Jailbreak Clones Hit $10

   PS3 Jailbreak clones are being dumped into the market and they're $10 in bulk. That's cheaper than I thought they'd reach since my last price update but as of last night, the prices of the Atmel-based Jailbreak clones reached $10 if you buy in quantities of 200 pieces and up. The updated prices look like this:

Qty         Price
50pcs      US$15/pc
100pcs    US$12/pc
200pcs    US$10/pc

   In another week, I wouldn't be surprised if the biggest discount is $7.50 for 200+ pieces. This is what I would call a market in flux because the price is dropping so quickly from week to week. Eventually, the Jailbreak clones will reach a stable market price which I would assume is $5. From the original Jailbreak price of $160 to $5 in about a month. Is that a highly efficient market pricing mechanism or what?

Sony to Unlicensed Controllers: F.U.

   You know that knockoff PS3 controller from Hong Kong that you bought for $10? The one with the fake Playstation logo and the rubbery d-pad? Thanks to Sony's recent firmware update to v3.50, that PS3 knockoff controller has been rendered obsolete. It won't work and the Playstation 3 won't recognize it as a controller. Sony's official word:

"SCEA does not support continued functionality of counterfeit or unlicensed controllers in system software updates and these devices may cease to function in the future because of system software updates."

   I normally support Sony but this is a nutty move. Locking out unlicensed controllers makes sense from a business perspective in that it forces consumers to purchase officially licensed controllers which Sony earns revenue and licensing revenue from to fill the corporate coffers. However, from a common sense standpoint, it creates a lot of pissed off customers who're going to be flooding Sony's customer help line with complaints that their knockoff controllers no longer work. That's a nightmare scenario for their phone staff as well as their online support staff who have to answer the same question from a few thousand people.

Pirates Smack Down Capcom's PC SSFIV plans

   It's easy to pirate on the PC. EASY. Of course, I've never done it but I have friends who do that shit. My neighbors pirate too. My cousin does it but I don't do it. I'm in the industry by way of my employer so I see first-hand how piracy affects software sales and our livelihood. 

   It's easy to pirate on the PC so it's no big surprise that Capcom has scrapped its plans to release Super Street Fighter IV on computers. Sales for the original Street Fighter IV on PC were good but Capcom reckons they could've been so much better if it wasn't for torrents, Rapidshare, newsgroups, and binsearch allowing anyone to leech the game and play without paying a damn dime. That sort of thing got in Capcom's craw. Sort of like how Jailbreak is busting on Sony's craw. So, what is the consequence of all that PC SFIV piracy? NO PC SSIV FOR YOU. Dismissed. 

Sony requests dismissal of Other OS suit

   Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) is calling for the dismissal of a lawsuit filed in April pertaining to the removal of the "Other OS" function from the Playstation 3 firmware. David Verner, the plaintiff, filed the suit arguing that Sony deceived PS3 customers when the Linux operating system or "Other OS" functionality was removed from the console with the firmware 3.21 update.

   Playstation 3 consoles with firmware 3.15 are still capable of "Other OS" functionality. I'm guessing that Sony's going to have their way with the dismissal. Ultimately, they're in control of the product that they sell and they have the right to patch/upgrade the firmware to mold and shape the way their product operates. I remember thinking to myself, "WTF are they doing?" when I read about Sony's "Other OS" plans. There was a Linux Kit for the PS2 that included a hard drive which sold relatively well and there was a dedicated fan base but what was the business sense of adding the capability of running Linux on the PS3? Remember, I'm looking at it from a business perspective. Not a hobbyist's perspective. I can understand the hobbyist's perspective perfectly but from a business standpoint, it made zero sense.

   Maybe Sony can do a Steve Jobs and text David Verner with, "Please leave us alone" and call it a day.

Playstation Network Down for Maintenance

   The PSN is down today from 11AM to 8PM EST for maintenance. Until the network is back again, here's a listing of what's new on the PSN for this week:

PSone Imports
Cho Aniki ($5.99)
Gaia Seed ($5.99)

Game Demos (free)
Blade Kitten Demo
Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue Demo
DJ Hero 2 Demo

Add-on Game Content
EyePet – Farm Animals DLC ($2.99)
Clash of the Titans – Zeus Challenge Quest Pack ($1.99)
Sonic Adventure DX Upgrade ($4.99)

   I already have the PS1 Cho Aniki game but for the hell of it, I'm going to download the file from the PSN for $5.99. The full listing of this week's PSN updates may be viewed on the following link: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/09/20/playstation-store-update-157/

The Road to DL

   The NPD Group issued a press release earlier today that basically reiterated what everyone in the industry already knew. More people are purchasing their PC games and downloading them rather than buying physical product from a shop. Salient quotation from the press release:

http://www.npd.com/corpServlet?nextpage=press-releases_s.html
"During the first six months of 2010 (Jan.-June), 11.2 million PC Game full-game digital downloads were purchased online compared to 8.2 million physical units purchased at retail during the same period."

   This trend will only continue. I wrote a opinion titled, "The Future of Gamestop is Blockbuster" a few months ago which outlined how Gamestop was doomed to the same fate as Blockbuster Video. It is inevitable that any bricks 'n mortar software supplier is doomed because the business model favors direct downloads. Why shlep to a shopping mall to buy a PC game when you can buy it and download it within the span of an hour or thereabouts? It's a very convenient and fast proposition for the consumer. When you shlep to a shop, there's no guarantee that the game you're looking for is in stock. A download is always available online and a vendor can sell a million copies and never worry about keeping inventory on hand.

   Console games are still at least a two or three years away from following in the same footsteps as the PC software market but the domination of console software downloads is inevitable. Of course, there'll always be consumers who prefer the physical product and there will always be a market for physical product but the primary revenue driver for publishers in the next few years will be in direct downloads.