Do video games need to be cheaper?
Playing video games is a relatively expensive hobby, especially if you’re the kind of gamer who has to buy a title on day one. So, is it time to lower the price of games?
There’s been attempts by various publishers (EA, THQ, Ubisoft, Sony) recently to kill off, or at least reduce the size of, the used games market. But maybe these companies are all missing a trick. Why do people buy games used? Because it’s a more affordable way of gaming.
The used game market exists because new games costs too much. And buying and selling them to used game retailers can turn an expensive hobby into an affordable one.
If a game provides 40 hours of entertainment then $60 or the equivalent seems fair. But how many game really last that long these days?
The easy answer is to reduce the price of video games across the board. I know, it’s wishful thinking, right? But it would mean more people would buy more games, and not just the triple-A titles such as Red Dead Redemption.
What do you think? Are you happy paying the current prices?
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47 Responses to “Do video games need to be cheaper?”
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May 31st, 2010
Yes video games need to be cheaper these companies are profiting about ten times over. The most expensive media is video games. Video game company are basically robbing us left and right by asking so much damn money for a fucking game. If video game were cheaper you will more people buying there game and they will benefit because they will have a higher fan base. If the prices gets lower like to $40 you will like 2 million copies sold within months really fast.
May 31st, 2010
Triple AAA? Does that make 9 A’s?
Anyone paying full price is getting ripped off. I am ok with paying $70 – $80 for a new game here. Anything more than than then I am not.
May 31st, 2010
I’m with HH
May 31st, 2010
@harry_sachz 70-80 IS a full price…
anyways, the obvious answer is YES, price tags need to be lowered. Especially for accessories, controllers and so on…the games should never be more than 45, unless they have extensive gameplay options that provide hours and hours of FUN gameplay…
We are currently paying more than half a hundred for a freaking damn game…where is the logic? I think the problem is that no one imposes limits on these companies…there should be national laws protecting us gaming consumers. Without limits, they just do anything to get money out of our pockets…the best example is the newest moves from major game companies to try and stop second-hand game sells…This is a clearly outrageous situation for consumers…the first person bought the game legitimately and stopped using it…instead of wasting a game, he sells it to someone else at a cheaper price…The second person buys it legitimately too and has the RIGHT to benefit from the WHOLE game content he paid for.
May 31st, 2010
I travel a lot because of my job, I spent some time last summer in Africa, where children are dying from hunger, can u believe that 60 bucks could feed a child there for months. just the mere thought of it makes me feel like crap every time I think about buying a game knowing that it all goes to the likes of bobby kotic…. This truly is a rotten world we live in.
May 31st, 2010
@ gravufo,
Down here full price is $110 or thereabouts.
May 31st, 2010
Games should cost $30 to 40 tops.
May 31st, 2010
Hmmmm its quite funny, we Indians pay a lot less than u guys, just got the Alan wake limted edition for 53$ brand new.. we usually get standard editions for 42 – 46$
May 31st, 2010
“Down here”
where is that?
May 31st, 2010
The prices so need to come down. This generation has set the prices way to high for the average gamer. That’s exactly why the second hand market thrives and I support it.
May 31st, 2010
“Down hereâ€
where is that?
Aussie land
May 31st, 2010
Yep, aussie land.
But If I recall, the Sega Megadrive (Genesis) carts would cost around $80 to $90 when they were out also. So game prices haven’t really changed all that much.
May 31st, 2010
FUCK EA!
They are same people who brought out 4 and 5 hour games years ago and sequel after sequel and other games such as FIFA barely being updated at all year by year but because they bought the rights of the leagues there was a lot of ppl bought them for that reason alone.
I thought they had turned a new leaf this gen but looks like they’re going back to their money grabbing ways.
May 31st, 2010
Also why are PC games that are on consoles so much cheaper???
May 31st, 2010
It’s so short sighted of EA and Sony trying to kill second hand sales because if I buy a game second hand and I like it, I will be much more likely to buy the next one on release at full price where as if I had not played the second hand game in the first place I probably would have no interest in the next release.
My second point on this being short sighted is that most game shops make their money out of second hand games. Without this income some could be forced to go out of business. EA and Sony fail to recognise that if they force these shops out of business not only are they hurting second hand game sales but the new game sales that these shops would have sold also.
May 31st, 2010
“My second point on this being short sighted is that most game shops make their money out of second hand games. Without this income some could be forced to go out of business. EA and Sony fail to recognise that if they force these shops out of business not only are they hurting second hand game sales but the new game sales that these shops would have sold also.”
Oh I wouldn’t worry to much about the shops, they’re just gonna cut the price by 5/10 bucks(only for online) depending on the online fee, the people who are going to be screwrd is those who are traiding the game in, so EA= win, Gamestop=win, gamer= f#cked
May 31st, 2010
its usually 55 or 60euro in ireland. but big games like GTA and killzone 2, Halo 3 etc were like 75euro which is ridicolous. . .i still end up paying that if i want the game bad enough. .i did it with killzone 2 anyway.
May 31st, 2010
Rent the majority and buy the truly great that you know you will enjoy for years to come. As long as hard copy exists there will be used game sales (along with movies). Once the full move is made to digital download (if ever), prices will drop as there is no physical media manufacturing cost.
May 31st, 2010
boomerangrentals.co.uk/
Pay £3.49 subscription per month and get a game sent out each month or if you like it just hang on to it, either way it’s a lot cheaper than renting from game shops.
May 31st, 2010
“I’m with HH” ?
May 31st, 2010
Are you having fun?
May 31st, 2010
“Yep, aussie land.”
I would love to visit Australia some day.
I have 3 kids and holidays are fucked up when you have more than 2. Try booking a hotel with three kids. Bastards want you to get two rooms.
May 31st, 2010
Poor Xbots. They pay online for each live user and now each user for the game also. That sucks for them.
May 31st, 2010
“Are you having fun?”
LMFAO !!!……..
May 31st, 2010
I hear he is feisty.
May 31st, 2010
“I have 3 kids and holidays are fucked up when you have more than 2 kids.”
correction:
holidays are fucked up when you have kids.
May 31st, 2010
I’m OK paying full price for the games I really want..full price here is $60
May 31st, 2010
what bothers me the most is that publishers take more than 35$ from a 60$ game, wtf? thats more than 60%.
May 31st, 2010
Roca.:
I wonder what you gonna thing when prices go up more.
May 31st, 2010
They are usually $60-$70 in Canada.
Or for HH’s sake $59.99 – $69.99 (Under 60-70) LOL
May 31st, 2010
“I have 3 kids and holidays are fucked up when you have more than 2 kids.â€
correction:
holidays are fucked up when you have kids.”
The one and only time the mother in law comes in handy ……. lol – Palm off the kids
We did when we went to the US
May 31st, 2010
“The one and only time the mother in law comes in handy ……. lol – Palm off the kids
We did when we went to the US”
(god I hope she doesn’t read this)
I hear u, but I usualy palm off the kids and the wife.
May 31st, 2010
“The one and only time the mother in law comes in handy ……. lol – Palm off the kids We did when we went to the US”
Not my in-laws LOL useless. My parents live 3 hours away and the in-laws live 45 min and my parents see my kids 4x more. But that’s kind of a great thing. LOL
I’m one of those people with fucked up in-laws. (specially the mom)
May 31st, 2010
“I hear u, but I usualy palm off the kids and the wife.
(god I hope she doesn’t read this)”
LOL my wife usually takes the kids there without me also.
The mother in-law is to cheap to pay for cable.
May 31st, 2010
Yeah next holiday we’re bringing the mother in law. We spend most of our time entertaining our kid. I noticed at the resort there were plenty of families that brought an in-law! haha
May 31st, 2010
“Yeah next holiday we’re bringing the mother in law.”
are u out of ur f###ing mind??!!!
May 31st, 2010
the reason why console games are approx 25% more expensive than the PC version is due to the licensing to Sony / Microsoft / Nintendo. This is the price you have to pay to get a console at a consumer friendly price, even if it may cost more to manufacture. A factor that is rarely calculated into the comparison of costs between PC gaming and console gaming.
June 1st, 2010
@ ncaissie “I would love to visit Australia some day.” You’d love it.
I’ve got a nice garage you could rent.
But on the game from, pretty well all new games here in oz go on retail anywhere up to $110, and that is just for the standard edition.
Plus with a classification board that we have, we couldn’t play Fallout3 with the original medicinal name, it had to get changed for something else, and don’t get me started on L4D2.
Generally when it comes to software and games, I believe we pay the highest prices.
Hence why sites like Playasia get a lot of my business.
June 1st, 2010
b0xel said: “I hear u, but I usualy palm off the kids and the wife.”
What happens in Vegas, stay is n Vegas …..
harry said: “Yeah next holiday we’re bringing the mother in law. We spend most of our time entertaining our kid. I noticed at the resort there were plenty of families that brought an in-law! haha”
I can see the sense in that, entice the mother in-law with a free holiday, then dump the kid/s and run
June 1st, 2010
@ boxel,
She’s a quiet little lady, i’m sure she’ll stay in tow!
@ rhino,
Have you checked out cdwow.com.au? They’re an English based company that I sometimes buy from. Their games are pretty cheap and in the case of Left 4 Dead 2, they sent me the British version, i.e the gore.
Best bit is that GAME accepts english games for trade-in.
June 1st, 2010
Yes definitely need to be cheaper.
here in oz new realeases are around $120.00 But if they were half that price and platinum cheaper again i am sure turnover would make up for the company profits and piracy wouldn’t be an issue for anyone.
Not that i believe in piracy.
Ps I am not into tradein’s or second hand anything.
June 1st, 2010
“pretty well all new games here in oz go on retail anywhere up to $110, and that is just for the standard edition.”
You know those “outraged” political types? Makes a ton of money for the government to charge extra. Is everything almost twice as expensive in oz, or just videogames?
June 1st, 2010
More so video games
But you can find bargains. I never buy any game if it makes triple figures. I will pay about 80-90 bucks (for new release games only)
June 1st, 2010
@CarlB “Is everything almost twice as expensive in oz, or just videogames?”
Most things, especially when it comes to electronics or software.
June 1st, 2010
The only game I spent $100+ on was GOW3 UE and Rockband. Which I played for the first time last weekend. LOL I had it for over a year now.
I downloaded the greenday demo and got sucked into playing with all the kids for a few hours.
It was fun. I got Rockband the day I got my first PS3.
June 1st, 2010
I have no problem with game prices. For the most part I pay less than $60 anyway as retailers have been giving some sweet deals to people that preorder. Sometimes you can get a game cheaper than it is used months later that way.
June 1st, 2010
“you can get a game cheaper than it is used months later that way.?
yea, amazon is the best at that. u wouldn’t beleive how many times I got free or half price games from them.