ask for.
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 8th 2008 4:46PM
"as long as they are fun, that's all you can ask for."
Remember the words you just said... don't complain about Wii graphics then.
FidliousWong @ Feb 8th 2008 4:54PM
But he can complain about the lack of fun in Wii games still, right? Just wondering where we're standing on this for your next rant.
Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 8th 2008 5:03PM
@Fernando
Of course, there's a difference between paying $5-15 for a game and $40-50 for a Wii game. The best part about the 360 and PS3 is you can get cheap less graphically impressive games on the XBLA/PSN AND more modern looking full priced retail games. There are actually games on the XBLA/PSN that look better than full priced Wii games... and are fun too! Imagine that!
Brad @ Feb 8th 2008 7:02PM
This could simply be due to the enormous distribution costs in Japan. There doesn't need to be such a markup in the US to distribute a UMD....
DMeisterJ @ Feb 8th 2008 4:27PM
Anything more than 20 bucks for the UMD, and this game will not be bought.
Dungwader @ Feb 8th 2008 5:45PM
I really wish people researched. The PSP version will have 100 levels, while the PSN version will be 50 levels. OMG twice the content = twice the price + media cost, built in profit for retail stores, plus packaging. Hmmm.
Alex R @ Feb 8th 2008 7:20PM
I want this game so much...but I'm an Xboxey person. And PSP and DS screens give me headaches.
Zorink @ Feb 8th 2008 9:55PM
PC version please?
ThornedVenom @ Feb 9th 2008 12:06AM
The PSP can run echochrome? SWEET.
Abscissa @ Feb 9th 2008 8:27AM
"Update: The price discrepancy is due to the former version containing twice as many puzzles"
That just raises the question: Why does the PS3 version have half as many levels? It certainly can't be a matter of download size. There's no reason any of those levels should take more than 1 kilobyte each. Two at the absolute max, if you're sloppy about it.