Why do PSP downloadable games cost more than the physical copies??

[Shin-Ra]

I think publishers are inexperienced in having lifetime control over the prices of their games and competing with retail stores they still rely on. Last time I checked UBISOFT's online store, their prices there were pretty poor too, especially when a game first releases.

Originally Posted by financially deprived

is there any load times when you download a game for the PSP go?

Yes, but shorter, shorter still in comparison to UMD if you're using a PSP-1000 (original model) without the extra RAM.

PSPgo's pause/resume game feature lets you quit any game to the XMB, then load right back in, in 10 seconds. Some games take a minute or two to load, get past the startup logos, load a save game etc but this takes you back exactly to the point you left off which is rather nifty. The save state is kept even if you play another game but only one save state can be stored at once.

[Mr. J]

Originally Posted by Havok83

The downloaded prices are MSRP, manufacturer suggested retail prices. Any retailer can make up any price they want. Amazon tends to make their prices cheaper than the rest. Those same download prices are what you will typically find in stores, unless that specific retialer has marked it down. Its not a PSPGo thing vs physical copies. This is how its always been

Regardless....I'm able to buy the same exact game for 20 or 30 dollars cheaper. If I'm not mistaken, PSN and Amazon are really the only places to buy the downloadable PSP games correct? Their prices are the same.

Who would buy and download a movie to their PS3 or whatever for $39.99 when they can buy a physical copy of the movie for $19.99? Same thing, it doesn't make sense. I understand that its MSRP and all, but who the hell is seriously buying games at these prices?

After looking at Best Buy's website and pricing a few games I understand what you're saying, but I still don't understand why a downloadable game costs just as much or more than the physical copy when there is no distribution involved.

[AranhaHunter]

Originally Posted by jayvo2008

Regardless....I'm able to buy the same exact game for 20 or 30 dollars cheaper. If I'm not mistaken, PSN and Amazon are really the only places to buy the downloadable PSP games correct? Their prices are the same.

No, you can buy downloadable vouchers at Best Buy, Target, Walmart, but so far the only games with downloadable vouchers for sale at those locations are SCE games.

[kman]

The price difference is pretty simple. Physical stores have a limited amount of shelf space. Having older games taking up shelf space costs the stores money. They need to get ride of them so they discount them. Alternatively, when a game is sitting on a server there isn't much need to remove it with memory being so cheap now a days. So there is no necessity to discount it and make room for other stuff.

This is one of the reasons I am not super excited for digital distribution even though I would rather have the game on my memory stick than listening to the UMD spin a million times.

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by kman

The price difference is pretty simple. Physical stores have a limited amount of shelf space. Having older games taking up shelf space costs the stores money. They need to get ride of them so they discount them. Alternatively, when a game is sitting on a server there isn't much need to remove it with memory being so cheap now a days. So there is no necessity to discount it and make room for other stuff.

This is one of the reasons I am not super excited for digital distribution even though I would rather have the game on my memory stick than listening to the UMD spin a million times.

Some PSP games I have spin so loud it's hard to concentrate on the game and others are pretty quiet. I do however have quite a few PSP games that have an install feature on them and that helps load times to be more quicker, and the UMD not being so distracting when spinning on my PSP.

[kman]

Originally Posted by MOONPHASE

Some PSP games I have spin so loud it's hard to concentrate on the game and others are pretty quiet. I do however have quite a few PSP games that have an install feature on them and that helps load times to be more quicker, and the UMD not being so distracting when spinning on my PSP.

Oh really I didn't know some psp games offered an install. I was actually looking for that in a couple of my games. Any idea which ones allow installs?

[Havok83]

Originally Posted by jayvo2008

Regardless....I'm able to buy the same exact game for 20 or 30 dollars cheaper. If I'm not mistaken, PSN and Amazon are really the only places to buy the downloadable PSP games correct? Their prices are the same.

Who would buy and download a movie to their PS3 or whatever for $39.99 when they can buy a physical copy of the movie for $19.99? Same thing, it doesn't make sense. I understand that its MSRP and all, but who the hell is seriously buying games at these prices?

After looking at Best Buy's website and pricing a few games I understand what you're saying, but I still don't understand why a downloadable game costs just as much or more than the physical copy when there is no distribution involved.

People with a PSPGO who cant use physical copies. If you go to Amazon, they have the SAME exact prices for PSN games as Sony. Look at Restistance, the price on Amazon for the online code is $40, just like Sony: http://www.amazon.com/Resistance-Ret...0248781&sr=1-2

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by kman

Oh really I didn't know some psp games offered an install. I was actually looking for that in a couple of my games. Any idea which ones allow installs?

From ones I own I will say Soul Calibur Broken Destiny, Mana Khemia Student Alliance, Higurashi Daybreak, Lucky Star Net Idol Meister, and also most of the Key/Visual Arts visual novel games that probably won't hit stateside like Tomoyo After ~It's A Wonderful Life~, Air, and Clannad(it's the only PSP game I know that has 2 UMDs in 1 package) all have install features.

I'm sure there's more out there but I know for sure these ones have it.