Price Hike, $50+ For Games!

[solypsist]

http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/29/comm...ming/index.htm

Publishers have quietly been testing how consumers might react to higher priced games for a while now, bumping the price of sure-bet titles above the $50 line. Sales of "collector's edition" titles, which offer small perks for anywhere from $10 to $25 more, are also being watched closely.

Consumers haven't exactly cheered the price increases, but sales haven't been affected. "Doom 3," for example, has topped the charts since its release in August. And 2002's "Warcraft III" sold over 1 million copies within three weeks of its release.

Robert Kotick said Activision would raise wholesale prices on all titles released for next generation systems by $3 to $5. [...] In an August analyst note, Cooper called on publishers to raise prices on top-line games to $54.99 or higher by as early as this fall.

[TosaInu]

Doom3 is about 59 euros here, new hot games were below 50 euros, 45 even. Exception were Microsoft games.

1 euro is slightly more than 1 US$.

I read this months PC-gameplay. Half-life2 will be shipped in many different tastes (collectors, plain*3 and editions including the old versions are only a few).

[ah_dut]

Game prices seem to be dropping in the UK with incredible competition, and besides games are far cheaper in other countries than here

[Navaros]

Doom 3 certainly has never been worth $55 USD LOL

the only way i'd ever pay anywhere close to that much money for a PC game would be if it had great multiplayer

[Sir Moody]

one reason to love been British - Rome Total War £24.99 form several sellers

the highest you see a game here is 34.99 and thats rare - average is 29.99

[BDC]

I got Dawn of War for £19 yay!

Worth it...

But £35 in shops...

[Beirut]

Most of the new games here hit the shelves at $59.99. Some really hot ones at $69.99. MS Flight Sims are sometimes $99.99 when they first come out.

Some drop very quickly though. Others stay near full price for ages.

[zelda12]

Which is why you should order on the internet. Most of them knock ten percent of the price and if you spend over a certain amount you get free delivery.

[TosaInu]

$99 gah.

[Beirut]

Just bought Rome:Total War for $59.99.

Doom 3 was $69.99. Next time.

[Fragony]

I don't mind paying a bit more for quality titles, and with DOOM3/R:TW you get years of replay value because of the mods, but the suits would be wise to take the music industry as an example. Downloading big files gets easier and easier with the internet getting faster and faster.

[Thoros of Myr]

I don't like it becuase many of my favorite games over the last few years have come from little known developers and/or less popular subject matter then your Need For Speed Undergrounds and Doom 3s. These folks have a hard time as it is getting enough people to buy their game and make some decent profit, if any. This price hike makes it less likely people will put down this kind of cash on lesser known/less popular corners of gaming which for my money is where most of the quality games are at these days.

[frogbeastegg]

Some games are launching at reduced prices now; Viewtiful Joe for the PS2 came out last Friday for £19.99, Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy started at £29.99, and Way of the Samurai 2 started at £24.99, all instead of £39.99. Personally I like this initive; great games by smaller companies with, perhaps, niche markets at a price where people are likely to pick them up on impulse.

[Lemur]

I discovered the whole Total War phenom by browsing through the $10 or less bin, and running across Shogun. For $8.99, I would try almost anything. I think it's safe to say, at this late date, that I got my nine bucks' worth of value, and then some.

There's no way I would pay more than $50 for a title, not knowing that I could just wait a couple of months and watch the price drop like a stone.

God bless the remaindered bin. It gives me light and love.

[dessa14]

mates in australia we pay $80 at least for a new release.
thanks,
dessa

[bmolsson]

mates in australia we pay $80 at least for a new release.
thanks,
dessa

But that is Aussie dollar and that is not more than 50 USD..... :p

[bmolsson]

Actually, I would pay USD 200 for a game, as long as I always had a 30 day "return if not happy guarantee". 90% of all the games I buy, I never play more than 2 days, they are just so bad........ Too much crap out there.....

[Hetman_Koronny]

Actually, I would pay USD 200 for a game, as long as I always had a 30 day "return if not happy guarantee". 90% of all the games I buy, I never play more than 2 days, they are just so bad........ Too much crap out there.....

Some sites offer reliable reviews, you know? I cannot imagine buying a game that I later would find unattractive (after a few days). It is a 0% risk decision for me.

Anyway, onto the topic.
The development cost has increased madly over the last few years as the indurstry has been growing rapidly. New technologies, advanced and complicated solutions, large teams, extened developement time and huge marketing... Thanks to that we're speaking of $5M-20M budgets right now. What can you do?

The price hike is very likely to happen once the next gens (PS3, Xbox2) are introduced. Let's just hope the quality will continue to impress us most of the times.

[Sethik]

This is one of the main reasons I download warez (don't kill me!) I can't afford the games that I want. Not to mention that I play a lot of games. A LOT of games. Since I only really play for single player I don't mind the loss of multiplay.

Just bought Rome:Total War for $59.99.

Doom 3 was $69.99. Next time.

Yeah, but that's Canadian dollars. So it should be like $14.56 USD

[Thoros of Myr]

Actually, I would pay USD 200 for a game, as long as I always had a 30 day "return if not happy guarantee". 90% of all the games I buy, I never play more than 2 days, they are just so bad........ Too much crap out there.....

Agree. As for reviews they are generally useless for anything beyond weeding out the obvious stinkers. After 12 years of game playing only I can decide if I like a game or not, not a review.

[Armchair Athlete]

But that is Aussie dollar and that is not more than 50 USD..... :p

I think it is more actually. RTW was AU$90 when it came out, the exchange rate at the moment is about 74 Australian cents to the US dollar, which gives US$67.19. For AU$80, the U.S price equivalent is just under $60. We have no choice but to put up with this

[dessa14]

now is the high time for american importing, just buy heaps of american stuff and postage is negligible, go australia if you have to buy american goods import them now, before the american dollar strengthens.
thanks,
dessa

[Armchair Athlete]

You're right Dessa, man I should have just ordered RTW from the U.S for US$50 and pay the small amount for shipping costs, it would have been cheaper than buying it here. Next good game that comes out I think I'll do that!

[dessa14]

but also buy a whole heap of other things as well, so the shipping costs are tiny.
thanks,
dessa

[Alrowan]

the reason why US prices are actually going up is because of thier falling dollar. Take a look at the difference between countries where game prices are consistent (australia) and where they are rising (the US) then compare how each of the dollars have done in comparison

3 years ago 1AUD = .60USD
Now 1AUD = .75USD

3 years ago $80 AUD for a game/$40-$45USD
Today - $80 AUD for a game/$50 USD

just economics folks :p

[Alrowan]

This is one of the main reasons I download warez (don't kill me!) I can't afford the games that I want. Not to mention that I play a lot of games. A LOT of games. Since I only really play for single player I don't mind the loss of multiplay.


Yeah, but that's Canadian dollars. So it should be like $14.56 USD

Spend less time playing games and get a job so you can legally own them :p

[ICantSpellDawg]

ive been pickin up my stuff for maximum 39 US bucks

[Efrem]

I find 89$ has become the new cap in aus, as opposed to the 100$ that has been in place as long as I can remember.