Added costs in gaming.

[Eduardo]

I remember when back in the day you bought a system and it came with 2 controllers and a game, hell my SMS you turned it on without a game and it played hang on, you sent in the UPC and you got Double Dragon. Today I went to Best Buy to "get with the times" and maybe buy a wii. The other controller costs 50 bucks plus the nunchuck!, then the lady started talking about cables. and i just said "you're losing me lady, I have to go." When did this become Ok? and which console is the worst offender?

[kedawa]

I would say the Wii is the worst of the bunch if you want a full four player setup, but no current console is free from this kind of business model.
Just stick with handhelds and PC and you'll never need to worry about it.

[Hep038]

Uh Oh you just said something bad about the Wii, the Nintendo mafia should be showing up soon.

[Icarus Moonsight]

You're going to also want classic controllers, arcade sticks, gun shells, maybe a balance board (it has neat uses outside Wii Fit). Wii control schemes, while more expensive in the totality, are modular and most of it is optional. At least they tossed a motion plus and Sports Resort in the box for the same $200.

[Nature Boy]

When did this become Ok?

If I recall correctly, the SNES/Genesis era was the first where you only received one controller instead of two, and the PS1/N64 era was the first where you didn't receive a pack in game.

It became OK because we bought the stuff anyway.

[jb143]

The TG-16 not only came with just 1 controller but only 1 controller port as well. You had to also buy a TurboTap if you wanted multiplayer.

[Eduardo]

You're going to also want classic controllers, arcade sticks, gun shells, maybe a balance board (it has neat uses outside Wii Fit). Wii control schemes, while more expensive in the totality, are modular and most of it is optional. At least they tossed a motion plus and Sports Resort in the box for the same $200.

I see this, the resort package. I was looking for one on the classifieds and they turn out to be more expensive than new considering that they don't have Motion Plus or the Resort game. This is hard to explain to sellers. Sometimes they want $200 for the old configuration.

[kupomogli]

Let's not forget how atleast 50% of PS360 games are only incomplete at time of release. The rest is DLC.

[nebrazca78]

If I recall correctly, the SNES/Genesis era was the first where you only received one controller instead of two, and the PS1/N64 era was the first where you didn't receive a pack in game.

It became OK because we bought the stuff anyway.

I don't know about Super Nintendo but there was a Genesis package that had no pack-in game. It was called the Core package.

[Eduardo]

I like the wii but not enough to drop so much money on controllers. Ill try to find it on the classifieds.

[Enigmus]

I don't know about Super Nintendo but there was a Genesis package that had no pack-in game. It was called the Core package.

The NES had a pack-inless set all the way back in 1986 called just the Control Deck that was just the system with controllers, with the Basic Set updating it to include The Official Nintendo Player's Guide in 1987, 3 to 4 years before the Genesis. Also, the SNES had a standard set alongside the Deluxe Set that included Super Mario World.

[The 1 2 P]

I remember when back in the day you bought a system and it came with 2 controllers and a game, hell my SMS you turned it on without a game and it played hang on, you sent in the UPC and you got Double Dragon. Today I went to Best Buy to "get with the times" and maybe buy a wii. The other controller costs 50 bucks plus the nunchuck!, then the lady started talking about cables. and i just said "you're losing me lady, I have to go." When did this become Ok? and which console is the worst offender?

Times have changed. Either adapt or make a thread on a message board and complain about it.

All kidding aside, I feel your pain. With the cost of live and DLC--that $60 game just went up exponentially. The good news is: if you don't care about multiplayer than you get to dodge atleast some of the new fees(XBL on 360 and DLC on all three consoles). And don't forget that all three consoles still do pack-in games occassionally for special bundles. The 360 has done this for the last three holidays(along with other bundles thru out the year) and the PS3 has done it over the last two holidays(also along with other bundles during other parts of the year).

So it's not all gloom and doom. For instance, if you were to have bought a 360 Arcade bundle last month from Toys R Us or Walmart, not only would you have gotten two pack-in games, but also either a $25(TRU) or $50(WM) gift card---all for $149. And you could have used those gift cards to buy a second controller or a third game.

[otaku]

I need a new drumset for my rock band-40 bucks for a wired one :(

[Oobgarm]

It sounds to me like someone wasn't doing a good job explaining it.

[Nature Boy]

I don't know about Super Nintendo but there was a Genesis package that had no pack-in game. It was called the Core package.

When I wrote this I couldn't remember if the Genesis came with Sonic 2 right out of the gate or not, although I did remember them coming with only one controller.

Obviously over time all systems end up coming with pack in games and extra controllers and other incentives - it's a good way for the manufacturers to maintain interest in their product.

[alec006]

I remember when back in the day you bought a system and it came with 2 controllers and a game, hell my SMS you turned it on without a game and it played hang on, you sent in the UPC and you got Double Dragon. Today I went to Best Buy to "get with the times" and maybe buy a wii. The other controller costs 50 bucks plus the nunchuck!, then the lady started talking about cables. and i just said "you're losing me lady, I have to go." When did this become Ok? and which console is the worst offender?

Wait just one minute before you answer, watch what you get in these systems with no extra cost, a menu with a hand, a news channel, a weather channel , system preferences , a clock! And look at this Reversis!! That's right forget next gen cutting 3D graphics we have fucking Reversis! How much do you think the system is worth $500, $1000, even more, no its only your arm and your leg, that's right we will even throw in an extra long power cable. Except in Nebraska!

Why did the Steve Ballmer come to mind for some reason, lol, I could just see him trying to sell the 360 the way he sold Windows 1.0 .

All joking aside, it's inflation, it costs more to make the consoles than they make off of them for a couple of years, so expensive games and accessories are the only way to make a profit and make the consumer pay out the ass for something that will be replaced by something bigger and better in the next 5-7 years.

[crazyjackcsa]

I would say the Wii is the worst of the bunch if you want a full four player setup, but no current console is free from this kind of business model.
Just stick with handhelds and PC and you'll never need to worry about it.


Stick with PC? Really? You're telling me that over a 5-10 year span, it's cheaper to game on PC? Sure, you don't need 4 controllers, but damn if I have to buy more memory or a video card for a console just to play the latest game.

[DonMarco]

You want to talk about added costs?

Every two years I need to buy a new 360 controller. After a couple thousand hours of heavy use, the right analog stick gets this tiny "dead zone". You can tilt it half a degree or a full degree or two in any direction before the controller registers any movement. When my brother or friends play I give them the old sticks and they either don't notice it or don't care. For me and my FPS games that require a very precise stick, I need to buy a new controller for those games.

A new headset every 12-18 months or so. I buy cheap generic 2.5mm cell phone headsets because they last as long as the official MS ones. Maybe even longer.

A new year of Xbox Live, usually bought a few months before my current year is up for $30 when they're on sale. To me, it's totally worth $30-35 a year for the demos, Netflix, multiplayer and party chat.

I'm debating buying a new arcade stick but the (good) ones run $130 and up. I've had the Hori DOA4 stick since 2006, and it's just lighter and less impressive to use compared to the more expensive ones.

When you get down to it, it's all stupid crap I want and don't need. Another $60-80 a year on top of new games and high speed internet... wow. I also want a new shiny 360, but the stupid one I have now works fine.

[duffmanth]

Most systems over the last 10 years or so are all bad offenders when it comes to this. The NES or the SNES were the last systems I remember coming with 2 controllers. These days, it's $250+ for the system, at least $50 for another controller, $40+ for a decent HDMI cable, $60 for games, then you get nickeled and dimed with subscription fees and DLC. The only real deals these days are system/game bundles and boxing week sales.

[ScourDX]

Stick with PC? Really? You're telling me that over a 5-10 year span, it's cheaper to game on PC? Sure, you don't need 4 controllers, but damn if I have to buy more memory or a video card for a console just to play the latest game.

You can get cheap ram for $40 & decent graphic card that can play majority of the newer game for less than $150. It is no difference than buying console with extra accessories. Most people believe PC is too expensive because of parts and yet console is just as guilty.

[suckerpunch5]

. . . that's right we will even throw in an extra long power cable. Except in Nebraska!

Wait. Did I really get a shorter power cord? What the . . .?

[Richter Belmount]

Added costs? You mean like xbox live? Extra 30 bucks plus what you paid for the console really does add up.

[Icarus Moonsight]

What about carpel tunnel corrective surgery? That shit is money.

[nectarsis]

$40+ for a decent HDMI cable

People still buy into this fallacy? :|

[maxlords]

People still buy into this fallacy? :|

LMAO.....yup. I swear it's IMPOSSIBLE to convince people that the goddamned things are digital and it doesn't matter how cheap or expensive ya get em, if they work, they just work and are identical for output.

I HAVE heard that if you get cheap ones that are over 50' long you get data dropouts...but I have no need to find out.

[kupomogli]

I went to my cable company and got an HDMI for free, but I also have one that I paid $2 for and works just as good. The one I bough for $2 is probably some chinese bootleg how thin the cord is. Doesn't matter to me when it works just as good.

[WCP]

A new headset every 12-18 months or so. I buy cheap generic 2.5mm cell phone headsets because they last as long as the official MS ones. Maybe even longer.



I need to get some of these. Do you have a model # or a link for them? I was going to buy a used 360 headset at GameStop, but I don't feel like paying $9.99 plus tax for something that should have been included with my Arcade. I had to get a HD component cable as well, because they don't include those anymore.

[Rickstilwell1]

Most systems over the last 10 years or so are all bad offenders when it comes to this. The NES or the SNES were the last systems I remember coming with 2 controllers. These days, it's $250+ for the system, at least $50 for another controller, $40+ for a decent HDMI cable, $60 for games, then you get nickeled and dimed with subscription fees and DLC. The only real deals these days are system/game bundles and boxing week sales.

Actually I got the Nintendo 64 in 1998 and it came with two controllers. Mine is the "bonus Atomic Purple controller" bundle, but it didn't come with a pack-in game.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

As a side benefit, costs will be offset because you won't have to buy condoms.

[BetaWolf47]

IMO, Xbox 360 is the worst of the bunch for this kind of thing. I remember when Microsoft was selling 20GB hard drives for $100, Wi-Fi adapters for $100, and 64MB memory cards for $40.

Now, it's $130 for a 250GB HDD, and about $30 for a 512 memory card. Controllers are still $50, and they're pretty much a Wavebird with rumble. That's not as bad as the first 2 years, but it's still pretty bad.

If you want to save some money on Wii, there's always the Nyko controller alternatives. IGN seems to be fond of Nyko's Wand controller. I don't have any use with these personally.
http://www.nyko.com/products/?platform=Wii

[Icarus Moonsight]

As a side benefit, costs will be offset because you won't have to buy condoms.

LMAO This demands expansion.

:snuggle: O_O :kiss:
'------^------'
Condom Budget: $0
Date Expenses: $0
Being able to afford all the nerd gear you want to build a shrine to your virginity: Priceless

[TheDomesticInstitution]

I guess I'm a glass-half-full type of person.