Why is every console game 60$ at launch?

B

beast786

Member
Every game has different budget, marketing, PR etc etc.

"AAA" games with budges in 10-20 millions and higher quality are sold same as low budget crappy games?

Thats like having BMW 5 series sold same price as Honda Civic?

So does activision and IW have a legit right to sell a AAA game with higher quality and budget for a higher ?

Below Picture is from ARS.. There is no WAY its same for every game when it comes to Retail Programming and production

gamecost.png
 
I don't think I get the question.

Launch titles should cost more for a smaller budget, they sell less. But also, we're more tolerable to low quality games at launch because we want shiny new things for our consoles.

And a AAA game budget is like 40 million.
 
Tekken 2 for PS1 was $54.99 when it first came out. i still have the receipt. $50-60 is the sweet spot for customers for launch. if it's more, it'll sell less, imo.
 
beast786 said:
Every game has different budget, marketing, PR etc etc.

"AAA" games with budges in 10-20 millions and higher quality are sold same as low budget crappy games?

Thats like having BMW 5 series sold same price as Honda Civic?

So does activision and IW have a legit right to sell a AAA game with higher quality and budget for a higher ?
Click to expand...

No and as for the $60 question I have stopped buying as much games as I used to day one. I say $40 is the sweet spot, bring on the digital revolution!!.
 
beast786 said:
Every game has different budget, marketing, PR etc etc.

"AAA" games with budges in 10-20 millions and higher quality are sold same as low budget crappy games?

Thats like having BMW 5 series sold same price as Honda Civic?

So does activision and IW have a legit right to sell a AAA game with higher quality and budget for a higher ?
Click to expand...


Because the overall average budget of their games = $x amount which means they have to charge an average of $y amount for games. It is easier and less costly to look at the overall annual development costs and spread that out over all games than to do it on a case-by-case basis.
 
Well, except they're not. Not on Wii anyhow.

Compare Endless Ocean (cheap), Wii Sports Resort (with pack in), Little King's Story (full price no pack-in), Wii Fit (more than most).

And magnificent every one of them.
 
Because there are people who will buy the games at $60 a pop on launch. Might as well net those for as much as they can pay before dropping the price $5-$10 dollars.
 
Urban Scholar said:
Actually its this right here not to mention costs going to taking shelf space with retailers as well.
Click to expand...

Great. I can't wait for next-next gen games. 70-80 bucks a pop. :lol
 
Violater said:
No and as for the $60 question I have stopped buying as much games as I used to day one. I say $40 is the sweet spot, bring on the digital revolution!!.
Click to expand...

As a consumer it makes sense. But why are all most of the retial games standard at 60 bucks? Naughty dawg with 150 plus development team's Uncharted 2 at launch cost same as 16+ member development team of MM.

Isnt that bad business. I cant think of any other business example where production / marketing /devopment cost is not taken into higher/lower price.
 
LiK said:
more like higher development costs.
Click to expand...
Technically we're still lower than SNES era prices (and way lower than generations before that).

The drop in physical media costs has really saved a lot of money overall.

I mean seriously, 3DO games were sometimes over $100. Some SNES games were $70.
 
-PXG- said:
Great. I can't wait for next-next gen games. 70-80 bucks a pop. :lol
Click to expand...

nah, just go back in time. most SNES games were $60 and RPGs like Chrono Trigger were like $80.
 
phisheep said:
Well, except they're not. Not on Wii anyhow.

Compare Endless Ocean (cheap), Wii Sports Resort (with pack in), Little King's Story (full price no pack-in), Wii Fit (more than most).

And magnificent every one of them.
Click to expand...

Came in here to post this. The Wii has tons of budget releases/variable prices. Not that they're all good, but at least some of them are priced more appropriately.
 
1) They are not all $60 at launch. Even the 360 & PS3 have plenty of games that started at $40 or $50.
2) They will charge what the market will bear.
 
Nirolak said:
Technically we're still lower than SNES era prices (and way lower than generations before that).

The drop in physical media costs has really saved a lot of money overall.

I mean seriously, 3DO games were sometimes over $100. Some SNES games were $70.
Click to expand...

so you agree with me? cartridges were why they cost so much back then. development costs were no where near what it is now. so i think publishers need to keep the game's prices where they're at to make money even if the physical media is way cheaper to manufacture these days.
 
i still dont see why games dont take on dvd pricing?

why not sell 10 million copies at 20 bucks and gain franchise fans

instead of selling 1 million at 60 dollars
 
I don't pay full price for my games. GameStop isn't the only store in existence.

Don't any stores compete for the best price in the US? I hear all the time on podcasts how people pay exactly US$60 for games. Don't you Yanks know how to find a bargain?!
 
_dementia said:
Culdcept Saga, Earth Defense Force 2017, Battle Fantasia, Raiden Fighters Aces etc. retailed for $20-$50 on launch.
Click to expand...
and all failed so hard. well culdcept saga at least. cry
 
LiK said:
nah, just go back in time. most SNES games were $60 and RPGs like Chrono Trigger were like $80.
Click to expand...

N64 games too. I remember them shits being mad expensive. :lol

I love how people come into my store and complain about games being $60. I tell them how they used to be more expensive. Most of them don't believe me :/
 
LiK said:
Tekken 2 for PS1 was $54.99 when it first came out. i still have the receipt. $50-60 is the sweet spot for customers for launch. if it's more, it'll sell less, imo.
Click to expand...

Shit I think Turok for N64 was $80 at launch, pretty sure I bought it for $70 on clearance at service merchandise :lol
 
-PXG- said:
N64 games too. I remember them shits being mad expensive. :lol

I love how people come into my store and complain about games being $60. I tell them how they used to be more expensive. Most of them don't believe me :/
Click to expand...

kodt said:
Shit I think Turok for N64 was $80 at launch, pretty sure I bought it for $70 on clearance at service merchandise :lol
Click to expand...

yea, my N64 collection is pretty pathetic cuz the prices were insane. i only went for the first-party games and i also waited for some games to go on clearance as well.
 
a lot of times i really feel like i'm getting more than i should when i buy games. especially this generation, what with the higher definition graphics and gameplay. i would feel comfortable paying a little bit more for games like uncharted 2: among thieves, and modern warefare 2, and halo: odst. am i the only that feels this way?
 
Drkirby said:
I think they all did far under expectations except Raiden Fighters Aces.
Click to expand...
Makes you wonder how many additional people picked it up because of the lower price point. And if any of the people that did buy it wouldn't have bought it regardless. Sounds like a losing proposition to me. Cheap-ass gamers fail yet again.
 
True in the US...not so true elsewhere. Eg. UK - always reduced at launch. I'm sure games are cheaper now than they were at the same time during he PS2's life-span.
 
Because 60 dollars is pretty much the maximum the market will bear. How many would buy a random game for 70 dollars? 80? 90? No goddam way right?

As it stands right now if isn't under 30 dollars I don't want it. I break that rule for very very few titles.
 
beast786 said:
As a consumer it makes sense. But why are all most of the retial games standard at 60 bucks? Naughty dawg with 150 plus development team's Uncharted 2 at launch cost same as 16+ member development team of MM.

Isnt that bad business. I cant think of any other business example where production / marketing /devopment cost is not taken into higher/lower price.
Click to expand...

...movies? Tickets always cost the same amount, and, if anything, the home video releases of big budget movies tend to be a little cheaper than that of small independent films.
 
Not every console game launches at $60. In fact, no Wii games whatsoever do. Of course, I assume you're speaking of PS3 and 360.

The problem with allowing prices to fluctuate is that you end up with some games that are $100, just because they can, and some in the $10 bin that may or may not be worthwhile but everyone ignores just because of the price.

I think the consistent 50-60 is fine, as long as you research the game and make sure you want it before buying it.
 
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite was $35 and has more value than any other console game this year. Handheld gaming wins again.
 
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