Topic: Games to start costing more?

[Mario]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/924871.asp?0dm=C12NT&cp1=1

Uh-oh, it says the price of games could be increased from $50 US to $60 US by the end of the year due to piracy problems and other stuff.

[mouse_clicker]

Seriously, videogames still bring in a $#!7load of money even with piracy, which I don't even participate in. Why should I spend 10 bucks more for a crime I've never even committed?

BTW, I don't think anyone's mentioned this, but awesome Futurama/Mario icon, man.

[Kyosho]

I hope this doesnt happen.  I'm not going to be paying 60$ for a game like I used to do for the NES/SNES/N64.  Those prices were just a little bit steep.  THey used Socom as a poor example.  The extra 10$ was due to the headset.. which a normal headset does cost around 10$.  I think most gamers understand that any extra stuff like a gun or pad to be included with a game will cost extra.  It would be nice if it didnt, but no surprises if it does.

[Tael]

The article didn't directly mention piracy as the cause for increasing prices, it said the developer was spending more time and more money developing games, because they're becoming more and more complex, and this means the developer needs to generate a bigger return to profit or break even.

[Mario]

Quote
Originally posted by: Tael
The article didn't directly mention piracy as the cause for increasing prices, it said the developer was spending more time and more money developing games, because they're becoming more and more complex, and this means the developer needs to generate a bigger return to profit or break even.

"More complex code, anti-piracy systems pressure the price tag"

[Tael]

Yeah, and did they back up that claim? No, they didn't. If you read the article, the only other mention of piracy is this:

Quote
The actual manufacture of the game — including printed materials and anti-piracy code installation — is done by the console manufacturer. For this honor, the publisher pays an additional $10 to $11 per unit in royalty and manufacture costs.

It didn't state anywhere that the publishing costs were increasing. It stated the cost of development was increasing. So the original comment of "anti-piracy systems pressure the price tag" is just a mis-leading lie. You'll pay more because they're putting more time and effort into the game itself, not because pirates are making publishers charge more.

[joeamis]

I read the entire article, and Tael is absolutely 100% right.  The main factor that could
lead to higher prices is the cost of development.  Also, I don't think we have anything to worry about.
Only one analyst out of hundreds or more likely thousands stated that he believes a price hike might happen.  Also the article actually helped to disprove it's own possible claim of higher prices when the writer stated that the rises in development costs are currently being offset by increased sales.  He even backed up this claim with a prompt interview from a Naughty Dog high profile employee...

[Jonnyboy117]

Quite frankly, I think this analyst is full of it.  And if licenses are such a big part of a game's cost, why are there so many of them?  Obviously, the additional sales and name recognition the publisher expects to gain from the license offset the additional cost, or there wouldn't be so many licensed games flooding the market.

[thecubedcanuck]

If its anything like the music industry, severe piracy might actually lead to lower prices, making not as worth while to pirate.

Raising prices will only make piracy spread as more and more gamers will be unable to afford to buy games at retail.

Remeber there is more to piracy than just a simple eye patch.

[Ian Sane]

That article uses a lot of really poor examples to justify a price hike.  Like someone mentioned SOCOM is a really poor example because it comes with an extra piece of hardware.  Gamers usually have no problem paying extra for something like that.  If it didn't have a headset people would probably be like "what the f*ck?  Why's this game cost more?"  Next you're going to see someone predicting that games will start costing hundreds of dollars because of Steel Battalion.

Another example they use in Enter the Matrix.  They mention it cost 20 million to make.  Well yeah but wasn't like half of that money spent so they could get exclusive movie footage?  The average game isn't going to cost that much money even if it is licensed.

I figure the prices will stay where they are because losing sales due to a higher price would be worse for most developers.  Besides anything that makes licenced games less profitable is okay by me.

[Thrackerzog]

Yeah, this should happen right after all the systems drop $50. Wait, wasn't that supposed to happed right after E3? or was it before? or was it last Christmas? Basically what I'm saying is that news stories like this come out all the time (if you could even call them news) and people on message boards like this one get all worked up over it and then nothing happens, or it happens completely different than the analysts predicted (like the $20 drop in PS2/X-Box and the Gameboy Player bundle with the GCN) We should really just stop paying attention to them, they are completely pointless.

[rpglover]

i dont believe in paying more for games now
thecubedcanuck is absolutely right- higher prices will only lead to more piracy
remember back when the snes was out- games were outrageously priced back then
i remember chrono trigger being 70 dollars- they were good games back then but those prices are rediculous
i like the pricing now- 50 dollars for most, some are now going down to 40
i wouldn't like paying the extra money for something i dont do

[THE ONE]

      wouldn't the cost of games go down instead. i mean might as well sell them cheaper than they are, so they can compete to piracy. i mean if someone were to try to sell you a pirated game for 10 bucks like ssb:melee, and it sells for 20 bucks brand new in the package wouldn't you pay the extra 10 bucks for somthing original?

           tell me what you think!!  

[BlkPaladin]

It doesn't work that way. It also has to do with there being three systems to spread the wealth around. And since games are were the manufactures make their money the games will stay where they are or rise. And with more portables coming on the scene it may effect prices for consoles also.

[Nintega]

If it does happen, it won't last long.  Just like the price drop of the console this gen, either Sony, MS or Nintendo will lower the software prices.  Sony's already done it charging only $39.99 and Nintendo's charging the same price for 3rd party titles.

[joeamis]

Quote
Originally posted by: rpglover

i remember chrono trigger being 70 dollars- they were good games back then but those prices are rediculous

wow... I bought Chrono Trigger the day it came out and it cost me $95 after 6% tax
I remember the day I got it, I had convinced my friend to get it too so his mom drove us to Gamestop... (Funcoland then) [and yes I know they only recently changed the name of their retail outlets]
AND it was sold out.  So we convinced her to drive another 35 miles to a Toys R Us where we both got it, my friend's mom paid the $95 for him and I opened my wallet and gave her all the money I had
(100 bucks).  I felt so shafted... then she brings us home to his house, and he proceeds to play the game for 45 minutes and not let me have a chance.

[KDR_11k]

USD60? Be happy, in Europe an average game costs EUR60 (Something like USD70). SOCOM is EUR80 (almost USD100), afaik. Of course, EUR60 is for console games, PC games cost around EUR45.