PlayStation Network Card

PlayStation Network Cards (or Tickets) are prepaid cards used to buy PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable contents in the online PlayStation Stores. These PSN Cards (or Tickets) allow PlayStation Network users to fund their online "wallet" in order to purchase content without a credit card or e-money.

PlayStation Store

Many downloads on the PlayStation Store are free, but for premium content such as full version PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation classic games and some types of downloadable content to further the experience of a full fledged title, PlayStation Network Cards must be purchased and redeemed to download a particular piece of content.

Each bought content's remains available in the PSN user's PlayStation Store "Download List" under the form of a license for a later re-download or copy into 5 different PlayStation 3 due to copyright restrictions. PSN Card money cannot be transferred from a user account to another one, including on the same machine.

PSN Card regions

Each card can be used within its local PlayStation Store only. For example, a Japanese PSN Card cannot be used to buy contents in the United States PlayStation Store.

Japan

PlayStation Network Card/Ticket service was first introduced in Japan as an alternative to Japan-only's Edy e-money system and to the credit card solution. Japanese PSN Tickets are available through electronic kiosks at 26,000 convenience stores, including Lawson, Family Mart, Daily Yamazaki, Ministop and Sunkus. There are also 26,000 post office ATMs for use to pay for the cards, although registration is required first via a special mobile website. Four ticket models are available from 1.000 to 10.000 Yen.

North America

SCEA originally announced that the cards would be available in Spring 2008. The cards have been limited to Meijer stores and select military bases [ [http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/06/13/north-american-psn-cards-available-now-at-meijer/ North American PSN cards now available at Meijer, PS3Fanboy] ] . As of September 2008, PlayStation Network Cards are available at Blockbuster, Rite-Aid, and 7-Eleven stores across the United States. [ [http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/About/pscard PLAYSTATION® Network Card, Sony] ] Starting in October 2008 the cards will be available at Walmart, Best Buy and select Sam’s Club outlets, also available at Barnes & Noble College Bookstores locations in November 2008. [ [http://kotaku.com/5055377/psn-cards-hit-walmart-best-buy-sams-club-and-some--barnes--nobles PSN Cards Hit Walmart, Best Buy, Sams Club and Some Barnes & Nobles, Kotaku] ] PlayStation Network Cards are availble in $20 and $50 denominations.

PAL areas

The network cards are not available in PAL standard regions (Europe, Australasia, Middle East, etc.) where credit card remains the only way to buy PlayStation Store contents. However as with North America, in PlayStation 3 firmware update 2.0, the option was made available from the Transaction Management menu. "Tickets" code system is replaced by an upcoming feature known as "Promotion Code".

ee also

*PlayStation Store
*Microsoft Points
*Wii Points

References

External links

* [http://www.jp.playstation.com/ps3/psn/psct/t_charge.html PlayStation 3 PSN Card official website, Japan]
* [http://www.playstation.co.kr/ps3/ps3_cardshop_buy_01.sce PlayStation 3 PSN Card official website, Korea]
* [http://asia.playstation.com/eng_sg/index.php?q=topup_instruction PlayStation 3 PSN Card official website, Hong Kong]
* [http://asia.playstation.com/tch_tw/index.php?q=playstation_network_card PlayStation 3 PSN Card official website, Taiwan]
* [http://asia.playstation.com/eng_sg/index.php?q=playstation_network_card PlayStation 3 PSN Card official website, Singapore]