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[MMaRsu]

If you are referring to the iPhone tap to pay thing with apple only allowing apple pay on their phones I don't see how that's the same to all this? And iPhone is way bigger than playstation.

Its not the same as this, you're right.

I'm just saying, just because its Sony's console doesnt mean they are exempt from regulators looking at how they conduct their business as market leader in the console space.

So if push comes to shove, its possible regulators will look at their construction and how consumers are treated if things get too bad.

For instance their refund policy is a total joke. You cannot download the game to get a refund. There have been exceptions (no mans sky, Cyberpunk) but generally you cannot refund a played game. Even if its broken shovelware (there's a lot of that on PSN)

 

[FoxMcChief]

No idea about sales, but the initial price is set by the publisher.

There's no excuse, people should be buying physical games instead of overpriced digital but we keep seeing digital rise and physical sell less and less each year.

Because most gamers are lazy cucks.

 

[MMaRsu]

Anyone in the Netherlands is free to start whatever lawsuit they want it doesn't mean anything. Just like in the US a lawyer will do anything if you pay them.

This is a consumer protection organization (probably profit free), not just a random farmer

 

[Donald mac Ronald]

Horseshit bluesky lawsuit by losers. The red wind of communism wafts off this shit heavily. It will fail even there.

Also what other platform can I use to buy games cheaper on my Xbox? Do tell. Inept, obtuse lawsuit designed to appeal to the ignorant and misinformed. Throw shit at wall and hope it sticks lawsuit.

They suing Nintendo too?

You can actually buy Xbox games on sites such as cdkeys etc. not sure you can for play station

 

[panda-zebra]

They suing Nintendo too?

Ah but Nintendo is reluctant to reduce prices on physical copies, so they're more consumer friendly by charging more across the board...

 

[reinking]

Good I guess but I buy discounted PSN cards already. What I would like to see is someone sue them for locking saved data to a subscription service.

 

[Katatonic]

MS stands to benefit the most if stores are allowed on PSN.

 

[Clear]

I'll believe it when I see it. Especially as the core claim that digital games are 47% more than their physical equivalent is transparently utter bollocks.

 

[Z O N E]

They're never going to win, you can just buy a physical game at a store. Also how are you going to prove they are too expensive?

This is about the fact that PS does not allow 3rd party digital keys, not physical copies. Hence why digital games on PS have NO competition, because you can't go in to a store and buy a digital key for a 3rd party title as you can only exclusively get it from PSN.

 

[Z O N E]

Are there game keys on Nintendo? Isn't Nintendo and PS pretty much identical in this regard?

Buy cheap PlayStation games | Up to 90% off - CDKeys

Explore the best PS4 & PS5 game deals, offers, discounts and promotions. Enjoy instant downloads at fantastic prices. Pay less. Game more!

www.cdkeys.com

They're not the same.

For example, you can only buy Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered digitally on PC/Xbox/Switch:

Assassin's Creed III Remastered Switch (EU & UK)

Buy Assassin's Creed III Remastered Switch (EU) ✔️ CD Key ✔️ Instant download ✔️ Fantastic price ✔️ Digital Download ✔️

www.cdkeys.com

This is what it's about. The fact that Sony does not allow 3rd party digital keys.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

someone has to paid for the concord debacle. please understand

 

[Roman Empire]

It was bound to happen. Sony gets a cut from the sales so to compensate companies throw that margin of costs at the end consumer. If anything, it never made sense digital games be sometimes $15 - $20 more expensive in Playstation/Xbox digital fronts when compared to Steam.

If the class action lawsuit goes in favor of the consumer then it's better for everyone as this sets a precedent to other markets claiming the same approach from Sony. All in all, digital games being more expensive than physical were always a scam.

 

[pulicat]

I stand together with the Dutch against evil capitalism.

 

[Gen.Grievous]

They're not the same.

For example, you can only buy Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered digitally on PC/Xbox/Switch:

Assassin's Creed III Remastered Switch (EU & UK)

Buy Assassin's Creed III Remastered Switch (EU) ✔️ CD Key ✔️ Instant download ✔️ Fantastic price ✔️ Digital Download ✔️

www.cdkeys.com

This is what it's about. The fact that Sony does not allow 3rd party digital keys.

But there is an alternative. You are not forced to buy from the Playstation Store, you can buy physical. Unless you purposefully chose to buy the original digital PS5 that has no option to add a disc drive. It's different than for instance Apple having to open up their ecosystem. You had no alternative before.

 

[Holammer]

Horseshit bluesky lawsuit by losers. The red wind of communism wafts off this shit heavily. It will fail even there.

Also what other platform can I use to buy games cheaper on my Xbox? Do tell. Inept, obtuse lawsuit designed to appeal to the ignorant and misinformed. Throw shit at wall and hope it sticks lawsuit.

They suing Nintendo too?

Dude calm down. It was inevitable consoles would be have to follow Apple in opening up their platforms.
MS is already preparing for this future by talking about 3rd party stores on Xbox.

 

[Z O N E]

But there is an alternative. You are not forced to buy from the Playstation Store, you can buy physical. Unless you purposefully chose to buy the original digital PS5 that has no option to add a disc drive. It's different than for instance Apple having to open up their ecosystem. You had no alternative before.

I don't think you're getting it...

If I want to buy a game digitally on Xbox, but I see it cheaper online, I have the option to buy the digital key online and then redeem it.

However, if I want the same game digitally on PS, I can ONLY buy it digitally from the PS store because Sony does not allow 3rd party digital keys.

 

[Fake]

We are at some crazy future where people defend or whining about a pro-consumer move.


There is no reason at all for digital software being more expensive than physical. Don't even try to spin this shit.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Ah but Nintendo is reluctant to reduce prices on physical copies, so they're more consumer friendly by charging more across the board...

Literally how the clowns sound.

 

[Minsc]

Seems likely to me if you make a device that plays games you shouldn't be able to gatekeep where the games can be purchased from. This will be way quicker to get to the conclusion with physical games aren't a thing anymore. But even now, many small indie games lack physical copies, so if I want to buy PS5 keys from humbles stores or whenever for much less money, why can't I.

 

[Dr_Ifto]

They can just point at nintendo or apple and say look at them.

 

[DirtyBast8rd]

Digital games go on sale for cheaper than physical ever could.

This is just going to screw us of those great deal and have no effect on how much a "product" with literally zero scarcity costs.

Dumbest thing i have read all day. When I was stupid and only had consoles to play on physical was always cheaper to buy and earlier on sale. When digital had a sale it was usually more expensive than the physical copy. The corporations are not your friend.

 

[kevboard]

It doesn't make sense for consoles to have multiple stores on it. Iam all for cheaper prices but it kills the whole purpose of the console industry.

they aren't talking about multiple stores on the console. the issue is that Sony doesn't allow digital game codes to be sold in retail stores.

other digital stores like Steam and the Microsoft Store allow publishers to sell codes either in stores or online, independent from the main digital storefront

Avowed for example

you can get a digital code for Xbox and Windows here for 54.39€

meanwhile the game costs 79.99€ if you buy it in the Xbox store.

so this is competition that Sony doesn't allow, while every other online store does allow it

 

[Fabieter]

they aren't talking about multiple stores on the console. the issue is that Sony doesn't allow digital game codes to be sold in retail stores.

other digital stores like Steam and the Microsoft Store allow publishers to sell codes either in stores or online, independent from the main digital storefront

Avowed for example

you can get a digital code for Xbox and Windows here for 54.39€

meanwhile the game costs 79.99€ if you buy it in the Xbox store.

so this is competition that Sony doesn't allow, while every other online store does allow it

Its still would make initial hardware even more expensive. Its not a great idea for the average joe. I think its a non issue as long as they offer the possibility of physical gaming. There is still competition in the physical gaming part.

 

[kevboard]

Its still would make initial hardware even more expensive. Its not a great idea for the average joe. I think its a non issue as long as they offer the possibility of physical gaming. There is still competition in the physical gaming part.

it's a possible violation of EU law.
it doesn't matter what you or I think is better or worse. the way Sony handles its online store is at the very least in a legal grey area.

also not all games are available on disc. most Indy games are not for example.

it's very much anticompetitive behaviour to have a closed ecosystem with only 1 source to buy software from.
the fact that a Digital Only PS5 exists makes Sony's position in this even worse I bet.

 

[Yoboman]

Unlike platforms like the Microsoft Store or Epic Games Store, PlayStation owners can only purchase games and content through Sony's own store.

Why are these lawsuits all so foundationally flawed

Like at least get the basic facts right

 

[Yoboman]

It was bound to happen. Sony gets a cut from the sales so to compensate companies throw that margin of costs at the end consumer. If anything, it never made sense digital games be sometimes $15 - $20 more expensive in Playstation/Xbox digital fronts when compared to Steam.

If the class action lawsuit goes in favor of the consumer then it's better for everyone as this sets a precedent to other markets claiming the same approach from Sony. All in all, digital games being more expensive than physical were always a scam.

Sony and Xbox don't set prices though, publishers do

 

[StereoVsn]

The most pertinent question is how the hell do you pronounce “Massaschade”?

On a more serious topic Sony at least should be force to sell digital cards for PSN and games at retail.

 

[Yoboman]

they aren't talking about multiple stores on the console. the issue is that Sony doesn't allow digital game codes to be sold in retail stores.

other digital stores like Steam and the Microsoft Store allow publishers to sell codes either in stores or online, independent from the main digital storefront

Avowed for example

you can get a digital code for Xbox and Windows here for 54.39€

meanwhile the game costs 79.99€ if you buy it in the Xbox store.

so this is competition that Sony doesn't allow, while every other online store does allow it

Yeah except those sites are often engaging in very illegal practices to obtain cheap keys. Or on the lighter end it's just currency manipulation, which you can just do yourself by switching regions on PSN

 

[RickMasters]

Imagine spending 80€ on a digital release when the physical version is 60€ at retail stores.

Arrogant Sony knows no bounds

People better get used to THIS Sony….

 

[gerth666]

This is a good thing. You shouldn't have no choice where you can buy your games from.
You can buy physical games from lots of shops, it should be the same for digital.

 

[Fabieter]

it's a possible violation of EU law.
it doesn't matter what you or I think is better or worse. the way Sony handles its online store is at the very least in a legal grey area.

also not all games are available on disc. most Indy games are not for example.

it's very much anticompetitive behaviour to have a closed ecosystem with only 1 source to buy software from.
the fact that a Digital Only PS5 exists makes Sony's position in this even worse I bet.

In the end consumers will lose somehow. This stuff never ends well.

 

[kevboard]

In the end consumers will lose somehow. This stuff never ends well.

I don't see how the consumer will lose if Sony would be forced to allow game codes to be sold like every other store does it, and like Sony themselves have done up until the PS5 launched.

 

[kevboard]

Yeah except those sites are often engaging in very illegal practices to obtain cheap keys. Or on the lighter end it's just currency manipulation, which you can just do yourself by switching regions on PSN

that is ientirely rrelevant tho. especially since Sony's game codes in the past were region locked, Sony could IP lock codes.

I think on Xbox at the very least, Publishers can decide to also region lock their codes or to make world wide ones.
so this isn't really possible if the publishers don't want it to happen (not sure how they work on Steam) unless the user uses a VPN that hasn't been blocked by Sony/MS... which they could btw.

 

[Unknown?]

*sunrises* Goedemorgen, bitches!

 

[Fabieter]

I don't see how the consumer will lose if Sony would be forced to allow game codes to be sold like every other store does it, and like Sony themselves have done up until the PS5 launched.

More expensive hardware, services etc. It's only a win for shady key sites tho.

 

[Hudo]

We are at some crazy future where people defend or whining about a pro-consumer move.


There is no reason at all for digital software being more expensive than physical. Don't even try to spin this shit.

There are, for reasons I don't understand, quite a number of corporate cocksuckers on GAF and on the internet in general.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

Dude calm down. It was inevitable consoles would be have to follow Apple in opening up their platforms.
MS is already preparing for this future by talking about 3rd party stores on Xbox.

Because we definitely want PlayStation to be just like Xbox

 

[Katatonic]

NVM

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

It would be good if retailers had to provide the option of physical or digital in-store at the same price.

 

[bender]

This thread reminds me of the time we had a PlayStation Humble Bundle. Godspeed you lovely Dutch bastards.

 

[BlitzerRadic]

I don't see how the consumer will lose if Sony would be forced to allow game codes to be sold like every other store does it, and like Sony themselves have done up until the PS5 launched.

Ok but publishers set the price for their games. Why would a publisher want to release a key for a lower price and undercut themselves in the store when they could just simply lower prices in the store?

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Sounds good

 

[Generic]

Digital shouldn't be more expansive than physical. I honestly can't understand how they can ask more than R$400 here and no one bats an eye.

Sony demands third party devs in Brazil to price their games in dollar. Some games on PS Store cost 3x more than on Steam.

 

[StereoVsn]

Ok but publishers set the price for their games. Why would a publisher want to release a key for a lower price and undercut themselves in the store when they could just simply lower prices in the store?

They could make a deal for 10% cut in 3rd party store vs 30% on PSN. That’s how this generally works.

 

[BlitzerRadic]

They could make a deal for 10% cut in 3rd party store vs 30% on PSN. That’s how this generally works.

OK that makes sense in the PC space because there are multiple stores/platforms and there's an incentive for let say for example steam to do this with steam keys because even though steam loses some money on the sale but they get a soft lock into their platform. Every PS is hard locked because there is only one store. So Sony is just undermining their own store if keys are 10% cut. Or am I missing something here?

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

OK that makes sense in the PC space because there are multiple stores/platforms and there's an incentive for let say for example steam to do this with steam keys because even though steam loses some money on the sale but they get a soft lock into their platform. Every PS is hard locked because there is only one store. So Sony is just undermining their own store if keys are 10% cut. Or am I missing something here?

The way I see it, if they offer digital keys via retailers it functions in a similar way to how pricing works with physical, except instead of a disc you would receive a code for redemption. Sony benefit from increased exposure at the retail stores as well as not having the games resold.

Obviously, it doesn't; work out as well for them than only selling through their store, but if they're forced to, it wouldn't be the end of the world for them.

 

[OGM_Madness]

As much as I prefer playing on my PS5, I gotta admit that Sony is generations behind when it comes to their online stuff. Why can't I even gift a game to a friend? I also wish Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft would take notes from what Steam does with family sharing.

It's 2025 and they're still acting like every household only needs one console and one copy of each game.

 

[Idleyes]

Anyone in the Netherlands is free to start whatever lawsuit they want it doesn't mean anything. Just like in the US a lawyer will do anything if you pay them.

But if they win.

 

[DrFigs]

Are you able to buy digital copies of Nintendo games on third party sites?

 

[Pimpbaa]

I don’t understand this, why are games the same price digitally and physically in North America, but Europe is like all over the fucking place. I mean sale prices may vary here, like a game on sale digitally but not physically or the other way around.