Alan Wake: Microsoft preparing to leave PC gamers behind (again)

[_xxx_]

Therefore as long as Valve doesn’t publish one of their AAA games from the first day on for the cheaper price the whole statistic doesn’t say much about game prices and overall sales numbers. It just shows human behavior when it comes to special sales. But this isn’t something groundbreaking new.

Wel ok, let's go back to HL2 release day. I bought a $60 silver package which contained HL2 and in addition to it the old HL, HL Source, TF and whatnot many other mods and stuff. Now compare that to a regular hit game selling for $60 - to me the difference is quite obvious, way more value with the online package.

aaronspink, thanks for the WB info, didn't know that. So there we have another proof that cheaper sells better (like anyone even needs a proof for that, but whatever).

 

[Demirug]

Wel ok, let's go back to HL2 release day. I bought a $60 silver package which contained HL2 and in addition to it the old HL, HL Source, TF and whatnot many other mods and stuff. Now compare that to a regular hit game selling for $60 - to me the difference is quite obvious, way more value with the online package.

That’s called compilations. In the past I bought 10 somewhat older games for the price of one new. Again a smart move from Valve but not the answer to the core questions.

aaronspink, thanks for the WB info, didn't know that. So there we have another proof that cheaper sells better (like anyone even needs a proof for that, but whatever).

I don’t ask you to prove that cheap sells better. I ask you to prove that selling AAA games cheaper will end with higher overall revenue.

 

[_xxx_]

Well how should I prove it? It's not like I can publish an AAA game myself today for $20 and wait for the sales results. Someone should try it, that's the only sure way to find out. Until then we can only keep guessing.

 

[Neb]

I have no problem buying 3 games for 114$ than one for 56$ becouse it just feels better to not pay large sums for single digital entertainment piece and risk being dissapointed and have "wasted" money. However I do buy full-price PC games for 56$ but I research it beforehand to see that it is worth it/exceptional. For example I have been holding out to buy BattleForge and Demigod becouse both are still 113$ however I would instantly buy them both for 75$. I would buy both for that price isntead of a single of those for 56$. Heck I would buy Demigod, BattleForge and a boosterpack to!

It's just that despite having the money it just feels kinda wrong to put to much money into single pieces of digital entertainment despite having more than enough money. For me atleast and same for movies/music. Music 15$ and below and movies 19$nd below.

So in the end I would spend more money on games than before and buy more games than before but still be satisfied about purchases and entertainment/price ratio.

*European prices.

 

[Neb]

Its really really sad that PC plans are up in the air ! This was what I was looking forward to ever since Crysis arrived. PC gaming is indeed dying T_T .

Yawn, a single game published by MS gets probably timed exclusive for 360 and that means PC is dying?

Then what the heck is the PS3, stone cold dead bagged and tagged? after so many lost exclusives and enduring timed exclusive phenomena?

 

[Sxotty]

but they already do cheaper prices at release, they generally have discounted sales pre-release and at release and then raise the prices after.

I hate it but you're right. I hate it b/c they charge like $37 first week then $47 then 8 months later it is $35, then after a year <$20 which is where I will purchase it place it on the shelf and never get around to playing it.

Demirrug btw you know about supply and demand right? They are trying ineffectually to charge different consumers different prices. What they want to maximize profits is to charge people whatever they are willing to pay this is what collectors editions are for. Collectors are willing to pay more. If they could they would charge me $20 at release b'c I would but it at that price, and they would charge you whatever you would pay, but they cannot so they try to use sales to acheive the same thing. But by the time a year has gone by I forget if I wanted a game and don't buy it so they lose that $20.

Has crysis ever got that cheap for example? I never saw it if it did and therefore never played it.

 

[Demirug]

Demirrug btw you know about supply and demand right? They are trying ineffectually to charge different consumers different prices. What they want to maximize profits is to charge people whatever they are willing to pay this is what collectors editions are for. Collectors are willing to pay more. If they could they would charge me $20 at release b'c I would but it at that price, and they would charge you whatever you would pay, but they cannot so they try to use sales to acheive the same thing. But by the time a year has gone by I forget if I wanted a game and don't buy it so they lose that $20.

We just launched a Microtransaction based title. Therefore I know the behavior of different customers when it comes to spending money. This way we could see how much money are different people are willing to spend. I could not post real numbers but the line were the massive customer boost happens is the $0 line. I could not see the predicated boot between the $50 and $20 dollar spending.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Yawn, a single game published by MS gets probably timed exclusive for 360 and that means PC is dying?

Then what the heck is the PS3, stone cold dead bagged and tagged? after so many lost exclusives and enduring timed exclusive phenomena?

That's not the sign that PC gaming is dying. It's the fact that unlike anytime in the past history of PC gaming. Virtually ALL the established PC devs are moving away from the PC. Either by treating it as a secondary source of income (ports) or by leaving it entirely.

In the past it was easy to discount rumors of PC gaming dying because while you have the normal ebb and flow of PC devs coming and going all the established players stuck around unless they went out of business.

Now, however, you have almost all the established players moving to console leaving just some of the smaller studios as dedicated PC devs.

That gives much more weight to the sentiment that PC gaming is dying. While I personally don't think it's dying (meaning the end result is a dead gaming platform) it is most certainly in steady decline due to piracy making the platform as a whole a lot less profitable (for AAA titles) than consoles.

Regards,
SB

 

[Davros]

That’s called compilations. In the past I bought 10 somewhat older games for the price of one new.

speaking of compilations, Today my eternal search for the goodness upturned Battlefield 1942 World War 2 anthology containing Bf-1942, Bf-1942 Road to Rome and Bf-1942 Secret Weapons of WW2.

and all for the princely sum of £1.99 - yay me...

 

[Skinner]

I think it's about time devs would take a look at the torrentsites to conclude piracy isn't pc only anymore..
Dammit, Alan Wake was a triple A PC title

 

[swaaye]

Swaaye that applies to thing like ferraris, not games so much. People buy collectors editions b/c they like the junk, or getting a DVD instead of 4 CDs.

It applies to everything. How 'bout generic vs. brand name glass cleaner? Same thing.

People perceive value partially by price. Some like things as cheap as can be. Some will pay extra for a pretty label, or a little pewter guy. Some will see a low price and assume the product is low quality.

 

[suryad]

I am not very knowledgeable on pricing and all that but as an example, I would like to point out my purchase habits for games. I like to take my time usually in a game and try to achieve all that is achieveable in a game usually. For example playing the last remnant I am pretty much going for every quest, etc etc. So it usually takes me a while before I beat a game.

I recently looked at Amazon and saw that Call of Juarez, Mirror's Edge and Far Cry 2 altogether are available for...hold it...49.60 USD and free shipping. That to me is an unbelieveable price point and I am going to get it soon. All those games have been now beaten by almost every gamer on the planet but the benefit is that I get reduced prices instead of a total of 150 USD had I bought them when they just came out...AND the second benefit is that the games have gotten most of their bugs sorted with up to date patches and so on so forth.

Now I guess my question is...my habit of waiting till games drop to that kind of a price point...is that hurting the game industry?

I personally think no because at least I am paying for it...whereas people who pirate do. Because they would have otherwise gone and bought the game (or maybe not) IF there was absolutely NO way to pirate.

 

[Sxotty]

We just launched a Microtransaction based title. Therefore I know the behavior of different customers when it comes to spending money. This way we could see how much money are different people are willing to spend. I could not post real numbers but the line were the massive customer boost happens is the $0 line. I could not see the predicated boot between the $50 and $20 dollar spending.

That isn't the same thing look at my signature. That is there for a reason. I don't want to be nickel and dimed (aka microtransaction). I do buy many many games with my arbitrary $20 cut off. Nothing says you will see a huge demarcation there though. It is my preference. The next guy/gal might say $25 is the cut off, or $22 so I am not saying there will be a line at 20 for all consumers, or in aggregate. Just for me.

On another topic I am saying the sweet spot for pricing is confusing and one price fits all will never maximize profit.

And swaye you are partially right but wrong also. I meant when you can decrease demand due to lowering prices. What you are saying (I think) is demand might not increase as much as predicted b/c perceived value is lower.


Suyrad! I have been wanting mirrors edge for ages and thx to your post I realized it is now in my price range. I should have it soon.

 

[Neb]

I think it's about time devs would take a look at the torrentsites to conclude piracy isn't pc only anymore..
Dammit, Alan Wake was a triple A PC title

360 piracy is closing in real fast. However Alan wakes future isn't decided yet regarding PC version. MS might still allow it for PC after it has been used dry to up the sales of 360/economy (sales vs RROD etc).

 

[suryad]

Cheers Sxotty I cant wait to play that game with all the nvidia physx goodness

I don't want to be nickel and dimed (aka microtransaction). I do buy many many games with my arbitrary $20 cut off. Nothing says you will see a huge demarcation there though. It is my preference. The next guy/gal might say $25 is the cut off, or $22 so I am not saying there will be a line at 20 for all consumers, or in aggregate. Just for me.

I do agree with what you said there. What I want to know is if that is hurting the industry because I am choosing to pay 20 instead of 50.

 

[Demirug]

That isn't the same thing look at my signature. That is there for a reason. I don't want to be nickel and dimed (aka microtransaction). I do buy many many games with my arbitrary $20 cut off. Nothing says you will see a huge demarcation there though. It is my preference. The next guy/gal might say $25 is the cut off, or $22 so I am not saying there will be a line at 20 for all consumers, or in aggregate. Just for me.

On another topic I am saying the sweet spot for pricing is confusing and one price fits all will never maximize profit.

That’s one of the reasons why microsotransaction based business models are currently the fastest growing sector in the PC game business. Getting from everyone as much as this person is willing to invest in a game.

Another one is the fact that such games when done right are impossible to pirate. It although helps that you only need the internet as infrastructure. There is no need for classic distribution channels.

You might not like it but microsotransactions are the future of PC gaming and with the next console generation I expect that we will see it there as dominated business model, too.

You will not longer pay for the license you will pay for the service.

 

[Sxotty]

I do agree with what you said there. What I want to know is if that is hurting the industry because I am choosing to pay 20 instead of 50.

In short yes, if you would otherwise be willing to pay 50, if you are deciding between 0 and 20 you are helping though. If you buy 5 at 20 or 2 at 50 it is equivalent to industry as a whole.

@Demirug that doesn't mean I have to like it I hate paying for services as they dissapear sometimes and I don't like ongoing MMORPG style subscriptions either. I never pirate games though. I do without if too expensive.

 

[I.S.T.]

I think it's about time devs would take a look at the torrentsites to conclude piracy isn't pc only anymore..
Dammit, Alan Wake was a triple A PC title

-_- Did you not see my posts earlier in the thread? X360 piracy is nowhere near as big as PS2 piracy and Xbox piracy were back in the day...

PS3 is unpiratable(You can sure as hell copy the games, but you can't use the copies!), and the Wii primary audience has no idea what the Homebrew Channel or a mod chip is.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

That’s one of the reasons why microsotransaction based business models are currently the fastest growing sector in the PC game business. Getting from everyone as much as this person is willing to invest in a game.

Another one is the fact that such games when done right are impossible to pirate. It although helps that you only need the internet as infrastructure. There is no need for classic distribution channels.

You might not like it but microsotransactions are the future of PC gaming and with the next console generation I expect that we will see it there as dominated business model, too.

You will not longer pay for the license you will pay for the service.

That's unfortunate I was always fond of the Main title + 1 or more expansions model. But I can understand why devs and publishers would want to go this route.

Regards,
SB

 

[Silent_Buddha]

-_- Did you not see my posts earlier in the thread? X360 piracy is nowhere near as big as PS2 piracy and Xbox piracy were back in the day...

PS3 is unpiratable(You can sure as hell copy the games, but you can't use the copies!), and the Wii primary audience has no idea what the Homebrew Channel or a mod chip is.

Yup and one interesting phenomenon that you don't see much other platforms. Is that many of the games (especially if they feature multiplayer) will be purchased if the people want to play online. As there is a very real consequence of having your machine banned on Xbox Live which would necessitate the purchase of another X360.

Add to that, I've actually seen some people in this area quit pirating (X360 games) due to the need to reflash their machine each time a new form of copy protection/flash firmware detection method is released.

I've even seen some people go to the extreme of having 2x X360's, one for pirating and one for legitimate games.

Added to that if you check torrent sites. The number of times X360 games are downloaded is absolutely dwarfed by the amount of times the same PC version is downloaded.

Regards,
SB