SCEA: No exchange option for UMD to digital yet

[mike79]

I just read on IGN that they will not have the rewards program in the US. That is terrible. They said they have two separate marketing programs and there is nothing planned for the US.

http://psp.ign.com/articles/102/1028321p1.html

As much as I want this PSP Go, and have it pre-ordered and mostly paid for, it really seems like Sony is trying to talk me out of it. I mean, there aren't many games to download right now that I even want.

[caliblue15]

Originally Posted by mike79

I just read on IGN that they will not have the rewards program in the US. That is terrible. They said they have two separate marketing programs and there is nothing planned for the US.

http://psp.ign.com/articles/102/1028321p1.html

As much as I want this PSP Go, and have it pre-ordered and mostly paid for, it really seems like Sony is trying to talk me out of it. I mean, there aren't many games to download right now that I even want.

No, they didn't say they wouldn't. they said, they haven't come up with a solution because of copyright issues..

[mike79]

Ok, but this thing comes out in 1 week. How could they not have this figured out by now.

[caliblue15]

Originally Posted by mike79

Ok, but this thing comes out in 1 week. How could they not have this figured out by now.

copyright issues...

Playstation Portable owners will not be able to transfer the disc-based UMD games they own to a PSPgo when the sleek new digital-only system launches next week, Sony officials told Kotaku today.

"We were evaluating a UMD conversion program, but due to legal and technical reasons we will not be offering the program at this time," a Sony Computer Entertainment of America spokesman told Kotaku.

The $250 PSPgo has no UMD drive, instead relying fully on an Internet connection to purchase, download and install games onto the system's harddrive or removable memory.

At this year's E3 Expo in Los Angeles, Sony Computer Entertainment officials said that they hoped to have a plan in place to allow UMD games to be transferred over to the PSPgo by the launch of the system.

"We are looking into programs for owners who have previously purchased UMD titles and want to exchange them for digital versions," Sony Computer Entertainment's Brian Keltner told Kotaku at the time. "It's something we are still hammering out the details. As soon as we have solid plans in place we will make an announcement."

One of the rumored plans involved Sony installing kiosks in retail stores which would allow gamers to turn their UMD games into digital ones. Recently a Dutch and Australian retailer said they would not be carrying the PSPgo.

While the ability to transfer already owned copies of UMD games to the PSPgo could likely have a large impact on whether current Playstation Portable owners would buy the system, it's unlikely it would impact gamers new to Sony's portable offerings.

During the Tokyo Game Show Sony unveiled new peripherals for the PSPgo, dropped the price of the Playstation Portable in Japan and announced the launch of a program that would free games to people in Europe who upgrade from the PSP to the PSPgo.

http://kotaku.com/5367207/sony-nixes...yline=true&s=x

[cajmoyper]

I'm going to have to agree with Mike79 here. They should have already ironed out the details on this one. They should have had it done when they announced the program. And now I'm reading over at engadget that Sony may be charging $5 more for games than retailers would charge for a UMD because Go users aren't going to have any options. Shady indeed...

[caliblue15]

Originally Posted by cajmoyper

I'm going to have to agree with Mike79 here. They should have already ironed out the details on this one. They should have had it done when they announced the program. And now I'm reading over at engadget that Sony may be charging $5 more for games than retailers would charge for a UMD because Go users aren't going to have any options. Shady indeed...

They never said they were going to do this, its been speculation... how can they iron out the details on something that was never really announced...

[cajmoyper]

Why are you defending them so hard and saying they never announced anything when it was clearly in their minds to have someone so high up address it in your own post? I don't want to to start an argument here but it was clearly more than speculation if Europe's already got a plan in place.

[mike79]

Exactly. They should have never mentioned the plan in the first place. Also how is it that SCEE can give 3 free games out plus a game with a purchase but SCEA can't give us anything.

[Sylin]

Originally Posted by caliblue15

They never said they were going to do this, its been speculation... how can they iron out the details on something that was never really announced...

Because Sony specifically said such a program was coming way back during E3. And it's not as if they came up with it on the spot (unless someone shot off at the mouth who shouldn't have). It was likely in the works well before the announcement.

They've had plenty of time to work something out or make official announcements, but the fact that they've withheld this info right up until the Go launches feels shady to me, too.

People have put their PSP 1/2/3k's up for sale, or traded them in, expecting Sony to make good on their words. Now, a week before the Go comes out, nada.

Plus, the whole Euro game offer, if I'm reading it correctly, is a joke. You can get 3 digital downloads of your existing UMD games... but you've gotta have a PSP Go AND keep your older PSP. So anyone who was planning to trade in their former model for a Go is out of luck.

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by Sylin

Because Sony specifically said such a program was coming way back during E3. And it's not as if they came up with it on the spot (unless someone shot off at the mouth who shouldn't have). It was likely in the works well before the announcement.

They've had plenty of time to work something out or make official announcements, but the fact that they've withheld this info right up until the Go launches feels shady to me, too.

People have put their PSP 1/2/3k's up for sale, or traded them in, expecting Sony to make good on their words. Now, a week before the Go comes out, nada.

Plus, the whole Euro game offer, if I'm reading it correctly, is a joke. You can get 3 digital downloads of your existing UMD games... but you've gotta have a PSP Go AND keep your older PSP. So anyone who was planning to trade in their former model for a Go is out of luck.

What is stopping someone from buying a PSP Go and then trading in their old PSP?

[partridge]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...amme-for-pspgo

Sony can't exchange UMD's for digital downloads; legal and technical reasons

PSPgo may be doomed from the start; some retailers won't stock it, games are expensive, console is expensive, no exchange option for existing PSP owners.

It's not looking good.

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by partridge

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...amme-for-pspgo

Sony can't exchange UMD's for digital downloads; legal and technical reasons

PSPgo may be doomed from the start; some retailers won't stock it, games are expensive, console is expensive, no exchange option for existing PSP owners.

It's not looking good.

On a positive note he doesn't say that it will never happen, just at this time it isn't possible.

"We were evaluating a UMD conversion programme, but due to legal and technical reasons we will not be offering the programme at this time," a spokesman has told Kotaku, as reported by Eurogamer.

Also I already beat all of my UMD titles and for ones that I want to play again I'll just buy them again from the PSN Store and move on.

[aygie]

I'm still going to get one, i use my PSP more as a media player anyway and the PSPgo suits that great, plus i've finished all the games i have.

[BlackLightShark009]

From what i've heard the pspgo is not an attempt to replace the current psp. I guess is more for people to use for movies or whatever.

[aygie]

Originally Posted by BlackLightShark009

From what i've heard the pspgo is not an attempt to replace the current psp. I guess is more for people to use for movies or whatever.

yeah exactly, its totally a baby footstep in the digital download only domain and Sony is testing the waters.

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by aygie

yeah exactly, its totally a baby footstep in the digital download only domain and Sony is testing the waters.

Also Sony is not forcing anyone to replace their current PSP with a PSP Go as all games available for the PSP Go are going to be available for older PSP models, just they'll have to have a memory stick to store it on.

I'll just feel more comfortable with my PSP Go once they start making more announcements to what games will be available on the PSN Store on its release.

[aygie]

Originally Posted by Marine Mike

Also Sony is not forcing anyone to replace their current PSP with a PSP Go as all games available for the PSP Go are going to be available for older PSP models, just they'll have to have a memory stick to store it on.

I'll just feel more comfortable with my PSP Go once they start making more announcements to what games will be available on the PSN Store on its release.

This was an interesting comment made on the Euro Blog

Hello. Good update. But where is Final Fantasy Dissidia and all the other psp games?

Posted on 24 September, 2009 at 10:10 am by Mike Kebby
Nothing specific to mention about Dissidia – but next week sees a LOT of PSP content coming to the store.
I’m probably going to be quite sparse with comments this week because I have so much planning to do for next week…but I hope next week you’ll all agree it’s worth it

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by aygie

This was an interesting comment made on the Euro Blog

Yeah I read that earlier and it doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling that I'd like to have being in the US. It is only a luke warm and almost ichy feeling for me.

[caliblue15]

You guys are just irate at Sony right now, so I'll just let it be, no point in arguing...

[Sylin]

Originally Posted by Marine Mike

What is stopping someone from buying a PSP Go and then trading in their old PSP?

Money.

Especially in today's economic climate, and the idea that the biggest demographic of PSP owners is likely young (under 35), with less discretionary income.

Figure that most people who have plans to trade in their PSP are wanting to trade it in FOR the PSP Go.

But instead, they'd need to float the full $250/€250/£199 cost up-front, get their game conversions, and THEN they could try to sell their older PSP or trade it in for credit towards something else. That's lame.

Why not, as you mentioned, just offer a mail-in program? (Which, if you think about it, would give Sony a ton of used UMD's they could then re-sell in their own secondary market, subsidizing the cost of this whole program.)

@caliblue15 - I'm not irate at Sony. I'm disappointed. The SCEE program is not a win-win for Sony and their customers. And the SCEA program is non-existent, which is a lose-lose scenario until something manifests. I see no "good will" here.