The Value of Your Saved Game

N'Gai and the LevelUp blog take on an interesting thought experiment: which is more valuable, the $60 game you bought at the store, or the save-game file sitting on your console's hard drive? The article explores the various ways save-games can be backed up, and calculates how much the average saved game is worth based on your age and income. "Our back of the envelope calculations clearly demonstrate that in all but one of the categories, the save file is more valuable than the game itself, and ought to be backed up regularly in recognition of that value. And that's without even attempting to figure out the worth of any intangibles: the frustration of having to replay familiar levels and challenges just to get back to the halfway mark; the attachment that you may have built up to the character; any customization and personalization you did the first time through; the loss of unlocks, user-generated content and other valuable elements." I have a massive save-game file for Oblivion that I would be very distraught to lose. Any saved-games you've been carting around or protecting over the months/years?

Comments

Re:Why place a price on it?

[ukpyr]

It's our job as consumers to support the war on terror through aggressive purchasing. If we don't 'play to win' - we're really losing. One to grow on.

You're right though of course. Some people really enjoy saving every aspect of their life "just in case". Like people who get depressed for weeks when they lose 10 years of email. It would suck I guess, but that's why we have memories.

There is something to be said for the "happy filter" human brains have.