Regarding digital games on multiple systems

[No]

Even though the site is more focused on retail/boxed games, there's something that I'm stumped on regarding downloadable games on multiple systems.

It is getting problematic on the PSN section of the site where games are on PS3, PSP and PS Vita. A game might be on all 3, a game might be PS3 and PS Vita as a cross buy (e.g. Pinball Arcade, Alien Breed, Retro City Rampage) so you get both versions no matter what, a game that is PS3/PSP/PS Vita only and a game that is PSP/PS Vita compatible. There is also the get PS3 disc/download and get the free downloadable Vita version method (e.g. PlayStation All-Stars, Sly Cooper), in Sly's case the Vita version has 5 different versions depending on languages like the old days/retail. It doesn't help that many games have the same name as previous games (e.g. Ridge Racer, Everybody's Golf, Gran Turismo to name a few) and causes confusion like Ridge Racer (PSP) works on both the PSP and PS Vita but Ridge Racer (PS Vita) only works on the Vita.

Luckily though for Sony, they do have a naming system (that have been adding in but a few that I couldn't due to have been removed from the service e.g. GTI Club unless people still have their email purchases from PSN from 2006 to November 2012) regarding PSN* but maybe a system variation option would be lovely e.g. some of the SNK Neo Geo games where there is a PSP/PS Vita version released at a later date and a PS3 version slightly earlier [I have been trying to add a variation regarding a couple but it says that the variation is already there on the system] and unlike the Ridge Racer example above, it is the same game just with a different code and different playing console.

I imagine that it will get worse once Nintendo's Virtual Console gets into full swing on the Wii U and currently everything is either in Virtual Console/WiiWare or eShop (3DS/Wii U). If Virtual Console gets seperated from WiiWare, then it would get confusing regarding Wii, Wii U, 3DS, same thing regarding the eShop for the latter two. It is much easier for Microsoft to have a section since at the moment, they only have 1 console but with the increase of Windows phones and Windows 8 using Xbox Live and the future console, it will end up having the same scenario.

So what would be the best option regarding this?

*Here are the codes out of curiousity (at least Europe wise, I think it is U for US and J for Japan but not sure):
PCSF (PS Vita 1st Party) [same as retail]
PCSB (PS Vita 3rd Party) [same as retail]
NPEA (PSN 1st Party)
NPEB (PSN 3rd Party)
NPEC (reserved for PS2 Classics - 1st party?)
NPED (PS2 Classics - 3rd party)
NPEE (PS1 Classics - 1st party)
NPEF (PS1 Classics - 1st party)
NPEG (reserved for PSP 1st party?)
NPEH (PSP 3rd Party - at least at later games, most seem to use the ULES retail code...)
NPEJ (PS3 - Blu-ray Digital Download) [some use the NPEB code though]
NPEZ (Minis)
BCES (PS3 1st party - very rare for a downloadable game, usually it is for blu-ray discs and DLC but Uncharted 3: Game of the Year Edition uses this code)

[techwizard]

i'm not sure about all the different psn subsets you mentioned like the minis and classic titles, but my suggestion to staff for the problem of the same store on different consoles (for psn at least) is to just use the same psn name for each with the console name in brackets.

for example:
Sony Playstation Network (PS3)
Sony Playstation Network (PSP)
Sony Playstation Network (PSVita)
Sony Playstation Network (multiple consoles)

[Shadow Kisuragi]

It's interesting you bring this up:
First - where are you getting the Product Codes? Do those appear on the PlayStation Network page?
Second - Do you think we should split up the PSN section into the separate sections, or do you think we should just use the Variation Title/Title Name to separate them?

[Izret101]

Given that they are all in the same marketplace and are hardly differentiated to consumers(or so it seems) as it is shouldn't a variation title that states which system(s) that dload works for suffice?

[Shadow Kisuragi]

The problem with Variation Titles is that it's meant to separate titles that are meant to be the exact same. In this case, they're titles for different console support, which means they should likely have the Title Name edited. ModNation Racers (PS Vita) and ModNation Racers (PS3) aren't the same game by far.

[Izret101]

Looking at your Modnation Racers example.
The PSP game page has a download that says works for PSP and Vita.

The Vita page says nothing about the dload being backwards compatible(probably because a Vita owner doesn't care what would work on old technology?)

The PS3 page is only for the PS3 version.

Technically since PSN is a "console" in the database these multi system releases are variants.

Just one more reason to move Digital Distribution into its own searchable/trackable database instead of trying to force it to work with standard console releases?

[Shadow Kisuragi]

That fixes the delineation how?

[Tynstar]

Or since it is a downloaded game you really dont own it so why bother tracking it

[Sirgin]

Or since it is a downloaded game you really dont own it so why bother tracking it

/thread!

[Shadow Kisuragi]

I own the license, don't I? ...yeah, forgot that can be taken away by 1st party too.

[techwizard]

i have to point out that we have xbox live arcade, games on demand, and indie games. why is xbox special, especially when those are all used for the same physical console?

[Shadow Kisuragi]

...it's not. The old folks can't understand the concept of owning something you can't hold.

[Tynstar]

...it's not. The old folks can't understand the concept of owning something you can't hold.

Xbox has nothing to do with it. Downloaded games are just long term rentals nothing more. So you guys will have to come up with somethingbetterthen "old guy". I have lots of XBLA games but I don't feel they are worth tracking is all.

[Izret101]

i have to point out that we have xbox live arcade, games on demand, and indie games. why is xbox special, especially when those are all used for the same physical console?

It is special because we were able to find ways to track them since the market places are separate.

If you want PSN or Nintendo Shop to be special figure out a way to segment the shops that everyone will understand. 360 just happens to have all their marketplaces already separated in a somewhat sensible fashion.

But like you said they are all for the same PHYSICAL CONSOLE which is another reason why i think digital games should be split into a digital DB. A distribution platform is not the same thing as a console.

Digital people would still be able to track digital releases (unfortunately myself included) and not have to worry about it mucking up the physical release side of the DB.

[No]

Yeah, I had a hunch that this would cause some problems with the database and opinions whether DL games have any ownership at all (people do play on Steam games quite a lot these days and most recent PC games on discs use Steam anyway). If it causes problems, then a seperate DB might have to be made but that would mean 4162+ games would have to be moved.

It's interesting you bring this up:
First - where are you getting the Product Codes? Do those appear on the PlayStation Network page?
Second - Do you think we should split up the PSN section into the separate sections, or do you think we should just use the Variation Title/Title Name to separate them?

I'm getting the product codes from the Sony Entertainment Network site, they list them in the url of the game page (the end of the url seems to be the filename, many of them are zeroes or just say base). E.g. https://store.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/#!/en-gb/games/dead-or-alive-5/cid=EP4108-NPEB01129_00-DOA5HDDBOOT01000 https://store.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/#!/en-gb/games/metal-gear-solid-hd-collection-ps-vita/cid=EP0101-PCSB00118_00-MGSHDVITA0000000 (might not work since SEN detects your region.)

As for the second question, I don't really know what's best.