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[Thraktor]

Why is anyone surprised at this "news"? I was in EB here in Ireland the other day, and saw the PS2 and XBox360 versions of the new Hitman game next to each other, at €45 and €75 respectively.

 

[Drek]

about pricing on Wii games

Although Nintendo can only directly control the prices of its first-party titles, it's those games which are likely to set the pricing benchmark for the system - and Iwata told CNN/Money in a new interview that he "cannot imagine any first party title could be priced for more than $50."

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=63661

Unfortunately thats not true in today's industry. Sony moved for a $40 price point last generation, pretyt much no one followed. MS isn't even pushing for 3rd parties to join them at the $50 price point.

I'm betting we'll see 1st party games on all systems at $50, as well as most 3rd party games being $60. The 1st parties will also join the $60 price point for major titles, but will disguise it with "special editions".

We will of course then have a group of 3rd parties who latch onto that to charge $70 for their "special edition" releases, primarily EA.

I also don't believe MS' bullshit about no games below $39.99, that sounds more like a tactic to protect current sales. All three systems will need budget lines, maybe not $20 but at least $25-$30, to help coax in more buyers who'll be gettin raped by hardware prices as it is.

Oh, and for Europe, well, I'm very sorry to all of you. I think all three console manufacturers plan to cornhole you just as much as possible. Sad really since its such a burgeoning gaming market, you'd almost think they want to kill it. Worst part is Sony will probably be the biggest offender in that regard and their damn CEO is brittish. You'd think he'd try passing the buck on to us overprivelidged Americans.

 

[Zombie James]

Why is anyone surprised at this "news"?

I don't know either, game prices are always higher at the start of a new generation.

 

[Core407]

I can stomach a one time fee of $600, but $10-20 more for games is just complete garbage and makes absolutely no sense. Development costs are going up and so are game prices, which is fine when you don't have any other alternatives, but when 360 games are going to be $5-10 less and Wii games probably $10-15 less, I see no reason to buy these titles on PS3.

 

[Zombie James]

I can stomach a one time fee of $600, but $10-20 more for games is just complete garbage and makes absolutely no sense.

I guess you've only started gaming within the past 2 years? You don't remember $100 SNES carts and $90 PS2 games? I know i do, i've got the receipts.

 

[Kabouter]

I don't know either, game prices are always higher at the start of a new generation.

It's when there's a sizeable difference within that generation that it gets interesting. We are talking Benelux prices here and the 74 euro snooker game (and to a lesser degree the 68 euro Sonic game) is quite a bit more expensive than 360 games here.

 

[Ghengis Cohen]

I guess you've only started gaming within the past 2 years? You don't remember $100 SNES carts and $90 PS2 games? I know i do, i've got the receipts.

$90 for Chrono Trigger and Street Fighter still stand as my highest prices paid. I guess everyone has been spoiled by the disc era.

 

[Error]

Unfortunately thats not true in today's industry. Sony moved for a $40 price point last generation, pretyt much no one followed. MS isn't even pushing for 3rd parties to join them at the $50 price point.

I'm betting we'll see 1st party games on all systems at $50, as well as most 3rd party games being $60. The 1st parties will also join the $60 price point for major titles, but will disguise it with "special editions".

We will of course then have a group of 3rd parties who latch onto that to charge $70 for their "special edition" releases, primarily EA.

I also don't believe MS' bullshit about no games below $39.99, that sounds more like a tactic to protect current sales. All three systems will need budget lines, maybe not $20 but at least $25-$30, to help coax in more buyers who'll be gettin raped by hardware prices as it is.

Oh, and for Europe, well, I'm very sorry to all of you. I think all three console manufacturers plan to cornhole you just as much as possible. Sad really since its such a burgeoning gaming market, you'd almost think they want to kill it. Worst part is Sony will probably be the biggest offender in that regard and their damn CEO is brittish. You'd think he'd try passing the buck on to us overprivelidged Americans.

3rd parties are going to price their games higher than Nintendo 1st party stuff in a Nintendo platform? well how do they expect to sell then?

 

[fortified_concept]

I for one certainly do call the 499 PS3 a tard pack.

But it needs a better name.
It costs more than the original tard pack for the 360, and it's non-upgradeable.

It's worse than a tard pack.

360 premium is not upgradable as far as the HDMI is concerned. I guess it's a tard pack too? Please elaborate on your logic..

 

[Core407]

I guess you've only started gaming within the past 2 years? You don't remember $100 SNES carts and $90 PS2 games? I know i do, i've got the receipts.

What PS2 game was $90? Unless it was some collectors ediiton, no, I don't remember $90 PS2 games. Carts a completely different issue, though.

 

[gamergirly]

You know, it makes you wonder how the developers and publishers think about this. Are they really sure of what they're doing? I mean at those high prices, even if somebody bought a PS3, their game collections and choices are going to be limited and they're only going to buy games they're certain of. Gone are those days where we all have a PS2 AND 25 PS2 games. Imagine how much 25 PS3 games will cost :lol AFTER buying a PS3. It should be feeling like suicide to them considering how they're forking over several million per game. If the games dont sell, it's not going to help them out.

 

[Zombie James]

What PS2 game was $90? Unless it was some collectors ediiton, no, I don't remember $90 PS2 games. Carts a completely different issue, though.

Here in Canada most new releases at the time retailed for $79.99 and $89.99. Factor in 15% tax and you've got $90 and $100 games. Notable titles were GTA3 and Final Fantasy X.

edit: How much did FFX and GTA3 retail in the States?

 

[Core407]

Here in Canada most new releases at the time retailed for $79.99 and $89.99. Factor in 15% tax and you've got $90 and $100 games. Notable titles were GTA3 and Final Fantasy X.

edit: How much did FFX and GTA3 retail in the States?

I've said it before and I'll say it again; fuck Canada. :lol I paid $50 or less for Xbox/GCN games.

 

[Ghengis Cohen]

Here in Canada most new releases at the time retailed for $79.99 and $89.99. Factor in 15% tax and you've got $90 and $100 games. Notable titles were GTA3 and Final Fantasy X.

edit: How much did FFX and GTA3 retail in the States?

50. you got fucked on this one.

 

[OmegaDragon]

I think this confirms all PS3 games in the US will be $70 and up.

That and $60 for all current gen console & Wii games, $65 for 360 games and $50 PC games. Right?

 

[Drek]

3rd parties are going to price their games higher than Nintendo 1st party stuff in a Nintendo platform? well how do they expect to sell then?

They don't now as it is, so whats the difference?

Actually, no, I see 3rd parties doing that because the rise in X360 and PS3 prices will make it real easy to just bump 'em all up, betting that the small drop in sales would pay off with increased game revenue. If anything Nintendo's software dominance will make it easier for 3rd parties to take the $60 plunge, since its not like they expect to move major quantities of most titles anyways. Major 3rd party exclusives will still sell as well. That is, unless Nintendo actively pushes to have them stay at $50 for Wii, which is possible as it'd give Nintendo a useful advantage.

 

[Flambe]

50. you got fucked on this one.

Yeah, I think I paid $80 for my FFX at Walmart, last copy I could find in the entire city on day 1. Poor family didn't see me much for christmas that year =P

Thankfully our dollar is up now and pricetags are the same for the most part =)

 

[Mrbob]

Not $39.99? :lol

Shades of N64 players choice line. :/

MS needs to realize a reason the PSone overtook the N64 was that Sony had an aggressive greatest hits line at $19.99, a full 20 dollars cheaper than the competition.

 

[Rayne.S]

Well, prices here in The Netherlands are fucked anyway. This was very noticeable when we had the conversion to Euro. Games suddenly were 10 Euro's more than in Germany or France. 68 Euro's was the norm for Xbox, PS2 and GC games. That suddenly went down to 59.99, which is still quite a lot, and I see the same thing happening here. Within two years the regular prices will be around 59.99 again, so yeah, you pay a certain price when you're an early adopter.

Also, EA games for X360 are a standard 69.99 here.

Bullshit, you really don't know what your talking about. Dutch PS2 prices were @ fl 149.99, which equels E68.04 by a conversion rate of 2.20371, the standard conversion rate at the time. Games in the netherlands didn't suddenly become E10 more expensive, they were bloody expensive to begin with.

Don't have an opinion about stuff you don't know freekin shit about. There's enough bad talk about The Netherlands as it is !

Another thing you're complete off the mark at ... At the time of the Guilder / Euro Conversion there were no Xbox OR Gamecube games, they launched almost a year later dude !!!!!

 

[Zombie James]

50. you got fucked on this one.

Final Fantasy X and GTA3 retailed for $49.99??

 

[charlequin]

Final Fantasy X and GTA3 retailed for $49.99??

Sure did.

 

[fse]

I remember being charged like $80 for SM64. :\

 

[Acrylamid]

Standard (=new non-low-budget game) prices in Europe:
DS/GBA games: €39
PSP games: €49
GCN/PS2 games: €59
Xbox360 games: €69

Basically €10 more than the US price in $, for the most games.

 

[Log4Girlz]

I used to pay 65 goddamn dollars for n64 games here in the US.

 

[Acrylamid]

I used to pay 65 goddamn dollars for n64 games here in the US.

In Germany, N64 games cost DM99-129 (Deutsche Mark) for first party games and DM149-159 for third party games.
When Nintendo decided not to release Conker's Bad Fur Day in Europe, they allowed THQ to publish it, which they did.
Third party+low demand (the N64 was almost dead) and guaranteed buyers (It was a Rare game, after all)+big cartridge (512 Mb)+translation=high price
So they released it for the recommended retail price of
DM189.99=€97.14=$124.20