The Price of eShop Games

[Dcubed]

Yeah, I'm not point fingers at Nintendo just saying that the price drops between the two services are nuts. I mean £4.00 for a massive JRPG was a bargain. Especially as it was just over a year old. I think Demon Souls was that price as well.

 

Did anyone else pick up a bunch of games during this Smash sale then?

 

Yeah I did. I got all 6 MM games on Wii U (I already owned MMAC and MM1-3 on my US Wii; so it was a bitter pill to swallow to buy all 6 again; especially when I don't like MM4-6 nearly as much as 1-3, but I did want the Wii U upgrade for 1-3 and the port quality in MMAC is all round terrible, so I did want proper versions of 4-6 too... At the sale price, it works very nicely for me though )

 

The other games I wanted, I already owned though. Was a bit pissed that Super Punchout went on sale so soon after it appeared on the eShop but no real regrets buying them at full price anyway

 

BTW, if you guys don't all buy Fire Emblem when it comes out today, then I disown all of you! You'd be completely mad to miss out on one of the best strategy RPGs ever made at this ridiculous price! : peace:

 

Interesting points. I wasn't thinking about it from a hardware perspective to be honest. But seeing how bad the situation at retail has become, and looking at how the industry is changing (the shift towards digital) it gives me the impression that hardware could actually be the only thing being sold at retailers in the future.

Do you think Gen 9 hardware will even have the option to utilise physical media? I have my doubts.

 

Yeah of course it will. No retailer would stock a digital only console for any sort of reasonable price if they couldn't sell high margin software! (Look at what happened with the PSP Go, with the massive retailer margin whacked onto the price and the failure that came along with it)

Edited August 21, 2014 by Dcubed

[Pestneb]

Yeah of course it will. No retailer would stock a digital only console for any sort of reasonable price if they couldn't sell high margin software! (Look at what happened with the PSP Go, with the massive retailer margin whacked onto the price and the failure that came along with it)

 

If they provide the retailers with download codes, allow them to provide discounts etc. it could help retailers out.

Online retailers just email you the code, Physical retailers only have warehouses with consoles in, the download codes could even be printed in the shop, so no need to stock anything in particular.

Maybe with amiibo figures d/l codes could be encoded in the figurine, buy the figurine, take it home, swipe and automatically download the game purchased.

[RedShell]

Of course it will. Digital is not that popular, especially in the US where there are still slow speeds and bandwidth caps.

Yeah of course it will. No retailer would stock a digital only console for any sort of reasonable price if they couldn't sell high margin software! (Look at what happened with the PSP Go, with the massive retailer margin whacked onto the price and the failure that came along with it)

The fact that both of you agree on this is incredibly reassuring.

I'd hate for the industry to go all-digital. Really get the feeling it is, but I'll be very happy to be wrong.

 

BTW, if you guys don't all buy Fire Emblem when it comes out today, then I disown all of you! You'd be completely mad to miss out on one of the best strategy RPGs ever made at this ridiculous price! : peace:

I'm not getting it.

 

I already own it.

 

[Hero-of-Time]

The fact that both of you agree on this is incredibly reassuring.

I'd hate for the industry to go all-digital. Really get the feeling it is, but I'll be very happy to be wrong.

 

I'm not getting it.

 

I already own it.

 

Yeah, I think it's heading that way. I'm not a fan of it personally as I like my physical goods. I think it's just a matter of time before the middle man is completely cut out and all the games will be via download. Sad times when this happens.

 

@Dcubed I'm getting Fire Emblem. I won't be playing it for a while though. Does that still count?

[Agent Gibbs]

The pricing is a little on the high side....but for me the problem is the speed/lack of releases!

 

The cost of VC games is obviously inflated higher due to the relatively low library that currently exists, their current model of 1/2 games a week means they need a high cost per game, if they released 10 or 20 games a week (or more realistically 10 or 20 a month) they would be able to afford to lower individual costs of games as people might buy more per week

 

 

the whole strategy in general with all eshops/psn' is terrible, they are all slow to release and too higher priced...sony have less of an excuse

[Dcubed]

Yeah, I think it's heading that way. I'm not a fan of it personally as I like my physical goods. I think it's just a matter of time before the middle man is completely cut out and all the games will be via download. Sad times when this happens.

 

@Dcubed I'm getting Fire Emblem. I won't be playing it for a while though. Does that still count?

 

Don't worry, you still cool :awesome: (besides, who could hate anyone who loves Megaman and Monster Hunter like you do? )

 

And I doubt that they'll cut out physical media all together. What's the benefit in doing so? If they went and only had download cards in place of BD discs, they'd still have to offer the same retailler margins to get them to carry the games anyway. I mean, yeah it would cut out the issue of used games, but that's not a battle that Nintendo is fighting (not is it something that they really "suffer" from like other publishers anyway :p ).

 

With the way they have it now, they can enjoy the higher margins that they get from DDistribution without retailers getting pissed at them and the download cards are good for ensuring that games stay on the shelves (especially niche games with low print runs) as the inventory risk is basically zero. It's that win-win relationship that Iwata keeps banging on about.

[Happenstance]

I do think the prices on the eshop and VC are too expensive but thats still just a secondary concern for me. Until we get a proper account system which purchases will be linked to I am still very hesitant to buy anything.

[Hero-of-Time]

Agreed, but that brings in the next point. Nintendo games are, for the most part, unlike the rest of the industry. They are not as frontloaded and continue to sell well even years after their initial release.

 

As such, a massive drop like that would do more harm than good.

 

Sorry about the late reply with this. Busy day at work today. : peace:

 

I generally agree with this but what about things like Starfox 64 on the 3DS? Games like that have been and gone yet still maintain a high price on the eShop.

 

RFN were discussing this the other week ( may have been NVC ) how there are certain Nintendo games that could easily be discounted on the eShop as retailers don't sell/stock them anymore ( no need to keep them happy ) and they don't chart in the eShop charts.

 

I don't think anyone is expecting new stuff to be discounted or go on sale but games that have been out for ages, don't chart and have no retail presence should be prime for a nice digital price drop.

[Serebii]

I do think the prices on the eshop and VC are too expensive but thats still just a secondary concern for me. Until we get a proper account system which purchases will be linked to I am still very hesitant to buy anything.

Purchases are linked to the account

[Cube]

Purchases are linked to the account

 

Purchases have been linked to an account since the Wii came out

[Fierce_LiNk]

I actually don't have a problem with the idea of digital content these days. I use and abuse spotify like it's my own wife, spending hours on that thing, compiling playlists and so forth. It's just easier. I've got my CDs a few metres away from me but inserting the whole lot onto my hard drive, removing the discs, putting them away...it's just not worth all the hassle.

 

My DVDs are normally on our television unit. We had to pack them away in boxes last week in order to move the unit. I haven't put them back yet. I've also realised just how much space we have on our unit without our DVDs. It's weird, where did all this space come from? From all of those films that just occupy space.

 

I don't see a problem with digitally downloading games. In fact, I'm for it. I've got The Last of Us inserted into my PS4, but Ine can easily switch to Strider or Resogun just with a few buttons. It saves space, time and effort. I believe that I'm ready for digital content. Does it really matter that you have the disc right in front of you or the box that you won't look at for about 90% of the time you have it? It's not essential to me any more. It makes sense for a lot of games where you just want a quick go on it before you pop out, for example. FIFA would be brilliant digitally. No need to swap discs, open up cases, go to television units, etc. Just turn the console on and it's there.

 

The issue for me is price. Not only that, but these days I crave new experiences. I'm all for Nintendo re-releasing stuff on the Virtual Console because there's a crowd out there who love that stuff. It's useful for stuff like Earthbound, games that never came to Europe, etc. But, I personally want new stuff. So, that's the first thing I'm after. Secondly, price-wise, it really depends on the software. Having more promotions and discounts does have an effect on me and it worked in the case of Transistor, paying a tenner for that seems like a good deal to me. £7.99 for a game like ZombiU is a steal. So, there are good prices out there.

 

The one thing that I'd like to see is cross-buy become more of a standard thing. If I buy Super Mario World on the WiiU, I should be able to play that on the 3DS as well, at no additional cost. I'm liking all of these cross-buys that are apparent on the PS3/PS4/PSV services, it's the way to go. You could in theory keep the prices the same, imo. Paying £10 for a game that you can use on your 3DS may be a decent deal, buy paying £10 for a game you could use on the 3DS AND the WiiU would be a great deal. It's better value for money.

[Cube]

I don't see a problem with digitally downloading games.

 

One problem with digital content on Nintendo platforms is that, if something happens to your console, you have to jump through hoops to get the stuff transferred.

[Fierce_LiNk]

One problem with digital content on Nintendo platforms is that, if something happens to your console, you have to jump through hoops to get the stuff transferred.

 

I know there's issues there, so I tend to steer well clear of that. Did @Blade manage to get his Virtual Console stuff back, in the end?

[Serebii]

There's also the issue of what happens if the service goes down, or the game is removed from the store and you've had to reformat your hard drive. It's gone forever.

[Agent Gibbs]

There's also the issue of what happens if the service goes down, or the game is removed from the store and you've had to reformat your hard drive. It's gone forever.

 

Actually thats not always the case, i can redownload DLC for Marvel Ultimate Alliance on PSN long long after the license expired and the content "removed" as its still available to download by those who have purchased it from a download list

[Sheikah]

rb!

 

Meanwhile, the Vita can't run FF7 without randomly crashing with garbled graphics and the PS3 can't run Silent Hill without all sound becoming completely garbled at random times - unfixable without a game reset too BTW!

 

Typical for you to concentrate on a couple of examples out of thousands to drive your point home.

 

Sony's way of emulation is far better because it means people actually get to play the games they want to, instead of this seemingly autistic strive for perfection that nobody seems to really care about, yet is dished out as an excuse by Ninty fanboys as a reason for the poor show.

 

By the way, I have played FF7 from start to finish without encountering a single problem. So this is a case of you finding a problem some people had, then pretending the game is unanimously broken to suit your argument.

[Serebii]

Actually thats not always the case, i can redownload DLC for Marvel Ultimate Alliance on PSN long long after the license expired and the content "removed" as its still available to download by those who have purchased it from a download list

Not always. Take the Wii Virtual Console. Donkey Kong Country were removed, but can be redownloaded, but Yoshi's Cookie is totally and completely gone. You can't even redownload it.

[Rummy]

I do think the prices on the eshop and VC are too expensive but thats still just a secondary concern for me. Until we get a proper account system which purchases will be linked to I am still very hesitant to buy anything.

 

I'm kinda feeling this myself. I feel the prices are too high for the quality of product and the risks inherent in lack of decent recovery or crossplay protocol compared to other systems.

 

Sales sell for more than just price though, I believe there's a psychological element in people who like a bargain - or at least there is in me. I may have fallen prey to this apparent 'steam caused problem' but I think there's benefits. A notable one is that it's getting a sale of me that wouldn't have occured otherwise - in fact sales where I've not even used the bloody product I bought! I literally threw my money at a bargain for the sake of it. I think things like HumbleBundles and the figures they raise are another good indication of this(similar to the earlier example of 2 sales or 1000, I think the overall revenue is greater than without).

 

The other big thing - and it's been discussed - some people just don't want digital(or at least at the same price as phsyical) in certain realms. I think there SHOULD be a cheaper price point for digital, because it IS a different product to physical. Physical media will be around for a long time, there's something about having that product that's reassuring. It may die down/out with the growing generations who are more used to being around digital, but all of us here would have grown up around physical media and I believe it isn't something that's neccessarily easy to let go for a number of folks.

[Wii]

There's also the currency difference. Just take Ubisofts eShop sale at the minute. There's several games marked at £10 for the British. Instead of doing a fair conversion rate, I find more often than not that they inflate the Euro price. To hell with us they say, "round it up by another 5 and that'll be €15 please. Sure it's good enough for them". When in fact £10 works out at €12.50. Another injustice.

[Rummy]

There's also the currency difference. Just take Ubisofts eShop sale at the minute. There's several games marked at £10 for the British. Instead of doing a fair conversion rate, I find more often than not that they inflate the Euro price. To hell with us they say, "round it up by another 5 and that'll be €15 please. Sure it's good enough for them". When in fact £10 works out at €12.50. Another injustice.

 

Good point actually. I never pay much attention to the Euro prices but I have always felt that the USD prices were always a far better deal than the GBP ones. Must suck to be even worse in the Eurozone!

[V. Amoleo]

Are we really going to say that tweaking the emulator they use to make sure it works for a specific game is going to take more effort than the creation of a game for other mobile platforms? Please...

 

Their prices are inflated because they feel they can ask the price and we keep buying them. There's not really justification beyond that and that's how business works.

[Captain Falcon]

Did anyone else pick up a bunch of games during this Smash sale then?

 

I got my Wii U equiped with Mega Man 2 through to 6. I'd been toying with the idea before but ultimately felt the standard price is outside my range for impulse buy so this generated sales that otherwise wouldn't have happened.

 

It's a fantastic price for Fire Emblem, and it's a fantastic game too, but I still have my GBA cart so no sale for me. It is a real shame they didn't do something on the DLC for Awakening though - especially given that's been discounted and become very competatively priced as a result... unlike some other discounts. I'd have lapped that stuff up Nintendo's terrible account system be damned.

[Debug Mode]

Typical for you to concentrate on a couple of examples out of thousands to drive your point home.

 

Sony's way of emulation is far better because it means people actually get to play the games they want to, instead of this seemingly autistic strive for perfection that nobody seems to really care about, yet is dished out as an excuse by Ninty fanboys as a reason for the poor show.

 

By the way, I have played FF7 from start to finish without encountering a single problem. So this is a case of you finding a problem some people had, then pretending the game is unanimously broken to suit your argument.

 

This.

 

Perfect emulation is rarely ever worth the effort. The only games that have actually needed it are the NES Remix titles. It could have easily have worked without it, but the thing was made far more engrossing by having all the exploits/glitches/quirks that are often lost in emulation and a few challenges utilise this. It's kind of a different example, but many glitches in the Pokemon games (mainly Gen III) pan out very differently when emulated rather than being processed on the original hardware.

 

But for the individual ports, like the Gameboy Advance titles? I do not care. I would rather have them cheaper, far more often and far more varied if they just got a working universal emulator developed (which, being the company who made the fucking hardware, would be able to do easily).

 

I can understand why they do it, but it just seems to be wasted resources and not very good value to the consumer. The fact they do it means they guarantee quality to it, so they can use this to add further onto the price because of the "added value" given to the consumer. There's the dedicated development, and then further guarantee in the form of play testing.

 

But if Nintendo did things how a good majority of us prefer, the dedicated development wouldn't be necessary, it would go into developing the universal emulator once and the odd occasion that a game requires the emulator to be fine tuned. So the added value here would just be the play testing, which should be a standard amongst the industry but Nintendo are definitely worthy of praise for just how well they do it. Apart from Pokemon X and Y, they should have told Masuda to fuck off and fix the engine.

[Serebii]

Are we really going to say that tweaking the emulator they use to make sure it works for a specific game is going to take more effort than the creation of a game for other mobile platforms? Please...

 

When did anyone say that??

 

But if Nintendo did things how a good majority of us prefer, the dedicated development wouldn't be necessary, it would go into developing the universal emulator once and the odd occasion that a game requires the emulator to be fine tuned. So the added value here would just be the play testing, which should be a standard amongst the industry but Nintendo are definitely worthy of praise for just how well they do it. Apart from Pokemon X and Y, they should have told Masuda to fuck off and fix the engine.

 

What's wrong with the engine???

[Agent Gibbs]

fix the engine? to hazard a guess because its not all in 3D when it could be, due to engine 'problems'?

 

Yoshi's cookie is completely gone? i wonder why, and what other games have gone completely and what it is that requires a sold product be no longer available to those who have purchased it, I'm sure that contravenes current EU laws on digital games