Sony will no longer sell full digital game download codes to retailers. (PSN Cards between $10-$100 still sold)

[AR Starts]

via Wario 64


https://twitter.com/Wario64/status/1109211277975416832


"GameStop stores just got a memo saying that Sony will no longer provide full game digital download codes to retailers (not just GameStop) starting April 1st. Digital games will only be available straight from PSN after that date. Add-on content/PSN $ cards will still be available"
"Here is the full text outlining these changes (Sony full game digital codes at retail)"

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[ILikeFeet]

wonder if this is a lead up to PS5?

 

[Sim]

Fewer ways for brick and mortars to bridge the gap between physical and digital customers. That's rough.

 

[Man God]

I guess they feel that digital store adoption is high enough that it's worth it to cut out retailers.

 

[NSA]

To be fair I never saw the point of these as they were almost always 100% full price.

I guess gifts or something? Can you gift games on PSN now?

Still, the removal of choice is never a good thing.

 

[Senor Spielbergo]

Is this good or bad?

 

[Deleted member 1041]

didn't steam just come out and say that 90% of the ways customers pay is through digital code cards? Such an anti-consumer thing for sony to do.

 

[Toumari]

I didn't realise that was a thing to be honest. Maybe a US only thing?

 

[Zonic]

Clearly, the decision was made due to announcing on the 25th as part of the State of Play, they'll finally add gifting to PSN.

Should be stated that add-on content & PSN currency cards will still be sold.

 

[darkside]

These always seemed pointless to me. They were always full price even for stuff on sale, there wasn't ever any reason to buy these over PSN cards

 

[Geode]

Wow, I wonder if this affects Green Man Gaming? I got some good deals from them before.

 

[Potterson]

I didn't even know people buy digital version in retail shops oO

 

[Windu]

did these cards ever have good deals? I always saw them at full price.

 

[魑魅魍魎]

Such a bad move. I hope this doesn't include amazon. Probably does. Yeah arrogant sony is making a comeback.

 

[chobel]

Arrogant Sony is back.

 

[Strangelove_77]

I thought they were pointless anyways mostly because they were never on sale while PSN has constant sales.
You have better luck getting discounted PSN cards than actual discounted store bought digital games.

 

[2shd]

Is this good or bad?

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What would be good about removing a purchasing avenue for people?

 

[AlexFlame116]

At least at the moment it's only full game digital codes. Though Sony should really give us the option to gift games now as some sort of tiny compensation.

 

[Deleted member 41931]

Doesn't really effect me, but still a bit lame. Also want to point out people people said Sony wasn't responsible for us losing BBGCU and Amazon 20% discount even though they(and Rockstar) were exclusively not letting their games be preordered and magically went up once the 20% dissapeared. Sony does nothing but benefit from killing off retailers, particurally Gamestop since they have their own storefront to push.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

I didn't realise that was a thing to be honest. Maybe a US only thing?

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Download cards exist in most major regions.

 

[CloseTalker]

I personally never really saw the use for this, but I guess taking away a way of buying a game is obnoxious for those who did do it

 

[darkside]

Such a bad move. I usually buy the digital games through amazon as I would never trust Sony with my credit info again and psn cards are such a hassle.

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On the flip side all PSN card skus guaranteed to be at the top of the Amazon best sellers from now till eternity

 

[The Last One]

Such a bad move. I hope this doesn't include amazon. Probably does. Yeah arrogant sony is making a comeback.

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Then you just have to buy PSN credits code through Amazon.

 

[Man God]

These always seemed pointless to me. They were always full price even for stuff on sale, there wasn't ever any reason to buy these over PSN cards

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You could buy the game outright for store credit.

You could buy someone else a digital copy of the game.

PSN cards don't even come in the 60 dollar denomination, let alone a demomnination that might include a digital sales tax.

 

[carlsojo]

Makes sense. I have no idea why you'd go to a brick and mortar store to purchase a digital game anyway (vs. a physical game) unless you had trade-ins. I used to just trade in my stuff for PSN cards anyway.

 

[Mercenary09]

I don't see this as a big deal unless you are buying it to give to someone. In that case just give them the currency to buy it themselves on the console until Sony adds a way to do gifts.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

well... if they sell PSN $ codes then that should be enough, right?

 

[Dougieflesh]

At least PSN money cards are still available.

 

[Deleted member 43]

Yeah, this sucks.

 

[Senor Spielbergo]

I don't see this as a big deal unless you are buying it to give to someone. In that case just give them the currency to buy it themselves on the console until Sony adds a way to do gifts.

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Can you gift games via the console itself? That would be even easier.

 

[twisted heart]

Always see them at the store but the only one that looked like it sold was the yearly CoD one the other ones would just stay there till they got replaced with new ones for newer games.

 

[Vanillalite]

I don't like taking choice away from people.

That being said it's not like they took digital cards away. Just per game cards. You can still buy PSN bux.

Feels like a good move in that Sony isn't wasting space on specific game cards. Rather they can just sell the digital currency at physical stores instead.

 

[Link Gray]

I think they're gonna add online gifting or something in place of this soon

 

[Splader]

These were a great option to have imo.
Especially if you had gift cards for the specific retailers, or store credit, or just general store promotions.

Really sucks that they're taking them away.

 

[darkside]

Can you gift games via the console itself? That would be even easier.

Click to shrink...

No you can't... feel like this move only makes sense if its something they're (finally) going to do

 

[alr1ght]

I never even knew this was a thing.

I wonder what this means for GMG. https://www.greenmangaming.com/consoles/ps4/

 

[Jaded Alyx]

PSN is easily the worst of all platforms (eg. eShop, Steam, Uplay, Origin, etc) I've used for buying games, and this just makes it even worse.

 

[Shoichi]

So they are cutting out the middle man with this (Amazon, Gamestop, etc.) . You buy from PSN through payment method or get the physical if it exists.

Those PSN cards will likely skyrocket up the rankings.

 

[spad3]

That makes sense. It's too much of a hassle to print individual game codes for every single game when the PSN $ codes do the exact same job.

 

[AR Starts]

Epic Games Store is coming to PS4 in April.

Spoiler

Not a great move by Sony. These digital codes would often show up cheaper via online retailers.

 

[Arulan]

So much for (already limited) price competition. As these closed-platforms inch closer to making their online stores the only way to purchase games, it'll only get worse for customers.

 

[Aeroucn]

didn't steam just come out and say that 90% of the ways customers pay is through digital code cards? Such an anti-consumer thing for sony to do.

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This is just for full game codes it says they'll keep selling psn cards.

 

[魑魅魍魎]

Then you just have to buy PSN credits code through Amazon.

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It's a hassle least for me. If the game is 21 dollars I have to buy a 10 dollar and 20 dollar psn code which results in me paying more than I would want. I might hold off on digital purchases on psn

 

[Somnia]

Makes sense. I have no idea why you'd go to a brick and mortar store to purchase a digital game anyway (vs. a physical game) unless you had trade-ins. I used to just trade in my stuff for PSN cards anyway.

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What about places like Green Man Gaming who actually had deals on these codes? They are most likely done now too.

 

[Kyougar]

Epic driving the competition even into console space

/s

 

[Deleted member 1041]

It's a hassle least for me. If the game is 21 dollars I have to buy a 10 dollar and 20 dollar psn code which results in me paying more than I would want. I might hold off on digital purchases on psn

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Oh I didnt think of that part...that really sucks.

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

I didn't realise that was a thing to be honest. Maybe a US only thing?

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It's a thing in Australia

 

[ry-dog]

This is some epic store levels of shit, locking out retailers and legitimate key sellers from your store is scummy as hell. Especially because that store will eventually be the only place to buy PlayStation games

 

[wikitoups]

This is definitely because of grey market sites.

 

[darkside]

So they are cutting out the middle man with this (Amazon, Gamestop, etc.) . You buy from PSN through payment method or get the physical.

Those PSN cards will likely skyrocket up the rankings.

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/2019/videogames

It's kind of like this everywhere. I think it sucks to take away options but I can't imagine this was actually that popular if they decided to get rid of it.