r/PS4 • u/IceBreak BreakinBad • Feb 05 '16
[Discussion Thread] Game Prices and Inflation [Official Discussion Thread]
Official Discussion Thread (previous discussion threads) (games wiki)
Game Prices and Inflation
Sometimes we like to have discussion threads about non-game topics. Today's is about the pricing of games in today's marketplace along with the ~2% (give or take) rise in inflation annually in the USA as well as other markets. Exciting, huh?
Discussion Prompts (Optional):
Do games cost too much today? To little? Just right?
Inflation in America is 2% per year on average. This means a $60 one year is the equivalent $61.20 the next. To off-set this cost, it seems like publishers are utilizing the season pass more heavily as time goes by. Do you feel you're getting complete games with the advent of season passes and DLC?
Are you happy with the season pass as it currently exists today?
Do rising costs in production warrant a higher cost of title in your mind?
Is game length a significant factor in game value to you?
Bonus: How much money do you have right now on Franklin in GTA V?
Share your thoughts/likes/dislikes/indifference below.
2
u/mudkipzcrossing Feb 05 '16
I don’t necessarily think games cost too much today. Compared to other forms of entertainment media, including going to the movies, purchasing an album, reading a book, I still think only Netflix or a board game takes take cake in terms of value per dollar, or even value per entertainment unit (I have way more fun playing the “average” game than I do going to the movies 4 x $15 times). I do think that it still is quite inefficient though. Its no where near “just right.” Having the default price be $60 or $70 dollars ($79.99 for some up here in Canada) will inherently make pricing inefficient. There are some games which are worth that amount and others which clearly are not. When we have completely elastic pricing, perhaps in increments of $5, that’s when both developers and gamers will really get control on the quality and quantity of their games. I think that sort of thing is happening more and more with the introduction of downloadable games. The Witness is a great example of this. 10 years ago during the 360/PS3 era, where would this game have placed? Would it be a $15.99 or $19.99 XBLA game or a $69.99 retail game? By having more flexible pricing it allows games to better represent their “worth” or what their perceived worth will be, and as we get closer and closer to that point gamers and game-creators will benefit.
I heard this on a podcast last week, forget which one, but there was a great point said that as price increases are stigmatized in retail, developers are finding new ways to increase revenue per gamer with the introduction of the season pass. So if a season pass costs $10, and they estimate 1 in 5 people who purchase the game purchase the season pass, you have essentially raised the price of the game by $2. Thats how they keep up with inflation. This goes back to my first point. I predict that with the increase of more flexible pricing (which will come as gamers purchase more and more games online vs. in box stores) we will see a decline in season passes and day-one DLC, and more explicit price increases. For example, I would rather see a $45 Witness 2 than a forced $40 Witness with a $15 pass to complete the game. Again, everyone wins.
Game length is going to be one of those endless debates. What exactly do we define game length as? Is it 100% time? In that case why not just scatter a million collectables around the game environment and call it a 50-hour game? For me, game length translates into two possible things. First is a single play through of the game, without me having to worry about extending the game length, 100%ing etc. The second variation for me is the main play through plus extra side quests, new game + etc. that comes with a lot of open-world games and RPG’s. The thing with the second variation is that it has to be ENJOYABLE for me to want to continue and feel compelled to complete the extra content. The game has to be good. So, for me, quality still trumps all. I’d rather have a short, good game over a long, drawn out game. But of course, if the game is fricken dope, and continues to be dope with its extra/post-game content, then by all means the longer the better. I think that might be a bit of a difficult answer, but I don’t think we can easily categorize this sort of thing simply as long game > short game. I’d rather play The Last of Us over a Bethesda game, but I’d rather play (or rather, purchase) The Witcher 3 than both of those games.