Open Letter to the Game Publishers: Stop Raping Gamers' Wallets!

[Kugyince]

Dear Game Publishers, what are you thinking? For years, loyal supporters of your games have dealt with ridiculous price increases, overpriced downloadable content, and silly DRM schemes. Yet now, in these most critical times for the game industry, your idea of repaying them is to make us pay even more? Really?

Furthermore — stooping to an all-time low — EA has stepped up for your industry and decided that users should be pushed (if not forced) to purchase new games only, punishing gamers who legitimately purchase used games. The idea behind this is essentially to make them pay extra money for… nothing (or as they put it, “bonus features”, which come with the game when you purchase it anyways).

The fact is that the industry is going through one of its worst downturns in years, proving that the game industry is not recession proof. This should enlighten you guys as to what is obvious to most: people want more value than ever before. But instead of looking for ways to provide that value to gamers, you look for ways to punish them instead.

So I have a simple question: have you guys lost your freaking minds?

Open Letter to the Game Publishers: Stop Raping Gamers’ Wallets! | Techi.com (http://www.techi.com/2010/05/open-letter-to-the-game-publishers/)

[Demon-Mask]

I agree games cost too damn much, $250.00 for a console and sixty dollars for a game? No wonder I don't play the newest games. I cannot afford to buy the $250.00 for a console, then have to pay sixty dollars for each game I'd like to play. I go with used games and used consoles, it saves me money, sure no new games will come out for my PS2, but I can always go to a pawn shop and buy a game I haven't played. I also hate the removal of backwards compatibility on newer models of recent consoles, like the PS3 and DSi.

[Kugyince]

Don't forget the DLC.

[jim5cents]

adjusted for inflation, game prices really haven't changed.

in 1988 the cost of a nes was $200, adjusted price today is around 350. the wii is 199. you are actually getting a bargain.

but something was touched on. dlc is (for the most part) overpriced, particularly on games that the publisher intentionally withholds part of the completed game to sell later on dlc, a la assassin's creed 2.

in reality, a price reducing would greatly help sales, i think about a year ago value repriced L4D on steam at 50% and sales jumped some ridiculous number, 3000% or something like that.

[Demon-Mask]

Yeah, I can see how publishers decide what to use too:
A."Hey, I just made this super-awesome map."
B."Really?'
A."Yeah, should we put it in the game?"
B."No, make about ten other crappy maps with the same theme, and we'll sell them for fifteen dollars through X-box live."
A."Okay"

[StarfoxFan2009]

I agree about EA being greedy. What game publisher is sick enough to punish players for buying used versions by charging $10 dollars to play online?

[Dudebro]

In defense of the newer consoles the games almost always go on sale/drop in price within a month or two. 39.99 is usually what I pay for a game. Only big name brand games like Halo3 remain at 60 for ever. I'm not making that up btw, Halo3 still sells for full price retail. Wasn't that a launch title?

I agree prices are getting too high but a smart shopper will still be alright. But like Tenser points out the DLC is where they get you. Most people realize game companies are gonna try and screw us on content if they can get people to pay extra for it. A good example is Soul Caliber4, the game comes with a huge amount of characters including the jedi from Force Unleashed and Yoda. Very soon after release they put out a DLC for Darth Vader. I forget the price but it wasn't cool and it shows that he was basically on the disc at release and they just milked it. Btw that was for 360, PS3 people got jacked on Yoda being DLC.

[Demon-Mask]

Yup, a good portion of DLC is already on the disk when you buy the game.

[Kong]

I don't remember if this was posted yet or not GameSpy: Developer Says Used-Game Market a Bigger Problem than Piracy - Page 1 (http://www.gamespy.com/articles/108/1089088p1.html)

It would be like buying a brand new car and when you decide to sell it Ford says they want a cut. Customers would not stand for this in non-digital markets.

[Kugyince]

Dead Rising 2 announced DLC for the game before the retail copy sold.

[Dudebro]

Yeah I really hate the way second hand game places are getting screwed. If you go to a gamestop or w/e the used games are only slightly cheaper now, it's not worth the difference when for a few bucks more you get a brand new game.
Also game companies are doing stuff like adding a one time use code for free DLC when you buy a new game. You type it in and you get the content. Used people would have to buy it. I can't prove it but I'm sure most if not all that content is on the discs.

Dead Rising 2 announced DLC for the game before the retail copy sold.
What kind of DLC? If they announced plans for a new level or something large then I can understand it. If they already have screenshots of it though I'd be pissed.

[Demon-Mask]

That makes me sick, "Oh, because you were a smart shopper and waited two weeks for someone to get bored of the game, you have to pay to play online."

[Dudebro]

No you don't have to pay to play online it means if you buy it used you'll have to pay like normal for a DLC that came out at the same time as the game. It was a character in my example, Dragon Age for 360. It's designed to force people to buy it new for sure but I think it was ok because where I live it went on sale for 20 bucks off when it was released. I think Bioware is a smart company and they offered a sale to counter the DLC content annoyance.

[Demon-Mask]

Characters are on the disc already though, so you shouldn't have to pay. It'd be like buying a car, but having to buy the power steering and anti-lock breaks. It would work without those, but you'd be getting screwed buying them or not. If you didn't buy these things, it'd be harder to drive, if you did buy them, you'd be paying extra for something normal.

[Kugyince]

@DB: No, the DLC is actually being released before Dead Rising 2 will even be on sale.

[Dudebro]

In that case I'd do what I did with SC4, not buy it at all. I would probably like to play as Darth Vader but the way they handled it is forcing me to refuse on principal. I don't wanna encourage these shameless tactics.

[TrakMastaTom]

I don't buy DLC. I vote with my dollar.

The whole thing of not being able to play online with a used copy is utter garbage. Sorry you don't like it when people buy used games, but that's too bad. It's legal and some people prefer it. Even if Gamestop and stores like it went out of business, we will always have Amazon and Ebay. There is nothing you can do, get over it.

[Dudebro]

Another thing that sucks about DLC and these forced incentives to buy new, people can't borrow your game without missing content. Ever since NES I've been borrowing and lending games with my friends. This really puts a damper on that unless I wanna let them borrow my hard drive and have them use my account.

[TrakMastaTom]

Truth. And I for one think it's fine to give a little incentive for buying new even. I get it, you don't make money off of people buying your game used. So if you want to include a code for an extra map (Gears of War) or a patch to take off women's tops (The Saboteur) or whatever, that's cool. As long as it isn't a main draw for the game. Or, you know, 75% of the reason you would buy the game.

[Slime Slayer]

Game prices are cheaper now then they were when I was 8, I paid 108 bucks after taxes for final fantasy 1.

---------- Post added at 08:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:15 AM ----------

First number is launch price, second number adjusted for inflation:
1976 - Channel F - 170 -596
1977 - Atari 2600 - 200 - 659
1978 - Odssey - 200 - 612
1979 - Intellvision - 300 - 825
1982 - Atari 5200 - 330 - 683
1982 - ColecoVision - 175 - 362
1982 - Vetrex - 200 - 414
1986 - Atari 7800 - 140 - 255
1986 - Master Sytem - 200 - 364
1986 - NES - 200 - 364
1989 - Genesis - 190 - 306
1989 - TurboGrafx 16 - 200 - 322
1990 - NeoGeo - 650! - 993
1991 - CD-i - 400 - 586
1991 - SNES - 200 - 293
1993 - 3DO - 700 - 967
1993 - Jaguar - 250 - 345
1995 - Playstation - 300 - 393
1995 - Saturn - 400 - 524
1996 - N64 - 200 - 254
1999 - Dreamcast - 200 - 239
2000 - Playstation 2 - 300 - 348
2001 - Gamecube - 200 - 225
2001 - Xbox - 300 - 338
2005 - Xbox 360 - 300 or 400 - 306 or 409
2006 - Playstation 3 - 500 or 600 - 500 or 600
2006 - Wii - 250 - 250

[TrakMastaTom]

I remember paying $79.99 for Turok.

[Dudebro]

Hopefully you mean the good one and not the newest Turok.

[jim5cents]

on occasion, it turns out developers do dlc right, i got red dead dedemption yesterday. there will be a free dlc content download for 6 co-op missions in june.

Customers would not stand for this in non-digital markets.

they are not standing for it even in digital markets. as we speak, people are selling their dlc codes on ebay for the retail cost of the games themselves.

[Demon-Mask]

Even if games were more expensive then, they are still overpriced.

[StarfoxFan2009]

i find it unusual though that i can find used copies for less than some of you mentioned via Gamestop.

For example:

Dirge of Cerberus FF VII is only $7.99

[Dudebro]

Yeah games that aren't good sellers get dropped quick to move them. I heard Dirge of Cerberus was awful so the 7.99 price tag makes sense. Also I usually see the horrible pricing on games like MW2 or Little Big Planet, huge names. Less hyped games can be reasonable.

[Kugyince]

Dirge of Cerberus - $4.50

www.glyde.com (http://www.glyde.com)

[StarfoxFan2009]

I'm surprised Marvel Vs Capcom 2 moved down to 12.99 used on the Ps2 :o

[Dudebro]

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Review for PlayStation 2 - GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/dirgeofcerberusfinalfantasyvii/review.html)
The reviews for Dirge are pretty mixed. I bet a die hard FF7 will like it at least enough to be worth 5+ dollars. ;)

I'm surprised Marvel Vs Capcom 2 moved down to 12.99 used on the Ps2
It's PS2, it doesn't count anymore.

[StarfoxFan2009]

It's time for myself to get back on the topic:

EA's plan may try to derail used game sales but it won't keep me from playing used games

[Kugyince]

Deadly Creatures is $11.25? Time to act.

[StarfoxFan2009]

I see a ton of PS2 games i may want to acquire cheap.

[Tails]

Besides being PS2, you can buy it for I think 20 in PS3/360

[CatalystiCam]

I buy bargain games most of the time. Good ones I mean that drop to 20, 30 bucks over time.

Saw Left 4 Dead at 60 bucks for GOTY edition. 5 months later it was 20 bucks at the same store. Not sure why.

I bought left 4 Dead 2 for 70 bucks a week after it came out but I never do that. Only reason was gift cards ;)

[Kugyince]

I agree. I'm going to get the same experience playing the game a year from now as I will the day it hits retail. I can see how it would be different if you are of the type who seeks out online play.