PSN's video content is "open for business to all studios" tonight

by Mike Schramm { Jul 15th 2008 at 3:24PM }

Sony has announced that they are willing to carry all studios' video content on their PSN video delivery service -- they'll be hosting standard and high definition videos from anyone who wants to sell them. Video will be available for both sale and rental, and will be portable -- you'll be able to buy it on a PS3, download it to the PSP, and have it live on both devices at the same time.

Prices are said to be $2.99 for an SD rental, and $5.99 for an HD download. Purchase price is $14.99 for SD movies, and it's unclear yet whether HD content will be sold for purchase. The video store will look much like the game store, and will be available tonight on PSN.

Tags: breaking, e3-2008, hd, joystiqfeatures, psn, sd, soe, sony, video

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

copa @ Jul 15th 2008 3:38PM

So their announcement is that they wish other studios would make movies available on their video store?

Uh... Yeah, that's the point. @ Jul 15th 2008 4:29PM

How else will you get those movies? You are planning on raiding a BlockBuster and putting it on there?

baby sea tuna @ Jul 15th 2008 4:17PM

I wonder if this will make MS drop their rental prices a dollar or two. I also wonder if they'll finally consider allowing you to move content over to the Zune (something that the 360 and Zune should have been able to do at launch.) Not that that'll make me buy a Zune or anything...but at least maybe they'll be able to contend with the iPod at least a little...

^FourthDimensionGod^ @ Jul 15th 2008 4:19PM

Sony's price for rentals is the same as the price for microsofts....

baby sea tuna @ Jul 15th 2008 4:28PM

It looks like it all depends on the movie. XBLM charges $6 and $7.50 for the New Release SD and HD rental of Batman: Gotham Knight, respectively. However, for an older movie like Pitch Black, it's $3 and $4.50.

Xav de Matos @ Jul 15th 2008 4:20PM

US region only?

Averna @ Jul 15th 2008 6:20PM

I would imagine so.

ComradeTrotskii @ Jul 15th 2008 4:23PM

What's the chances of this on the the EU/UK PSN?

It certainly looks more comprehensive than the Microsoft video store.

ComradeTrotskii @ Jul 15th 2008 4:25PM

That is the EU MS video store, obviously you guys in the States have that MS/Netflix thing going on now.

j.howlett @ Jul 15th 2008 4:24PM

the service is cool and all, but i've had cloverfield on my 60gig since march and only watched it once at mostly 120x speed. i mostly use blueray, dvd, and ondemand for movies but usually just watch scheduled tv. i got fyretv and hardly use that. but i have been on youtube alot lately for music videos mostly. when i get a psp of my own i'll likely get more use out of it.

JoeTheBlow @ Jul 15th 2008 4:26PM

WOAH! Thats a shocker.

And hopefully it'll be as region free as the rest of the store, i'll be logging in with my US account, from the UK, later to check.

If it works then Sony have kicked Apple and MS up the arse on this one. No extra hardware or monthly fees required is a big bonus.

DesertPyrate @ Jul 15th 2008 4:28PM

*Yawn* this isnt exciting, lol @ how pretty much its the entire BDA on the PSN, Universal didnt budge again lol do they hate Sony? I dont rent from XBL and I wont rent from PSN

GenBanks @ Jul 15th 2008 4:49PM

What about the UK? :(

veto @ Jul 15th 2008 4:49PM

why cant i find a mention of region anywhere ? yeah i see the $ signs , but i just wish companys would have a bit bloody respect for their customers and readers and not forget these important details .

Brett from Atlanta @ Jul 15th 2008 4:58PM

I personally think this blows the netflix thing outta the water. It has a pretty good amount of content from launch and the best part is there's no monthly fees, unlike the netflix deal where you have to be a subscriber and a gold live member. Plus the fact that you can transport it to your psp is pretty badass.

lowestformofwit @ Jul 15th 2008 5:37PM

But you forget that the Netflix partnership is AS WELL AS the movie rentals that the Xbox has already had for years now...

arkweld @ Jul 15th 2008 6:09PM

I don't think you grasp the concept of Netflix.

Their monthly fee is an all you can watch online buffet. Not per movie. If you want to watch two movies a day you can. And that means 60 movies for the price of three rentals from either the 360 or PSN store.

DangerMouse @ Jul 15th 2008 6:05PM

So where's the porn?

LeonSKennedy @ Jul 16th 2008 3:01AM

Ever heard of Bit Torrent? LOL

jake18oly @ Jul 15th 2008 7:10PM

I am not very interested in a PS3 rental service. I have Netflix and rent Blu-Rays from them and I will use the streaming service on the Xbox once that is available but I don't rent movies on the 360 and I won't rent movies on my PS3.

movax420 @ Jul 15th 2008 8:57PM

I really don't get the pricing on these online video services. I can go and rent a movie for $2 or less at a video store, but they expect me to pay $5.99 to download it?!

It's just too much, especially since with online content they should be able to cut the cost for each movie they rent out since there's no physical store and no physical object that has to be handled and that can only be rented out to one customer at the time.

Sure, there's the cost of the servers and the bandwidth, but these should be low enough and could also be almost eliminated by using a customer based P2P network. I realize there's a license fee also when Sony itself doesn't own the rights to the content, but still.

So, they expect us to pay a premium for the convenience. I think this is a mistake and most people will probably just continue downloading movies for free illegally until the price reaches an acceptable sweet spot.