Atari to next-gen pricing: GTFO

[Diff-chan]

Joe Gamer doesn't give a fuck. He has money to spend. $60 is not going to break him.

My dad is Joe Gamer. He just bought a 360. He didnt flinch at the $60 tag on GRAW. But he doesnt go out and buy 50 games a month like we do. He doesnt scan CAG every day looking to get $5 off some shitty game so he can brag about buying it on the internet.

[magnifiedplaid]

I believe this $60 for a game crap is going to have to stop fairly soon. Thats an outrageous price point, and I don't see them being able to get away with it once the Wii and the PS3 hit store shelves. For the time being, Microsoft thinks its OK to release games at $60 because they are the only "next-gen" system on the market. However, once the Wii and the PS3 hit, the 360 isn't going to be "special" enough to warrant a $60 price tag on games.

Plus, the market is so overflooded with software right now that I don't see the average person willing to spend $60 on a game. I used to be happy with the $50 price tag, and not even think twice about spending that on a game. However, there is so much crap on the market right now that no games are holding their value. It sickens me that I can walk into an EB or gamestop and half of the games their are below $20...and some of the best games like Crimson Skies can be had for $2.99!!!

So, the question for me is...will enough average casual "non-gamers" actually spend $60 on a game? Or, will they think to themselves "screw that, I would rather stick with my current gen system and get games that I haven't played yet (that are just as good, if not better) for about $5!" Hell, I am actually starting to think that even $50 isn't worth it for a game anymore. I picked up Prey on the 360 the other day, and thought to myself "WOW this is a great game.....if it were $39.99.....but at $60 this is a rip off...any game is a rip off at that price." Then I realized that I hadn't played Prince of Persia Warrior Within yet, so I picked it up at Gamestop for $6.99 and its a hell of a lot better for $6.99 than Prey is for $60.

So unless game companies can do something really special, like make some kind of crazy virtual reality "star trek holideck (sp?)" kind of game; the $60 isn't worth it. Xbox 360 games especially aren't worth the $60 price tag since the system hasn't really done anything revolutionary yet, and its making all the same mistakes as the original Xbox so far; except for the fact that it actually manages to have longer load times than the original Xbox.

[Joust Williams]

I am praying this game is good. 60 dollars a game doesn't hurt me. It's like full price plus a Double Meat footlong at Subway with a bag of chips. Sure, slippery slope, blah blah blah, but games like Pole Position used to be 50 dollars.

[Diff-chan]

LOl do you really think PS3 games will be $50 and below?

You're nuts.

Warrior Within sucks btw. Noob.

[Razor Ramon]

I'm going to guess $70 for PS3 games. Fourth dimension and all.

[kingoffighters]

Plus, the market is so overflooded with software right now that I don't see the average person willing to spend $60 on a game. I used to be happy with the $50 price tag, and not even think twice about spending that on a game. However, there is so much crap on the market right now that no games are holding their value. It sickens me that I can walk into an EB or gamestop and half of the games their are below $20...and some of the best games like Crimson Skies can be had for $2.99!!!

QFT. Games don't hold their value, and I am not talking about collector's market or mentality. 10 years ago, I would spend $50, $60 (remember when N64 and PS1 games debuted at $59.99 as well) on a game without even thinking about it. I know that a year from now, it is still at that price so there is no point in waiting for the game to drop. Prices now drop so fast I don't mind waiting for a couple of months to see if the price will drop because it didn't sell all that well. Chances are, I can buy it really cheap either 2nd hand or when it hit the Greatest Hits label.

[JefmcC]

If people can sell 360 games on ebay brand new the week of release for $15 less than retail, something is wrong. If Play Asia can sell asian market 360 games (which work fine in USA systems than you very much) then something is wrong.

$60 price tag on these next gen games is horse shit. Did it really take that much more to develop Hitman Bloodmoney for 360 than it did for Xbox? Farcry on Xbox is 19.99 yet the same game on 360 is $59.99?

Economy of scale should be making these things cheaper not more expensive.

Fuck

That

Noise.

[Diff-chan]

$60 price tag on these next gen games is horse shit. Did it really take that much more to develop Hitman Bloodmoney for 360 than it did for Xbox? Farcry on Xbox is 19.99 yet the same game on 360 is $59.99?

The quickie ports are obviously rip-offs but if you don't think a Halo 3 or MGS4 won't cost that much more to make then their predecessors you are insane.

[JefmcC]

The quickie ports are obviously rip-offs but if you don't think a Halo 3 or MGS4 won't cost that much more to make then their predecessors you are insane.

No I don't. I think the basic know how for making modern videogames is pretty well established. IMO, the learning curve is not what we are led to believe.

It's not like Halo 3 or MGS4 are going to reinvent every single technological wheel since Xbox1 or PS2.

The exact same games are selling for $25 less in the Asian market.

Whatever the excuse, we are getting fucked on the pricing, and I don't think it had anything to do with development cost.

Anyway,
I think Atari is going with $39.99 because they know they can't compete at any other price point. PGR3 is where it's at and Atari knows it.

[Razor Ramon]

I'm sure it wouldn't kill them to release new games at $50, either. The new graphics are nice but for more money I want more in return. The problem with games these days is that you pay the same amount for less enjoyable experiences. If they want to charge me $60 for a new game, they're going to have to show me it's worth it.

I still say DVD-like extras should be included in video games. Hell, even a second disc full of random shit. Then I wouldn't mind the higher price tag.