Are games too expensive?

[Sushi_b]

How do you feel about the current prices of games?

I think that for the most part, they are fairly reasonable. Each console has some games that are not worth their original price tag at release but overall you know what you are buying before you get it. I don't know the exact prices in Canada or the US but I'm sure they are around 60-70 dollars a game, that's what I usually pay for something brand new online. I think that the shipping is what always kills me.

Handheld games are about 20-30 dollars cheaper usually and still at a fairly decent price.

[Ges]

I hate how 360 and PS3 games went up 10 bucks, but they are generally worth it. At least the purchases I've made. Just got my PS3, though, and I don't have many games for it or the 360 yet.

I will say Motorstorm ain't worth 60 bucks, but it was the pack-in game that came with the console. Probably wouldn't have bought it otherwise.

[Indigo]

yes, i think they are. it's reached the point where the majority of games aren't worth what i pay for them.

[Priest4hire]

I can still remember when it was worse. The TG-16 games used to routinely go for $70+ and a few Genesis games, such as Sword of Vermilion, went for over $100. That's all Canadian but still.

I won't deny that the new cost of Xbox 360 games are a little off-putting. But on the other hand if it's a game that I don't think is worth it I can just wait until the price comes down. It almost always does.

[Blackdragon]

I liked it better when games were $40 and $50 on release. Nintendo still does it, but 360 and PS3 gamers are paying the price for their "next gen graphics". As if the consoles weren't already expensive enough. If games move up to $70 next gen you probably won't be seeing me buying many if any games, just renting.

[Polygon]

I don't pay attention as I don't really buy new games.

[Cyrus the virus]

I think $50 is the perfect price, but I understand why a lot of games cost more. I'd say they're too expensive a lot of the time, yeah.

[Poofy]

I can still remember when it was worse. The TG-16 games used to routinely go for $70+ and a few Genesis games, such as Sword of Vermilion, went for over $100. That's all Canadian but still.

I remember those days. I distinctly remember when I was a kid, I had to put Sonic 3 on Lay-A-Way because the damn game cost $80. ****, it wasn't until the PS1 came out that video games started to drop in price ($40), but even then, people who bought and owned an N64 had to put up with a $70 tag until Nintendo's ass got red from the pounding Sony gave it, thus forcing them to lower their prices.


I really don't mind the $60 price tag on most games because even though it's pricier than the last generation, it's still a lot less than what most games cost in the early 90s, despite the fact production costs for games have sky rocketed since then.

What does piss me off are the companies that charge you the full price of the game, plus you're left testicle if you want the super deluxe definitive version of the game. $86 for MGS4: LE, and all they give you is a special cardboard sleeve and bonus disc with a bunch of crap on it. Oye.

Luckily, I'm also a PC gamer, and most of the games on that platform are only $50. :)

[Raidou]

YES! Very expensive!

It cost between $300 - $500 over here for an original PS2 title.

[Abominari]

No, I don't think so. As a question of value, I feel I'm getting my money's worth when I spend $60 on Gears of War, for example.

[Raidou]

It won't hurt you dudes wallet at all since you folks earn USD but we don't.

[Teenychicka]

Well, I could just be poor but I do think they're too pricey. But people still buy em, so we're the suckers! :p

[Priest4hire]

I have a sealed copy of The Bard's Tale (1985) that still has the original price sticker on it. Just for kicks I ran it through the online inflation calculator to find out what it cost in modern currency: $88.62. That is in US dollars BTW. The original was $44.95.

[Sibek]

I'm a PC gamer. Everything I get starts either at 49.99 or 39.99.

[Jarrid]

Well, I suppose my question is: Do they need to have prices that high to make money?

[Sushi_b]

It won't hurt you dudes wallet at all since you folks earn USD but we don't.

Not all of us Raidou. I'm gettting slammed most of the time buying new games from overseas. I have to deal with high cost plus shipping fees. Even in Canada, most of the times the games had 10-20 dollar higher price tags. It was crazy. I don't know if that is still the case or not.

I remember the days when Mortal Kombat II and Chrono Trigger were over 100 dollars on their original release. They must have made a killing on games like that if they were popular enough.


As for the high price of games overall, game developers sure lead us to believe that the prices are fair as they have large costs in making the games. I don't konw for sure but there are times when I feel that I've gotten my money's worth and other times I wonder what the developers were doing when making a certain game.

[moogle]

Well, too expensive for me.

[?lgarnas Tr?dg?rd]

A> Did you buy games during the 16-bit years?

B> Were you a Sega Saturn owner who imported videogames?

If you answer yes to either of those two questions, then you should be happy that games have found a happy medium of 50 - 60 dollars.

[Phakiel]

I still remember when getting a new N64 game would cost around 100 bucks, plus tax. I think they are expensive but still affordable.

YES! Very expensive!

It cost between $300 - $500 over here for an original PS2 title.

Thats reidiculous. Here we have it bad, at 60 or 80 for a ps2 game, 30 if its old or GH. But 300-500 its beyond imaginable. Who the hell buys a ps2 for that kid of money? **** being a billionaire, thats just out of reason. I would actually spend that much on a plane ticket to go buy the game at its original price.

[Sushi_b]

A> Did you buy games during the 16-bit years?

B> Were you a Sega Saturn owner who imported videogames?

If you answer yes to either of those two questions, then you should be happy that games have found a happy medium of 50 - 60 dollars.

Disagree. While there were expensive games and such, the NEO GEO carts will forever be the most expensive games for home purchase on average. I don't think there was anything that has maintained it's overall original price as those games have.

[?lgarnas Tr?dg?rd]

True, but the Neo Geo was largely a niche market, as is importing.

So a revised list:

If you bought games during the 16-bit days or for the N64, then you're glad that games have hung around a alright price.

[Blackdragon]

I don't recall N64 games being expensive. I remember most of my purchases being around $50 and less. Then I started buying only used games, and haven't stopped since. They're a godsend for a poor person like me.

[~Chachamaru_Karakuri~]

games today are expensive, i went to a gameing store, and a used DS game cost me almost 20 bucks i bought a new ds game before that and it was 34.95, thats too steep for ds games when you look at how many there are

[Blackdragon]

I think the DS titles are pretty well priced. You're not paying the same price for a new or even used console game, and depending on the title you also got a pretty good bargain, plus it's portable.

[Phakiel]

I think the most a portable game should cost is 20 bucks. Its the main reason I havent jumped into the portable bandwagon.

[Sushi_b]

Phak, you are missing out on so much though. A lot of the handheld games fall in price after about 6-12 months anyways. You really should look into the handheld that is perfect for you. I'm telling you, you won't be disappointed. Lots of people here can help you with a great library.

[Jarrid]

I prefer handheld nowadays, and I am considering buying a PSP sooner or later.