Bad News for CAGs?

[ViolentLee]

A recent story in yesterday's GameDAILY BIZ, a game industry business site, talks about the chances of game prices going up in the near future -- as development costs and licensing fees go up.

Please check it out: http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=8055

My opinion is this: It won't happen anytime soon, and if it does, it'll be disastrous. Sure, they'd make more profit off each game, but they'd sell far fewer, so they wouldn't end up ahead on the deal. Also, they'd alienate some gamers, which means they won't buy future releases.

The reason prices have stayed the same even though development costs have gone up is because there is a larger installed base for games now, and more people are buying them. It evens out in the end.

What are your thoughts?

[Doylerulez]

It was in a different forum, but the same topic can be found here:

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33396

[ViolentLee]

Not my fault someone posted it in the wrong forum before. ;)

[defender]

This is laughable at best.

[WarrenGekko]

I remember that videogames used to be cart based and they were actually more expensive than they are now. However, if prices go up, they will go up like movie tickets do (which have similar rising costs). They will be nickel and dime increases.

[epobirs]

It isn't going to happen. IF anything, prices will go down. Each succeeding generation of consoles is reaching a larger installed base in less time. The potential for high-budgeted games to reach larger than ever audiences trumps the initial costs.

Anyone notice that Doom 3 is already widely available for around $35? MY suspicion is that they knew what in the movie business I call a whellchair blockbuster. It opens huge but has no legs. Whenever a movie has an immense amount of prints and thus opens on a ridiculous number of screen there is usually a reason for this great expense. Most often it is due to the fear that word of mouth will quickly apread the truth of the movie's low quality and cause a precipitous dropoff int he second week's grosses. So by maximizing the number of screen they can ply the largest number of suckers before word gets out.

[hiccupleftovers]

It isn't going to happen. IF anything, prices will go down. Each succeeding generation of consoles is reaching a larger installed base in less time. The potential for high-budgeted games to reach larger than ever audiences trumps the initial costs.

Anyone notice that Doom 3 is already widely available for around $35? MY suspicion is that they knew what in the movie business I call a whellchair blockbuster. It opens huge but has no legs. Whenever a movie has an immense amount of prints and thus opens on a ridiculous number of screen there is usually a reason for this great expense. Most often it is due to the fear that word of mouth will quickly apread the truth of the movie's low quality and cause a precipitous dropoff int he second week's grosses. So by maximizing the number of screen they can ply the largest number of suckers before word gets out.

What you said.

[Kaijufan]

I only see prices going down, and a lot of new games do retail for $40.

[WhipSmartBanky]

If this is even true, this is only bad news for people who pay full price for games...definitely not CAGs.

[doubledown]

Yeah, games have been set in stone for about $50 for YEARS. Even when Nintendo came out, games were $50. I doubt they will start changing now.

Yes, there are the exception where some are cheaper....but more would be just plain dumb

[legion_stxds]

If this is even true, this is only bad news for people who pay full price for games...definitely not CAGs.

Agreed, if you buy a game when it comes out you will pay the asking price. The trend is that the longer the game is on the market the more likely the price will drop. Kinda like supply and demand... I dunno, seems to me it won't hurt the CAGers :)

[ViolentLee]

Yeah, games have been set in stone for about $50 for YEARS. Even when Nintendo came out, games were $50. I doubt they will start changing now.

Yes, there are the exception where some are cheaper....but more would be just plain dumb

N64 seems to be the exception in the other direction. I remember working at Funcoland the holiday season N64 came out. We couldn't get enough games in stock, so we had to get them from other distrubutors. Because of this, we were selling some games for as high as $100! True story. I personally bought GoldenEye for like $68 -- and that was AFTER my employee discount. Stupid carts...

[x0thedeadzone0x]

Yeah, games have been set in stone for about $50 for YEARS. Even when Nintendo came out, games were $50. I doubt they will start changing now.

Yes, there are the exception where some are cheaper....but more would be just plain dumb

N64 seems to be the exception in the other direction. I remember working at Funcoland the holiday season N64 came out. We couldn't get enough games in stock, so we had to get them from other distrubutors. Because of this, we were selling some games for as high as $100! True story. I personally bought GoldenEye for like $68 -- and that was AFTER my employee discount. Stupid carts...

I agree. I remember a few years ago when I was 8 or 9 I would have to save up my money, and pokemon stadium was 60$, as were a few others. Hopefully if this DOES happen, it won't be standard retailing for all games, and just be like the n64's. the 50$ basis is lightly defined, and a few games would go overboard like the big-shot titles. It doesn't matter anyways because CAGers most of the time are gonna wait for price drops so what's another 5$ on a brand new title?

[Alpha2]

We already had a topic on this, I believe CNN said it first and the explaination fo why it MIGHT happen was a load of crap then too.

[WarrenGekko]

Yeah, games have been set in stone for about $50 for YEARS. Even when Nintendo came out, games were $50. I doubt they will start changing now.

Yes, there are the exception where some are cheaper....but more would be just plain dumb

N64 seems to be the exception in the other direction. I remember working at Funcoland the holiday season N64 came out. We couldn't get enough games in stock, so we had to get them from other distrubutors. Because of this, we were selling some games for as high as $100! True story. I personally bought GoldenEye for like $68 -- and that was AFTER my employee discount. Stupid carts...

I agree. I remember a few years ago when I was 8 or 9 I would have to save up my money, and pokemon stadium was 60$, as were a few others. Hopefully if this DOES happen, it won't be standard retailing for all games, and just be like the n64's. the 50$ basis is lightly defined, and a few games would go overboard like the big-shot titles. It doesn't matter anyways because CAGers most of the time are gonna wait for price drops so what's another 5$ on a brand new title?

Just like I was saying above, games used to be way more expensive and I was surprised (and glad) to see $50 as the standard price when Nintendo finally had competition. And with all three console makers coming out with next generation machines, I don't see that it can be possible for prices to rise. But, you may see more advertising in games like you see in the movies.

[ViolentLee]

I wouldn't mind spending a couple of extra bucks for added content, as long as it was worthwhile, like Halo 2 LE or the Special Edition MKs. Do you guys feel the same way?

[Mr_hockey66]

Games are allready to high. i refuse to pay 50 bucks for a game! Thats of course Why Im here!

[WarrenGekko]

I really have a hard time paying extra for games nowadays. I hve Mortal Kombat but was not interested in the Kollectors Edition.

Also, in support that prices won't rise. All the ESPN 2K titles are priced new at 19.99. I like this

[Scorch]

They've been testing it out. Halo 2 CE, Dead or Alive, Doom 3 and Half-Life 2, some of them offering extra content, some not, are going between 54.99 and 59.99. For 5 extra bucks, sure, if they added quite a bit of content, that's fine.. but not a retail price of 54.99.

[rajchakrabarti]

If this is even true, this is only bad news for people who pay full price for games...definitely not CAGs.


right on.....