Sony charging publishers for downloadable content

AntiThesis

AntiThesis

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Until October 1 2008, video game publishers who wanted to offer downloadable content on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 didn’t have to worry about getting a bill from Microsoft and Sony.

The million-plus downloads that a popular demo or map pack might receive could delight gamers, but rack up some expensive bandwidth costs. No problem: the publishers, who already pay a licensing fee to get their games on the two big platforms, could count on the platform holders — Microsoft and Sony — to pay the cost of piping that digital content to gamers.

That situation changed with the PS3 on October 1 of last year, when Sony implemented a 16 cents per Gigabyte fee to publishers for paid and free downloadable content, according to publishing sources familiar with Sony’s policy.

Game publishers are not happy about it.
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Source n more

Publishers are not happy. As you can well imagine. Way to help the market to stagnate and stop fresh content Sony! Well done!
 
Hmmm...what would you have had SONY do?

So developers increase their prices to compensate and certain PS3 owners either cough up more,stop downloading extras or look elsewhere.
 
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Yeah - which is a stupid move on Sony's part. They want people to use their networks. I'm sure they're not turning a loss from it. Especially since everywhere other than SAfrica BW is much, much cheaper.
 
AntiThesis said:
Yeah - which is a stupid move on Sony's part. They want people to use their networks. I'm sure they're not turning a loss from it. Especially since everywhere other than SAfrica BW is much, much cheaper.
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Perhaps SONY should have explained their reasons for charging for bandwidth to game publishers and let them know how much the downloading of files was costing them.

I wonder whether this is why Microsoft charges for its online service.
 
phoenix said:
Perhaps SONY should have explained their reasons for charging for bandwidth to game publishers and let them know how much the downloading of files was costing them.

I wonder whether this is why Microsoft charges for its online service.
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I'm sure Sony did explain this to the publishers. And at the same time... 16c per GB... come on. R1.60c per GB, we pay more than that per MB on some packages here! :D
 
Yexactly.

Here's the thing though - Sony depends on the publishers to keep PS3 owners happy. A lot of people use the online service and would be pissed if there was absolutely nothing available on it.

The retailers could get their downloads and such out without Sony if need be. Sony need to not piss off too many retailers/publishers or they'll find they have a ghost-town of an online experience.
 
Look its true and it still sucks that they are adding a price to it, but I think the publishers will be able to afford the price and it shouldn't have any effect on the end user.
 
mcryan said:
Look its true and it still sucks that they are adding a price to it, but I think the publishers will be able to afford the price and it shouldn't have any effect on the end user.
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Yeah but I'm certain the publishers will pass the cost on to the customers - as is their habit.
 
I wouldn't mind knowing how they manage 16c [US] a Gb.

Add to this the recent comments by certain game developers about the cost of the Playstation 3 and we have a scenarion in which SONY might be advised to mind its Ps and Qs.
 
I don't know, hey.... It seems like normal business practice to me.
Bandwidth does cost something overseas, it is not free, and the size of the pipes, together with the amount of data these guys push over the network must be massive. I reckon it is justified.
PLUS, like others have already said, it is incredibly cheap @ 16c / GB.
Especially when compared to SA prices.

I am surprised this kind of information became known in the first place. These types of arrangements normally stay securely locked down behind a NDA.
Obviously, Game Publishers are not liking it, especially when having to defend high prices, they would say or let this little gem (conveniently) slip.
And the gaming community would do the rest.
 
Sure - I understand the need for charging for bandwidth - as long as you do it from the beginning. That this comes just at the same time Sony freezes salaries means they're doing it to stabilise their finances (or at least attempt to) and all it does is discourage new players from entering the market and old players from spending any more.
 
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