Cost of new dynamic PS3 themes outweighs profits
- Posted September 8th, 2009 at 19:15 EDT by Adam Dolge
- 83 Comments
One of the biggest additions with the PlayStation 3’s firmware 3.0 is the new Dynamic Themes, a feature many of our readers have voiced concern over, mostly regarding its price point. One of the first developers to showcase the new themes, Q Games, which also helped create the new system, says it will likely not make any money by developing these new themes.
“Sony Computer Entertainment wanted to spice up the background a bit and static pictures just didn’t cut the mustard,” wrote Q-Games head Dylan Cuthbert on the PlayStation Blog. “So we collaborated with them to make a system where developers can display what they want and animate and move them around. This definitely adds a little life to the PS3’s background so be sure to try it out.”
Comments in his post echoed many comments in our articles about the new Dynamic Theme – many users feel $3 USD is a rip-off.
“Remember that we’ll be lucky to sell even a few thousand themes, and so the cost of developing the theme (3-4 weeks of coder/artist time, checking, testing, etc.) will still far exceed any money we make from it,” he wrote.
We certainly support the new Dynamic Themes, but we also agree with our readers that $3 feels a bit pricey. It’s a bit disheartening to learn those who develop these themes cannot make money off of them, even though they have a modest price tag attached. We look forward to seeing what others come up with for these new themes, and hope sometime soon the price will drop. We’d love to see a couple free themes thrown in for good measure.
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AaronSOLDIER |
AaronSOLDIER- 2:19pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 4
People are becoming cheap skates! *runs*
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jakster123x
- 2:20pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 6
yeah saw this on PS blog as an answer to everyone's negative comments
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neoxthexone
- 2:21pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 7
@5
Where have you been? Living under a rock? :D
There's still no sign of any themes here the only dynamic theme I've got is the Afrika theme.
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iSHENANIGANS
- 2:22pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 8
i'm thinking......... a theme where 2 girls make out in the background, whose with me?
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wonders1982
- 2:22pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 9
I understand the need to charge for them but i'm sure if they dropped the price a bit they'd sell more and make more money at the same time.
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Kubo_Larry
- 2:29pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 11
A honestly dont think that animated themes cost much. I'm actually surprised they've put price tag on a theme. Is it possible to get it free on the internet, and then install it on my ps3? Paying for a THEME is ROBBERY. Almost the same BS capcom did with resident evil 5.
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PSX_Legend
- 2:33pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 13
I only would pay for a dynamic theme if is really detailed and not just some sackboy runing on a stupid globe.
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lordAlucard |
sympozium_666- 2:40pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 14
To hades with these dynamic themes, weres the visualisations and the recent lack of offical themes is really poor
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snooper71
- 2:47pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 17
http://dream.wincustomize.com/DeskScapes.aspx
If it's as easy to convert a video file into a .ps3theme dynamic background (whatever extension file name it uses) as it is for deskscapes to do it for Windows, I don't see how it can be so expensive.
1-Have an app made for it in SDK's (or made otherwise available to artists)
2-Make a perfect looping video from existing CGI or made from game assests
3-Run the app to convert video into dynamic them
4-VOILA!!!!!!
I think the "it's expensive" and "no profits" are lines to calm down the spoiled souls who believe they should get everything for free.
I also believe that if SONY themselves doesn't, someone, somewhere in the very near future will come up with an open source app to create your very own dynamic themes. You can quote me on this!
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neoxthexone
- 2:47pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 18
@16
This is what they mean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eYAF9VPgKw -
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EddieDZ
- 2:51pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 20
If it takes 3-4 weeks to develop a dynamic theme then i understand setting a price on it, but why in the world does it take almost a month to make a dynamic theme when some users would create themes in just a matter of hours, im sure dynamic themes dont take much longer, seriously! its just a damn animated background, thats the ONLY thing that has changed, its not like the ICONs are animated too. as bad as i want them i still refuse to buy any until i see them drop the price to at least $1.99
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esham976
- 3:01pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 21
well i'm sorry there not gonna make any money off the new themes but theres no way in heII i'm paying 3bucks for a theme that dose nothing other than moves for a few seconds the recycles to do the samething over agian. and of all the new style themes the afrika one from japan is the best one. (my opinion)
so i'll just keep my eye out for the freebies and if don't any show up i guess i'll keep the zebras working until i'm sick of looking at them. but i'm not paying 3bucks a dynamic theme. i buy enough stuff home and the psn store i should get free dynamic themes.
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GunTeng
- 3:05pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 22
$3 is nothing for a good dynamic theme.
Personally, I have no issue spending £3 on a theme that grabs me....the Afrika theme as an example. The LBP theme is another question since its just not that detailed in movements (thats my preference) although I love LBP.
If the theme is well made, it will sell to the fans of that game and even people who are not fans of that game. Just do not limit themes to games....remember the fishtank one on PC? Something like that would do well....open you minds guys & start creating...they will sell, even non-game related for those families that invested in a PS3.
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RiveraE512
- 3:15pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 24
Personally I think I stay well informed of PS3 news and have heard little about these new premium themes which seem awesome. Drop the price point to 2.99 (may sound odd but why did itunes usee 99 cents for so long?) and run a little more vigurous ad campaign maybe a few free themes avaliable or trials like some software. Also, start working with publishers to possibly subsidize some of it or pass on some work to come out with games, it would take some of the burn off the 59.99 pricetag of most new games. Moving themes are a very attractive feature and personally 3.00 isnt terrible but understandable when you think of the mild effect it will have.
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jopaco
- 3:25pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 26
The dynamic themes are very kool, but i only see myself buying just 1 theme. And that one theme would hav to have some really kool animation. I would more likely use the $3 in buying a PSN game.
What would be really kool is if i could take a clip from a video file i have on my ps3 and loop it as the wallpaper.
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airhead190
- 3:31pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 30
how can you think going from 3 dollars to dollars makes it soo much better to buy? if you dont wanna buy it shut up and let the developers learn their lesson and make better themes.
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Petra_Kalbrain1
- 3:48pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 33
Aaaaaawwwwww......... poor coders......... quit tugging at my heart strings Dylan Cuthbert. You are making me want to go buy the themes just to help you guys out of your financial predicament.
YA RIGHT!!! Nice try pal. I don't care what spews from your mouth "head" of Q-Games. I paid $3 for the LBP dynamic theme and I DO feel ripped off. Business sense would tell you that at $3 you may only sell a few thousand, but at $1.50 you'd probably sell a million! $3000 or $1.5 million? Which is the bigger number you twit?!?!?
Look at the HOME virtual item numbers. At $0.50 I'm certain that they sell TONS of stuff and make a killing!
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BillMalibu
- 3:49pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 34
The new original design really sucks. I hope nobody got paid designing it. Can't comfortably read my screen (upper right corner) because of this dumb design. Usability D-
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HUCKELPUUF
- 3:49pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 35
omg nooooo!
i want dynamic themes ! THERE AWSOME O !
:O
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marksman25
- 3:52pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 36
The price for a dynamic theme is a problem. There needs to be free themes released to get people interested in them to start with and then when people start to get to like them then they can start to charge for the more popular ones like COD:MW2 & KZ2.
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Liicence
- 4:09pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 39
They would make more money if they sold them for $1 each because then ALOT more people would buy them
Also sony should force the developers to create a theme and at least two avatars that you get when you buy a game, that is unlocked when you put in the disc
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coverton341
- 4:11pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 40
I agree that the $3 price point is a bit steep, but what bothers me even more than this is the sense of entitlement some people seem to have.
"i buy enough stuff home and the psn store i should get free dynamic themes."
I am not deliberately trying to single you out here, I am using your words to emphasise my point. "I SHOULD get freee dynamic themes"? Really? You buying things from home and the PSN begets free themes? And it isn't only the author of this quote that feels that way it is many many people and it reaches other avenues of life as well.
The idea that "I went to their concert no I deserve all their music for free." style of thinking is going to do nothing but bad things to our entertainment outlets. Do you think that if everyone decides they deserve free things just because they bought something else the developers are going to deliver it because they feel you are entitled as well?
I believe moreover that developers will stop altogether because let's face it we all live in a highly capitalistic world now whether you like it or not and what is the point of making something if it is all out of pocket and you get absolutely nothing in return? How much money do you spend with the sole intention of someone else getting enjoyment out of it and expect nothing in return?
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Navick
- 4:32pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 43
Do any of you even realize that the regular premium themes cost $1.99? Would it make sense to introduce new animated themes for the same price as a regular theme? If it is too expensive then don't buy it... Stick with paying $1.99 for your regular premium themes. I honestly don't understand what all the fuss is about when they just introduced better themes for only a buck more.....
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Nicholes
- 4:38pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 45
yogosan
"if they released the software to me (us) i would/could make dynamics themes, for free, iv been making them for the best part of 3 years now, just give out the software, make some use of the 3.0 update after it fvcked up all my old themes"
"just give me the theme maker and ill make some thats the way it should be done, but from what i heard you do need a DevKit to make theme if its not true then release it to the public. Im still waiting for my porno background."
QFMFT!!!!
Release the theme maker and all he11 will break loose! Imagine 5000 animated themes, or even better yet.. 10,000+++++
Car themes, movie themes, game themes, porn themes, nature themes, you name it.. it will be made.
The quality would be supurb, just like the regular themes that are already available.
Sony listen to your god! (Me) and release the themes maker I COMMAND YOU!
lol seriously it would be great if they did
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DarkVincent07
- 4:48pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 46
there has got to be some free ones, so peopel can see what these new themes are all about before just spending money on something they dont know
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Ocelot1987
- 5:01pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 47
I say can the idea because if they aren't making a profit at $3 it ain't worth trying.
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Tha_Last_Romeo
- 5:04pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 48
I bet if they we're $0.50 - $1.00 each... they would sell faster then anything else!
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starblinky01
- 5:09pm EDT - September 8th, 2009
- 50
thats because they were the ones who created the dynamic themes. they made the very first one. So obviously it would take them a long time to test it and everything. I think their next one will only take a week to make.
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