Are Games Too Expensive?

[Buzzy Beetle]

According to Edge Magasine, according to Valve games are too expensive.

Discuss.

[Stevo]

Yes, pretty much..

[Boss Llama]

Yes, they are far too expensive. The kind of math that makes a half the price result in more than double the profit should be obvious to almost any game purchaser. It's only obscure to boardroom C-levels.

In a stratified economic climate (most of the western world) and in particular with the demographic that is associated most closely with computer games (younger, limited income), the number of people able to afford a game decreases far more rapidly than the price increases. As the price increases linearly, the number of people who can afford it decreases exponentially.

In my mind, the sweet-spot is around $30-$35 US, though I have no research to back that up. For $60, the title had better serve me breakfast, wash my car, and give me a massage as well!

[Shifty]

I don't think that 60 dollars is steep for a good game, the orange box for example has given me 500 hours of entertainment (and going strong). Thats definitely worth it to me.

On the other hand, the price has also made me a much more picky buyer than if the games were 30 bucks. The last game I purchased was Gears of War 2 for 360, the game before than: the orange box. So in the last 2 something years, I've only bought 2 games.

I'll try other games, like Fear 2 or Farcry 2, but they have to be really, really good (in my eyes) before I even considering buying them.

Thats probably why piracy is such an issue. No one wants to pay 60 bucks for a linear SP game with no good MP component. Download the game for free, semi-enjoy it, and then you're done with it. No lost money.

[Rigges]

ummm I waited till L4D was on sale its was still to expensive at the $25.00 and the sale to short I do not have many games that were not on sale when I bought them

[Toadster]

Valve reported sales of L4D increased by 3400% when they did their 50% off sale last weekend...

I think people WILL buy software/games - but there's a limit. I hate to spend more than $39 on a game myself - and most of my favorites have been 'cheaper'

i.e. Orange Box brand new was $39 - but I got 6 games out of it! (and lots of lost sleep)

I bought Bioshock for $15 when it was on sale, that game still ranks in the top 10 for me... whoever missed the newyears deal on that for $4.95 shouldn't be allowed to play games anymore

I also purchased DOOM3 for $44 (on sale) - and I never even got to the first BOSS as I was bored with it - it's been uninstalled and still in the box

[TTHREAZ]

OK, you guys have to be kidding, right? I haven't said much on the topic because my opinion on the matter has been so far from all of yours. That is, until now.

Let's all flash back to 1985. Little TTHREAZ got his first gaming console: a Sega Master System. How much was it, you say? $250. Yeah, $250. That's $250 in 1985 dollars, not 2009 dollars. That's a crapload more than what it is today.

How much were games back then? $10? $30? Try $50 a pop. $50 for what? 8-bit graphics and *maybe* 5-10 hours of gameplay. Hell, imagine paying over $70 for Phantasy Star. LUDICROUS YOU SAY? People did it.

Flash forward to 1991. TTHREAZ gets a Sega Genesis. How much did it cost? $200. Again, that's $200 in 1991 dollars. How much did games cost back then? Try $50 again. Not $20. Not $35. $50.

See a trend?

Flash forward to 1997. TT gets his N64 for $200+. Games still cost $50. Sound familiar? It's because it is.

Flash farther forward to today. I hear XB360 games run $60. OGOD ALERT THE PRESS. They are GOUGING us. Are they? It would seem to me that we are getting more flashy graphics and fancier sounds and *gasp* the ability to play with friends over the interwebs. Could you do that on your NES back in 1985? No. You had some friends over and played on your 2 button controllers and took turns.

Games today are too expensive? Give me a break. Hell, Left4Dead was $50 (ogosh par for the ever consistent price range, inflation be damned). What did it give us? It gave us decent graphics, fantastic sound, co-op and versus multiplayer across the internet tubes and regular, free content updates. I don't know about you but coming from the background I have, that sounds like a dream for only $50 2009 dollars.

I'm sure you guys are going to think I'm being a crotchety old man but I'm only 32 and I'm starting to see a generation gap. They say Gen Y feels entitled to more than they deserve and I can see that in some people. I'm not saying anyone in particular here but it's becoming more apparent as time goes on.

Saying that even $25 for a game is too expensive is a joke. $25 for something like Geometry Wars, yeah. But not something like L4D.


[/rant]

[Shifty]

[quote="TTHREAZ";p="154520"]Saying that even $25 for a game is too expensive is a joke. $25 for something like Geometry Wars, yeah. But not something like L4D.[/rant][/quote]

I don't think anyone here is saying 25 is too much for a game. I believe most people are logical enough to consider prices of games at 70+ to be "expensive". If you take Rigges opinion, which is purely that: an opinion, he says 25 is too much for L4D because he probably doesn't like the game.

I was skeptical with 50 dollars for L4D, but it turns out to be an excellent purchase. The same cannot be said for other games, something like F.E.A.R for example, I don't hate the game but I would never consider paying full value for it. In my opinion as a consumer, its not worth 50+ dollars.

I'm pretty picky when it comes to games, and the SP has to be VERY enthralling to be any kind of incentive for me to purchase it.

[Thom Yorke Obliterator]

[quote="Shifty";p="154501"]the price has also made me a much more picky buyer than if the games were 30 bucks.... So in the last 2 something years, I've only bought 2 games.[/quote]

That's my situation as well. I only put money down for an established classic or for a vendor that I have faith in (Valve, Blizzard). If games were cheaper, I'd be more inclined to fill my hard drive with them. Then again, I'm the sort of player who finds a good game and plays it endlessly. Note my paucity of mod icons....

[Boss Llama]

[quote="Shifty";p="154501"]I don't think that 60 dollars is steep for a good game, the orange box for example has given me 500 hours of entertainment (and going strong). Thats definitely worth it to me.
[/quote]

I agree, Orange Box was worth it. Orange Box, however, is not a game. It's 3 games and 2 expansion packs. That's $60 well spent. If TF2, or Portal, or either expansion pack were $60 by themself, I would not have them - period. That'd be pushing it for even HL2, though I'd probably pay it, being as it is one of the greatest games ever made.

The most I have ever spent on a game was about $75 for the Spore: Galactic Edition, in a hard case with extra books and such included. I did this because I expected Spore to be another of the best games ever made - it had so much potential, and I fell for the advertising. Turns out instead to be one of the greatest disappointments ever, and I am filled with rage that I was taken for so much. Neither Will Wright nor EA will easily, if ever, be getting my money again.

[Araris]

I buy a game depending on whether I want it or not, not because of price. Although when I'm on the edge about a game if it drops $10+ I'll buy it right away. Although from here on out I'm only buying EA games off of Steam, no more Securom crap.

[TTHREAZ]

I just looked up the inflation values and came up with the following:

Paying $50 in 1985 for a game is like paying $98 today. Consider yourself lucky that the game prices are still around $50 today, especially considering the huge jump in "quality" of the product. I say "quality" because some may take it as subjective and base it off of things like story, replayability, etc.

[Rigges]

I am not going to put quotes in here from every one but yes that was my opinion for costs of games.

Its not that I do not like L4D its just some thing I did not wat to pay a lot for and I was willing to due with out it But I figured the $25.00 was better than I might get for a while so I bought it.


umm I am 49 I will be 50 in Aug I bought Pong in the 70's I think we paid not quite $200.00 FOR PONG???

then later in the later 70's We got the Attari 2600 yea around $250.00 and most games were $25.00 - $40.00 But OMG Space Invaders was $65.00 in 1979 dollars

But the advancement ins Technology etc drives Prices down things are suppose to be less.

Still my Opinion




[quote="Toadster";p="154510"]
Valve reported sales of L4D increased by 3400% when they did their 50% off sale last weekend...[/quote]
Well I was part of that.

[quote="Toadster";p="154510"]I bought Bioshock for $15 when it was on sale, that game still ranks in the top 10 for me... whoever missed the newyears deal on that for $4.95 shouldn't be allowed to play games anymore
[/quote]

OK well I guess I am Done Playing Games as toadster Just band me for not buying Bio shock So unless some one saves me or I get forgiven by one of the almighty's I'll miss gaming with you all sorry I got ban by not buying Bio shock did not want it Tears Boo hooo.......................................






--==

Save me some one!

[ShiftyDevil]

I don't have a problem with game prices, however, I am pretty picky about what I buy.

But then, I'm picky about anything I buy.

[MrBlah]

TBH.... I wouldnt complain about games one bit....I would complain about things that actually cost more than a few bucks... like cars for example. in 1970, it cost $3700 for a BOSS 302 Mustang, that would be near the equivalent of getting maybe a Roush or Saleen by todays standards. Inflate that $3700 to 2009 and it cost $17000. The bottom of the barrel mustang today starts at $20000. Keep in mind everyone and their dog had a mustang back then, lots of high school kids and those just out.

So... before you complain about games being too expensive, think about what you paid for that pile of parts and metal with 4 pieces of rubber.