[quote name='eJohnny']Get real. If PS3 isn't a viable platform for publishling games, then the blame for a poorly performing game lies squarely on the game companies for not being aware of their market. Perhaps the market is saturated with developers and publishers and what we're actually seeing here is a weeding out. The fact is that great games are making money, so if yours doesn't, you're probably doing something wrong. Games like Halo, Fable, Left 4 Dead, GTA, all show there's money to be made if you create a good experience for your customer (and part of that experience is price).
If you want to see the impact of lower prices, take a look at how Left 4 Dead sales increased 3000% when Valve dropped the price on steam. I think it's clear the video game industry is out of touch with reality and where prices should be. Capcom's DLC isn't a creative attempt to generate alternative revenue because all they have done is hold back game modes that, in this day and age, are considered STANDARD FEATURES. Boycotting those kinds of actions are a good way to tell the company that it's unacceptable.[/quote]
Titles start development usually two or more years out. At that time there are assumptions made about where the console install base will be in the future. Given a 10% standard profit model, if 25% of the market is missing all of a sudden the average game is losing money. This has nothing to do with game quality. The realities of the current market are only starting to have an impact on which games are realeased.
And to you other point Gabe Newell knows how to play the base and stir shit up. He knows that the retail distribution model is entirely different than the digital model. Notice that Left 4 Dead on 360 was released at a $59.99 retail just like every other game even though when you look at it solely on the basis of included features consumers are getting raped at that price. And it's still out there at full retail price even though I don't think there has been a better example of a game that could afford to drop in price solely to promote goodwill. I don't have an issue with this because it makes perfect business sense (and I own L4D on 360), but there is no reason to put Valve on a pedestal.
I wish Gamasutra would do a feature on pricing and/or value and release some NPD numbers for the public to see. If you saw the actual sales numbers you'd realize that consumer friendly actions do not pay off financially. You can put the blame on that where ever you like, but it won't change what happens in the future. The Burnout Paradise numbers are especially eye opening.
My point in all this is best descibed in a simple prayer that everyone is familiar with:
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. "
I'm not a religious man myself, but I still see the vast wisdom in that prayer. You can't change the fact that game companies are going to try and make a profit. With RE5 the bottom line is that the game is going to sell well enough based on the features included in the game disk. There are going to be enough people that want to buy the DLC that I think that will be a success as well. If change does come from the protests, it will be a vocal minority that negatively impacts the buying majority who is happy with the purchase they have made. This battle may be won but the end result will be a loss for consumers.