Will video game prices keep dropping or have we hit rock bottom?

[Javery]

I don't think things can get much cheaper and I fear that eventually Nintendo, EA and Sony will be the only companies making games. With all the great games out there I won't pay more than $30 for one and that's stretching it considering that I know new games will be $20 in a few months. 10 years ago a $20 game was unheard of - wil the trend continue or have we reached the bottom?

[evilomar]

I really hope they keep dropping.

[greydemise]

i believe it will..i mean, just about all games start off as high priced, then the downward trend continues sinces its just copying media to a disc..and the prices of dvd-rs are steadily going down..i think that video games prices wil go down..BUT there is also piracy taht companies have to worry about *downloadable ps2 and xbox games* and that loses profits that were meant for companies...so..hmm..maybe they will stay the same :-\

[doubledown]

Considering MOST NEW games are $50, I highly doubt it. Some even sold for more...Doom3 and Half-Life 2 went for $55 if memory serves me correct.

Now, SEGA bucked the trend with the $20 games, but that is rare....

MOST new games will continue with the $50 price point. Of course, prices fall over time....but some people like games NOW, not 2-months from release date.

[chickenhawk]

I don't think they'll get much cheaper either, especially considering you can get almost any game for $10-15 if you wait long enough. Maybe the can go to a $40 starting point, but I doubt they will do that across the board.

As far as Nintendo, EA, and Sony being the only ones to make games...if that happens I think gaming as we know it (cliche alert!!) will die. There is no way we can survive with only 3 companies making games. What would the incentive be to make good games? Nintendo still might, but that would be about it.

[Scrubking]

Games will go UP in price probably starting with the next generation of consoles. Haven't you been listening to the Industry bitch about production costs and how they need to raise prices?

[asaraa]

I found it strange that Ghost Recon 2 @ my Best Buy came out new at $52.99, instead of the regular $49.99. No other game was that price.

[SevereTireDamage]

Right now, I think there will still be the drive from Nintendo, EA, and Sony to make the megahit blockbusters franchises with $5 million budgets - ie Metroid, Halo, Metal Gear. However, I do see a nice trend which is that not EVERY game has to open at $50 anymore.

I remember being pleasantly surprised that the original GC Viewtiful Joe came out last year at $40 (as did the sequel). Of course, now my standards for cheapness are even worse so I'll wait until it hits $30 or even $20, and that's a game I think deserves a ton of money.

Alien Hominid is a very small scale low budget production and it came out at $30. Future Tactics was $15 at launch, Katamari Damacy is $20 with great reviews.

Honestly, I prefer that a lot more, very low budget titles come out because it's more affordable for us, most of us can't afford to buy a $50 title every month (for me it's maybe twice a year). Another side effect is we get titles that are more experimental and different because the risk isn't so high.

But because of the big budget blockbusters mentioned above and the sales records breaking even at that price for GTA and Halo you can bet they're gonna charge $60 and upwards for these games. (*cough Collector's Editions *cough* Damn you Blizzard for starting this trend. Or was it Id with Quake 3's tin box?)

The nice thing is, with all the competition, if you don't want to pay $50 (and I still believe certain games do deserve it, and it's totally subjective) you don't have to. Within 6 months you're virtually guaranteed the game will drop by $20 at least.

[Trakan]

I found it strange that Ghost Recon 2 @ my Best Buy came out new at $52.99, instead of the regular $49.99. No other game was that price.

MGS3 is $50.79 at my BB. :roll:

[Ledhed]

I found it strange that Ghost Recon 2 @ my Best Buy came out new at $52.99, instead of the regular $49.99. No other game was that price.

MGS3 is $50.79 at my BB. :roll:

EB has that $53 price pretty often as well.

One thing I've seen an increase in is Strat Guides. Unless you were purchasing a damned encyclopedia disguised as a guide, it wouldn't break the $15 mark. Now they do it routinely, even when they aren't "special."

[vherub]

this board is...biased when it comes to prices. Most consumers accept a $50 pricepoint. If anything there has been consistent pressure over the last few years to hover around that $50 level. Games going above it, even to say $55 still sees resistant. Even though from an inflation perspective, games are much, much cheaper today, even at $50.
I qould guess there will be more games released at $60 or $65 that have added content, whether that is packed in old games, trinkets, director's commentary tracks, dvds or otherwise special editions that people are more willing to pay an increased fee for, and is a better profit margin for the producer.

[roland13x]

$5 million budget does not make a AAA title these days. Double (or triple) that, and you've got a more realistic cost.

Games are worth whatever consumers are willing to pay.

[Lexian]

I never buy games for full retail. There's no real game that is worth it to me to buy at launch for 50 bucks. I waited well over a year for most games I wanted for the 20 buck discount, and for me that was worth it.

[Scrubking]

this board is...biased when it comes to prices.

Not really. A lot of people still buy games at full price - it just depends on the game.

Most consumers accept a $50 pricepoint.

That's because they don't know any better or are too impatient to wait for a price drop. The hype machine makes people say and do stupid things like "this game is worth double or triple the retail price!!!111!!!"

[WhipSmartBanky]

Yeah the MSRP may go up, but there will ALWAYS be price drops and sales, often times not long after.

Look at Half-Life 2...MSRP of $60 for the standard edition, now easily found for under $40 now barely a month later.

[Trakan]

this board is...biased when it comes to prices. Most consumers accept a $50 pricepoint. If anything there has been consistent pressure over the last few years to hover around that $50 level. Games going above it, even to say $55 still sees resistant. Even though from an inflation perspective, games are much, much cheaper today, even at $50.
I qould guess there will be more games released at $60 or $65 that have added content, whether that is packed in old games, trinkets, director's commentary tracks, dvds or otherwise special editions that people are more willing to pay an increased fee for, and is a better profit margin for the producer.

Where the hell do you think you are?

[elprincipe]

Games will go UP in price probably starting with the next generation of consoles. Haven't you been listening to the Industry bitch about production costs and how they need to raise prices?

While it's true there's been much whining over development costs, I believe that the $50 MSRP price point is so entrenched at this point as the standard for new games (other than "special edition" nonsense) that it will be very hard to move for console games. PC games regularly break this barrier, but the only console games you've seen do it in quite some time are things that include special controllers or stuff like Working Designs' multiple-game collection boxes. There's a lot of competition and that's why you're seeing so many budget-priced games nowadays, and I think that the companies that make the most popular games aren't looking to be the first one to set their game prices at $55 or $60.