The big difference is that you require a drive to have a game system use discs. You only need a USB port (which all systems will have) to allow you to use a USB drive. USB drives can be used on the fly -- meaning a store does not need to keep a bunch of full copies of the game -- they can put whatever game they want on the USB and sell it with the code to activate the game. This would also make it less likely for a game to be resold used. A disc is pretty much a permanent thing -- a USB drive is not.
In essence it gives a method to get games other than the internet in a post disc world.
Oh and it could always work on a kiosk as well like the redbox things for movies -- only it would be able to do many more different games.
My entire stance on MMO pricing is that the company is offering a commitment.
By its very nature they are PROMISING you, the customer, that you will want to stick around for months or years and that you will sing their praises in that time. They should not be trying to break even on release day and they should not be proclaiming their commercial successes just because they fooled a million or two human beings into picking up the box.
But this brave new world of sixty dollar hyper-hyped MMO's with pay-to-ride rainbow unicorns and 30 dollar expansions every six months just makes me sad.
The sixty dollar pricepoint is for static products with incredibly limited post release support.
These finished and plished product releasing groups put out maybe a balance patch, some bug fixes, those things are quite acceptable. The company makes all of its revenue from the one and only purchase users make, granted a sad number of those products are diving into the habit of releasing two thirds of the finished product and then charging again for the rest.
So, as far as I have figured, any company that thinks their product can realistically maintain a profitable subscriber count has no business charging more than 40 USD, and those that do charge more are fairly likely to just be trying to pull a quick profit out of their rear end.
And beware ye who purchases a "Lifetime Subscription"
This thread is full of stupidity.
Do people even understand the economics of making an MMORPG? Obviously not, but heres a hint: they dont make their money back on box sales, it usually takes a couple years before they recoup their development costs.
My entire stance on MMO pricing is that the company is offering a commitment.
By its very nature they are PROMISING you, the customer, that you will want to stick around for months or years and that you will sing their praises in that time. They should not be trying to break even on release day and they should not be proclaiming their commercial successes just because they fooled a million or two human beings into picking up the box.
But this brave new world of sixty dollar hyper-hyped MMO's with pay-to-ride rainbow unicorns and 30 dollar expansions every six months just makes me sad.
The sixty dollar pricepoint is for static products with incredibly limited post release support.
These finished and plished product releasing groups put out maybe a balance patch, some bug fixes, those things are quite acceptable. The company makes all of its revenue from the one and only purchase users make, granted a sad number of those products are diving into the habit of releasing two thirds of the finished product and then charging again for the rest.
So, as far as I have figured, any company that thinks their product can realistically maintain a profitable subscriber count has no business charging more than 40 USD, and those that do charge more are fairly likely to just be trying to pull a quick profit out of their rear end.
And beware ye who purchases a "Lifetime Subscription"
This thread is full of stupidity.
Do people even understand the economics of making an MMORPG? Obviously not, but heres a hint: they dont make their money back on box sales, it usually takes a couple years before they recoup their development costs.
Economics is a subject that isnt publicly taught, here we see what happens.
This is from the same tree that thinks all game shold be free (im sure these are the same people who a clamoring for a full time job that doesnt pay)
Comments
The big difference is that you require a drive to have a game system use discs. You only need a USB port (which all systems will have) to allow you to use a USB drive. USB drives can be used on the fly -- meaning a store does not need to keep a bunch of full copies of the game -- they can put whatever game they want on the USB and sell it with the code to activate the game. This would also make it less likely for a game to be resold used. A disc is pretty much a permanent thing -- a USB drive is not.
In essence it gives a method to get games other than the internet in a post disc world.
Oh and it could always work on a kiosk as well like the redbox things for movies -- only it would be able to do many more different games.
This thread is full of stupidity.
Do people even understand the economics of making an MMORPG? Obviously not, but heres a hint: they dont make their money back on box sales, it usually takes a couple years before they recoup their development costs.
Economics is a subject that isnt publicly taught, here we see what happens.
This is from the same tree that thinks all game shold be free (im sure these are the same people who a clamoring for a full time job that doesnt pay)