Sony Distributes Free PSP Games Based on Age

[Tom Goldman]

Sony Distributes Free PSP Games Based on Age

Sony's latest free PSPgo game giveaway is slightly marred by the lack of consumer choice.

When it was first revealed that Sony was Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98470-Buy-a-Go-Get-a-Game] were the giveaways this time, but Joystiq has discovered that the promotion comes with age-restricting rules.

New PSPgo purchasers will not be given a choice between the two games. Instead, Sony will be providing a code to download one of the two based on the age of the new PSPgo owner. If you're 17 or older, you're stuck with Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, even if you hate action games and love platformers such as LittleBigPlanet PSP.

SCEA writes: "The game sent to consumers is determined by age, once the user creates/logs into their PlayStation Network account." I get wanting to make sure that those under 17 do not get their hands on the brain-altering Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, but not the forcing of it upon people that might want to have fun with a Sackboy instead.

LittleBigPlanet PSP would probably be my choice here, as the PlayStation 3 version is the bee's knees. However, I would get totally screwed if I bought a PSPgo, because I have the unfortunate condition of being older than 17 Earth years. Well, not really totally screwed, but at the least Sony should give those 17 and older a choice between the two games, though the younger can understandably be stuck with LittleBigPlanet. While I'm not one to complain about a free game giveaway, the age restrictions put on this one might upset a few people rather than please them, because we all know how people are.

Source: Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/26/age-determines-psp-go-free-game-option/]


Permalink

 

[Jared]

By...age? Intresting choice, I have to say lol

 

[WrongSprite]

To be honest, it's free, so you can't complain. Beats nothing.

 

[Kollega]

The idiots want to take back Sony's marketing department, it seems. Who will lay a final claim to it, i don't know. More at nine.

 

[AWAR]

Well, welcome to the real world people.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

Well, looks like we have the choice between an above average game, and a below average game.

Calumon: It doesn't matter how old you are! Let's all Play! Yay!

 

[DarkSaber]

Nothing wrong with blocking underaged people from getting Screed, a very good move in fact, but they really should let grown ups choose between the 2.

 

[SaintWaldo]

I can actually think of several reasons why it's like this, the main one being that the PSN doesn't really have an interface to choose only one in an offer like this. Since it's tied to logging into PSN and not registering and getting a code at their website, I assume the game just shows up on the list of purchased items. There's currently no scheme that I've seen in the PSStore to pop-up an offer choice like this. This campaign might be some devs stalking horse to justify one...

A user seems to be simply giving up the ability to choose the game in trade for the convenience of not having to sign up on a website, pick the game, get the code from email, and type it in. Some folks will see this as a reasonable trade-off. Some won't. I don't see it as weird either way, just an indication that the PSStore interface needs some polish.

If it really bothers you, and you actually have a new PSPGo, I think you could make a new account of the age required for the game you want to play. Or a sub-account of your main.

 

[GhostPhantasm]

i was considering getting a psp go when i heard about this but.. SCREW THAT I WANT TO BUILD THINGS

 

[FoolKiller]

Once again Sony manages to find a way to make the wrong choice.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

While this is very interesting as an offer i already have a PSP and am quite happy with it..so this has no effect on me.

OT: What happened to free choice? I think if you have two games available you should be able to choose instead getting one based upon age because even thought most of the people under 15 will want to play Bloodlines anyway cause of their never-ending quest for blood

 

[Ghostshot08]

It isn't too complicated to create a second account where you're under the age bar. It just helps ill informed parents from allowing the kids access to mature content. Personally, I like seeing a company taking some sort of moral stand.

 

[Treblaine]

Wouldn't say this for SOny in general or even PSP in general but it seems the PSPGo is like the opposite of the midas touch; everything it touches turns to shit.

The WORST part about this policy is how it undermines the idea that LittleBigPlanet is not "just a kids game" but a game for all ages. It also undermines parents choice, it is the parent who can decide whether someone under 17 can play a game which is technically rated over 17.

I don't know who in Sony came up with and is running the PSP-Go department but they need to get bashed with the ban-hammer.

 

[Roander]

Now, now. If Sony exec's say you'd rather have Assassin's Creed than Little Big Planet then you'd rather have Assassin's Creed than Little Big Planet. You may think you want Little Big Planet but you're wrong. Just like you were wrong when you said you care about backwards compatibility. After all, they've [probably] done market research. That's much more accurate than listening to people.

 

[auronvi]

Considering that Assassin's Creed for PSP is a terrible game. I would lie and make myself under 17 for the game. lol

 

[fix-the-spade]

I'm going to throw this out there, it's just a thought.

The head of Playstation division is really a spy, a spy under the employ of Nintendo, who are taking a slow, exacting revenge on Sony in retaliation for the PS1 and 2 daring to usurp Nintendo's crown.


Just a thought, it's the only reason I can think of that would explain how every PR thrust by Sony has some small, but vital detail attached that instantly ruins whatever it was Sony was trying to achieve in the first place.
No real, genuine executives can be as stupid as Sony's have been since 2006, can they?

 

[Cyberjester]

I don't have a PSP Go, but I live in Aus with our dodgy as data plans. Steam is hard enough to maintain, let alone setting up wireless net good enough to get games across to a PSP.

So doesn't and never will affect me.

Although I can't see why you'd complain. Assassins Creed is fun, LBG is fun. For the very limited system they have there, it's pretty good. And for such a skinflint company, getting a free game is pretty good.