Oh hey look.News that have been bastardised because the Editor decided to put his own opinion on them.

They were on the American PSN store this Tuesday, Jimmy. And yes, they are 49 cents or in a LBP avatar bundle for 1.49 for a few more added in. Also if you look at the official Playstation blog there were more than a few people requesting premium avis. If you look closer in the categories of the avatar selection screen they also have animated avatars in there, so Its safe to assume they'll have those available to purchase as well.

I dont see the problem with providing a service to the consumer, if people want to personalize their online experience further its their money to waste/spend. Microsoft charges for the EXACT same thing on top of their subscription fee, I dont see the point in criticizing a service that has been in practice for years now. You have REALLY been pushing your whole "ZOMG I HAVE SONY BIAS" joke too much lately

i saw them to and thought it was stupid jim, if they moved they might be worth the 50 cents

you must have a serious bug up your ass. people spend money on worse shyt than avatars. cigarettes? liquore? 2 bags of potato chips with 1000 calories? 50 cent jpegs although quite lame, seem to be the least to scream foul about. how about all those collector edition video games that come with some sort of action figure or magazine for you to enjoy which will run you about 20 dollars extra. im sure that doesnt scream geeky fanboy now does it?

Charge...for...those? Why? T_T

50 cents = 1 candy bar for Jim. Jim is mad because he wants a premium avatar but can't refuse his urged to eat.

ZeeJayTL: Where were all you guys when they announced premium avatar clothes for the 360?

Where were YOU? They ran stories bitching about that, too. Just because you didn't read it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

@nightwounds
Seriously? I think you completely missed the point. It's about 1000 miles that way. >>

Anyways 50 cents is technicallly better than Microsoft but still bullshit in the first place.

I can swap my hard drive without voiding the warranty on my PS3, but I can't load a jpeg to use as my avatar? Does the console war run so deep that we can't agree that paying for avatars is stupid and the worst example of the nickel and dime nature that's overtaken most DLC? Does the poor value on Sony transactions (All of Home, avatars, Qore, most of LBP) not matter because you aren't being forced to pay for it? I know I don't see these limp rationale when Microsoft is charging for avatars or their clothes (at far better rates and with far more interesting selection than Home). Can we not at least agree that paying for avatars is the lowest value video game transaction in the industry today, or do we have to fall over ourselves to deflect the fact that Sony's joined Microsoft's disrespectful little party? You claim Jim is biased against Sony (and sometimes Jim, you really do give that impression, intentional or not) but at least I only see one anti-Sony bias, as opposed to the avalanche of Sony apologists that attack every time Sony's under scrutiny.

@Jim Think of it this way Jim, if they didn't charge for them they wouldn't make the premium content seem appealing when they add them in as freebies.

I look at this as a stupidity tax.

@Jim
haha yea people are idiots Jim what u expect?

Maybe not defend persay more like using our minds. What is the notion of freely opening up any and all avatars that we want. First we'd have to host them, who would host them Sony. What would we transmit to Sony, nude pictures? The age of which would have to be kept on file at Sony headquarters which of course will not have said recorded requiring a FBI check on their servers. To figure out what charge if any can be applied. Seems like a hassle to me. Since I don't think the Millennium Bill would cover Sony as an independent internet identity.

What rights do those who make the avatars receive in royalties for their artistry receive then? None, would limit avatars to Sony only avatars, but still what do those studios receive? Nothing?

So these are the choices free, but extremely limited, or payed and allow more avatars to influx. Now I agree to high a price is to much (Microsoft). However I also know your not going to get very many studios on board with avatars when they get squat. Maybe some can give them away free, nothings stopping them, but that's their choice.

Uploading our own would require Sony to have a infrastructure. With names like SukMyDicSpic (this is a REAL NAME on PSN) running around, I don't think they have one to inspect pics.

I like this because it means less people will use the bomb face thingy I have as my avatar.

@Robbo the hood

Get yourself an avatar, people around here tend to skip posts from people without them and you make some good points.

Also premium accounts probably already get all Sony avatars for free, who knows maybe down the line these accounts could have their own uploaded avatar. You have to realize the depth of legal research here too. What if a youth uploads their own personal picture then you get a myspace predatorial thing going on. What system has to be developed to allow IMMEDIATE reporting of EULA breaking material like pornography. What needs to be in the EULA? Ect,. ect,.

Lol, I can't wait for Sony's paid premium online services -- how will you blind fanboi nubs defend that? Well at least sony's not fucking you quite as hard as microsoft.

@bodybreak Might want to look back a couple of days (weeks?), it's already been posted and talked about. Surprisingly everyone LIKED the idea, even Jim, which was kind weird.

Why are people comparing pictures to an overall online service? Besides, vote with your wallet. You don't HAVE to buy them.

@Volomon, i never said Jim was a Sony fanboy -- i was talking about all of the idiots defending paying 50 cents for a display picture for their free PSN accounts with the argument that, "well at least Sony doesn't do it to the extent that Microsoft does it".

i think subscription fees are effing bogus, for the record. i've been playing on battlenet for the last 10 years (since i was 11) and i've never paid squat for anything other than my discs and their CD keys.

yeah that sucks, but I love the picture up here
huhu hu^^

Doesnt Microsoft charge for them too? Dont you suck their cocks every day? Journalism.

He's just so fucking right I had to quote him. Jim, this piece of news was so disappointing. Overreacting and leaving the impression that Sony is the first to have done this? Please, man, stop writing these articles on a stream of consciousness style and actually rationalize them before publishing. This and the large number of typos is why Destructoid needs a true editor (as in, he edits things before letting them being published) instead of pure bloggers.

@braulio09

If that's what you want, go someplace that already has it, I hear gamespot is nice this time of year. Stop trying to change the world to suit you, it's arrogant.

lmfao these comments are priceless. Nowhere in the article does it say Sony is the first company to ever do this. And he's not reporting on Microsoft because he ALREADY DID a long time ago. The things PS3 fans get mad at, my god...

@braulio09
The fuck? Where were you people when Jim wrote a 211 comment garnering editorial on how Microsoft sucks for charging money for stupid shit like avatars?

And if you don't want bloggers I have a cracker jack idea me boy. Don't read a blog.