The PlayStation Portable was a haven for piracy. While there's no evidence to suggest PSP software would have sold better if the system wasn't hacked to pieces, it can't have helped.
As such, Sony built a number of anti-piracy measures into the PlayStation Vita’s design – and those expensive memory cards are part of the plan.
US Worldwide Studios boss, Scott Rhode, told Gamasutra:
[Piracy] was front and centre in the early specs of this machine. We needed to have something that would combat piracy from day one, and that’s why the cards that you can purchase for the games are in their own proprietary format.
It’s something that we felt was completely necessary to make sure that people could not pirate these games. I mean, it’s a custom security solution on each one of these cartridges. That is something that we are confident will protect us from piracy for the long term.
So when you stump up $100 for a 32GB stick this week, have a grumble at Sony by all means — but make sure you save a curse or two for those people that stole all of their PSP content too.
[source gamasutra.com]
Comments 5
Regardless, the price cannot be justified. It's like punishing the people "loyal" to their products or at least video games in general and don't pirate games because some broke *** gamers can't buy games and prefer to steal it.
Is there some Norton Anti-Virus 2012 security or something going on in those cards? If Nintendo's 3DS is secure and protected from piracy (from the looks of it) and memory cards for the 3DS isn't what secures the 3DS, then I don't understand and cannot fathom why Sony couldn't do the same if not something similar. Having 1GB of flash memory on board in the Vita system would have sufficed for the system's security.
Anyhow, the memory cards are really keeping me from dropping my pesos on the Vita and I hope the pricing comes back to being "realistic". And also because I'm in no rush to get one, too.
@KoMiCtUrTlE I feel their goal is to put a huge barrier between people and the actual format of stored content. It's likely why you can't use a PS Vita as "removable storage" on a computer. 3DS is easily hacked to support pirated games.
Surely he is referring to the cards/cartridges that the games come on, rather than the memory cards.
@BJQ: No he's not
The PSP failed on multiple levels, not "because of piracy" like many different companies squarely put the blame on, rather then themselves (which is often the real issue). Short battery life, no 2nd analog stick, rarely and good games. But no, many companies would rather sell a knowingly inferior product and know customers don't have another choice. I'm not buying a Vita because of the Vita DRM. Sony thinks it's making more money by running their "you don't own the system, you're only permanently renting it from us and we could have you arrested at any time for doing something with it we disagree with" policy, then trying to "alleviate piracy costs" by overcharging legitimate customers with overpriced memory cards, but they're not getting my money.
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