The world domination of PSN digital codes
Sometimes, I’m wondering if Sony is doing ok as a company. On other days, I’m not worried at all for them, or at least for their gaming division.
Today is one of these days [update: ironically, this article was written just before the big data breach of Sony Picture’s network]: as I was scouting for holiday deals on Amazon, I glanced at the “best sellers” list in their digital video games section. The first 3 best selling items are the $20, $10, and $50 PSN Code digital downloads respectively. The $100 PSN Code, for which a digital download was introduced earlier this year on Amazon (as well as a $75 one), is also climbing its way up the best selling list, currently at the 12th position.
Sony is largely dominating the digital purchases in the videogame world. This can only mean good things for the health of the Playstation division. These items can also be found in the top 100 of all video game sales on the retailer’s site.
This might not be surprising. Statistically, every PS4, PS3, or Vita owner can have a use for these codes, which cannot be said for a specific game for example. So, a generic digital code for PSN credit will most likely sell more than a digital download for a game. Still, it is interesting to see that these 3 codes beat the equivalent Xbox gift card. Can this popularity be connected in any way to the popularity of Sony’s PS4 vs Microsoft’s own console?
Another reason these codes might be popular is because it’s the best way for people outside of the US to buy US PSN Codes without being ripped off. Many websites offer to sell “foreign” gift cards (including PSN Credit), but take a significant fee to do so. Amazon actually sells those codes at $0.01 less than face value (so there’s technically no good reason to buy those codes physically in a store), and it is possible (with a trick) to buy from them even if you’re not in the US.
Given how people are overall satisfied with this digital offer (I just love this review from a guy who says you’d rather buy 5 times $10, for a total of $49.95, instead of the $50 for $49.99… 🙂 I guess it depends how you value your time), it’s even surprising that other businesses still even try to sell these digital codes for an additional fee. It is no secret at this point that I keep recommending people to buy games in the US given how cost effective this can be. As a result, it is possible many people outside of the US are using this trick, virtually boosting the popularity of the product.
This also leads me to believe that more and more people have now done the switch to digital. Although it has its issues (impossible to resell the game, which will progressively destroy the “used and new” market and could lead to an overall increase in prices), it also comes with benefits (I can play most of my digitally purchased PSP games on my vita today. I cannot say the same of my UMDs).
I know many people in the audience of this blog prefer the “collectible” aspect of purchasing physical games, but what’s the ratio today? How many of you have switched to digital games?
First
no one cares
Congrats bro
You shall be first… to gaze upon the grim visage of the desolate one!
lmao
Been digital since I could on the PSP days, and I don’t regret. With exception of the few games that weren’t, and still aren’t available, I jumped to the digital bandwagon almost instantly. And what happened with the VITA, was exactly what I expected to happen. Cross platform purchases feeding their licenses onto other platforms, exactly what I thought would happen as well. It just makes sense to give them proof that you own something, and makes it easier for them to reward us on that notion. I wouldn’t take anyone’s word for it that they didn’t just borrow it from a friend. The alternative is going back to CD-KEYS and Activation keys and yada yada yada. No thanks!
Yeah that’s all well and good until you realize they can screw with you at any given moment. Just look at Rockstar removing content for GTA SA because of myopic licensing. Removing content you PAID for instead of just discontinuing aid product and only have future sales omit the content.
I am leaving digital forever because of that. I’d rather logically “own” my games than rent them and be helpless when *** I paid for is stolen. I don’t lease cars and I won’t lease games!
Get up and change discs?!?!!?! Ain’t nobody got time for that!!!!
***
My vita is full digital purchase so far, i want pre-order bonus of physical edition, but digital convenience outweigh it.
Assumingsomeday Sony is filling for bankruptcy, SCE will still alive and kicking on its own.
Im in the middle of converting… I cant sell digital copies and in my case, that is good… besides, ps4 requies you to install the whole game anyway. I just need to order my 2 tb hd…. Sad thing is that will prob be too small…
I like to go digital when I can, but it can be tough with my ISP’s download restrictions. And physical copies aren’t even readily available where I live. One question, though. I’m thinking of buying a ps4 soon, and setting up PS+. Is it advisable to set it up with the same PSN account I have on my ps vita? If bubbles (or any other cfw) gets my account banned, what would happen to purchases i made with the account on my other console(s)?
You cannot download games if you are banned.
But the games I’ve previously downloaded, what happens to those?
Already through this…games you’ve already downloaded stay active on your device. Games downloaded with PS+ are playable until your membership ends (cause you can’t buy another Month) . You can’t go online,so you can’t Download any bought Games
And your money on the PSN can’t be given back, so you loose very much. (Okay in my case only 10€ but you know what I mean)
we have some online sellers in The Philippines selling $50 codes for PhP1800 (~$43, including money with transfer charges).. Now that’s what you call a deal… ^_^
I still wonder why it’s too cheap.. though the problem is sometimes the seller doesn’t have stocks.. but I’m willing to wait.. ;P
Digital I mainly buy when there’s sales. Other then that, just physicals.
ALL of my games are physical if there is a physical copy. i dont like the concept of saving a few bucks to own the same thing but digital. I like to own things i can hold and i’m a collector.
All of my VITA games are Physical carts and i wont buy a digital game unless thats the only way to get it.
Its nice to hear sonys doing ok, but i wish they would do better PR and ADS for the vita and cheapen the memory cards though.
I have only digital games for the vita.
im from south america, i frecuently purschase on amazon (and a few $10 psn cards always comes handly), i like physical games, but games like Soul Sacrifice Delta are digital only for non asian guys (most of us)… also i like to pay my PS+ with those cards (hate subscriptions) and with a Vita, a PS3 and a PS4, got too many free games monthly
I buy physical ps4 copies when u get a new hdd who wants to download a 40 gb game again heck no lol I ain’t got time for that I’ll get off my *** and put a disc in
Sometimes digital version are cheaper (Gravity Rush lately), but I try not too ‘borrow’ from PSN. Ppl get banned for nothing and whole ‘purchase’ is invalid. Game > Licence
I dont like digital the only time i get digital is when i share with someone the price making the game half the price
For me, I don’t like sonys digital only as it is a monopoly. You can only buy their stuff from them, you can not get a digital release from another source.
Sony can charge for their digital sh*t whatever they just feel is ok, this is a perfect example of a monopoly. 🙁
Now one would argue on steam it is the same, but actually on the pc market there is a lot more competition, gog, steam, humble bundle, desura, greenmangaming, gamergate, stardock, uplay, orig*cuff cuff… even codes sold on amazon, ebay and many many other subchannels.
So this adds diversity what a free market is about, isn’t it? Well there is always the sword of Damocles hanging in form of price rigging but it gets more difficult with growing competition and resellers.
So one day sony will have the next crisis with the anti monopoly authority in several countries, it is very foreseeable in the near future.
I switched to digital with the PS4 and Vita. I thought I wasn’t going to do it, but thanks to the cheaper US PSN prices (and game sharing) it’s a no brainer, not to mention the convenience of not having to switch discs. Of course all games install to the HDD now so that benefit is the same whether you go digital or not. Oh and getting game’s earlier is nice as well thanks to preloading, and some games of course are out earlier in the US.
My only dilemma is if games come out with collector’s editions I want. What I plan to do is buy them, keep the collector’s stuff and trade the disc back in and use that money to buy the same game digitally lol.
i honestly dont think the masses will go full digital at the moment its too flawed i think right now the perfect way to enjoy it is a mixture of physical media and digital aka a best of both worlds approach
switched to digital completely with my Vita and never looked back since. the trick? i read it here! thanks =D
i guess with umdripper and a psp.
and with tnv and a psvita
u could rerun those old umd’s for free ?
guys is there any progress abt qwikrazors work…last time u told that he was ironing out some issues
All my PS3 games are physical, but I keep my vita games digital
One word: gamesharing! (or is that two??)
Actually, people should buy the codes from Amazon Canada. Even people in the US! Our money is worth less, so US could buy a 10$ card for around 9$. Which means that you save a big 10% on every purchase.
its because the gameshare you idiots,,,
Well, I might as well start doing digital downloads. I ordered a game Monday from Best Buy (I had gift cards that covered all but 54 cents of it) and I still don’t have it. Had I gotten PSN gift cards rather than Best Buy, I would have the game and be playing it right now.
I just bought a PS4 yesterday. Said I wasn’t gonna upgrade but since I sold soooo much stuff on eBay I only paid $1.71 out of pocket and I bought another controller with it.
I prefer physical copies. I have a PSN of The Last of Us but I may sell the code. Heard its worth keeping but I like physical games vs digital.
“I just love this review from a guy who says you’d rather buy 5 times $10, for a total of $49.95, instead of the $50 for $49.99… 🙂 I guess it depends how you value your time”
He is KIDDING!!! Sheesh. It’s sarcasm about the savings… like the way you can get a Vita for $199.00 instead of 199.99 like everywhere else.
Well yes, obviously it was sarcasm 🙂
I prefer physical copies unless there is a significant savings or sale on the digital version. I still have a huge 100+ collection of 360 games on disc and a few dozen PS3 games on disc.
At least I can resell my physical games although the good ones I keep to replay plus when PSN or Xbox Live shut down, I can still play my games.
Most of my digital collection consists of games that were cheaper then the retail version (mostly PSN stuff) as PS+ games usually have significant discounts.
I just don’t like the idea of loosing what I bought when PSN and Xbox LIVE shut down.
i wont ever use digital content .the games i bought i can resell and get some compensation but digital content is well thin air and to be honest i am really dissapointed i ve got some ps3 titles digital from my brothers ps3 but i cant play them on ps4 ,that is how they value the user by forcing him to rebuy content
i will keep it for another year but if these policies continue it is pc for me
not sure what the ratio is on portable systems, but ubisoft and ea had both said that digital sales account for a mere 10% of their home console sales (meaning 9 out of every 10 games purchased is done physically.
Digital purchases are easier, like I don’t have to go to the store every time to buy a game. They are faster, I can get a game short after it’s released. They have a wider variety, I may not find the game I want at the store. They are cheaper compared to physical games.
Btw the reason why more PSN codes are sold than Xbox is because the PS4 is selling way more than the Xbox One & because the Vita makes a huge difference, there’s no portable Xbox.
Happy Happy $ony you give them money even the ugliest *** game/themes is worth $3
I’m sorry, but the one who has always dominated online videogame purchases has been Steam.
Plus the fact that digital games on PSN cost the same, or even more than retail copies is ridiculous.