An Email To Sony About UMD-to-Vita

[email protected]

Dear Playstation Public Relations,

I am emailing to inform you that I am extremely disappointed with the announced plans in Japan for UMD-to-Vita conversion. The games I have purchased for my PlayStation Portable are Rock Band Unplugged, Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. Currently, none of those titles are part of the PSP to Vita UMD Passport list, and the entire catalogs of Square Enix and Konami are absent. This feature is a meaningful part of purchasing a PlayStation Vita to me, and these games being absent will affect my purchasing decision.

Furthermore, even if these products are added, the lack of a proper transfer pricing structure in the Japanese version of this process is almost outrageous. As a consumer, I perceive the difference between prices simply to be in relation to demand for the game. I originally perceived the UMD-to-Vita conversions to be a form of customer service and appreciation, not a new pricing structure lumped onto a luxury device. Each game should carry a flat rate that covers bandwidth costs and even some profit, but I believe these discrepancies are unfair. Even if the titles I desire are added to the list, a higher price point will prove prohibitive, as I would rather buy new titles than pay a high convenience price.

The PlayStation Vita is certainly a product that interests me; between Persona 4 The Golden, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Lord of Arcana, there are a fair number of titles I would purchase given ownership of the Vita. However, none of these are games that make me want to own the handheld specifically to play them. A proper application of this UMD-to-Vita service by SCEA would certainly ease my concerns about the product. Hopefully, others send in similar emails or are satisfied with the device.

Thank you for your time,

Alex Lovendahl

Nerf’d Video Game Podcast

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/nerfd/id418753910