SteamDB
steamdb.info

Looks like Arrowhead might be moving forward with PSN despite “internal discussions”.

    • @mycodesucksEnglish
      32•6 months ago

      No, it makes sense to not release AT ALL in those areas if you knew from the beginning they were going to lose the ability to play. This is indefensible.

      • RubberDuckEnglish
        6•6 months ago

        PSN was optional for PC titles till a few days ago. Then Sony made a policy change requiring it.

        So arrowhead even if they wanted to require it could have just made it optional for countries without psn. But since the policy change… Nope.

        I still see them using that work around though… I just wonder how they will deal with the refund request from all the EU users locked out of their products after the fact… cause this will be a thing.

        • @mycodesucksEnglish
          4•6 months ago

          It seems like it has been listed as a requirement on the store page since launch, although Steam’s age check breaks the wayback machine. If it’s true, that means they knew this was coming. They still allowed it to be sold, probably maliciously in the intent of building out a player base to improve the buzz of the game early, and making a few bucks with the intent of then hoping the affected users would be too few to make a stink when the change was made. The bigger player base at the start allowed the game to build a following in a way that would’ve been harder with a release limited to PSN countries.

          Every single thing points to this being an intentional, nasty, anti-consumer decision. Best case scenario the angry customers would’ve been few and it wouldn’t have mattered, worst case scenario would be exactly what’s happening now, but this was factored in. Most customers will just create a PSN account and continue playing, and let’s say refunds go to 90% of the players in non-PSN countries and 10% of PSN country players demand refunds in solidarity… The remaining 90% of PSN country players + the 10% of non-PSN country players that are leaving their money behind is likely still more money than they would’ve had if they had launched it with the PSN requirement enforced. Regardless of how this shakes out, Sony is going to come out the other end of this with more money than they would have had by limiting it from the start - not everyone is going to request a refund… and those that don’t? That’s free money for Sony they never would’ve had.

          Is it POSSIBLE it’s just a tone-deaf decision they didn’t think through completely? Sure. Do I think it’s likely, given the size of the company and the way modern big game companies squeeze and manipulate customers with a callousness bordering on disdain? I wouldn’t put my money on it.

          • RubberDuckEnglish
            4•6 months ago

            Yeah…

            They have altered the deal, we should pray they don’t alter it any further.

        • @mycodesucksEnglish
          5•6 months ago

          I don’t know about that. It’s too good for them. They gained a LOT by this. Refunds don’t mean anything to them - even in the worst case scenario they’re still not paying back as much as they made. They made out from this decision. I think they know exactly what they’re doing.

          • @[email protected]English
            2•6 months ago

            Eh lawsuits cost and they maybe issued fines besides having to pay back. In EU they could even become liable to Damages in some sense.