Slashdot Mirror
Console Game Prices Going Up?
The Bungi writes "MSNBC is running a story that I found interesting in light of the previous article here on Slashdot predicting hardware prices will likely fall. The MSNBC piece is quoting analysts that think software prices might go up by about $10 for a new title. The reasons? Among others, more complex games and anti-piracy measures built into the media. Get ready for $60 Halo II."
That's why I've never bought the argument that the reason software (including games) is so expensive is because of piracy. Supposedly, no one can really copy a Gamecube game and play it on a Gamecube (at least yet), but the prices for the games are the same as the XBox, which supposedly has a piracy problem and PS2.
Forget the whales - save the babies.
The reasons? Among others, more complex games and anti-piracy measures built into the media
Anti-piracy measures should increase revenue, not decrease it; otherwise, why use them at all? If anything, the prices should come down as a result of less piracy (I mean, isn't piracy forcing companies to raise prices? That's what I've always been told).
As for the increased complexity of games, shouldn't it - at least in part - be offset by code reuse? Developing a similar game or a sequel should be much easier than the initial title.
Remember how a few years ago every game had full motion video? Now that you can get decent results with real-time rendering, we don't need all these real-life actors, just voice talent.
If anti-piracy technologies are supposed to make games harder to pirate, then there should be less priacy. If there's less priacy, then they should sell mores copies of protected software. Why should I pay extra for something that should already make them more money?
Of course, all of that was based on the assumption that piracy costs the industry money.
would be to LOWER the price of the games.
Says towards the bottom of the article that only about 10% of the games are big hits. IOW, you pay more for the top tier games because of all of the shovelware that comes out.
The price will go up until the soccer moms stop buying titles for their little brats.
Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
This is complete and utter bullshit. While I can sympathize with the fact that it costs more to develop a game these days, I don't see why that should affect the retail price in all cases. Maybe there companies that are spending upwards to $10 million to develop a game should ensure that the game is good so that they can recover their investment.
The story mentions Enter the Matrix, which is a pretty crappy game. It seems that Shiny spent $20 million developing it. All I can say is "Boo Hoo." The game is still selling very well (over a million units in the U.S. alone), but it would have sold even more if the game was any good.
I know that games and movies are vastly different, but consider this: I pay $10 to see a new movie release, regardless of the cost of production. Why should it be any different for games?
If anything, game prices have to come down, so that Joe Sixpack can pick one up on a whim. $50 is a lot of money to plonk down for a game that might just suck enormous ass. Game prices need to come down for gaming to truly become a mainstream form of entertainment.
I think it's worth mentioning that this 'games going up in price!' theory is courtesy of one games analyst in particular. Even _he_ says most other analysts probably don't agree with him. So I think it's a slightly crackpot notion - but still definitely worth discussing.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some skulking around to do in Thief Gold...at a 1024x768 resolution!