PSP Go the Future of Gaming?

[dsheinem]

We'll never go to all digital distribution unless retailers are able to get in on the action. If I can buy a DLC code for Madden 2021 at Wal-Mart for $50 on release day, $40 a month or so later, and eventually $10-$15 when the game is a year or two old, then maybe there's a viable market. When there is some system for trading/selling my DLC codes (perhaps they give you a new one if you delete the game?), then maybe we'll see a market develop. Buyers want older games for cheap, which isn't the digital model.

Most music is sold in stores. Most video is sold in stores. Most games are sold in stores. I don't see the recent incremental advances of digital distribution in ANY of the these media ever replacing the importance of retail. Media companies have too much invested in those relationships with retailers to ditch them for an all digital model.

[Opa Opa]

[...] $50 on release day, $40 a month or so later, and eventually $10-$15 when the game is a year or two old, then maybe there's a viable market.

I know you are just speculating (although you are probably close to the true prices) but why should we be paying $50 for a release day copy when there are no costs of making boxes, cover art, booklets, et cetera? The most they should charge is $20-25 for a new game. If the digital prices became more reasonable it might be worth looking into. Even now you have this problem. Why pay $30 on PSN for Game X when you can go to another source and purchase said game for $20 new and get a physical copy? Or you could get the game used for $10-15?

[enderfall]

[...] $50 on release day, $40 a month or so later, and eventually $10-$15 when the game is a year or two old, then maybe there's a viable market.

I know you are just speculating (although you are probably close to the true prices) but why should we be paying $50 for a release day copy when there are no costs of making boxes, cover art, booklets, et cetera? The most they should charge is $20-25 for a new game. If the digital prices became more reasonable it might be worth looking into. Even now you have this problem. Why pay $30 on PSN for Game X when you can go to another source and purchase said game for $20 new and get a physical copy? Or you could get the game used for $10-15?

Because that is the standard price for video games? Steam games generally mirror the retail price for several weeks (or months in the most sought after games). iTunes certainly doesn't give you much of a discount for buying over a CD. Besides, how much does the paper for cover art and the actual case cost in bulk? $0.13/game? The only reasonable expectation would be to cut out the middle man for cost savings, but try explaining that to the buffoons that run EA and Activision.

[gtmtnbiker]

I know you are just speculating (although you are probably close to the true prices) but why should we be paying $50 for a release day copy when there are no costs of making boxes, cover art, booklets, et cetera?

It's all about getting the most amount of money from the consumers. There are enough people willing to get the game quickly and willing to pay a premium that they tap into it.

Let's say a game sells 5M.

1M at $50
1M at $40
1M at $30
1M at $20
1M at $10


They will gross $100M versus selling $50M if they were to sell all copies at $10. Or they can keep the price at $50 and only sell 1M for a total of $50M. I don't know about you but I rather have $100M than $50M.

A lot of things will sell the same way. Airline tickets are sold to maximize revenue as well. When the plane is mostly empty, they will drop the price until the seats are getting filled and then bring the price back up. If you really need to go, then you'll pay the higher cost.

[Inazuma]

As much as I hate to say it, I can see video games being almost completely digital download only in the future. And of course they will have various forms of DRM and other restrictions.

I am one of those gamers who prefers to buy games on physical media, complete with box and manual. If everything becomes download only, I will either stop buying new games altogether, resort to piracy, or a combination of both.

I will do what I can and not support it, but I'm only one person. It upsets me to think that I might not be able to play new games, but thankfully there are more than enough old games to keep me busy for the rest of my life. In some ways, it's a relief that systems like the PSP GoFuckYourself come out. I don't need to buy them! I already have too many games and systems as it is.

[Opa Opa]

They will gross $100M versus selling $50M if they were to sell all copies at $10. Or they can keep the price at $50 and only sell 1M for a total of $50M. I don't know about you but I rather have $100M than $50M.

I was thinking that selling new titles at a more reasonable price would bring in more consumers. Yes, you probably wouldn't make as much as you could have but it could bring other people into gaming and make them repeat buyers.

[brainofjtd]

As much as I hate to say it, I can see video games being almost completely digital download only in the future. And of course they will have various forms of DRM and other restrictions.

I am one of those gamers who prefers to buy games on physical media, complete with box and manual. If everything becomes download only, I will either stop buying new games altogether, resort to piracy, or a combination of both.

I will do what I can and not support it, but I'm only one person. It upsets me to think that I might not be able to play new games, but thankfully there are more than enough old games to keep me busy for the rest of my life. In some ways, it's a relief that systems like the PSP GoFuckYourself come out. I don't need to buy them! I already have too many games and systems as it is.

So the collection of having things is more important than the experience of playing? I really, really disagree with this philosophy. I'm not a fan of all-digital either since I too like to have a physical collection, but I'll be damned if I'm going to miss out on the future of my beloved hobby just because I can't put it on a shelf.

[Inazuma]

As much as I hate to say it, I can see video games being almost completely digital download only in the future. And of course they will have various forms of DRM and other restrictions.

I am one of those gamers who prefers to buy games on physical media, complete with box and manual. If everything becomes download only, I will either stop buying new games altogether, resort to piracy, or a combination of both.

I will do what I can and not support it, but I'm only one person. It upsets me to think that I might not be able to play new games, but thankfully there are more than enough old games to keep me busy for the rest of my life. In some ways, it's a relief that systems like the PSP GoFuckYourself come out. I don't need to buy them! I already have too many games and systems as it is.

So the collection of having things is more important than the experience of playing? I really, really disagree with this philosophy. I'm not a fan of all-digital either since I too like to have a physical collection, but I'll be damned if I'm going to miss out on the future of my beloved hobby just because I can't put it on a shelf.

Doing what is overall best for everyone is more important than the experience of playing. Sure, I can buy a download game and enjoy it. But I'm not selfish enough to do that. I would rather pirate it or pass on it altogether and do what I can to discourage that bullshit from getting worse.

I do prefer physical copies but I would consider supporting download games if they had no DRM or restrictions at all, like how Amazon MP3s are. If I can download some games off of the Virtual Console, copy them to any storage format I want, and play them on any Wii console, I would be happy to support them. When they pull the games off of the server a few years from now, I would be able to get the games off of the internet and easily play them on my Wii.

Same deal with DLC. If the DLC has any kind of restrictions, I don't even buy the physical game to begin with.

Bottom line is I love video games and I want to do everything I can to help them get better, not worse.

[girlracer]

You know I can see this happening.

I was on the PSN yesterday seeing what was new and I noticed you could download Mass Effect 2 for $59.99, course in my mind I was wondering who would pay $60 for something to take forever to download and yet pay the same price for no artwork or manual. But then again there are the masses that are not like us.

Though I do get a laugh when I see something I can buy cheaper at newegg or amazon cheaper than downloading a digital version on a network.

[noiseredux]

So the collection of having things is more important than the experience of playing? I really, really disagree with this philosophy. I'm not a fan of all-digital either since I too like to have a physical collection, but I'll be damned if I'm going to miss out on the future of my beloved hobby just because I can't put it on a shelf.

I don't think it's MORE important, but I think it's part of it. Especially those of us who are re-collecting games from our childhood. So it's only natural to kind of want the same physicality to continue with new games.