Red Faction: Armageddon. PlayStation Store. The Worst Decision Ever.
Red Faction: Armageddon is available on the PlayStation Store – rejoice! Or not, as it seems NOBODY WANTS YOU TO BUY IT. Read on for one of the most ridiculous decisions of all time. OF ALL TIME.
Digital distribution is the future, of that I have little doubt. The near-instant delivery of affordable games, the ability to own as many as your hard drive can hold without stupid boxes taking up space and the fact that an entire publisher’s back catalogue can be offered anywhere in the world without a shop’s shelf space being an issue all adds up to what is unarguably a Very Good Thing.
Somebody needs to have a word with THQ and/or Sony, though, because someone has missed the point in a thoroughly spectacular fashion. Point your PS3 in the direction of the PlayStation Store. Press the ‘latest’ button. Direct your highlighted selection-o-meter towards the Red Faction: Armageddon-shaped box. Pray for Mojo.
See that number? That one that says £57.99? FIFTY SEVEN POUNDS AND NINETY NINE PENCE. A new-ish game, true, but eight pounds more than the recommended retail price? What in the name of zombie jeebus is going on?
We all laughed derisively in the direction of Mass Effect 2 when its digital release was backed up with a hefty, almost-RRP pricepoint, but this is something else. This is a complete joke. Who in their right mind – in fact, who in their wrong mind would pay that amount of money for a game, regardless of whether it’s good or not?
This is ignoring the fact that I found Armageddon to be… well, thoroughly ignorable. If you take that into account then, excuse my French, but what in the name of all fuckery is THQ and/or Sony playing at?!
It’s such a bizarre and stupid decision that I’ve resorted to using an exclamation mark. That’s how badly I’m taking this.
If publishers continue to make ass-backward decisions like this in relation to the digital download market then they’re not going to succeed in it. I’m not saying it should be 32p to download from day one, but the fact you can get a brand new copy for £19.98 right now and THQ and/or Sony is expecting you to fork out almost three times that much for the privilege of a downloadable copy is… it beggars belief. There are no (more) words.
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Coupled with the fact that they are forgetting an important fact.
Digital downloads, as well as having no production or packaging costs and no 3rd party retailers cut, are Worth less than a physical thing.
A blu ray disc can be used as a coaster, or a mirror. It has a RESELL value. As soon as you download that bit of code, it’s worthless.
Digital copy should, legally and morally, always be less than a physical copy.