Cost of video games becoming absurd

[Cthulhu 2020]

Games used to cost $40-60 in the 90's. I read an article on this, but the percentage of disposable income that video games cost has gone down significantly while prices have barely risen at all. Now they're starting to rise again. People seem to forget inflation is a thing.

[Ærion]

So just bought Doom tonight for the PS4. The original price tag 59.99 but the DLC content is like another 100$ on top of that. So to access the full game, you gotta drop 150$. Being that it is a Bethesda game, I'm already angry at myself for purchasing but it's Doom, how bad could they fuck it up? Starwars battlefront was another good example (Didn't buy the DLC for this). It is getting to the point now where games are being released but actual access to the content is like 3x the initial cost without 3x the content. Anyone else bothered by this shit?

Your first mistake was choosing a console to buy games for.
Your second mistake was not waiting for price cuts or sales.
Your final mistake was giving money for a fragmented game, instead of waiting for the inevitable "complete" (aka goty) edition of the game.

For example, I've finished Fallout 4, and now I'm patiently waiting for all the dlc to get released, and the "complete" version to be made, so I can buy it on steam when it's under $30. I will never buy dlc, ever. Expansions (a la Blood and Wine) are an exception, as they add quite a large amount of content.

[Fugus]

I personally have quit dealing with the Console systems and go straight to PC even for gaming. It is just a better long term investment.

I never have to worry about my system dying taking out my ability to play my games because they quit making that console and the sale prices are much steeper.

Most of my games I typically end up getting from the giveaway websites, Humble Bundle, and Tremor Games and no matter how many computers die and I upgrade, the games will still work even if I had to go to a virtual machine to run them in the distant future.

The only things I hate is the lack of the Legend of Zelda games on it and the new Final Fantasy games about to come out look decent but won't be on it for a while.

Really want to see that new Legend of Zelda game I saw them advertise. Just not enough to invest that much into a brand new system.

[Varvara Spiros Gelashvili]

I personally have quit dealing with the Console systems and go straight to PC even for gaming. It is just a better long term investment.

I never have to worry about my system dying taking out my ability to play my games because they quit making that console and the sale prices are much steeper.

Most of my games I typically end up getting from the giveaway websites, Humble Bundle, and Tremor Games and no matter how many computers die and I upgrade, the games will still work even if I had to go to a virtual machine to run them in the distant future.

The only things I hate is the lack of the Legend of Zelda games on it and the new Final Fantasy games about to come out look decent but won't be on it for a while.

Really want to see that new Legend of Zelda game I saw them advertise. Just not enough to invest that much into a brand new system.

Same I play free to play games like league of legends and old school games online try to beat Ghosts 'N Goblins atm. I am tempted to give dark souls 3 a try tho..

[Collegeguy]

If you paid attention to the dollar recently, you might have noticed a few things.

[Deleted]

G2A.com is the best place to get games. The prices are absurd but have rising with each new console i remember 30-40$ for n64 era games.. Then the xbox came out and everything was 50.. then 360 and it was 60 and now x1 and ive seen some 70$ but ya its stupid as hell.. Leave them at 50$ since most arent even worth that

They're not truly rising, it just seems to be the case because of inflation, but the prices are not rising. 70 dollars by now is just the same as 40 dollars back to 1998

[Chingylol]

Games cost the same price in the 80's and 90's as they do now.

NES games in the 80s were $49.99. SNES games in the 90's were mostly $59.99 and some were $49.99. Phantasy Star 4 for Sega Genesis was like $74.99.

[Ahovv]

Tell your friends to stop torrenting games, which only contributes to the problem.

This is a myth spread by corporations and mainstream media. Pirating is almost exclusively a practice for content you would never purchase to begin with. Thus, if the company would normally make $25,000,000 off a game, they wouldn't magically make $25,000,050 in the scenario where you pirate. Many people in this category will also ultimately buy the game if they have tried it and enjoy it. A small bit from GabeN: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news...ervice-Problem

@Stacyrect: I wholeheartedly agree that these tactics are absurd. It is why I no longer buy games which participate in them. If a game is to have paid DLC, it needs to be add many hours of quality content. For example, Witcher 3 expansions. But if a game launches with DLC then I can't see myself being interested in the content nor the future of the franchise.

[Deletedaccount1]

I'm not concerned with the price of games nearly as much as the quality of them. The fact that people still pay money to play WoW in its current state and support Blizzard shows to me that these companies get away with producing complete shit because they have a fan base that will act as their free PR team.

[Bryanator1989]

I just wait for steam summer and xmas sale. Rarely spend more than $20 on a game nowadays.

[Regalbeast]

hah, this is funny. Gaming has never been cheaper than it is now.

[announced]

console games can be ridiculous prices, usually PC games arent so thats a plus, one example was when i wanted to buy the witcher 3, it was relatively new and for console i think it was $70 or more, but for pc around 50, i bought it for $37.00 CAD, at gamesdeal.com. and my pc wont be outdated for quite some time now. consoles are also constantly being changed and upgraded like playstation 1 2 3 4 etc, theres wii's to buy and xboxes gamecubes and even pocket devices. meanwhile as a pc user i only have one thing to think about, what game to buy next?

DLC content on a whole seems, like total bs if it costs an extra $100. its like when u buy wow. currently you will receive the entire game up to warlords. you will need to pay $15 a month to play on servers, but you dont expect to pay $100 extra, thats like 2 more expansion packs lol. legion is selling for only $50.

whenever i want to buy a game, i have to test it out first, demos are so important cause if i end up getting bored after a few hours its just a waste of $.

[Deleted]

Just means you have to choose your purchases more wisely.

It all comes down to value and what something is worth to you. I'd say on average that chances are you're getting more for your money so far as time spent enjoying that product than most other recreational things.

How many people go to the bar once a month? That's probably the price of a game right there and you literally piss it down the toilet afterwards.

[Deleted]

You think that's absurd? Take a look at Overwatch. Costs 60$, has no singleplayer campaign, no story, no group PVE, no vehicles, no complex maps like Planetside 2. Meanwhile Planetside 2, Warframe and even fucking MMOs are f2p. Ahahahahahahahahahaha.

Overwatch should have been f2p or 10$ at most. An no, I don't work at McDonald's, I'm fucking rich, but it feels like I'm being taken for ride.

Game devs don't give a shit about the correct price for video games, just look like at EA's overpriced shit. Nowadays they just put whatever the hell number they want as a price.

[Deleted]

Totally man, but what is a man to do when it's movie night, she passes out 40 minutes into the shitty movie she's picked and I'm stuck watching fucking secretariat or some shit?

You tuck her in and feel accomplished, knowing you dodged a bullet and play games for the rest of the night.

On your computer, like a normal person.

[Deleted]

You think that's absurd? Take a look at Overwatch. Costs 60$, has no singleplayer campaign, no story, no group PVE, no vehicles, no complex maps like Planetside 2. Meanwhile Planetside 2, Overwatch and even fucking MMOs are f2p. Ahahahahahahahahahaha.

Overwatch should have been f2p or 10$ at most. An no, I don't work at McDonald's, I'm fucking rich, but it feels like I'm being taken for ride.

So what? If you want a product that offers those things... go find it.

This was the issue that killed WoW. People wanted the best of both worlds and ultimately it fucked the game.

Overwatch, from what I can tell, seems to be popular as it is and if that's a product that will sell then so be it.

[stomination]

Super NES games were like $90 in 1992. You kiddies know nothing of cost.

A lot of jon snow ppl here.

[Charge me Doctor]

Tell your friends to stop torrenting games, which only contributes to the problem.

- - - Updated - - -


...

Case in point.

it doesn't work like that.

But yeah, the cost of games have gone up in sense that developers do not aim at releasing finished product, instead, they use their opportunity to patch it up every now and then, and release content via DLC instead of addons. Games got smaller, but the cost is relatively the same. Sure gamers are to blame for that, and popularity of "early access" and "pre-order" only proves that, people do not want to wait for a year to get a game, they want to wait for half of a year, get a game, play it for 20 hours, move on to the next game, turn back to this game when new DLC is released.

[stomination]

I'm not concerned with the price of games nearly as much as the quality of them. The fact that people still pay money to play WoW in its current state and support Blizzard shows to me that these companies get away with producing complete shit because they have a fan base that will act as their free PR team.

Opinions on a fan site for the same company.


Its like they still have a grip on you.

[Rafoel]

You think that's absurd? Take a look at Overwatch. Costs 60$, has no singleplayer campaign, no story, no group PVE, no vehicles, no complex maps like Planetside 2. Meanwhile Planetside 2, Warframe and even fucking MMOs are f2p. Ahahahahahahahahahaha.

Overwatch should have been f2p or 10$ at most. An no, I don't work at McDonald's, I'm fucking rich, but it feels like I'm being taken for ride.

Game devs don't give a shit about the correct price for video games, just look like at EA's overpriced shit. Nowadays they just put whatever the hell number they want as a price.

"I'm fucking rich but I decide to waste time complaining about the price of game".

Rich person wouldn't even notice the game is overpriced.