EA wants to monetize pirates market?

Yes, pirates have reducing profit for game makers. Game makers have also combat this problem all the time. EA has a thought, rather than combating pirates, they can try to lure in pirates to purchase some of the product. How? The answer is by post release DLCs.
John Riccitiello, the head of Electronic Arts said," They can steal the disc, but they can't steal the DLC." He also added," There's a sizable pirate market and a sizable second sale market and we want to try to generate revenue in that marketplace."
His statement may have a valid point. But one should think carefully before going into this dangerous water. First of all, by doing that, publisher has an incentive to hold back a certain portion of the game, and treat it as a post release DLC. That means the one who buys a legal copy does not have full experience.
Secondly, I don't know how they are going to do this. Modded Xbox360 will get banned from Xbox LIVE, means that those pirates couldn't have access to DLC even if they want to buy one.

The only logical reason that this can be successfully implemented is by providing a FREE DLCs for those who buy a legitimate copy of the game. Pirates gets an incentive for buying a legal copy, the ones who aren't pirates can still enjoy the benefit.
Read more...

Sony limits PSN content use on PS3

Most of you may already read that Sony will change its terms of service to limit the use of purchased PSN content on PS3.
Here is the list of what change according to Qj.net:

• After purchases, the content may be used in 3 activated PS3. 
• Network content, can only be accessed by one activated PS3 a day, and through the account that the content purchased from. Network content cannot be used on two different PS3 within a 24 hour period.
• Local content once installed on your PS3 by the account that purchased it, can be accessed with other account on the same PS3.

While this will definitely means that we can no longer share the PSN network, turns out there is additional explanation. 
According to updated info from PS3blog.net,

• The activation from five to three is a typo error. It is still 5, not 3. But one content can only be downloaded per day using the same account.
  
• Network content while it is true as above, turns out it is more to movie rentals since it is only available on limited amount of time.
• In game content or purchased movie content, this should be considered a local content, which can still be shared though 5 activated PS3.

I guess there is nothing to worry about.Will update if there is more info.

Read more...

iphone games offer extra life via purchases

This is interesting. A popular parachute games selling through Apple's app store a extension of 5 extra life as a DLC.
Player starts with original 5 lives with the game, and can unlock extra life if reaches 50, 150, 300, 500 and 1000. Each for every milestone.
However, the lazy and have money to spare can buy 5 extra lives for 99 cents so the game will start at a default 10 lives.
While this transaction isn't exactly new, it is however different in implementation. A lot of online game play depends on micro transaction as a source of income. It provides an alternative for less hardcore gamers a short cut, by paying for a better equipment, items to progress or compete better without so much investing in gameplay time.
Source: Kotaku

Read more...

Downloadable Content, a glass half empty or half full?

There were a lot of debate about Downloadable Content (DLC) going on in gamers community. DLC is a content that can be download usually with a price to add an extension of the existing game. Usually it can be added story chapters, additional characters, and other bonus such as costumes, weapons, etc.
Half empty:
Games are not cheap. Having spent around $60 for it, it is expected that the game should provide full package.
Instead with DLC, it feels that the masterpiece is not yet complete. Plus some people see it as a way for developers to "milk" the current game and an effort to take some money from gamers. And how about offline players that don't have access to internet? They will be secluded from the content, means that they will never enjoy the experience even if they want it to.
Half Full:
At the other hand, it is true that games is expensive, but so does the development cost. Development cost of a game nowadays is a lot more than used to be. If fact, it is couple millions of dollars more. So developer needs the game to sell well and having good return. One of the strategy is to release DLC to make additional income and to extend life to its game and minimize used game resale.
So if you are looking a glass half full. It is better to have DLC than not at all. At least the choice is yours whether to buy it or not.

Some people might like DLC, but developer needs to be aware to what DLC to offer. It doesn't make sense if the story doesn't sum up at the end of the game. DLC should serve as a bonus for additional experience, not to cut whatever that should have been in there.

Read more...

DLC, online multiplayer, it is a trend and it benefits all.

Digital era sure change how games are made nowadays, and it is a trend that most games has DLC and online multiplayer.
So what could be the reason?
Internet nowadays made things easier. Developers can release a download post launching, whether to fix some bugs or to add more contents to their games.
DLC and online multiplayer however, sometimes released by developers not just for adding more experience to gamers or more logical reason.. more money.
Its a strategy for consumer to hold on to their games and not to resell it.
Used games is always a headache for developers. A lot of people play a new release game for few days and sell it while the price is still good, thus reducing sales and profit. By giving additional DLC, and multiplayer, developers hoped to give a life extension to the game and reduce resell.
An example is Eidos giving a free DLC to its Batman: Arkham Asylum free of charge. While it wouldn't give any profit to Eidos, at least they can compensate into more sold copies.
Indirectly, by giving DLC and multiplayer, players forced to log in into the internet and help reduce piracy since modded console definetely banned from online play.
So what's in it for gamers? Some hated it for paid DLC, but there are lots of free stuffs as well. At least we are given something extra for our games and it certainly won't hurt having online multiplayer.
Read more...

PSN content sharing explained

Do you know that you can actually share your content with others? If you don't, read on.
First thing, I do not whatsoever encourage content sharing, because somebody will find it wrong, or your account may get hacked, etc. 
Back to the topic. Sony allows users to activate 5 PS3s to share downloaded content. One of the reason is to enable user to still play their content on the replacement machine while his PS3 is under repair.
However, allowing this feature enable people to share the content with each other when they purchased a content. Simply log in into your existing account on the PS3 that you wish to activate and download the content that has been purchased. The list link is on the top right side when you enter PS store marked "View Download".
Note that it only activates 5 PS3s. The system is unique to console ID not the profile.

An example:
Person A bought a game on PSN store using his account, then let B,C,D,E login using A's account and download the game and split the cost.
Tomorrow person A bought another game, but since B doesn't like the game, he refused to participate. Person A finds a replacement which is F, and agree to split it among C,D,E,F.
Can F play the game? Answer is no, because for account A, 5 PS3s has been activated (A,B,C,D,E). So you can't activate another PS3 unless you deactivate one of those five.
And once you deactivate, all the content that has previously downloaded using A's account will no longer work.
You can deactivate in user management on the XMB.
Read more...

PSN Region Indonesia available on October 2nd!!

For those who live in Indonesia, we know that we never get support from principal when it comes to gaming. With Sony Indonesia's own PS3 and PSPgo launching is fast approaching, things finally change. The launching event will be held at Mal Kelapa Gading 3 on 1st October. And according to unconfirmed yet reliable info, part of the program is the introduction of PSN Region Indonesia available starting October 2nd!

I was a bit of skeptical when I heard Sony is going to launch PSPgo.With no UMD, PSPgo can only play downloadable games. And since Indonesia never had a PSN backbone, I left wondering how people will get access to buy games. To add matter worse, Indonesian credit card cannot be used in other PSN region.
I'm sure glad Sony has at least prepare a solution, that is Indonesia very own PSN region. Indonesian can use their credit card to buy digital content of the Playstation store (games, addons, theme, wallpaper) not just for PSPgo, but for PS3 slim as well. For someone that doesn't have a credit card or hesitate to use it, Sony center will sell a prepaid card that serve as a top up to your playstation account and you can then use it to buy stuffs at PSN store. 

Please take a note that Indonesian region is included in Region 3. For more details please read some explanation regarding regions and alternative solution in buying DLC (Downloadable content).
Read more...

Tips n tricks: Alternative way to buy PSN DLC

Some of you may have no problems in buying a content from Playstation store. But some who living in countries that are not supported by Sony, have to find a alternative way. Myself for example, who live in Jakarta, my credit card cannot be used to register to Playstation store, maybe because we have a high rate of credit card fraud.

Firstly, some facts. Playstation store and games are divided by regions.
There are four regions:
1. Region 1 - US
2. Region 2 - UK
3. Region 3 - Asia
4. Region 4 - Australia & NZ

Since PS3 is region free, you can play any games from different region. However, you have to take a note that content is linked to your games region. Example: if you buy a content from Playstation store US (region 1), your content will not work if your game is different region (not region 1). So be careful, always plan which region you going to buy and match it with your playstation store which you are planning for future purchase.

Ways to buy DLC:

1. Credit card. It is the straight forward way. If you are living in countries that have Sony's PS3 support, eg: US, Singapore, you can use your credit card. Or you can ask your relatives who is living in that particular country help by using their credit cards. But it is a sensitive issue.

2. PSN cards. It is like a vouchers to shop in PS store. PSN cards have their own region, so you must check which cards is right for your region. PSN cards have different denomination ($10, $20).  Some retailers imported PSN cards but carry a lot of premium.

3. Entropay. Entropay is a services that lets you make a virtual credit cards to be used in country like US, UK. So basically it is a bridge for you to buy online content without having an american/ european credit card. You link it to your local credit card and transfer certain amount to Entropay virtual credit card and register it to your Playstation store account. However, you have to pay 5% fee for every amount that you transfer to Entropay. 

Currently I use entropay to buy DLC's from US playstation store. It is the cheapest way beside credit card, easy to use and US PS store is the most updated and complete of all other PS store.

Hope you find it useful.
Read more...