Sony to sell downloadable games via Amazon.com
Sony’s game division said today it is offering access codes for more than 200 games for sale on Amazon.com’s online video game store.
Gamers will be able to buy the codes on Amazon.com and then use them to download games from the PlayStation Network to their PlayStation game consoles or PlayStation Portable and PSPgo handhelds. The PSPgo has its own online retail site for downloadable games, since the new handheld, which went on sale Oct. 1, plays only downloadable games.
More than 200 games and items of game-related content are now available on the Amazon.com Video Game Store. The titles include some of the most popular games on the network, including Flower, Pain, PixelJunk Eden, Wipeout Pure and Twisted Metal: Head-On.
Sony will try to make its new games, which debut on the PlayStation Network, available to Amazon.com as soon as it can, said Eric Lempel, director of network operations for Sony Computer Entertainment America. Sony has to hand over game assets and other material, which means some delay is likely.
It’s important to get games up on the network on a timely basis, since so many used games are sold these days that there isn’t as much of a “long tail” for games (a long tail refers to healthy sales of older and obscure titles because they’re easily found online). But Lempel said there is a better long tail for the digital download games, in part because Amazon.com can offer promotions for the games, such as bonus digital material.
Lempel said the deal broadens the reach of PSN games since consumers trust Amazon.com. Those who might not want to input their credit card info using the PS 3 might be very comfortable buying something similar from Amazon.com. Amazon.com can also market to specific customers, offering them deals on the games they like, because it knows their past history of purchases.
Sony’s gamers have downloaded more than 600 million pieces of content — from videos to games — to date. Microsoft launched sales of game codes via Amazon.com in April, and Nintendo followed.
Beyond buying the games for themselves, gamers can also buy games and gift them to others by transferring the codes after purchase. Between the PSP and PS 3, the PlayStation Network has more than 29 million registered accounts worldwide.
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About the Author, Dean Takahashi
Dean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.
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