Listen Up: PSPgo app store games had better be cheap, or else

Speaking on the Listen Up podcast, David Ellis, Garnett Lee and chief of media company WhatTheyPlay John Davison have been discussing the effect the PSPgo - and, moreover, its digital game distribution - will have on the pricing expectations of players.

Using the iPhone and App Store as a reference point (quite reasonably, I might add) the general concensus was that Sony and its developers should prepare themselves for a similar reaction.

"Ninety-nine cents is like popping two quarters into an arcade machine… I'll check this game out," says Ellis.

"Yeah, even if I'll only play a couple of times, whatever, it's only 99 cents. But once you get to $10 it's a noticeable hit on your credit card," agrees Davison.

Indeed, the speed at which the App Store's pricing model settled on the 59p bottom tier was something of a surprise to all, and any games aiming for the £5.99 mark are required to be quite spectacular.

While this doesn't automatically translate to gamers' expectations of the cost of a boxed retail game, it's perfectly reasonable to predict they'll quickly feel the same way about other digitally distributed media.

Even if the PSPgo commands double, or treble the pricing sweet spot of the iPhone, it's still a massive difference from the £20 - £40 price tag the PSP has previously enjoyed.

On top of this, the iPhone has conditioned users to expect a vast choice of downloadable media, which, judging by the lack of interest shown in the DSi's limited downloadble catalogue, will translate immediately to the PSP app store.

Let's just hope Sony is prepared to join the budget gaming fraternity, as it seems highly unlikely that it'll be in a position to cause a complete about-face on the trend laid down by the iPhone.