hemo memo
You can't die before your death
It was Burger King actually.Not 4k at 240 fps with full ray tracing. And I want it on my KFConsole.
It was Burger King actually.Not 4k at 240 fps with full ray tracing. And I want it on my KFConsole.
Well you were denying that greed is a factor in rising costs. I'm pointing out that it definitely is
Even worse. The gaming industry is one where people go ape shit pre-ordering games, including digital downloads as if the bandwidth will run out.Buy less games. You don't need every hit game that comes out if you can't afford it. NES and SNES games were in the 50 dollar range in the 90s. If you haven't noticed, everything else has gotten way more expensive since then. I really don't want to be insensitive but I'm genuinely tired of the whining. Cancel your Netflix/hulu/max/disney+/bangbros/spotify/youtubepremium subscriptions or stop buying every newest iteration of the iPhone. Stop getting food from apps. Game development has gotten more expensive. I don't see the issue.
Get a second job.
On your lunch breaks.Then when are you gonna play the video games lmao
I get that greed, to some extent, has always existed. But with the outside influence of investors, as well as the incredibly high salaries of executives, it's definitely become much more greedy.Sure but that's pointless to focus on because greed has been a factor in nearly EVERY price increase that has ever happened in every industry since they started trading grain in Mesopotamia.
IF the people running the games industry were truly greedy, games would have likely jumped to $80 a decade ago.
The fact is that game development costs at the AAA level have gone up 50 to 500x in some instances. Meanwhile games have been at the exact same price for 35 years. Yes, microtransactions, DLC, and other garbage are ways that developers and publishers have found to make more money off of gamers without raising the price of games. But we can't have it both ways. Wouls you prefer to go back in time and have games jump to $80 in 2010, $90 in 2020, and $100 dollars in 2025 - but DLC and other monetary systems didn't exist? I think that's a lot more interesting to discuss.
Unfortunately for us gamers, we're going to end up with both it seems. Games increasing in price and over-monetization will continue.
You can't be this ignorant.
PC gaming is pound-for-pound a far better value than consoles, given the immense versatility afforded to the platform.
The only two things console gaming had going for it were a relatively cheap price of entry and ease of use.
And those advantages are effectively null and void.
-Console gaming is no longer cheap.
-PC gaming is easier to get into now than ever before.
If you typical PC crowd who likes f2p, old and indies - for sure. For current slate of release it significantly more expensive than consoles.PC gaming is pound-for-pound a far better value than consoles, given the immense versatility afforded to the platform.
Modern portable laptop will net you 25 fps on all low at fullHD in Obscur. Perfect way to play games.And that computer/laptop either A) Is slow, old and in serious need of replacement already or B) is good enough to play games even if not necessarily a gaming one, meaning through it PC gaming becomes that person's easiest entry point.
I've seen people content playing cyberpunk at 15 fps, besides tons of popular games dont need to run on a 'proper' gaming device to be playable. You certainly dont need a rtx 4070 to play Stardew Valley properly and my god that game is popular.Modern portable laptop will net you 25 fps on all low at fullHD in Obscur. Perfect way to play games.
Otherwise its a perfect notebook - lightweight and powerfull enough to run browser and excel.
/Rant on - -For those complaining about greed, do you offer to work for less than you can get from your employers? The purpose of companies is to maximize the value of the company for ownership/stakeholders. If you look at gross margins and operating margins at these companies, items not egregious. If they were greedy and asking for too much, market demand would correct it.
For publisher it's probably a loss, as physical media management, store cut included, iirc are a bit cheaper than digital stores cutThey removed physical media (profit)
They removed retail logistics (profit)
That's a loss for sure. Increased teams even if they cut afterwise is a higher cost. Besides contract workers usually a bit more expensive than permanent stuff to compensate temporary status of workThey increased team sizes, then lay them off when product releases (profit)
These are true and helped compensate both inflation and increase in scope (bigger teams/budgets)They increased labor crunch to everything minus 5-7 hours of sleep and commute times (profit)
They added micro transactions beyond game sales (profit)
They added season passes to games (profit)
They turned single-player games into live services requiring a race of player engagement to reap personal data, shop, season pass sales (profit)
Market still grow rather fast, it's just that AAA SP games are stagnant.The maximum players are now showing and there is no longer an unending growth market of customers like there was in 2005-2010
There are obliged to do so.Now they have to make tough choices on how to make next quarter's profits show.
The world's watching sub-4k content (games, streaming, TV, etc.) that's been 'upscaled' (stretched) just so it can watch 4k UHD Blu-ray content in perfect clarity.Being able to play 4K Blu Ray isn't the value add it once was.
yep 3 $80 games instead of 4 $60 games.Buy less games.
Or wait 6 to 8 weeks after the release date and get all 4 games on sale for anywhere from 20% to 50% off. It's not difficult. I simply don't understand why gamers have such a huge problem with impulse control. Don't buy games on release date. Don't pre-order games. It's that's simple. You'll save a ton of money that way.yep 3 $80 games instead of 4 $60 games.
Man you guys are trying too hard to make blu-ray a thing. Please don't do that because that isn't going to end well for y'all
Even worse. The gaming industry is one where people go ape shit pre-ordering games, including digital downloads as if the bandwidth will run out.
Then repeat the cycle on other pre-orders and also stockpiling games on backlog. How many industries do you know where someone will buy 10, 20 or 100 products and never get around to using them. Not too many.
Dont buy everygame day 1 if you cant afford, wait for discounts, buy used discs or look for smaller sellers which always sell games cheaper. Its expensive hobby sure, but rhere are ways to game while not breaking bank
That comment was in response to you saying you could get 300 hours out of $25 and why should Mario Kart World be $80. This is a pretty silly statement to make since video games aren't priced based on how many hours of enjoyment you get out of them, just like cars aren't priced based on how many miles you can get out of them."Because it offers a unique experience that some people think is worth it."
It looks exactly like the previous games in the series. Nintendo is charging $80 for a Mario Kart 8 DLC with a filler open world with no campaign mode or a battle royale mode that could take advantage of it.
That's that waste of money trash build, yes.
You're right about the working for less thing. But complaining or boycotting is the consumer answer to the "offering to work for less" argument. People in here are kinda saying no, we won't pay more for less. It goes both ways right. The complaints get to a point where the industry realizes they can't go higher. Or else they just keep goingFor those complaining about greed, do you offer to work for less than you can get from your employers? The purpose of companies is to maximize the value of the company for ownership/stakeholders. If you look at gross margins and operating margins at these companies, items not egregious. If they were greedy and asking for too much, market demand would correct it.
Word Steam sale is the gift that keeps on giving.I think it means you wait for price drops rather than buy games on Day 1. If you're patient, these $80 games will come down to reasonable prices in 6 months or so (excepting Nintendo titles).
I never have a problem waiting. Now, I'm a singleplayer gamer. It's different if you're into the MP stuff - then you want to get in on the action early. But with SP titles, the game is the same 6 months later as it was on Day 1. It may even be better, because of bug fixes, etc. I've only spent $70 for a game once in the past 5 years, and that was because I wanted to support the developer.
Ask for a raise then
Love your job, work hard. Or better yet try your best to get a promotion for better pay. Or get a better job. Proper budge management for personal use and extra for gaming.
Yea, funny how 51% of USA has been at 61-63k/year for the last 25 years (AFI). Says something about the whole ask for a raise argument, innit?Let's be realistic here.
Lmao fuck off with the bolded text.
/Rant on - -
Inflation caught up with all the cost cutting that has gone on over the last 25 years. They are not passing the buck to the consumer and the backlash is starting. Nothing grandiose about it.
They removed physical media (profit)
They removed retail logistics (profit)
They increased team sizes, then lay them off when product releases (profit)
They increased labor crunch to everything minus 5-7 hours of sleep and commute times (profit)
They added micro transactions beyond game sales (profit)
They added season passes to games (profit)
They turned single-player games into live services requiring a race of player engagement to reap personal data, shop, season pass sales (profit)
Now two things have happened.
1) inflation leaped majorly in the last 5 years shrinking the profit margins
2) Interest rates jumped from 0.1% to 7% for business loans.
Gaming corporations can no long show their investors never ending profits because the buying market has adjusted away from yearly CoD, Madden, FIFA type releases and the live service market has maxed out burning out the potential customer to new IPs. The maximum players are now showing and there is no longer an unending growth market of customers like there was in 2005-2010
Now with no more money coming from the back door via banks; investors increasingly calling out these companies practices because they are finding out publicly with the news threatening to pull their investment portfolios (ie mutual funds worth 100s of millions); and sales maxing out in the current market per product release. These companies are now aiming for upfront cost via the initial price of purchase. Because if you can at $10 or 20$ to 3,000,000 copies sold you just improved your ROI by 33% per copy.
This is why we're seeing this!
Nothing to do with external market influences pushing poor old Sony / Nintendo / Microsoft to pay more to make a product because what physical investment is there in making the product? The only pressures they are seeing is the bottom line is disappearing. The people signing the checks are drying up. The free money is disappearing. The government incentive programs handing out grants or 0.03% loans for injecting government ideals into their product (ie DEI enhanced loans). Now they have to make tough choices on how to make next quarter's profits show. So we see:
1)Massive Layoffs reducing labor cost
2)Cancellation of games that were projected to cost $75-$500 million to put onto market
3)Increasing upfront asking prices of the customers.
These companies are gouging every fucking wall trying to keep what money flowing they can for as long as they can. This is the corporate version of flinging shit on a wall and seeing what sticks. Obviously, the loans won't stick, the grants won't stick, the investors are sliding down the wall slowly, and so we see them throwing the shit labelled increases product prices at sale being tossed onto the wall because Sony's seems to be sticking so lets follow that!
/Rant off - -
I've looked at the historical gross margins and operating margins. Nintendo is up, has been since the success of the Switch, especially COVID, but they need to reinvest this earnings in R&D and games. Also, they have history of flopped hardware and need to give themselves cushion. Sony is trying to maintain peak PS4 margins, and MS is trying to make up for lower console sales and get a return on their recent acquisitions. None of these companies have sky rocketing margins. People need to understand that.
you can play Stardew Valley on your phoneI've seen people content playing cyberpunk at 15 fps, besides tons of popular games dont need to run on a 'proper' gaming device to be playable. You certainly dont need a rtx 4070 to play Stardew Valley properly and my god that game is popular.
I will just say one thing to the PC champions.500$ per console
100$ per game
100$ per acssessories
200$ year for online feature.
And some here ll say that PC game is expensive
But not Factorio, Dota 2, CS, Truck Sim, TF2, V Rising or whatever other dozens of popular games are out there that dont necessarily require super powerful hardware. Stardew Valley is just one in a sea of many one could try to play on whatever random PC/Laptop they have at home.you can play Stardew Valley on your phone
Their NET margin is still 10% beyond 2016. That is after all bills are paid and interest met for their earnings. That is all divisions combined music / movies / games / financial services / TVs / etc. I would love to have 10% of my pay extra after every paycheck for the last 9 years.
But hey, maybe I can go into businesses and say, times are tough I think I need a 33% discount on what I am buying with my utilities, mortgage taxes, car insurance, food.
*edit*
Microsoft is 30-35% net margin since 2018
Nintendo is 37% since 2017.
None of them are losing money and margines are steady for more than 5 years, so why the shift to find more avenues of revenue?
Yea, funny how 51% of USA has been at 61-63k/year for the last 25 years (AFI). Says something about the whole ask for a raise argument, innit?
I might consider rental services (e.g., Gamefly, GP, etc.) in the future. I haven't gone that route yet, but I'll consider it. In an ideal world, I would buy games to support the developers I like, but I can't see paying $80 for a game. I can afford it - that's not the issue. I just balk at spending $80 on a single game, unless I know I will spend months with it.
Btw, rising prices will mean continued bloat used to justify those prices ("80 hours of content!").
Many console people will scream at you because "ownership".
It is so hilarious that you made that argument and at thr same time mentioned every other type of media when they all have gotten cheaper.Buy less games. You don't need every hit game that comes out if you can't afford it. NES and SNES games were in the 50 dollar range in the 90s. If you haven't noticed, everything else has gotten way more expensive since then. I really don't want to be insensitive but I'm genuinely tired of the whining. Cancel your Netflix/hulu/max/disney+/bangbros/spotify/youtubepremium subscriptions or stop buying every newest iteration of the iPhone. Stop getting food from apps. Game development has gotten more expensive. I don't see the issue.
Every streaming service I listed has gone up in price steadily. Not familiar with bang bros though maybe your subscription went down recently? Happy for you.It is so hilarious that you made that argument and at thr same time mentioned every other type of media when they all have gotten cheaper.