Square Enix has gone one step further in its plot to become the most pretentious game publisher in the world, trademarking its own magical currency for real-world transactions. The worst part is, it's not even Gil! It's some flowery and awful-sounding moon money called Crysta, and if you're buying from Squenix in Japan, you need it.
Following in the tradition of Microsoft and Wii Points, Crysta will be required for online Japanese games like Party Castle and Fantasy Earth Zero. It's also the only way for players to obtain soundtracks from Squenix's E-Store. One imagines that, if successful, Crysta will bleed into other Square Enix games.
Here's the stupid part, though: one Crysta exactly equals one Yen. That's right, Crysta is just Japan's normal currency, but rebranded. This essentially means that Crysta's sole purpose is to confuse people and add an extra, totally unnecessary step to the online transaction process. Hilarious.
This is the point at which online toy money jumps the shark.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
12:40 PM on 12.15.2009 | 
...what?
Christ this is retarded.
What if, for example, you could eventually buy these points for an FFXIV subscription and even buy point cards in stores for cash? I actually like using cash for points rather than my credit card.
You kinda start to like it when your identity gets stolen and people make charges to your card. You see needless hassle, I see security.
Understably they just re-branded it so that it can be gifted as a present or purchased outright, but once purchased the money is SE and cannot be refunded...
"Krista? That's.....my girlfriend you MOTHEER ****!@#$%^*" *Stabby stabby in face*
Very stupid name.
- Champions online has their own credits
- Sony's MMOs use Station Cash
- EA/BioWare's DLC is similar to Microsoft's points
I believe the whole point of using these systems isn't necessarily to recreate real world money in equal amounts in a different system but to back players into having to buy a set amount of the 'new currency' which then can't be returned for an equal cost. For example, if I put $50 in my PSN wallet, by law I can get that money returned since it's unused money. But, if I buy 2000 MS points, I can't since I payed for the points.
But still, I fail to see the point. The PS3 does it right: You spend money. Bam. Done.
As for the whole "identity theft" thing, iTunes sells cards in value amounts, and those translate into the exact doller amounts on the iTunes store. Why can't anyone else do the same?
Shorthand = Cah Ching.
M$ didn't invent them.
Nintendo didn't invent them.
IBM and someone else invented them.
@ Killrig - Sony does use them. You seem to forget that Sony doesn't just make the Playstation. Sony's more evil than MS could ever dream of.
Which is why I have a Sony PS3, PSP, 2 Sony DSLRs, a Sony dvd player, Headphones, a phone (not my cell though), and I'm pretty certain Sony made the sensor in my nikon.
MS wise, I have Windows 7 and XP and.... My xbox.... I think... I think I might have MS office loaded on my laptop, but it's not on my 7 box.