On The Mysteries Of PC Computer Game Pricing

Thanks to The Adrenaline Vault for its editorial discussing the recent, seemingly strange retail pricing of PC videogames. The author explains that he has "reviewed a series of recent PC titles with an initial retail price of either $19.99 or, at most, $29.99... This is occurring even as console versions of the same games are selling for around $49.99." He concludes: "From a consumer standpoint, this new pricing pattern is heaven. You can buy more hours of quality virtual interactive entertainment for a lower fee than ever before... The one downside is the ability to get titles released more than six months ago, as small profit margins have led to diminishing shelf space in ever-contracting retail stores." But is there indeed a danger that "smaller [PC-developing] companies often can't handle the loss of revenues from lowered prices, so too dramatic a drop might jeopardize their existence"?

Comments

Re:yup

[bigman2003]

Actually I've found that console gaming is FAR more expensive. (Which is contrary to what I say in the link in my sig)

I probably end up spending an extra $100-$200 per month on console gaming.

That money is spent on things like chips, drinks, BBQ, veggies, beer, etc that gets eaten when my friends and their wives/girlfriends come over to play console games. Also I spend extra time and money cleaning up the house before they come over.

When I was a PC gamer, sitting alone in a dark room with headphones on, it was much cheaper!