Xperia Play Users Must Repurchase Network Content

If you've been keeping up with the news, you've probably heard this already, but we figured we'd give y'all a chance to discuss it.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play will be ready to go next month, and it's designed to appeal to PlayStation fans. It'll ship with game content, an available library of 50 titles (including games from the classic PS1 series), and a whole lot of other nifty features. Users will be able to log into the PlayStation Store (functionality to arrive later in the year) but unfortunately, if you've already been accumulating PSN content over the past few years, you won't be able to use it. That content won't transfer over; Sony Ericsson managing director Nathan Vautier told GameSpot UK that everything will have to be bought fresh for the Xperia Play:

"[Xperia Play owners] will have to repurchase the games, so it's not totally integrated. I think the exciting thing is that there are games which people are very, very aware of."

Well, this is a phone first and foremost; it isn't the NGP. But how might this be interpreted by the PlayStation loyalists? Will they care enough to pass on the phone? Or do they simply want it for, you know, phone purposes?

Tags: ps phone, playstation phone, xperia play, psn, network

2/14/2011 9:22:39 PM Ben Dutka

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Comments (53 posts)

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Mamills
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 9:42:22 PM
Reply

lol, they really need to take a cue from valve.
i mean i have an iphone and im definitely not getting this. but cmon repurchase games u already own?

umm no thank you.

Last edited by Mamills on 2/14/2011 9:42:56 PM

12 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:23:42 PM

This is why digital content can't be trusted.

19 up, 0 down

Alienange
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:51:57 PM

You said it WorldEnds

10 up, 0 down

Cesar_ser_4
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 4:52:07 AM

hehe world you sound like its a conspiracy...which it totally is but it just sounds funny

4 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 11:23:27 AM

I'm always spouting conspiracies here, but they usually center around the xbox ;)

4 up, 0 down

GuernicaReborn
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 9:53:53 PM
Reply

If they designed it to appeal to playstation fans, you'd think they would do something for people who have already purchased content on PSN. What about PS+ members? Is that integrated or will there be a MobilePlus subscription we have to buy too? I wasn't thrilled about buying games twice when I bought some PS1 games on PSN. No way in hell I'll pay for em three times.

Idk, this kinda turns me off of the whole thing. I think I'll keep my old phone and get an NGP instead.

5 up, 0 down

Kangasfwa
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:09:30 PM
Reply

Android is ready to play... for a price

4 up, 0 down

FatherSun
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:54:29 PM

Android is ready to play. But they didn't say it would play nice.

3 up, 0 down

PasteNuggs
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:12:02 PM
Reply

This seem like an odd thing for Sony to do. Is there any specific reason as to why they won't let you do it? Besides, you know, to make money.

2 up, 0 down

Highlander
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:43:50 PM

network security. Android is an open system that is pretty much designed to let people do whatever they want. PSN is a closed, proprietary network that depends absolutely on transaction security. Unlike the PS3 and NGP, there's no real effective way to ensure that an Xperia Play hasn't been compromised when it accesses PSN. Considering that the hacker population seems to be particularly annoyed with Sony (mostly because Sony succeeded in updating the PS3 in a way that broke all homebrew and custom firmware past 3.55), I would imagine that Sony is rightly concerned about PSN and network security in general. Not to mention the fact that Sony has no control over what devices are running Android, and other than their certification program for official firmware handsets, they have no way to enforce particular hardware/software standards on devices accessing PlayStation Suite content. So PSN access from Xperia is unlikely to happen until SOny can find a way to protect PSN from the potential dangers of Android devices. And before anyone dismisses that, I must remind you all that Android phones were among the USB smart devices used to jailbreak the PS3.

9 up, 0 down

PasteNuggs
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:46:49 PM

Ahh ic, well with your sound reasoning I have one thing to say. F*ck all hackers.

4 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:35:34 PM

I am completely disgusted with these hackers, especially the one Sony took to court. Geohot or whatever his alias is. The kind of people who are supporting that douche is mind blowing. I really hope Sony win their case and nails that kid to the wall.

What is it about these hackers and their God complex?

6 up, 1 down

AcHiLLiA
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 1:38:19 PM

I can think of one thing, they want attention and that will lead to- someday they will get caught and bring to justice.

2 up, 0 down

Milonakis
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:13:37 PM
Reply

Doesn't bother me as all i have is ffVII, ffVIII, and twisted metal 2 so whatever. I'm still psyched about this phone

1 up, 1 down

Karosso
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:15:46 PM
Reply

I don't have that many PSN content anyways but, this sounds quite greedy to me... kind of turns me off.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:18:09 PM
Reply

Well, screw that.

2 up, 0 down

RebelJD
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:25:37 PM
Reply

Well this just dropped off my "Want List". I'm not going to repurchase all the content I've collected from the PSN. The only incentive of having the Xperia PLAY was that it was Playstation Certified. If you'll be able to access the PSN Store then you should have been able to access YOUR download history.

What a shame but laughable now. My smartphone purchase will evidently be a different and more competent phone next month...and it won't be the Xperia PLAY.

0 up, 0 down

Wrote
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:33:06 PM
Reply

im pretty sure this is because of how open android is. the psn would be hacked and the trick would be all over, sony would be pissed, thats why this is happening. luckilly I dont havery much psn content, just ff7 and pixeljunk monsters. also I probably wont be getting this phone. maybe a psphone 2 thats got better specs... im on verizon but there new iphone and this psphone cant sway me from physical keyboards, I just cant deal wit texting on just a touch screen. so ill stick wit a phone wit keys and that ngp once they remodel it once or twice.

it'd be nice to see original content on this xperia play, like stuff thats not on psn, psp and only for the play.... I wonder if they'll make an xperia station... u know so it'll be like play-station, I thot it was funny. also why would they undershoots the specs so bad? its got a single core 1ghz processer, there's pletny of phones like that already out, and even then angry birds lags on them, I wanna know how this thing will deal wit psp games.. its not even out yet and its obsolete.

3 up, 0 down

Highlander
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:44:15 PM

Bingo - security it is - I agree.

2 up, 0 down

Excelsior1
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:40:24 PM
Reply

when i first heard of this phone i was kind of interested, but the more i hear about it the less i'm feeling it. in fact it just feels a llittle weirf now. can't put my finger on it..

0 up, 0 down

playSTATION
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 10:50:35 PM
Reply

i have owned ps1, ps2, ps3, psp, sony walkman fones, sony cybershots, sony vcr, sony mp3 player, sony car mp3 player BUT THIS IS ONE SONY PRODUCT I AINT BUYING.
ps1 graphics? i can do that on my ps3. rebuy all my psn content? wow not evn.
sorry Sony. i think i shall stick with my android galaxy s.

1 up, 0 down

Alienange
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:00:34 PM
Reply

So what the hell are we saying? It's for security reasons? That would mean we wouldn't ACTUALLY be accessing the PSN we currently know to get our new Xperia content. We would be accessing some different PSN for our Xperia games? I mean PAYING for the games a second time doesn't make them more secure. Wouldn't we still be accessing PSN with our Android device? How does disallowing us to download what we've already purchased make things more secure?

Sorry. Doesn't make sense. It's a simple matter of a username and password as far as the user is concerned. You telling me Sony can't link the two together on their servers without causing a major security risk? Please. This is nothing but a flagrant rip off.

4 up, 1 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:11:00 PM

It's the bizarro PSN and the bizarro Playstation Store.

3 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 12:43:20 AM

Alienage,

I really do understand the frustration, I have over a dozen PS1 games I wanted to transfer to the Xperia Play. But the problem is that these days security goes far, far beyond simple username and password/passcode. It has to because there are so many exploitable attacks on user names and passwords. Android devices are so far outside Sony control, that Sony really can't guarantee the network if those potentially rogue devices are allowed to connect. So, yes I get the frustration, but I also get the need for security on PSN.

3 up, 1 down

Cesar_ser_4
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 5:01:26 AM

@highlander, does this mean that sony might open a ps store exclusively for android devices? which would explain why youd have to rebuy your psn content all over...

0 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 9:38:50 AM

Yep, from what I've read, that sounds like their plan. PlayStation Suite will have a separate retail system from PSN and is essentially Sony/Ericsson operating as a separate company, buying PS content from SCE and then publishing it via their own cross platform application store. Remember that PlayStation suite is a cross platform initiative, so it's not just Android phones that the business and security model has to cope with. Ultimately it's any device that can run the PlayStation suite virtual PlayStation environment. Since that implies next to no control over the devices that ultimately connect to the PlayStation Suite game/app store, it's really, really unlikely that Sony Computer Entertainment would expose PSN to that level of risk.

2 up, 0 down

main_event05
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:24:54 PM
Reply

Better safe than sorry. Maybe down the line when they get better security they'll allow for retro-active downloads and refund those who re-buy.

3 up, 0 down

FatherSun
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:40:22 PM

Optimum optimism.

I hope you are right. I have almost 100 games on my PSN account. Id love to have access to them.

2 up, 0 down

main_event05
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 12:25:05 AM

I have faith in Sony. They always end up doing the right thing even if they start a little rocky. I kinda understand why Sony and Apple are so strict with their devices, and unfortunately a few bad apples spoil the bunch,and said companies have a lot to lose to hackers.

And 85+ games from the PSN? wow..

Last edited by main_event05 on 2/15/2011 12:28:55 AM

3 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 12:44:16 AM

I'm hoping that they allow the phone to receive games via a PS3 much like the PSP does, so the phone never has to touch PSN.

3 up, 0 down

main_event05
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 12:53:34 AM

And Highlander steps in and blows the problem right out of the water.

Congratz

1 up, 0 down

Lord carlos
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:36:06 PM
Reply

if i get the phone i'll just buy stuff i dont all ready own,playing sf4 or a new mortal kombat with real controls instead of a poxy touchscreen sounds very appealing.
Hopefully the NGP will allow you to redownload pre purchased conten(which it will)and i'll use my psp for umd based media.
Kinda need a new phone as my current one is james bond's phone from casino royale :P

0 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:48:20 PM

I don't see why the NGP wouldn't allow for that. I can access the PSN content I bought from my PS3 on my PSP.

2 up, 1 down

Lord carlos
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 9:26:16 AM

The NGP is a sony computer entertainment device so full psn access is a no brainer really but with xperia play its from a different division of SONY(sony ericsson)so their department heads are gonna want to make as much moolah as possible.I doubt if it will even access the same psn store/and use a totally different id system than the one we use for PS3/PSP.

0 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 10:04:55 AM

NGP, just like the PSP is a PlayStation device intended for use within the PlayStation Network, just like PS3 and PSP. PlayStation Suite - PSS (which is what Kaz announced) is a software initiative to bring PlayStation games (PS1 games and new PSS game software) to non Sony, non PlayStation devices. PSS is separate from PSN. SCE is not about to allow third party devices to access PSN.

1 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:36:45 PM
Reply

Hmm..well this is a swift kick in the nads by Sony to their loyal customers. Not a good way to get loyalist to get on board with their new phone. I'm not interested in it anyway but if I was this would certainly make me think twice about getting it.

0 up, 0 down

FatherSun
Monday, February 14, 2011 @ 11:49:17 PM
Reply

I am definitely still getting this phone. If I am not happy with it I will pass it on. I will only purchase games that I wouldn't play anywhere else.

Not having access to my PSN content will limit my recommendation of this phone to others. I guess for those who do not have a PSN account they won't miss what they don't have but it's still a negative. Hope they find a secure way to allow this feature somehow.

If Sony really wishes to widen the PSN then this would have been an ideal way. Some who get the phone may look into purchasing a PS3 if they knew they could access the games from there as well. And the NGP.

0 up, 0 down

___________
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 1:15:52 AM
Reply

typical sony!
remember folks, that stuff you bought you do now own...... your just renting it!
;)

2 up, 3 down

Underdog15
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 8:26:58 AM

Not quite. But nice try. And if this story does turn out to be as true as we are all assuming, it's hardly typical of Sony.

Last edited by Underdog15 on 2/15/2011 8:27:53 AM

1 up, 2 down

Highlander
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 10:00:18 AM

Misleading and untrue, as ever Mr Cowherd.

You own everything you purchased for your PS3/PSP through PSN. Even if it was 'free' through PlayStation Plus, you still own it as long as you have PlayStation Plus service. The stuff you actually paid money for through PlayStation Plus is yours to own whether you continue membership or not. Even if you lapse your PlayStation Plus membership, all that PlayStation Plus exclusive content you got for free is waiting right there for you, as soon as you re-subscribe to the service. Nothing is lost.

All of that PSN content was purchased for your PS3 and/or PSP, not the Xperia Play phone. So to say that having to re-purchase PS1 games specifically formatted for the PlayStation Suite on the Xperia Play phone somehow means that you're only renting the content you bought on PSN is ridiculous. Xperia Play isn't a PSN device, it's not even a purely Sony device. Xperia Play is a Sony/Ericsson device. The simple fact is that PlayStation Suite is a cross platform initiative that is essentially device agnostic, it's not about PlayStation devices or PlayStation Network. It's about bringing PlayStation to other devices and services. None of what happens with PlayStation Suite relates to PSN at all. The two are completely separate initiatives. PSN is pure Sony, PlayStation Suite is not.

This really shouldn't be a huge surprise, it's annoying, but not that big of a surprise.

2 up, 2 down

___________
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 @ 7:07:32 AM

no im serious im really starting to get sick of sony treating their fans like a bank!
ps3 accessories for example, the move sharpshooter in the US is 40 bucks so can you please explain to me why its 80 here?
last time i checked 40 USD is not 80 USD.
actually, its the other way around the AUD is worth slightly more than the USD ATM so if anything the US should be paying more not us!
not to mention the special editions to there games, look at the KZ3 hig edition and the crysis 2 nanosuit edition.
the nanosuit edition comes with heaps more kit, AND a backpack sculpted to look like a nanosuit AND its 50 bucks cheaper!
sony are just blatantly ripping their fans off!
never thought id say this, but when it comes to price gouging there worse than MS!

0 up, 0 down

Cesar_ser_4
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 4:55:11 AM
Reply

they better not do this with the ngp...

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 8:28:38 AM

I don't think they will. They have full control over the NGP, whereas the phone has 3rd party elements that limit Sony's ability to keep it all secure.

1 up, 0 down

oONewcloudOo
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 6:21:22 AM
Reply

they might aswell cancel the phone its such an epic fail there doing everything wrong

3 up, 1 down

Karosso
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 7:25:08 AM
Reply

I was so going to take a look at it and change my aging iPhone for it but, with this news, screw that.
Any Playstation user who buys into this crap is going to be disappointed. So let's say I won a PSP and the Xpariah and decide I want to have a PS1 classic game and want to play it on my phone and sometimes on my PSP, you telling me I have to buy it twice? Is anyone retarded enough to fall for this crap? Sony disappoints me for the first time this generation :(

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 8:34:31 AM
Reply

I strongly believe we haven't heard the end of this. I'm quite positive Sony will find a way to make this so. Over the last two generations, Sony has been top notch on customer service and quality assurance. This would be the only true "gouge" experience I can remember.

However, that being said, if it turns out to be 100% true, rest assured I won't be getting the phone. I'm a huge Sony fan, but not a blind follower. I still need quality assurance to stay loyal to Sony. But their reputation is what has made me a fan. Based on experience with gaming hardware and other technology, I'm fairly confident they'll find a way to remedy this dilema. But until they do, it's not a buy for me.

Last edited by Underdog15 on 2/15/2011 8:35:21 AM

4 up, 0 down

gumbi
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 9:24:10 AM
Reply

I can understand and appreciate the need take security measures... but forcing us to re-purchase content? really Sony?

There needs to be an alternative. If I could connect the phone to my PS3 and transfer games much like I do with my PSP, then I'd still be a happy camper.

2 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 9:43:33 AM

I still think that may work for PS1 games. But, the other PlayStation Suite content? Probably not.

The thing is, they might have to package the PS1 games in a specific format for the PlayStation Suite to run them. They are already repackaged for PSN, you aren't simply downloading ISOs of the game discs. I can't imagine it would be too hard to come up with a transfer application to let a PS3 transfer the PS1 games downloaded from PSN to an Xperia Play Phone. Perhaps that could be one of the distinguishing features of the Xperia Play, an ability to connect to and sync PS1 games with a PS3? Who knows, but I do think this is an area that Sony needs to look at because as I said above, I have about $100 of PS1 games downloaded from PSN already, and although I'd love to have them on an Xperia Play phone, I won't be happy to re-purchase them.

4 up, 0 down

Simcoe
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 11:31:21 AM

Sounds as if the PS1 and PSP titles have to be converted over to be able to run on Playstation certified devices, otherwise there'd be more than 50 titles available at launch. Work has been put into converting these titles, so they have to recoup their costs somehow. No one expects when they buy LBP or ModNation Racers for their PS3, they get the PSP version free. Also, while I'm not aware of them listing any prices for these titles, but I'm sure they'll be quite reasonable and competitive compared to other games found on mobile devices.

0 up, 0 down

DjEezzy
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 1:13:42 PM
Reply

Sounds pretty bunk to me. Oh well... What can you do?

0 up, 0 down

Quincho
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 1:27:31 PM
Reply

all I can say is AAAaaaawwwww... I wanted to play Fat princes on day one...

0 up, 0 down

SubjectiveTruth
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 5:03:52 PM
Reply

**FACEPALM**

0 up, 0 down

StangMan80
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 7:16:06 PM
Reply

It should allow you to transfer the stuff you already paid for!
I am going to use it as a phone, because I don't have a cell phone yet and being a phone that plays PS games and is for PS fans. It's sold to me. I will use it for gaming, buy some PS1 classics for it :)
This Phone is like a dream come true, just minus the part when I was transferring all my Content I already paid for on it...

I still think something like the NGP and perform all the things the "PS phone" offers. now that is something I would pay a lot of money for. I was expecting something like that...

0 up, 0 down

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