Sony is testing different prices for the same games for different users on the PlayStation Store
Signs of personalized pricing have been discovered in the PlayStation Store: Sony is showing different users different prices for the same games.
Signs of personalized pricing have been discovered in the PlayStation Store: Sony is showing different users different prices for the same games.
According to Polygon, it’s not just about different base prices for individual titles, but also about personalized discounts that some users receive instead of standard promotions for everyone. This was noticed while monitoring the PlayStation Store API, where unusual offer structures with test IDs were discovered.
The study mentions 139 games in 68 regions. Among them are major releases from Sony itself, in particular God of War Ragnarök and The Last of Us Part 2. The difference between the offers for users, as it is said, was from 5,3% to 17,9%. So far, it was only about a lower price for individuals, and not about more expensive offers. In the US, such an approach has not been used, according to available observations.
Separately, testing of personalized discounts was also discovered. As an example, Helldivers 2 is cited: part of the audience saw the usual 25% discount, while other users saw 56% for the same game. Such differences, as noted, could have worked for at least three months. Sony did not publicly comment on this information at the time of publication of the material.
This is a sensitive topic for the gaming industry, as digital stores are used to selling new releases at the same price for everyone, unless it’s a seasonal sale. In the case of the PlayStation Store, the principle is different: the price tag can depend not only on the game itself or the date of the promotion, but also on the specific user. Even if such tests now give a part of the audience a better offer, the approach itself has already aroused wariness among players.
The story is also important given Sony’s claims that it’s looking for new ways to monetize its existing PS5 owner base as console sales slow. Personalized pricing and individual discounts could be one such tool, especially in a digital store where profitability is traditionally higher than physical sales.
Previously, dev.ua wrote about how Sony is changing its distribution strategy and returning to a model in which its key single-player games remain only on PlayStation 5, with no releases on PC.
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