Sony: Consumers more likely to buy if a game is both digital AND boxed

Platform holder Sony claims the growing appetite for digital content is helping grow the sales of ‘full console’ games.

The format-holder releases some games on PSN and at retail on the same day to make them as accessible as possible”.

The world is changing at a rapid rate and the appetite for digital content is growing equally fast,” SCEE’s new release manager Robert Walker told MCV.

We feel that the best thing to do is allow the gamers to decide how and where they purchase their content. To make that happen, it is our job to make our content as accessible as possible, whether that is at retail or via digital delivery.

The more accessible content is, the more likely consumers are to purchase it.”

His comments come as Sony America announces a ‘PS3 Ultimate Deals’ promotion, which offers full game downloads for a lower price when bought with extra DLC. Standard PSN users can receive 30 per cent off the overall price, while paying PSN Plus subscribers save 50 per cent overall.

It’s the first time downloadable PS3 games have been priced much lower than their full RRPs, which are usually 49.99. For example, inFamous 2 and its DLC has been cut to $23.79.

Walker added: How [this space] evolves over time is very difficult to predict.

But what we can say is that as a business, we take this area very seriously, and have to make sure that weare constantly monitoring both technological advancements, as well as consumer demands.”