Cross Buy is a great idea. Instead of buying a game locked into one console, it is like you are buying the game itself straight from PSN. Akin to PS Mobile buy once play on any PS certified device. You wouldn't chastise Steam for allowing you to play a PC game you bought on your desktop on your laptop instead, would you? Or disprove of backwards compatibility in a next gen console? It is very similar.
1. It does not cut into profits as some might have suggested because the amount of people who will buy both versions of a game are almost non existent. Sony released surveys to verify this if anyone remembers. Cross Buy is needed if Cross Play is going to work. It costs very little to port a PS3 game to Vita and there is little to no chance that a developer will sell more games by having it on both PS3 and Vita to any gamer who has both, they will buy only one copy, so giving one for free is not doing any harm.
2. It creates an incentive for PS3 owners who do not own a Vita to buy one since they will start to build up a collection of games that they could be playing without having to be next to their PS3. This will increase the install base with gamers who have played Cross Buy games, stacking the console with potential future purchasers of new games made exclusively for Vita in the same series.
3. It is awesome for those who own both to be able to play wherever they want. With things like Cross Play I can use the same save file. With Cross Platform I can play against Vita owners or play against PS3 owners. All of the sudden games with online multiplayer that don't support local split-screen can be played together by myself and a friend using my Vita. All at no additional charge.
Would you rather have Sony charge Vita owners for PSone classics instead of being able to use the ones they bought already? That's the exact same thing. Anyone saying Cross Buy is not a good idea needs to stop and think about what they are saying.
Before the PS3 everyone was nice to me :(
