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Who else thinks $60 is too much for games?
- Thread starter momolicious
- Start date
I do.
I haven't paid 60 for a game for... Ages.
The only games I buy new AND in Europe are DS games or 50 Wii games.
For 360 it's always import or used.
It's kind of weird because when I was younger I had no barrier at all, when I had 60 they'd just go into a game without thinking if I could get it at a lower price. And yet I had much, much less money than I do now.
I guess I just felt like 60 was the price to pay and didn't question it. Maybe knowing that we're getting fucked during the currency "conversion" (60$ = 60 never forget lololol) has spoilt me. Especially since it's that very conversion that makes import so cheap, when it's done considering reality and not profit
I haven't paid 60 for a game for... Ages.
The only games I buy new AND in Europe are DS games or 50 Wii games.
For 360 it's always import or used.
It's kind of weird because when I was younger I had no barrier at all, when I had 60 they'd just go into a game without thinking if I could get it at a lower price. And yet I had much, much less money than I do now.
I guess I just felt like 60 was the price to pay and didn't question it. Maybe knowing that we're getting fucked during the currency "conversion" (60$ = 60 never forget lololol) has spoilt me. Especially since it's that very conversion that makes import so cheap, when it's done considering reality and not profit
Thunder Monkey
Banned
It is.PROOP said:
Trees we've pulped that have no real value. Slips of useless paper.
TheShampion
Member
Thunder Monkey said:
Paper money looks cool. It is also fun to bring your currency into another country to contrast and compare. Paper money is also really convenient for vending machines. Yay for paper money.
On topic, I have all three systems and I have only bought two full price titles (the new Prince of Persia and SF4) for any of my systems. Both games were disapointing to me, so I have not bought a full price game since. I still buy new, but only for older games like Mass Effect and Tales of Vesperia.
whatevermort
Member
Well. No. But yes.
I think that it should be far more scaleable. (I'll be using UK prices for these examples, but $60 + Sales Taxes roughly = £40, fwiw. Also, none of the examples take into account the perceived quality of the games.)
ODST comes out, is £35 everywhere, £30 if you shop around. It's a good price; it reflects the time spent working on it, the length of the product, the (slightly) recycled multiplayer etc. That's brilliant. Wet came out the week before, is £35 everywhere, £30 if you shop around. Bethesda only took it on a year ago, and they presumably decided to release it at a lower premium because it was a smaller investment for them, the cost of making it wasn't as high etc. Factor in the short game-length and lack of multiplayer modes, and £30 seems like a decent price.
Modern Warfare 2 is going to be £55 (rrp) because production costs were apparently so high, and the content is great and will last gamers years (theoretically). Many people will see this as value for money, because the producers see it as value for money.
ON THE OTHER HAND: Terminator Salvation came out, lots of hype attached to the movie. It has a 4 hour campaign mode, and that's it. £40 new, terrible sales. Same with Wanted. (This feels like I'm attacking Grin; I'm not.) Mini Ninjas is currently £45, and is selling terribly (apparently). Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is £50 in my local shops.
It's all about knowing where to pitch it. I would have/will buy every game I've just spoken about. ODST, I paid full price. Modern Warfare 2, I'll pay full price (having shopped around a bit). MUA2, I would have paid £35. The rest are £20ers (or, in the case of the very short terminator game, less). Had they come out at the price, sales would have been much higher. Instead they've had to wait for the market to flood with second-hand copies, and to drop the rrp and let shops buy them at even cheaper prices.
Seems like a flawed system to me.
I think that it should be far more scaleable. (I'll be using UK prices for these examples, but $60 + Sales Taxes roughly = £40, fwiw. Also, none of the examples take into account the perceived quality of the games.)
ODST comes out, is £35 everywhere, £30 if you shop around. It's a good price; it reflects the time spent working on it, the length of the product, the (slightly) recycled multiplayer etc. That's brilliant. Wet came out the week before, is £35 everywhere, £30 if you shop around. Bethesda only took it on a year ago, and they presumably decided to release it at a lower premium because it was a smaller investment for them, the cost of making it wasn't as high etc. Factor in the short game-length and lack of multiplayer modes, and £30 seems like a decent price.
Modern Warfare 2 is going to be £55 (rrp) because production costs were apparently so high, and the content is great and will last gamers years (theoretically). Many people will see this as value for money, because the producers see it as value for money.
ON THE OTHER HAND: Terminator Salvation came out, lots of hype attached to the movie. It has a 4 hour campaign mode, and that's it. £40 new, terrible sales. Same with Wanted. (This feels like I'm attacking Grin; I'm not.) Mini Ninjas is currently £45, and is selling terribly (apparently). Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is £50 in my local shops.
It's all about knowing where to pitch it. I would have/will buy every game I've just spoken about. ODST, I paid full price. Modern Warfare 2, I'll pay full price (having shopped around a bit). MUA2, I would have paid £35. The rest are £20ers (or, in the case of the very short terminator game, less). Had they come out at the price, sales would have been much higher. Instead they've had to wait for the market to flood with second-hand copies, and to drop the rrp and let shops buy them at even cheaper prices.
Seems like a flawed system to me.
Well, console games are definitely too expensive, that's why I stick with PC games mostly - I never feel ripped off after buying, especially if I buy them 3-4 months after release (or later). A new PC game costs 60% of a new console game around here and prices go down so quickly. And unlike in the past, you don't need to upgrade your PC every 2-3 years to enjoy new releases.
I think if publishers managed to stop the used games market and price games at $40, the situation would be much healthier overall.
I think if publishers managed to stop the used games market and price games at $40, the situation would be much healthier overall.
Lagspike_exe
Member
What do you think about 75 euros for a game (that's $110)?
Yeah...
Yeah...
Mr. Enigma
Member
What happened to Microsoft first-party games still being only $50? They threw that out the window when the original Gears of War came out.
Lagspike_exe said:
.
Plus, euro prices don´t really go down, at least in Germany. Quite some time after the PS3 launch I still saw SotC copies for 60 euros in store :lol
Last time I bought a full priced game for a console was MGS4 (Dawn of War 2 for pc, but I split it with my brother).
If I did not have a CC now to order from the UK where games are much more affordable and selling with discounts even on launch day and much better prices a few months down the road, I would´ve quit gaming, I think.
Starwolf_UK
Member
Be careful of using time as the only indicator of value as you can't say all games are the same. for instance RPGs last a long time but I find they recycle lots of content while an action game might be much shorter but will have more unique set-pieces. Then come things like replay value.Crackers said:
Don't get me wrong, potential playtime is a good indicator of value but it shouldn't be used as a complete substitute for overall experience.
Personally, I rarely buy games day 1 (I don't find most games a must have now so I might as well wait for an eventual price drop) but if I am I will find the best deal possible. I know here in the UK online stores give in the ballpark of 25% off for pre-ordering but supermarkets are starting for sell as much as that day 1; since they don't need to make a profit on games...also they partake in price wars (it was funny to see some newspapers on Friday with 3 different stores bragging about their price of Professor Layton 2).
I understand in America many stores are offering $10 (or more) giftcards with new games so in a way it is like the retailers are aware $60 isn't working well and rather than sell at $50 they would sell at $60 but give you $10 to return to the store essentially.
It is funny after many years the reason for games being expensive is they cost a lot to produce. Only the definition of produce has changed (with it referring to media costs in the past*, now it refers to the cost of game engines**, many more staff members and the like).
*-As talked about with the N64 earlier in the thread
**-Doesn't the unreal engine cost $1 million? (say a game has $20 million budget, that is 5% used up before you even start)
It depends on the game. Sometimes, I think paying $50 is too much for a game. Sometimes, I think paying $30 is too much for a game.
$60 is a fine price for many games, however. I am not so dumb to think games can stay a set price over time for eternity. Eventually, the price is gonna go up even if development costs didn't soar. One day we'll be paying $70 and $80 (LOL WELCOME BACK SNES), and people will say 'that's too much!' while they growl to themselves about the "better days."
For all the shit we get in games these days, I'd say the price is right. But I won't complain if it's cheaper either
$60 is a fine price for many games, however. I am not so dumb to think games can stay a set price over time for eternity. Eventually, the price is gonna go up even if development costs didn't soar. One day we'll be paying $70 and $80 (LOL WELCOME BACK SNES), and people will say 'that's too much!' while they growl to themselves about the "better days."
For all the shit we get in games these days, I'd say the price is right. But I won't complain if it's cheaper either
KennyLinder
Member
$60 is cheap for games.
Games are cheaper than ever:
- SNES was around games were between £40 and £60
- PlayStation games were £40
- Xbox games -at launch- were £50, then £40
- PS2 games were £40
- Xbox 360 and PS3 games are typically £40 in most shops in the UK.
So 15 years ago when PS1 was around, games were the price they are now, yet now everyone is earning shit loads more money.
I'd pay £200 for a great game, for something that would last ages like Gran Turismo. The hundreds of hours I put into those games was crazy, and £40 ($60) seems cheap to me. I'd also happily pay that sort of money for something epic like Shadow of the Colossus.
Don't buy shitty games and then you wont mind paying the money.
One other way of looking at is I pay loads of money in taxes for my house, my roads, insane money on petrol for my car, and you just do it. The amount of money that gets taken from my wages each month for NHS etc is incredible, so £40 for a great piece of entertainment (whether it lasts as long as Ico or Final Fantasy) doesn't really bother me.
Games are cheaper than ever:
- SNES was around games were between £40 and £60
- PlayStation games were £40
- Xbox games -at launch- were £50, then £40
- PS2 games were £40
- Xbox 360 and PS3 games are typically £40 in most shops in the UK.
So 15 years ago when PS1 was around, games were the price they are now, yet now everyone is earning shit loads more money.
I'd pay £200 for a great game, for something that would last ages like Gran Turismo. The hundreds of hours I put into those games was crazy, and £40 ($60) seems cheap to me. I'd also happily pay that sort of money for something epic like Shadow of the Colossus.
Don't buy shitty games and then you wont mind paying the money.
One other way of looking at is I pay loads of money in taxes for my house, my roads, insane money on petrol for my car, and you just do it. The amount of money that gets taken from my wages each month for NHS etc is incredible, so £40 for a great piece of entertainment (whether it lasts as long as Ico or Final Fantasy) doesn't really bother me.
achilles140
Banned
It is ,specially with the wages that have almost frozen and the incresing price of vital commodities(house,food ,etc).
Here in Europe a new game is 69.99 euros ...so around 100 dollars.
Theres some hope ,though ,with many (MANY ) new releases bringing the price down to 59.99 and even 54.99 euros....between them games as Wet,Colin Mc Rae 2,Batman AA and many others.
Thing is ,the games are exactly the same price as they were many years ago.I remember in the early 90s the Megadrive games did cost at first 42 euros but once they hit the 8Mb size and above they did rise to 54euros and some 60 euros.The Snes games were always 60 euros and some of them even hit 72 and 78 euros late in the generation with games as Starfox ,Stunt Race FX and the other games with the FX chip and the 48Mb ones as Super Streetfighter II Turbo appeared.I am speaking of the prices of the time ,with wages being smaller that today....yet it didnt appear to be so expensive.
The PSX brought the prices down again to around 45 euros,with the Platinum range being a welcome addition.N64 games were still 60 or even more sometimes.By the 128 bit generation all the prices between distinct plattforms converged to the 60 euros pricepoint.And now with PS3 and X360 its 69.99 ,but I am seeing more and more titles release well under that price.
So prices havent risen so much here over the years ....problem is the disposable money for games is being reduced because the increase on more vital commodities.
Here in Europe a new game is 69.99 euros ...so around 100 dollars.
Theres some hope ,though ,with many (MANY ) new releases bringing the price down to 59.99 and even 54.99 euros....between them games as Wet,Colin Mc Rae 2,Batman AA and many others.
Thing is ,the games are exactly the same price as they were many years ago.I remember in the early 90s the Megadrive games did cost at first 42 euros but once they hit the 8Mb size and above they did rise to 54euros and some 60 euros.The Snes games were always 60 euros and some of them even hit 72 and 78 euros late in the generation with games as Starfox ,Stunt Race FX and the other games with the FX chip and the 48Mb ones as Super Streetfighter II Turbo appeared.I am speaking of the prices of the time ,with wages being smaller that today....yet it didnt appear to be so expensive.
The PSX brought the prices down again to around 45 euros,with the Platinum range being a welcome addition.N64 games were still 60 or even more sometimes.By the 128 bit generation all the prices between distinct plattforms converged to the 60 euros pricepoint.And now with PS3 and X360 its 69.99 ,but I am seeing more and more titles release well under that price.
So prices havent risen so much here over the years ....problem is the disposable money for games is being reduced because the increase on more vital commodities.
whatevermort
Member
KennyLinder said:
I swear to God, if Bobby Kotick hears you saying this I will hunt you down and sew up your mouth.
KennyLinder said:
Just out of interest, I took a moment to calculate how much I've spent, total, on World of Warcraft.
Not sure I've got the prices for the boxes right:
£30 original retail copy
£50 Burning Crusade CE
£50 Wrath of the Lich King CE
£130 on game + expansions. Yes, I *do* wish, in retrospect, that I'd gone for the original game in CE form!
Subscriptions, not counting the most recent renewal which I did a few days ago:
8 * £46.14
£369.12
Total:
£499.12
Yowch. On the other hand, that's over four years, and I've got over 6000 hours of play out of it, so I shouldn't complain all that much. A little over 8p/hour. I'll take that.
(As another aside: I'm surprised they've not adjusted the price due to inflation or the economic climate right now; same price consistently for four years)
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
elrechazao said:
Physical production costs have plummeted since then, as have platform fees.
In which Euro country are these games these prices? Here in France, it's all 69.99 for Batman and Dirt, which equals:achilles140 said:
- about 51 liters of gas (or 13.5 gallons)
- 15% of the monthly minimum wage
- roughly the cost of 8 movie tickets
- almost what you need to spend for 4 new CDs
- 19 Big Macs
When I want a game on launch day it's my choice to pay $60... otherwise I hold off on the purchase, play the tons of games I already own... try to get Achievements and such and then buy the game at a later time... chances are it's at a lower price. I also got rid of my any backlog... well sort-of, right now I have a few games that were given to me as presents so those don't really count. Basically I buy games with the intent to play them day 1...
PetriP-TNT
Member
PS3/Xbox games are often 69.99e here in Finland which equals $102.
Yeaaah. I haven't bought a new full priced game since... Final Fantasy 12.
Yeaaah. I haven't bought a new full priced game since... Final Fantasy 12.
Jamesearlcash
Member
I never pay more than £35 for a game ever, and you can always sell games again for a decent price if you don't collect them, i quite often buy pre owned games and sell them for more than i paid.
Hari Seldon
Member
$60 is fine for good games. But I am buying a ton LESS of 8.5/10 games at $60.
Stoney Mason
Banned
Stumpokapow said:
While team sizes, wages, and marketing and actual game production costs have greatly increased.
PROOP said:
I think it's priced just fine. However my justification to purchase a 360/ps3 game is as follows:
1. Must have an online multiplayer, period
2. The multiplayer must have depth enough to last 40-80 hours
3. Must be a game that attracts 2-6 of my friends.
So that means in the last few years all I've purchased is:
- Madden 07, 08, 09
- Halo 3
- CoD 4
- GTA (made me feel bad for purchasing due to the atrocious online. I got maybe 15 hours in.)
Everything else is a "rent" title.
Ballin on a budget baby! :lol
Confidence Man
Member
It's too much for 360 games with multiplayer considering you have to pay Microsoft for the privelage of using the feature you already paid for when you bought that $60 game.
ACESandEIGHTS
Member
If every game was COD4 or Orange Box caliber, then I suppose $60 would be reasonable.
I'd love to see how many people bought Darkest of Days at full price...
I'd love to see how many people bought Darkest of Days at full price...
CultureClearance
Banned
Now a days everybody is getting more for their buck than they ever have in gaming. Easily.
I'm not even including NEW game deals from places like best buy, amazon, new egg and toysrus in that statement. And I'm not even including inflation either.
If you don't want to spend 60 bucks, you can wait a month or shop around and get it unused for 30-40. Buying games used will only drive prices up because you're only telling publishers out there that "Yes, being front-loaded in terms of sales is essential to survival." Buying Red Faction Guerrilla for 40 bucks on new egg is giving them the message that you intend.
I'm not even including NEW game deals from places like best buy, amazon, new egg and toysrus in that statement. And I'm not even including inflation either.
If you don't want to spend 60 bucks, you can wait a month or shop around and get it unused for 30-40. Buying games used will only drive prices up because you're only telling publishers out there that "Yes, being front-loaded in terms of sales is essential to survival." Buying Red Faction Guerrilla for 40 bucks on new egg is giving them the message that you intend.
When SUPER MARIO BROS 3 got released, it was $90 at K-Mart in Edmonton Alberta, Canada. at the time. I probably overpaid for it at that location, but living out of the city and not knowing any better at that age, all my hard earned money went for that there. But it wasn't uncommon to see games anywhere from $70-who knows what the heck it could be at during that time.
And to get that money I remember picking rocks/weeds in fields on the weekends, cutting grass for neighbours and delivering news papers in the morning before school.
So all I can say to the OP, tear.
btw, SMB3 on release.... FAH-WESOME!
And to get that money I remember picking rocks/weeds in fields on the weekends, cutting grass for neighbours and delivering news papers in the morning before school.
So all I can say to the OP, tear.
btw, SMB3 on release.... FAH-WESOME!