PSN Store Versions “Not Required”

Thinking of picking up a Digital Download only PSPgo? Well, as far as I was aware it was mandatory for third parties to provide a Store version of all games post October 1st, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.  “It’s up to individual third parties to decide if and when to publish their UMD releases on PSN,” said Eric Lempel, SCEA’s director of PlayStation Network operations, to Joystiq.

“Most, if not all, are on board, as this is a revenue opportunity for them.”

Oh good god.  This smacks of the ridiculous situation with Trophies, and following that custom soundtracks; Sony, please start to make this sort of thing a requirement and not an option if the publisher feels like it – if you’re to make a go of the Go, we really need to start seeing parity between UMD and Store releases, even if it’s not prices that are matched up at least give us the option to actually buy the damned games from the Store.

The guilty games so far: Undead Knights, Naruto Shippuden: Legends: Akatsuki Rising, NBA 2K10, Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes and Cars: Race O Rama.

Via Joystiq.