Will you pay $59.99 or $69.99 for a new game?

[Anthony1]

With the arrival of the 360 in a few months, and late September 2006 the PS3, comes the thought process that is suggesting that all games are going to be $59.99.


For some reason, publishers think that with the launch of the new systems, comes an opportunity to get video game prices back into the range they prefer to see them.

I think all the $19.99 games and bargain bin games have had a negative effect on the industry, and they feel that this is their opportunity to try to get the pricing structure back in their favor.


The perfect excuse of increased development costs is ripe and waiting to be plucked by them. They plan on harping about how their developement costs have skyrocketed, and that they need the games to be at the very least $59.99 just to come close to breaking even, much less a profit.


In the beginning, that might actually be a legitimate bluff, but long term, we all know that this is about getting the pricing structure back to the profitable 16-bit era when games did come out at $59.99 and $69.99.


But back then it was carts and now it's disk based. Sony might actually have some justification for higher prices if their games are actually on Blu-Ray disks. I can see them charging a higher price, but the cost of regular DVD's is super cheap, so there really isn't any reason for 360 games to cost $59.99 or $69.99, unless they just want to gourge the early adopter.


It will be interesting to see if Microsoft prices their 1st party games lower, maybe at $49.99.




The question of course is, are you going to buy them new at $59.99 or $69.99, or will you wait a few weeks to see them on sale at Target or Best Buy or Circuit City for $49.99.?

[CrimsonNugget]

Where'd you get this idea? Games will probably stick at $49.99 like they have for a long time now. The prices were at 59-69 because carts were expensive to produce.

[GobopopRevisited]

...with the "HD-Era" comes more attention to detail. So you'll either need to hire more employees to make everything up to par, or have existing employees work over long development times.

Also with all the Multicore processors, you'll need to hire new talent... talent that knows how to make use of the new technology. Everything is going to be more complex when it comes to game development this upcoming generation.

But, I'd be willing to pay the extra $10 - $20 depending on the game. If the game isn't all that special, I'd just wait for a few months when it's sure to go down in price...

[RetroYoungen]

No. I don't want to spend 70 bucks on a game. I didn't back when that was the going rate for Donkey Kong 64, and I can't see myself going for that now. I can only remember spending anywhere NEAR that much two times in the past, and the last one was Halo 2 (which, after playing through it rather quickly, i felt like I should have waited for it to go on sale).

It's just too rich for my blood.

[PDorr3]

I can stomach a $60 game if it is definitly going to be worth the money, but if I am not certain about the game I will rent it before I purchase it. and a $70 game is out of question, I am not paying that much.

[ddockery]

I won't even pay $40 now, so of course not.

[Slimedog]

Being as I hardly ever spend more than $15 dollars now (new or used) I see no reason to spend more than that in the next generation. For my gameplay dollar, I'm much better off buying older used games.

[Leo_A]

Where'd you get that PS3 release date from? Wish you'd start going with more facts with your post instead of just making stuff up. :)

[Half Japanese]

No sir. Games have to be something special to warrant their full asking price. I think I've buckled maybe 4 or 5 times in the past year:

Resident Evil 4: Well worth it, used trade-ins to shave off the cost.

Halo 2: Paid full retail, played it long enough to make it a worthy investment.

Lego Star Wars : Used trade-ins to shave off the cost, traded it in a few weeks later

MechAssault 2: Used trade-ins, major disappointment, got rid of it.

Jade Empire: used trade-ins, well worth it, beat it and traded it in.

A game has to be around the $30 price-point or incredibly attention-grabbing to demand cash from me.

[boatofcar]

Back in the day I paid $70-80 for FF3 and Chrono Trigger at Babbage's. However, back then I only got one or two video games a year.

However, the new systems just don't interest me enough to warrant spending that much on any game.

I really doubt games will be higher than 59.99, no matter the platform. There's no way gamers will shell out that kind of dough after living with 39-49.99 for so long.

[thegreatescape]

Quit yer bellyaching; we (Australia) already pay $59 and $69 US for new releases.

On the topic of a price rise however, its hard to tell what will happen; With each new generation of consoles there has always been an inherit rise in development costs- more power and more space means more money. Steadily Increasing sales of games (by way of increased potential customers) means it hasnt been necessary to raise prices; a perfect example is the playstation. With the massive increase of space available came a boom in gaming popularity (i.e the Playstation).


We spoke with a few retailers, who said the potential $59.99 price tag for games is still hanging in the air. "We're having a hard time selling good games at $49.99 right now, so an increase of $10 is not set by any means."

From one developer's standpoint, however, the additional power of this system, requiring more people on a team, logically extends to a higher priced game. "As far as we are concerned, these next gen systems just mean more artists, because now you can do so much more with the visuals. So yes, it will be more expensive because you will need a lot of artists."source (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/636/636018p5.html)

The above quote is from a recent xbox 360 article, but similar comments were made when the Mega CD, playstation and PS2 came out. Im hedging my money on limited price increases, if any (mainly on really big budget+likely high sales stuff).

[evil_genius]

No, I generally wait till the game gets cheaper. New games aren't usually impotrant to me, unless its like SOCOM 3 or Zelda. I'm still playing games from the 90's that are new to me.

[VG_Maniac]

I remember when I bought Turok: Dinosaur Hunter on N64 back in 1997 for $69.99. I think that's the only time I shelled out that much money for a new game, and I don't ever plan on doing it again. Washington state has very high sales tax...a $70 game ends up costing $76. Why would I want to blow nearly $80 on ONE game??

[NE146]

$59-$69 was actually the average price of SNES & Genesis games for me on down until I moved out to the states again. So I guess the answer is yes.

[donkeykong1]

I won't. I barely pay 50 dollars now, and it has to be a game I really want.

[Rev. Link]

Lord, no!

Zelda is pretty much the only thing that can get me to pay $50 now. That and maybe Mario. For anything else, I wait until it's at least $30.

Maybe if developers put all their money into actually making games good instead of just good-looking I wouldn't feel that way.

[Mianrtcv]

$59.99 or $69.99 is just too rich for my blood. Often times I don't even spend the current $49.99. I wait till it drops or get it used. Rarely will I spend the top dollar. I don't have enough time to rent most games I buy, I usually borrow or play a demo first to see if I like it. Even then sometimes I'm sorry I paid release price. Too many games just don't live up to the price tag. For $59.99 or $69.99 the game would have to be EXCELLENT! I would have to have a decent demo, first.

[chrisbid]

no way, dvds arent durable like carts. i will however buy games at that price if there are added bonuses (like special edition DVDs).

but if publishers are going to push real-time ads via broadband and nickel and dime gamers with bonus content that you have to purchase, then forget it.

[Jumpman Jr.]

Depends on the game. There's no way that I'd shell out 59.99 (or 69.99 for that matter) for a game that I'm not all that excited for. Back in the day, I'm sure I bought alot of my games for that (or a higher) price though. I remember saving up to buy Mortal Kombat 3 and I needed something like 80 bucks. But yeah, it really depends how much I want it. Like, for instance, I will have no problem spending 69.99 on Twilight Princess (if thats what its going to cost, I have no idea). If its a game that I've been looking forward to and can't wait to play, I spend the money. :)

[MattyXB]

I would buy then only great games, which I will play. Zelda & Castlevania for example. But most other games which are only good but not great wouldn't I buy then.

[scooterb23]

Heck, there are games that I'd like to play that I balk at with the price at $20...

[gepeto]

Good Observation Anthony 1. I see the gaming industry trying to set the consumer up as well. Just look at Ea's psp games and the umd movies. does Ea port development really cost 10.00 more than most psp games?
Does a umd really cost 24.99?

Don't worry Anthony the people trying to belittle the post will be the same who will gaff when games cost 63.95 or 73.95 after tax. It has been common knowkedge for some time now that the industry has been testing the consumer on the down low with these limited addition games\collectors edition to see if the consumer will pay more. Trying to get the consumer ready for sticker shock.

Me personally I only pay full price for games that the in my opinion deserves it. I am not a kid anymore it is getting harder to impress me. During the psx and the end of the snes era it was a special time. People were in shock and awe at the new graphics being thrown at them. I remember first gen psx games being 59.00.

everybody went wild we bought imports at outrageous prices now the game has changed the players are the same but the rules are different. Price makes a difference I have said it before. Just look at the psp. The 250.00 price point was too high. Any system priced over 299.99 past the hype timeline wont make it in America. Very good post. I say preorder your 360 early as possible before stores start imposing awful bundles on you. Forcing you to buy 3 games and a controller in order to get a system.

[jajaja]

Here its not unusal that a new PS2/xbox game cost around $90 and ppl still buy alot.
When N64 came out the games costed from $100 to around $150.

PC games here are usualy on $60 or $70.
So my answer to the topic would be yes, paying $60 for a PS3/Xbox360 game doesnt seem that much for me. Maybe its diffrent in USA. Not that familiar with prices on new games there.

[Cauterize]

No

The last game i bought full price was Final Fantasy 9... Along long time ago! If collecting has taught me anything, its hang on a few years till the price is right... Patience!

[Griking]

As it is now I very rarely spend $40 or $50 for a new game. There's really no way in hell I'd spend $60 or $70. I'll wait and buy them used, even if I have to wait a year or two for the price to drop. The way I look at it is that even if I'm buying games a year or so after they come out there's still always going to be games for me to buy.

[snes_collector]

No way, I hate to pay 20$ for a used game(or 30$ for a new one) so no way I'll buy a game for 60$ unless it's something thats got a low print low and I know it'll go up in price.

[googlefest1]

there was no option for

I will buy one or 2 games when i get the system so i have something to play untill prices drop.

that would be my choice

i am predominatly a pre owned game buyer becasue i buy games when stores have deals like the recent buy 3 get one free at EB and the buy 2 get one free at Game Crazy

otherwise my price range is 20 -25$ for a new game - unless there is something special about a game like "only 1000 made!! got to buy it, got to buy it, chin-pok-e-mon!!"
then id consider bending over for it

[swlovinist]

Yes, I remember when carts cost $70, and Nintendo ruled the world. That is not the case anymore. Game companies can talk about the rise of dev costs and how they are going to charge $60 for next gen games. That is nice, but when there is a flood of systems and games(expically when some games are going to be on like four different systems) how in the hell is raising the game price going to work out for them? O_O. All I remember is the last two years being a blood bath of competition during the holidays, and I totally scored big buying used games a fraction of the cost. I am not going to pay $60 for a new video game that can be acquired cheaper by waiting. I am a collector and I am a cheap bastard by trade. I will get one game for my 360 on sale, or even wait because the way I look at it, nothing stays new forever. I wish them luck trying to sell the games at $60!

[le geek]

Nope! :) $50 is my limit on new games, and really I try to wait it out further, since prices on the big releases always go down... Sometimes this bites me on the ass though (Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne)...

I have been known to blow money on Neo Geo MVS carts though...

Cheers,
Ben

[Sylentwulf]

there's no option for "No"
I guess I should have known better from one of your polls.

Personally, I'll stick to the same schedule I have now, buy games when they hit $20 on ebay, cag, BSD, or any other website.

I still haven't played GTA san andreas or the .hack series, and just got POP:WW at the recent CC sale.

[Cmosfm]

I don't pay 49.99 for games now, I normally don't pay over 10.00 for games, I'll still wait for sales and price drops and flea/pawn finds.

[Nesmaster]

well since i bought only about 5 games this year so far and none cost me more than $50 cdn, i can say i wont pay 60-70 usd for any new game unless it's something i HAVE to play right now. (zelda/mario/gta/etc)

[MrSmiley381]

If the game is good, yes. I just picked up Resident Evil 4 CE, and that was worth the $50, although I probably wouldn't have paid the $60, so I'm glad I waited. Honestly, I'm wondering if I really want the Xbox 360 or PS3. The Xbox 360 price is looking pretty damned good right now, and there's a possiblity that I'll be able to afford it. Really, I'd probably just get PErfect Dark Zero, and maybe the five or so Xbox games I ever gave two shits about (Panzer Dragoon Orta, DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball, and that's all I can think of.)

[bargora]

I may buy one game per year new for that price. I paid that much for Doom 3 Special Limited Edition Turbo (Xb0xXor) this year. Who knows? Maybe there will be a "must buy now" game every year!

But they're going to have to do better than "Halo".

[MrSmiley381]

Yes, we need more than Halo. Where I write (skool-daze.com) we really aren't fond of it. I called it Gaylo in an etiquette article and Jason broke two controllers losing so much online. And the number of bugs and assholes seems to be ruining everything as well. I really want to see Perfect Dark Zero, though. Mmmmm, Joanna Dark. :snuggle:

[Retsudo]

Nope i wont do it. Im not paying that much for games. I will be buying games for my PS2.

Im considering sitting out the next Generation. Videogames dont excite me like they did back in the SNES and the PS1 era. Plus I think Im getting too old to get excited about them. Im just going to play what I have until they break down.

[slip81]

Definately not. $50 is the highest I go for ANY game, and it has to be one I really want at that.

[Videogamerdaryll]

Yeah, I'll do it. ..But It'll be only particular games where I'm being super picky on what I buy..
Plus looking extra for reviews on the games etc..

[Mattiekrome]

Personally these new systems dont get me all that excited. I guess I've just done it all before and ended up spending way too much in the process (picking up 2 or 3 games at launch can add up quickly!). So, chances are unless it is a HUGE blockbuster title, I cant really see myself dropping that much coin on a game anymore :(

[Nirvana]

Yeah. But then again, I don't buy new games as often. I could shell out 70 bucks every once in awhile.

[vincewy]

I have been known to blow money on Neo Geo MVS carts though...


There's a difference, Neo-Geo games, either AES or MVS retains its value, if you need to sell, you'll at least get most of your initial price back.

New games of current generations, no way in hell! the minute you open the game (seal) the value drops by half, I've just started to buy Xbox and Gamecube games on a regular basis between $5 and $25 as I wait til stores are getting desparate to clear them out. If you want to see how PSP games/movies sell, check most stores in Midwest.

[Anthony1]

Alot of you guys are saying "absolutely, no way man".


And I can understand that.....But are you buying a 360 this November?


Because supposedly, alot of the games will be $59.99.


Possibly all of them, initially. Or at least the ones that have the most hype surrounding them.




So if anybody said, "HELL NO", but is indeed getting a 360 this November, then how the heck are you going to get by without buying a $59.99 game?



Now, you might say that you'll wait to see them on sale, but when you take your 360 home on launch nite, you are damn sure going to want to pop a game in there when you get home. That's assuming that you can actually get one without dealing with a forced bundle.


It's going to be very hard to wait for sales, when you have just got a brand new toy and you want to take it for a test spin.



Of course, one option is renting. And this could be a very viable option. Blockbuster has the Gamer's Pass, and if you can rent XBOX 360 games under the Gamer's Pass program, then it could turn out to be a very good idea. For some reason, I'm thinking that both 360 and PS3 will initially not be included in the Gamer's Pass deal. Instead, you will have to rent the games, one at a time for $5.99 or $6.99 or whatever the heck they charge.

We will have to see what Hollywood Video does. They have something similar to the Gamer's Pass, so we will see if maybe you can use their Pass to rent 360 games.


Also, one thing that people will be curious about is whether or not any of the rental options like Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, or the online chains will actually get 360 games for rent right away, and how big of a selection will they have.



You could definitely save alot of money under this scenario:



1. Ok, you find some way to buy a 360 all by itself for $299.99. No bundles, no accessories, no nothing.

2. Then you go to blockbuster and get a Gamer's Pass for $29.99. This is the one that allows you to rent 2 games at a time, with unlimited exchanges. It lasts for 30 days, and you can keep renewing it if you like.

3. Luckily when you get to Blockbuster, they have a few copies of each of the major XBOX 360 games, and you are able to rent Project Gotham Racing 3 and Dead or Alive 4 on launch day.

4. Then you head over to another blockbuster and do the same thing. A $29.99 Gamer's Pass for 1 month. This allows you to have another 2 games out, with unlimited switching. This time you rent Kameo and Quake 4.



So you've spent $299 on the XBOX 360, (of course you had to do that anyways) and you spend $60 on the two rental passess.


Ok, $60 is alot, but in those first 30 days, you can basically sample 4 XBOX 360 games at a time, and get a very good feel for the flavor of the 360.



And if you want, you can keep doing this in the next 30 day window as well, and maybe even add a third Gamer's Pass.

This time, you can have 6 XBOX 360 games out, and what I would do is basically just keep 3 of them the majority of the time, like the 3 best games, and then the other 3 I would just cycle through whatever different games they got.



It's going to be interesting.

[ozyr]

i'll do like I almost always do. Wait till the game is a year old, then buy it at the 'reduced' price. I don't need to get a game when it first comes out.

[Lothars]

I mean it really depends, I've paid 69.99 for games before and will again

for say a PC game like Diablo III, I would in a heart beat but for something like the New Need for speed, no

it just really depends on the game entirely.

so yes but no if that makes any sense.

[jdc]

I see no reason to spend large coin on a game any more. They quickly drop in price and I've got such a back catalogue of games sitting here that unless it's a HUGE title, I have no reason to buy it on release day.

I used to run out and buy every game on release day. Then what would happen is that I'd shelve it til later....and by the time I got around to playing it, you could buy it for way less than what I paid for it. Having it sit on a shelf cost me my own money for nothing. That's just a waste of cash.

I'd LOVE a PSP.....but I've been resisting until I see a decent price drop. It took a while but I've learned patience when it comes to video game purchases.

[mr_nihilism]

Oh, I probably will. But I'll be more picky about what games I purchase. It'll have to be not just a good game, but a great one.

[squidblatt]

I've decided that I'm not going to buy a 360 until a significant price drop or unless I can get a cheap used one. By the time that happens, I should be able to get some cheaper games, too. But, really, I just see myself focusing on older gen stuff by that time.

These are the games I paid fifty bucks for this gen:
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
GTA: San Andreas
Jade Empire
KOTOR
Windwaker
I would've paid fifty for Psychonauts had I not found a used copy.

I would've been better off waiting on all of these purchases, and I've learned my lesson.

[Austin]

I probably would still buy new games, but significantly less than I currently do. I'd be a lot more picky about what I picked up, and wouldn't be impulse-buying stuff as much.

[hydr0x]

Dude, where's the NO option?????

[LaRule]

i think they should lower the prices on these games. it costs a bit much. but i'll will buy it for $49.00 because i'm so into gaming.

[namzep]

I haven't purchased a newly released game since I picked up Goldeneye for the N64 (I paid something like $85, with tax, though I used it enough to justify that). It seems like I lose interest in modern games more quickly than I did in older games. I have't bought anything for my Gamecube for more than $20.

[Samelson]

Im still upset that the games are so freakin expensive. I mean cmon, why cant they be like 40. That would be sweetness.

[phantomfriar]

For me, being able to rent so easily now -- and the increasingly fast drops we see in prices just weeks (sometimes days) after a game is released -- has made it that much easier to NOT pay the $50 for a new game....wait it out until it drops, buy it used, etc.

There are other avenues out there now that make it a lot easier to "Just Say No" to first-day retail pricing. No way I'm paying $60 for a game, and I'll say this: if most Xbox 360 games are going to retail for $60, the sales for the system are going to be even more sluggish than I'm betting they will be right now....I'm just not sure the demand is there right now for plopping down $500 for a full 360 package (once you factor in a game, the tax, all of that stuff), not when even the Xbox 1 still has decent games coming out for it.

[calthaer]

Development costs are high only because the average joe is a graphics whore.

Start giving me content that I can play - and especially RE-play - and then games might be worth that much.

$60-70 is not worth it for a game you can only play through twice, unless it comes with an art book and a soundtrack CD and a t-shirt and lithos of the cover and whatnot.

[ianoid]

I would. I mean I've paid a hell of alot more for games I'll never play.

BUT, I'll only spend that cash if I'm SURE it's a hot title. E.g. Halo 3. It's likely to be alot of fun, and I'm most likely to finish it.

I think that price point will result in clear winners and clear losers. and it may breed the sales approach of old video cassette movies had- high prices for the first month to cash in on the video stores, then drop prices fast.

[skoldpadda]

I paid $49.99 for GTA: San Andreas the day it came out for PC, but that's about my limit. Unless the next GTA is $69.99, then yes, I would. :D

[Griking]

I don't care if I have to wait a year or two after a game comes out before I buy it. Eventually almost all games will drop to $20 used.

[vincewy]

Here's the scenario with Xbox 360, they'll sell out, no doubt, as the delux package you can play original Xbox games, I expect most users buying at most ONE XB 360 game just to wet their appetitte, then fill the rest of their playing time with cheap Xbox games as stores will soon be clearing out a lot of Xbox games (one of my colleagues is planning to do this way).

Very similar case with launch of PS2.