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Point number 1: Firstly, bro, I never mentioned the buy and sell section or the second hand game market. Secondly, the brand-new prices did go down, my friend. When I first got my PS3 (October 2007) the average price of a game at Datablitz (for non-Filipinos, the local equivalent of GameStop) cost around Php 3,100.00 to 3,300.00 (that is what I paid for both NBA 2K8 and Oblivion: GotY edition, respectively - both Region 1). If you convert that into USD (at an exchange rate of Php 46 = $1) that comes to $67 to $71 per new game. If a game store charged that much for a new game nowadays, they'd go out of business, because a brand new R1 game usually costs around Php 2,500.00 in cash ($54).
Case in point: I got an American (region 1) copy of Red Dead Redemption for just Php 2,100.00 yesterday ($46); you may say that the cost differential is because the authentic copy (might possibly be) printed in China, but who comissions said disc printing anyway? It's the publisher, Take 2! EA Singapore is actively sponsoring pre-order programs, and sell all of their brand new games for $46. You don't get publisher support like that if you don't have sales volume.
Point number 2 in particular: I totally agree. I admitted as much in the article that I did not WANT to change, at first (as I said, I was actually considering picking up a 360 precisely because it would allow me to continue my thieving ways). But because my choice of a PS3 FORCED me to buy original games, I saw the value that going legit provides (in terms of supporting the developers who make them). When you combine that with the incentives the publishers provide for supporting them (friendlier pricing, etc.), it's not too hard to see that buying original games is the correct thing to do. Although we are in the minority (local 360 fans are, of course, still legion), more and more people come around to our point of view every day, and I'm happy just being a part of the movement.
Hope you'll accept my points of view as well, Doy. Thanks for the feedback, sir! :-)"
Now the only thing that remains for Sony to do is launch a Philippine-specific version of PSN that we can pay for in local currency. You hear me, Sony? You'll make MILLIONS, I'm telling you! :-)
@ Nicholas: Ugh. It must be rough when the gaming community just plays Counter-Strike and Defense of the Ancients. A massive subculture for those games exists over here as well, but the console gaming community is by and large much stronger.
@ Antonio: Yeah, emulation of older stuff is a gray area for most gamers, and isn't frowned upon nearly as much as playing torrents of the latest releases. If you suddenly get the itch to play Marvel VS. Capcom, it's not like you're going out to run out and buy an arcade machine (especially since the majority of Dreamcasts remaining in the world have probably worn out their lasers). :-)
@ Karlo: Yeah, the option still remains, I guess. But when the next wave of consoles launches in the middle of this next decade, Microsoft will probably incorporate Blu-Ray or a similar technology to lock the door on that option as well."
@ Nathan: Good job, bro - that was a fun read!"