View Full Version : How long before these $60 price tags dissapear?
PallarAndersVisa
03-20-2007, 11:28 AM
I know this is the trend for new generation of games. They'll be a $60 premium price because the previous gen is still kicking.
Well it looks like the Xbox and GCN are very dead, and the PS2 just released its swan song with God of War. When can we start seeing $50 price tags for new releases on the 360 and the PS3?
I think Its actually starting to happen somewhat, Sega released Virtua Tennis and its only $50 new. Is this the beginning of somewhat "reasonable" (HA!) prices for new games?
udisi
03-20-2007, 11:37 AM
It's not because of the last generation still "kickin" that next gen games are $60. The next gen games are $60 because of rising developing costs combined with a want to squeeze a little more profit out.
To answer your question a little better...You're not gonna see the return of $50 prices on most releases. Exception...the wii, because nintendo set it's msrp at $50 for games. The only other place you'll see $50 games are first party or through normal price drop discounts to move a title. Other than that all PS3 and xbox360 titles will launch at $60.
agbulls
03-20-2007, 11:50 AM
Do a little bit of reading and you'll see its not possible for them to simply revert back to $50. There is a fantastic Forbes article about this very topic posted today. Read it here for a detailed analysis of the reasoning behind the $60 price point:
http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/19/ps3-xbox360-costs-tech-cx_rr_game06_1219expensivegames.html
Vectorman0
03-20-2007, 12:01 PM
The only way I see the $60 360/PS3 games dropping in price, is if the games get innundated with in game advertisements like we have never seen before.
calthaer
03-20-2007, 12:39 PM
Simple:
When we stop being willing to pay that much and refuse to buy.
kaedesdisciple
03-20-2007, 12:44 PM
Simple:
When we stop being willing to pay that much and refuse to buy.
Exactly. I understand that the price of producing games has skyrocketed in the last few years. However, the price will remain at whatever the market will bear. At this point, $60 seems reasonable to most people, so that's where it'll stay.
NickmasterX
03-20-2007, 01:36 PM
PC games seem to be dropping, some are even $40 sometimes! $60 is alot, I used to have to ppay that much in the SNES days. And I was a kid so I could only buy games with birthday money and such. So games were pretty few and far between. When I do get a next gen console I'll probably just buy used games unless the game is worth $60 to me.
64Bits
03-20-2007, 02:03 PM
Just a little fyi, I wouldn't consider the xbox dead JUST yet. Fifa 08 and Madden 08 are scheduled to be released for the system. I want my Fifa, and I want it now.
Oobgarm
03-20-2007, 02:21 PM
I'd say they're here to stay. Even though it's practically the only option, gamers have proven that they're willing to shell out the $60 per game.
Really, though, you're getting that $60 pricetag on 360 games that demand it. Games that obviously took a while to develop and use that price as a cushion to help recoup some of the loss incurred. udisi and agbulls provide the knowledge above.
Once games like Tetris Worlds Evolution start coming out at $59.99, then I'll cry foul. I think things are fine right now.
Captain Wrong
03-20-2007, 02:22 PM
Simple:
When we stop being willing to pay that much and refuse to buy.
Pretty much.
heybtbm
03-20-2007, 02:27 PM
The only way I see the $60 360/PS3 games dropping in price, is if the games get innundated with in game advertisements like we have never seen before.
I see you've never played GRAW or GRAW 2. Nothing says "realism" like 400 identical billboards for Axe Body Spray spread throughout small Mexican villages.
PallarAndersVisa
03-20-2007, 03:13 PM
I know games are costing a shit ton of money these days to develop, but we've seen this trend on every system since SNES. I remember seeing SNES carts going for $70 new at KB toys and shit like that. And this was in the early to mid 90's!
kaedesdisciple
03-20-2007, 03:51 PM
I know games are costing a shit ton of money these days to develop, but we've seen this trend on every system since SNES. I remember seeing SNES carts going for $70 new at KB toys and shit like that. And this was in the early to mid 90's!
And let's not forget the dawn of the N64 prices. But either way, the 360 has been pulling in these prices for over 16 months now. They're not dropping, not for new games, anyway.
SaturnFan
03-20-2007, 03:56 PM
You gotta know when to buy. You can get a lot of next-gen stuff from $35 and under, you just gotta look for sales.
cyberfluxor
03-20-2007, 04:07 PM
http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/19/ps3-xbox360-costs-tech-cx_rr_game06_1219expensivegames.html
Danke, nice read.
I'm really not suprised at the prices or if they'll drop much. Ameicans are making more money due to inflation, although inflation is moving faster in the housing business so it's rough getting a good place to live, then it affects supplies, food, utilities, ect. Games are an entertainment and most will always treat it as such and will slowly move away from the higher game prices. It's funny when you look back at the prices of games at launch to todays and notice it hasn't gone sky high as an average. Neo-Geo and early CD consoles of course take the cake on expensive games.
mailman187666
03-20-2007, 04:08 PM
games like Gears of war will most likely stay at a $60 price point but there are still games that come out for less, Dynasty Warriors 5 Empires for 360 came out brand new at $40 and it was an earlier 360 game. I think games that take years to make (Gears of War $60) as opposed to games that don't take as long to make (table tennis $40) has something to do with the price point. I've also noticed that a good amount of games come out at the $60 price, and if it doesn't sell well right away, the price will go down $10 - $20 new. But then those are the ones you see in stacks as used all over the place. I bet once the Next-Gen turns into current gen, we'll see a lot more $30-$50 new games.
PallarAndersVisa
03-20-2007, 05:04 PM
stalker took years and years to make, i cant imagine the costs. and its retailing now for $39.99!
robotriot
03-20-2007, 06:00 PM
You can't compare PC and console game prices though, there's no licencing required on PC for example.
8-bitNesMan
03-20-2007, 06:58 PM
You can't compare PC and console game prices though, there's no licencing required on PC for example.
Care to back that statement up? Homebrew stuff I get, but why would any PC game sold in stores not require licensing?
agbulls
03-20-2007, 07:10 PM
Care to back that statement up? Homebrew stuff I get, but why would any PC game sold in stores not require licensing?
I STRONGLY suggest you read the article from Forbes I posted above. I don't think anyone wants to get in an argument with you--especially if you aren't informed (which it seems you're not). Read up!
udisi
03-20-2007, 07:32 PM
I know games are costing a shit ton of money these days to develop, but we've seen this trend on every system since SNES. I remember seeing SNES carts going for $70 new at KB toys and shit like that. And this was in the early to mid 90's!
SNES and N64 high pricing was a whole different bear. THe high cost for cart based systems had to due with development cost yes, but also getting roms made and the actual cart consruction is far more expensive than pressing a CD or DVD. Games like Final Fantasy III used more chips and such. The N64 version of something would cost 59.99 when the PS1 version was 39.99 because of the same reason.
qbertandernie
03-20-2007, 08:04 PM
sorry for the size of these...this comp doesnt have photo software on it. this is a 1994 toys r us ad.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/qbertandernie/DCP_0778.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/qbertandernie/DCP_0777.jpg
although now i read udisi's above post, that seems a likely reason for higher priced games.
PallarAndersVisa
03-20-2007, 08:08 PM
$70 for sports talk football! And that is 13 years ago!
agbulls
03-20-2007, 08:45 PM
Excellent post qb. I think this officially ends the argument stone cold. Inflation alone should make us happy that they're ONLY 60.
Aussie2B
03-20-2007, 08:56 PM
64.99 for Shaq Fu makes me weep.
heybtbm
03-20-2007, 09:16 PM
64.99 for Shaq Fu makes me weep.
Yeah, that kind of jumps out at you. $65 for Shaq Fu...so...so wrong.
j_factor
03-20-2007, 10:50 PM
Dual-layer DVDs cost less to produce than blu-ray discs, so shouldn't 360 games be cheaper than PS3 games? I read the Forbes article and it doesn't seem to address this point.
Alucard79
03-21-2007, 10:22 AM
I see you've never played GRAW or GRAW 2. Nothing says "realism" like 400 identical billboards for Axe Body Spray spread throughout small Mexican villages.
Hey now, Mexican terrrorists need to smell good too...
Griking
03-21-2007, 10:43 AM
PC games seem to be dropping, some are even $40 sometimes! $60 is alot, I used to have to ppay that much in the SNES days. And I was a kid so I could only buy games with birthday money and such. So games were pretty few and far between. When I do get a next gen console I'll probably just buy used games unless the game is worth $60 to me.
PC games have always cost less than console games. Some top of the line games retail for $50 but the average price of a new PC game is usually in the $29.99-$39.99 range. Developers don't need to pay a console owner for the rights to make a PC game.
I also believe that they will charge as much as people are willing to pay. Stop buying games for $60 and they'll eventually have to cut prices. I don't understand why people run out and purchase a game on it's release date (let alone reserve a copy) when the game will most likely drop $10-$20 in a matter of a few months. A used copy at this point will be even less. It's not as if you have to sit around with nothing to play, if you follow this patten there will always be a supply of two month old games to buy.
NickmasterX
03-21-2007, 09:15 PM
PC games have always cost less than console games. Some top of the line games retail for $50 but the average price of a new PC game is usually in the $29.99-$39.99 range. Developers don't need to pay a console owner for the rights to make a PC game.
I also believe that they will charge as much as people are willing to pay. Stop buying games for $60 and they'll eventually have to cut prices. I don't understand why people run out and purchase a game on it's release date (let alone reserve a copy) when the game will most likely drop $10-$20 in a matter of a few months. A used copy at this point will be even less. It's not as if you have to sit around with nothing to play, if you follow this patten there will always be a supply of two month old games to buy.
It's usually the anticipation and rush of getting the game as soon as it's available. Plus I prefer not to buy used games, but usually do near the end of a console's life. But with $60 console games I think I'd be buying brand new games alot less.
ShenmueFan
03-21-2007, 09:48 PM
$59.99 is high but depending on the game, I'd pay that much. I guess people here have forgotten how much N64 games used to be...
I think $39.99 is the ideal price for new games but with the 360/PS3 dev costs so high, I don't expect it to ever be that low again except for "budget" titles.
So, yeah, the situation's a bit crappy. It could be worse though. We could be paying what Europeans pay for everything!
NickmasterX
03-21-2007, 10:40 PM
yeah but europeans pay less for gasoline.
I did an article on inflation when the 360 dropped in 2005. That $60 price tag isn't as bad as everyone is making it out to be. Plus, I'd pay $100 for a great game...as long as it rocked. Everything else that I'm on the fence about I wait till the price drops anyway.
Dual-layer DVDs cost less to produce than blu-ray discs, so shouldn't 360 games be cheaper than PS3 games? I read the Forbes article and it doesn't seem to address this point.
You don't buy just the production cost of the disc, you also give money to the producers when you buy a disc.
The difference of making a dual-layer DVD and a Blu-ray-disc is very slim. And don't forget that much of the money goes to the jewel cases, the manuals and the cover.
So, a 360 game could maybe be a dollar cheaper or so when it comes to material costs.
And trust me, the games won't be cheaper if the companies doesn't sell more games when they're cheaper. Stop buying games when they're new, and wait for some weeks instead!
(Even thought i don't know if i should be arguing about the american market. Here in sweden, the prize of a game has dropped a lot in just 15 years. A SNES game 15 years ago had a prize tag of about 1000SEK or 135 dollars, today a new X360 game is about 600SEK or 80 dollars.)
kaedesdisciple
03-22-2007, 01:22 PM
PC games have always cost less than console games. Some top of the line games retail for $50 but the average price of a new PC game is usually in the $29.99-$39.99 range. Developers don't need to pay a console owner for the rights to make a PC game.
I also believe that they will charge as much as people are willing to pay. Stop buying games for $60 and they'll eventually have to cut prices. I don't understand why people run out and purchase a game on it's release date (let alone reserve a copy) when the game will most likely drop $10-$20 in a matter of a few months. A used copy at this point will be even less. It's not as if you have to sit around with nothing to play, if you follow this patten there will always be a supply of two month old games to buy.
I think I understand to some degree why people, especially in this generation, buy games on release day. My theory, right or wrong, is online multiplayer. No one wants to be the guy left out when all their buddies are online playing the newest shooter or sports game. It's definitely not be the only reason why, but it should certainly be factored in when trying to figure out that question.
DonMarco
03-22-2007, 07:07 PM
The only way I see the $60 360/PS3 games dropping in price, is if the games get innundated with in game advertisements like we have never seen before.
I see you've never played GRAW or GRAW 2. Nothing says "realism" like 400 identical billboards for Axe Body Spray spread throughout small Mexican villages.
In-game advertising will help lower the production costs, not reduce the retail price. The market will more than support $60 PS3/360 games for many years to come.
Cryomancer
03-22-2007, 07:32 PM
You think 65 bucks for shaq-fu is bad? Click this!
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/5341/1097288870190zp1.th.jpg (http://img87.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1097288870190zp1.jpg)
Sweater Fish Deluxe
03-22-2007, 08:33 PM
yeah but europeans pay less for gasoline.
Less than who? Martians?
Gas Prices in Europe are on average two to three times higher than in the U.S.
...word is bondage...
qbertandernie
03-22-2007, 11:18 PM
i like how they added the '32' before the original price tag on shaq-fu of $5.95!
j_factor
03-23-2007, 04:36 AM
You don't buy just the production cost of the disc, you also give money to the producers when you buy a disc.
Of course. Various costs add up to give you the total sticker price. But everything else plus a DVD is still cheaper than everything plus a blu-ray disc. And again for this point I must mention the price differences between CDs and carts in the past.
The difference of making a dual-layer DVD and a Blu-ray-disc is very slim.
Is it? I remember reading somewhere that the per-disc cost of blu-ray was quite significantly higher, if only because it's a newer format that hasn't reached true mass production yet.
And don't forget that much of the money goes to the jewel cases, the manuals and the cover.
So, a 360 game could maybe be a dollar cheaper or so when it comes to material costs.
I would like to see an actual figure for this, but I suspect that it's more. Anyway, in the past, the cost of the format has been responsible for as much as a $20 difference in retail, even for the same game on multiple systems. Now we have two consoles with the same type of media having a $10 price difference for games, while one console with more expensive discs has its games at the same price as one of the lesser formats. A game on all three consoles will cost $60 for the blu-ray version, $60 for one DVD version, and $50 for the other DVD version. It completely bucks the established pattern.
smork
03-23-2007, 05:25 AM
So why does the same GoW cost ~$40 in Singapore (legitimate, not grey market release or pirate)? ~$40 is the standard price point for NTSC/J games (outside of Japan, natch). I picked up Prey in a major store for ~$20.
I doubt distribution in the US is that much more than in Singapore/Hong Kong. In fact, I'd strongly suspect it's less -- and the REAL answer is pure market economics. Nobody's buying $60 games in SEA as frequently as they would a $40 game.
sorry for the size of these...this comp doesnt have photo software on it. this is a 1994 toys r us ad.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/qbertandernie/DCP_0778.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/qbertandernie/DCP_0777.jpg
although now i read udisi's above post, that seems a likely reason for higher priced games.
Nice little piece of gaming history right there.