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Are MMO with subcriptions too cheap? Games too cheap in general?
TheScavenger
Member EpicPosts: 3,321
As a note before the actual post, the amount here is all in USD. Also the numbers are examples, but what I "feel" they should be priced due to how expensive it is to make good quality games these days compared to the past. But in any case, games are still far too cheap
In general, games are too cheap...60 dollars isn't very much in todays world. Games should cost over 150 dollars for a brand new game, in how expensive everything else is. Development in todays world is far more expensive than it used to be.
But, MMOs also seem to have by far too cheap subscriptions. For a while, they cost 10 dollars...but then it only went up five dollars to 15. For an MMO to prosper, and also maybe even rely on cash shops less...they really should cost anywhere from 30 (double the price) to even 60 dollars a month of current priced games.
Expansions for example, like BFA are 50 dollars. But the amount should be more 90-140 dollars for how much work has gone into it.
I think companies are afraid of increasing the price to the appropriate amount of how much things cost cause they think people will scoff at the price. But, they really need to not just slightly increase the price...but dramatically increase the price to match todays economy and how expensive it is to develop games.
In general, games are too cheap...60 dollars isn't very much in todays world. Games should cost over 150 dollars for a brand new game, in how expensive everything else is. Development in todays world is far more expensive than it used to be.
But, MMOs also seem to have by far too cheap subscriptions. For a while, they cost 10 dollars...but then it only went up five dollars to 15. For an MMO to prosper, and also maybe even rely on cash shops less...they really should cost anywhere from 30 (double the price) to even 60 dollars a month of current priced games.
Expansions for example, like BFA are 50 dollars. But the amount should be more 90-140 dollars for how much work has gone into it.
I think companies are afraid of increasing the price to the appropriate amount of how much things cost cause they think people will scoff at the price. But, they really need to not just slightly increase the price...but dramatically increase the price to match todays economy and how expensive it is to develop games.
My Skyrim, Fallout 4, Starbound and WoW + other game mods at MODDB:
https://www.moddb.com/mods/skyrim-anime-overhaul
and 8 others.
Comments
Well for one...games development costs in not just programming but artwork and everything else...has gone way up like I said.
But, games and other entertainment avenues are a luxury. If can't afford that luxury, then can't do that entertainment. For example, going to a sports stadium, the tickets often cost a lot (depending whats going on they can be insane priced)...many people can't afford to buy those tickets. Games aren't a "need" but a "hobby" or "luxury".
So it doesn't matter if someone can't afford it or not, since it isn't an actual need.
Many hobbies are very expensive, and the game hobby is actually one of if not the cheapest one. But, this is in fact harming developers and likely causing bad practice of cash shops and what not. And even if cash shops were still a thing, at least gaming would catch up in price to how much it actually should be in terms of how expensive they are to develop.
My Skyrim, Fallout 4, Starbound and WoW + other game mods at MODDB:
https://www.moddb.com/mods/skyrim-anime-overhaul
But in any case, games are still far too cheap
My Skyrim, Fallout 4, Starbound and WoW + other game mods at MODDB:
https://www.moddb.com/mods/skyrim-anime-overhaul
https://forums.mmorpg.com/discussion/475462/game-prices-argument/p1
My Skyrim, Fallout 4, Starbound and WoW + other game mods at MODDB:
https://www.moddb.com/mods/skyrim-anime-overhaul
But, I agree with you. As you say it costs more to create "good, quality games" but those "good, quality games" have shifted the quality part from gameplay to superficial nonsense. The graphics, animations, voice acting, etc, may have improved - but at a significant cost to broaden the market appeal of the game, mechanics, systems, etc, to literally include very small children with simple children minds into the demographics.
There is no way I'd pay $60 for something that barely qualifies as a game. The handful of AAA games I plan on checking out I wait for the final edition with all dlc included to go on sale for $10-15 (I still don't own Fallout 4 since it hasn't yet fell to a price on sale I feel the "game" is worth). Plus, there are usually a couple of total conversion mods available at that time to make the game playable to people that focus more on the systems and mechanics over the superficial nonsense.
So, people like me aren't going to buy your games regardless of initial price. I personally would welcome the selling price being jacked up to $140 or higher.
The games I play and buy at full price on release will not be impacted. But the games I am drawn towards tend to have the opposite budgeting as your type of slightly interactive art. My games spend 90+% of their budget on the game part of the game, instead of spending 90+% of the budget on the non-game, superficial parts. And my games don't include children in the target market.
Although I don't think your $140 price tag is that far off from what you people actually spend on the AAA games currently with how they and their content are monetized, jacking the price up significantly higher as you propose would only be good for me, the games I like, and my gaming agenda. I encourage and welcome it.
The other aspect is what others have said. Do you make more selling 3,000,000 copies at $60 or 300,000 copies $120? Sure, there are luxury industries that do very well selling a fewer products at very high prices. The way the industry is now, they look to include players (and their money), not exclude them and their wallets.
PS: Don't tell gamers they're not entitled to play games. You'll get crucified
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
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We had Empires run by Emperors, we had Kingdoms run by Kings, now we have Countries...
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Recently i payed 30 bucks for a round of golf. Id only pay 30 bucks for a video game if it is from a AAA company and is half off perhaps.
Either way, i think games should be more expensive however i am conditioned to think that games at 60 bucks are at the peak of expensiveness and i would be very wary to spend that much.
You can see my sci-fi/WW2 book recommendations.
So when an expac is created, it's not likely they are reinventing the wheel every time so to speak. Sure mechanics get changed, added, removed and tweaked as well as some new models and animations but not to the extent to where they are making a completely new game. At least that's what I assume since that is what is efficient and Blizzard definitely strikes me (and has proven to me) as a studio who has their shyt together and is highly efficient.
I'm not saying that making a DLC or expac costs them nothing, and of course to host and upkeep all of their servers isn't cheap either. However, my opinion is that they charge what they do because they simply can and that a bulk of that revenue is going towards putting on big shows like Blizzcon, advertising, and future development of projects we have yet to hear about and not so much to strictly pay for WoW development.
"If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor
Not all games cost the same amount to make. Some should be priced at $60 and some should be less. I got a new game a few months ago as part of a Kickstarter reward that retailed at $35 and I'm having a great time. It doesn't have a super graphics engine but that's not very important to me. And that's the kicker, not all games need to have super graphics and yet it's super graphics that keeps pushing the cost of making games higher and higher. Publishers are creating a demand and suckers are falling for it and the rest of us have to deal with the "ohh games should cost more" crowd who just doesn't get it.
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Also, gaming revenue is higher then HOLLYWOOD MOVIES. So yeah, I think they are doing okay
Also, unlike you, I have a source: https://www.nasdaq.com/article/investing-in-video-games-this-industry-pulls-in-more-revenue-than-movies-music-cm634585
/thread
Before there was a significant price differential compared to AAA games but this trend is making them push closer and closer to a $60 price tag.
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~~ postlarval ~~
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What market are you going for in your MMO? Old men with time and money? Ok, $100 to buy, $25 dollars a month. Going for tweens who pwnd jer mom? Ok, make it FTP. In between, then go in between.