Originally Posted by k9homan The cost to the consumer is higher because of a $7 per sku console fee xbox & sony charges. Now, that console fee can be lowered if the publisher provides an exclusive content only to that console. In addition, sony charges an additional licensing fee for blu-ray technology. Part of that extra $1 you pay also covers the 'free' multi-player servers on PS3.

I'm afraid you're going to have to clairify this "$7 per sku console fee", as I can't seem to find any information about it through a google search.

And I'm a little confused. I find it hard to fathom that Microsoft would pay Activision to make exclusive DLC and then go and wave this fee that Activision is supposed to pay Microsoft as a reward for Activision making exclusive DLC that Microsoft paid for.

Also, I highly contend with "Part of that extra $1 you pay also covers the 'free' multi-player servers on PS3". If that were the case, then every multiplatform game would be about $1 more on PS3 than it is on Xbox. Instead, only Activision games are routinely available for lower prices on Xbox than on PS3.

Originally Posted by Nyxaz DJ Hero 2 Bundle for $26 seems to be about the only good PS3 sale listed.

Yeah, which i picked up day one during the Power Saver sale.

Originally Posted by a_dirty_Shisno I'm afraid you're going to have to clairify this "$7 per sku console fee", as I can't seem to find any information about it through a google search. And I'm a little confused. I find it hard to fathom that Microsoft would pay Activision to make exclusive DLC and then go and wave this fee that Activision is supposed to pay Microsoft as a reward for Activision making exclusive DLC that Microsoft paid for. Also, I highly contend with "Part of that extra $1 you pay also covers the 'free' multi-player servers on PS3". If that were the case, then every multiplatform game would be about $1 more on PS3 than it is on Xbox. Instead, only Activision games are routinely available for lower prices on Xbox than on PS3.

He's probably referring to the per unit licensing fee that both MS and Sony (and Nintendo) charge publishers on game software.

In the past, such as with GTA IV, MS did throw down alot of cash for temporary exclusivity of DLC....in that case Rockstar was hard up for cash, Sony's installed base wasn't nearly a large as it is now, and MS made a point by taking a game series that had always had Sony hardware the lead platform and now made the 360 the lead platform (at least in consumers minds, if not Rockstar's) and had fairly serious exclusivity...I think it was good for at least a year.

However, the marketplace has changed....DLC is now a well established business (it may be hard to believe but it has taken quite a while for publishers to figure out what works and doesn't work on DLC (horse armor anyone?) and the PS3 now had sizable installed base as well.

I have no specific knowledge of the agreement that activision and MS made in regards to black ops, but I suspect that it doesn't involve large amounts of cash going from MS to activision, but likely has a ton of extra marketing support for black ops done by MS at low fees. At this stage, MS knows exactly how much value it has to offer activision because it knows exactly how many map packs are sold and also has a platform that is fairly advertiser friendly (the PS3 currently is much less so). Both parties know that they need each other to make more profit (as much as activision thinks it deserves a cut of MS's Xbox live subscriptions, I can't see that line of thought being brought up to forcefully) nor is 30 days exclusivity that much a marketing feature to justify paying a ton of cash for. It is not like PS3 and Xbox players battle on the same network and thus Xbox players would have some sort of advantage over PS3 players if they got the maps 30 days sooner than PS3 players. It is something to brag about at E3 but really isn't big deal in the overall market....It is not like people are going to dump their PS3s and buy a 360 because of something like this.

Originally Posted by jer7583 the future of gaming HINT: The frog is on drugs

Thats not just a hint, that is a PROTIP sir.

Originally Posted by a_dirty_Shisno I'm afraid you're going to have to clairify this "$7 per sku console fee", as I can't seem to find any information about it through a google search. And I'm a little confused. I find it hard to fathom that Microsoft would pay Activision to make exclusive DLC and then go and wave this fee that Activision is supposed to pay Microsoft as a reward for Activision making exclusive DLC that Microsoft paid for. Also, I highly contend with "Part of that extra $1 you pay also covers the 'free' multi-player servers on PS3". If that were the case, then every multiplatform game would be about $1 more on PS3 than it is on Xbox. Instead, only Activision games are routinely available for lower prices on Xbox than on PS3.

Forbes has a pretty good write-up here:
http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/19/ps3...peed=undefined

Forbes' reporters are spot on, it is usually around $7, depending what your publisher's relationship with console owner.

Originally Posted by K_G I have no specific knowledge of the agreement that activision and MS made in regards to black ops, but I suspect that it doesn't involve large amounts of cash going from MS to activision, but likely has a ton of extra marketing support for black ops done by MS at low fees...

Its more of, a share of the pie when a sale is made. The shared marketing cost, MDF, (marketing development fund) is only a very small percentage...

Originally Posted by Chemosh013 Is it sad that the only thing I'm remotely interested in on that list is the Darth Vader Wii Sensor Bar holder?

Ya its a very nice statue, i grabbed it at TRU for the same price. Solid piece and looks great.

Originally Posted by jer7583 the future of gaming HINT: The frog is on drugs

Perfect example of why the Wii is in a BIG DECLINE.

Originally Posted by a_dirty_Shisno I do know what I'm talking about. Whether or not they are being paid to give so many benefits to microsoft, I have no incentive to purchase their games on the only console I own. Why should I buy a game for $40, $50, $60, etc. when anyone with an Xbox can almost always get it for less?

Almost always are PC games cheaper than consoles. On top of that, the people that pirates always get's it cheaper than the paying customer....

What are you going to play?

Originally Posted by k9homan Its more of, a share of the pie when a sale is made. The shared marketing cost, MDF, (marketing development fund) is only a very small percentage...

MS reducing their cut would be a sensible compromise for short term exclusivity...but that said, flipping through my xbox dashboard tonight, there were 3 tiles promoting the next map pack (2 in Spotlight, 1 in Inside Xbox...one was a trailer, and there was an inside xbox video tile about how 'amazing" this next map pack was in two different areas)....That sort of saturation doesn't happen by accident.... Given the sales of these things and their appeal to a key xbox live gold constituency, MS would have likely done some extra marketing regardless but now I suspect they do it overkill mode as a part of this exclusivity agreement.

they have to justify however many millions bout them exclusivity for a month for 3 years

Going to Gamestop tomorrow. Wonder if I should pick up the DJ Hero bundle... hmmm...

Originally Posted by ShinSolidus Going to Gamestop tomorrow. Wonder if I should pick up the DJ Hero bundle... hmmm...

Check out your local TRU first. They're all $19.99 for the three systems.

Originally Posted by knightsdwn Check out your local TRU first. They're all $19.99 for the three systems.

My 'local' TRU is way too damn far. it'll be probably 15 bucks in gas alone seeing as it's on the other side of town. I can never take advantage of the in-store sales because of how far the damn store is. Kinda sucks, but, whatever.

So I got a question about online returns. It says on the return slip that I have 30 days to file a return, but I want to return the games in store and I know they usually have a 7 day limit? So far it's been 9 days. Do you think they'll let me return the items? Has anyone had any experience with this?

I remember hearing somewhere about how Sony charges devs for use of the psn network, for if their game connects. That is why you see Dlc like re5s multiplayer and how it would have been free to 360 users but capcom wanted to recoup some loss from the psn. Idk it was awhile ago and I never thought much about it but I figure since we are now talking about hidden fees and such maybe someone else could shed some light on this.

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Originally Posted by Vap So I got a question about online returns. It says on the return slip that I have 30 days to file a return, but I want to return the games in store and I know they usually have a 7 day limit? So far it's been 9 days. Do you think they'll let me return the items? Has anyone had any experience with this?

you have 30 days for all online orders to return. its only 7 days when purchased in store. You'll have no trouble returning

At some point DefJam Rapstar has to drop below $20, right?

is DJ Hero 2 worth biting on? i know they are supporting it with DLC but is there enough tracks on it? i sold my DJ Hero 1 along time ago because it lacked enough content.

Originally Posted by Brother Daz you have 30 days for all online orders to return. its only 7 days when purchased in store. You'll have no trouble returning

New games have a 30 day return regardless of if they're bought online or in store, while used games bought in store are only 7 days. But used games bought from the website and returned in store are 30 days.

Originally Posted by TheCollegeGamer At some point DefJam Rapstar has to drop below $20, right?

If you have a Target nearby, then you could've possibly picked it up on clearance there for as low as $12.48. One of my local Target stores had 2-3 of the PS3 Def Jam Rapstar bundles sitting there for 2-3 weeks at that price and they eventually just went out of the system.

But maybe your Target is further behind the curve on the clearance drops and may still have them, so you might want to check there.

Thanks, I'll check that out. Usually my Targets only have dreck for cleareance, but who knows.