Video game piracy: Is it good for business?

[leaffan]

After taxes in canada I just finished paying 79 bucks for nhl11.

Its been like this for a few years now and I thought they were supposed to level out when our dollar was the same.

[killgod]

I was just discussing this with my wife. I just don't understand why all games have to be the same price. It doesn't amke any sense, business or otherwise. I'm not just talking about this generation either. I know some games have multi-million dollar budgets and maybe they should be $60, but not every game does.

Not to mention tons of games end up quickly dropping in price anyway because they sell like shit. I just don't understand why they just don't enter the market at $30 or $40 in the first place? It seems like simple business to me.

I've ALWAYS agreed with that.

A game like NHL 11 and Assassin's Creed are so fucking far apart on the entertainment scale that I just don't undertsand how they are valued the same.


Personally, I would think those SP only 10-20 hour adventures should price themselves like this.

20-25$ retail price point.

You get one playthrough. After getting halfway through the game your playthrough becomes used, meaning you can re-start as you wish until you actually dig in and play half the game.

5$ to buy another playthrough or whatever, but tie that in with additional/quality DLC to encourage those multiple playthroughs.

Some people will shell out their 20-25$ for that one playthrough instead of the 12 dollar rental. That's a win for the developer.

Some people will still fork over 60+ playing the game a few times w/additional content.

Used games now require a purchase of "playthroughs" thus taking money out of Gamestop's pocket and putting it into the developers.




Seems perfectly logical with how EA and other companies are approaching things with the Online pass.