View Full Version : EA Boss Says Games Too Expensive
safan80
11-01-2007, 03:33 PM
http://games.slashdot.org/games/07/11/01/2129216.shtml
EA's John Riccitiello has been shaking things up at EA lately, with everything from layoffs to the purchase of BioWare. Now he's suggesting the company take some really drastic measures: make their games less expensive. "Riccitiello says the $31 billion gaming industry will suffer if it doesn't start to reevaluate its business model. Game executives at Sony, Microsoft and Activision must answer some tough questions in the coming years, like how long they can expect consumers to pay $59 for a video game. Riccitiello predicts the model will be obsolete in the next decade. 'In the next five years, we're all going to have to deal with this. In China, they're giving games away for free,' he says. 'People who benefit from the current model will need to embrace a new revenue model, or wait for others to disrupt.' As more publishers transition to making games for online distribution, Riccitiello says he expects EA will experiment with different pricing models."
hecktic
11-01-2007, 03:35 PM
well he has a point there since its getting increasingly impossible not to find a game that has been pirated... and i dont support piracy btw... just thought to add that into this thread for the relevance that just maybe a lower pricing point on new games will make people want to buy them rather than go off and pirate them.
Zytek_Fan
11-01-2007, 03:37 PM
Drop price to $40. OMG problem solved.
hecktic
11-01-2007, 03:37 PM
Drop price to $40. OMG problem solved.
more like $39.99 :rofl: :ROTF:
but on a much serious note, I think the game offerings should define the price... like a cd only version with no accessories kinda like an OEM package for $19.99 and then the DVD premium retail version for $34.99
Or maybe EA should try start making some decent games again...
deathman20
11-01-2007, 03:43 PM
more like $39.99 :rofl: :ROTF:
but on a much serious note, I think the game offerings should define the price... like a cd only version with no accessories kinda like an OEM package for $19.99 and then the DVD premium retail version for $34.99
If you take it to taht extent you'll definatly see more ads in games.
Dropping starting price to $40 is much more reasonable and definatly be happy to see a price tag like that, probably would get more games if its a result of that.
Zytek_Fan
11-01-2007, 03:58 PM
Or maybe EA should try start making some decent games again...
Not rebadged Madden and such every year? :rofl:
jimmyz
11-01-2007, 04:25 PM
Not rebadged Madden and such every year? :rofl:
It's that way with alot of games:( . with the yearly games It is almost expected that they will be the same, just updated rosters. when all the first person shooter just look like different levels of the same game, That's where I get mad. There is no creativity anymore.
The only choice you used to have were monsters or some evil military. now the game makers just use both in the same game and act like they changed something.
I'll gladly pay 60 dollars for a good game. problem is there are very very few.
Zytek_Fan
11-01-2007, 04:30 PM
It's that way with alot of games:( . with the yearly games It is almost expected that they will be the same, just updated rosters. when all the first person shooter just look like different levels of the same game, That's where I get mad. There is no creativity anymore.
The only choice you used to have were monsters or some evil military. now the game makers just use both in the same game and act like they changed something.
I'll gladly pay 60 dollars for a good game. problem is there are very very few.
There are a lot of good games out there in their respective genres, but you do have a point. Crysis and Unreal Tournament III are the shooters I am looking forward to. When it comes to RPGs, I love Oblivion, but it's too easy :( WoW is kinda boring to me...
Danger30Q
11-01-2007, 04:55 PM
$39.99 USD - no higher, no lower.
EA boss wants to make money, with the way current price model runs console maker gets a cut and then developers get leftovers. If EA Boss is trying to changing anything with the price model that would only result in him getting the bigger cut and we still paying the same price or even more.
Its simple. Mind is easily tricked. 49.99 seems less then 50. In future with the new move to episodic/downloadable content you will pay maybe 29.99 and then further on pay 9.99 for add-ons that follow in the end you may end up pay more then 49.99 for the same game except they spread things out tricking you into thinking you payed less.
Dont believe me? Google EA Battlefield 2 Booster Packs.
Nothing that any company does comes for free, with one hand they give with other they take. We the consumers go along with it because we are told we have no other choice.
hmmm... this puts me in mood for bit of Matrix, anyway you get the point.
Repoman
11-01-2007, 05:04 PM
Back to the good days of brand new PS1 games for $40! Hell I'd still pay $40 for new in box PS1 games if I could find them, I like good games of that era better than good games of this one.
Revv23
11-01-2007, 05:31 PM
when spend maybe $150 a year on games at $60 bucks that gives me two games a year...
It's always amazed me that games aren't priced to sell. certainly AAA games can pull in $60 aall day and they shoud; that is what makes them AAA.
However; what about that junk pile of new games released every single month at $50-$60? I'm sure there are several fantastic B-list games that I've missed out on because they try and claim AAA price for a B list game... I'm thinking of both one off's and a typical subpar EA game that isn't bad, but isn't good either.
There really isn't much reason to not sell B list titles for dirt cheap... The production costs are SO low... all you need is a DVD, a case, and a label.
xlink
11-01-2007, 05:34 PM
you think? they'de sell three times as much @ 35$ as they would @ 60. toss out some packaging and you'll end up with a 195% increase in profits.
ohh sure this will in the long run diminish the demand as more games will be sold solution... make fewer games but make them better...
aintz
11-01-2007, 05:40 PM
40 would be a fine price. you have to pay the people who spend all the time making they game dont you? if you really like a game dont torrent it, buy it and support it. even if its singleplayer only (ie oblivion!!!)
hecktic
11-01-2007, 05:43 PM
what about internet delivery of games?
Instead of going to the store and buying the game just go online and buy it and download the disc image on to your hard disk?
With all the high end spec requirements of games this should not be something impossible to do?
FghtinIrshNvrDi
11-01-2007, 06:08 PM
when spend maybe $150 a year on games at $60 bucks that gives me two games a year...
It's always amazed me that games aren't priced to sell. certainly AAA games can pull in $60 aall day and they shoud; that is what makes them AAA.
However; what about that junk pile of new games released every single month at $50-$60? I'm sure there are several fantastic B-list games that I've missed out on because they try and claim AAA price for a B list game... I'm thinking of both one off's and a typical subpar EA game that isn't bad, but isn't good either.
There really isn't much reason to not sell B list titles for dirt cheap... The production costs are SO low... all you need is a DVD, a case, and a label.
lol, are you talking bond ratings, or game review ratings? :rofl:
Ryan
Battle_Rattle
11-01-2007, 06:17 PM
Games are in trouble.... the only one that really is doing well is EA, and even their CEO is worried.
What did a game cost back in 1995? about 50$ .... what does it cost today? about 50$
What did a game cost to make in 1995? 300,000$ tops? ... What does it cost to make them today? a few million on the low end?
interesting article.
http://www.firingsquad.com/features/killing_game_development/
ChaosMinionX
11-01-2007, 06:22 PM
EA has alot to do with the market being like it is now....they assimilate the "good" companies and then ruin what they have created.
hecktic
11-01-2007, 06:30 PM
EA has alot to do with the market being like it is now....they assimilate the "good" companies and then ruin what they have created.
yep that pretty much sums it up
Cuthalu
11-01-2007, 06:31 PM
Nothing that any company does comes for free, with one hand they give with other they take. We the consumers go along with it because we are told we have no other choice.
One example comes to my mind when something came for free: Total Annihilation with it's official additional units & maps. <3
Games are in trouble.... the only one that really is doing well is EA, and even their CEO is worried.
What did a game cost back in 1995? about 50$ .... what does it cost today? about 50$
What did a game cost to make in 1995? 300,000$ tops? ... What does it cost to make them today? a few million on the low end?
interesting article.
http://www.firingsquad.com/features/killing_game_development/
You forget one essential thing: the market for games has increased a lot since 1995, therefore they make more money with the same price.
nox_uk
11-01-2007, 06:37 PM
Its simple. Mind is easily tricked. 49.99 seems less then 50.
nah, actually 49.99 looks about twice the size of 50 :)
I would tend to disagree tho, my mind looks at 49.99 as 50 anyway.
also can't figure out why games these days cost millions yet ten years go were a lot less. if anything, the quality of the games has dropped too, or i've got older... (about ten years older!)
Nox
[XC] gomeler
11-01-2007, 07:00 PM
nah, actually 49.99 looks about twice the size of 50 :)
I would tend to disagree tho, my mind looks at 49.99 as 50 anyway.
also can't figure out why games these days cost millions yet ten years go were a lot less. if anything, the quality of the games has dropped too, or i've got older... (about ten years older!)
Nox
It's all the licensing, testing, and the amount of work it now takes to make a pretty game. Plus if you design your own engine then you have to pay for those development costs and high-level software designers aren't cheap to come by. It's just like Hollywood, now blockbuster movies cost $100+ million and have to fight tooth and nail in the box office to cover the initial investment.
DeadlyFire
11-01-2007, 08:13 PM
EA has alot to do with the market being like it is now....they assimilate the "good" companies and then ruin what they have created.
Agreed; EA is going to snuff out the video game market with its cheap, mass produced trash. Once those independent developers producing their quality titles get bought out by EA's cash it all goes downhill :shakes:
btw, when you get a chance check your pm's :)
EA has a most expensive games on market .... in my country Medal Of Honour Airborne costs 50 EUR! ! and for only 4 hours of playing is a very expensive ...
By the way, "new pricing models" probably means putting billboards for Axe body spray in the middle of a WW2-era Normandy battlefield.
X.T.R.E.M.E_ICE
11-01-2007, 10:46 PM
Here in australia Our console 3rd party games are $120AU which equals $110 USD so here in australia we pay almost twice the price of USA.
Machinus
11-01-2007, 10:52 PM
It's not the price, it's the quality. If EA's games weren't complete :banana::banana::banana::banana: there would be no problem with charging $60 bucks for them.
saaya
11-02-2007, 12:46 AM
so this is like going to the market and hearing somebody yell: "tomatoes, buy my highly overpriced tomatoes! damn their expensive..."
:stick:
naokaji
11-02-2007, 01:09 AM
Games are too expensive? says someone from ea?
i didnt expect that to ever happen. but, for once, i agree with something someone from EA said....
35£ (70$) per pc game is simply too expensive:yepp:
strange|ife
11-02-2007, 02:43 AM
the last time i paid 49 for a box, was the orange box. normally my pc games cost anywhere from 29.99 too 39.00 Only a few a year come out that cost 50 it seems. i waited and got bf2+ addons for 39.99. not bad imo. people in china are cheap
Ubermann
11-02-2007, 03:51 AM
I dont think its very expensive..its a fun that last for days and if its multiplayer then it might last for years.
If i go bowling for 2-3 hours then i have to spend the same amount.
And i sure dont get any kills in bowling..
RaZz!
11-02-2007, 04:04 AM
you think? they'de sell three times as much @ 35$ as they would @ 60. toss out some packaging and you'll end up with a 195% increase in profits.
ohh sure this will in the long run diminish the demand as more games will be sold solution... make fewer games but make them better...
just compare what packaging games had 5-10 years ago. large eurobox containing lots of manuals and other stuff (just 2 examples: monkey island series, star wars games...).
and now we look at simple dvd-cases and pdf-manuals which are on the game-cd/dvd.
and back then, when euroboxes were standard, games weren't more expensive than today.
below the line we're paying the same for less printed/packaging content.
how is it possible to reduce the packaging if it's already at a minimum?
Ubermann
11-02-2007, 04:10 AM
just compare what packaging games had 5-10 years ago. large eurobox containing lots of manuals and other stuff (just 2 examples: monkey island series, star wars games...).
and now we look at simple dvd-cases and pdf-manuals which are on the game-cd/dvd.
and back then, when euroboxes were standard, games weren't more expensive than today.
below the line we're paying the same for less printed/packaging content.
how is it possible to reduce the packaging if it's already at a minimum?
How long did it take to program games 5-10 years ago compared to today ?
RaZz!
11-02-2007, 04:40 AM
How long did it take to program games 5-10 years ago compared to today ?
xlink was refering to "toss out some packaging". and i just wanted to say with my post, that it's not possible to toss anything there, because most expensive things are already tossed. i mean, come on, a dvd-case and one small page of printed instructions - what do you want to toss there? ;)
Ubermann
11-02-2007, 05:09 AM
Todays manuals, PDF or paper isnt that useful at all.
Does anyone remember microprose manuals ?
M1 Abrams and such, jesus you could spend a whole day reading the manual and they really gave you information how to use tactics.
Frank M
11-02-2007, 07:03 AM
Oh dear... Everyone, repent! The end is extremely frigging near!
:ROTF:
Also liked this part:
"Posted by Zonk on Thursday November 01, @05:24PM
from the nice-of-you-to-notice dept."
:haha:
JargonGR
11-02-2007, 07:20 AM
Well for me they must compromise or die. Lets see who will be at a worst position we without games or them without a job? eh?
MaSell
11-02-2007, 07:29 AM
EA has a most expensive games on market .... in my country Medal Of Honour Airborne costs 50 EUR! ! and for only 4 hours of playing is a very expensive ...
In Poland costs 25EUR:D
zornundo
11-02-2007, 09:27 PM
just compare what packaging games had 5-10 years ago. large eurobox containing lots of manuals and other stuff (just 2 examples: monkey island series, star wars games...).
and now we look at simple dvd-cases and pdf-manuals which are on the game-cd/dvd.
and back then, when euroboxes were standard, games weren't more expensive than today.
below the line we're paying the same for less printed/packaging content.
how is it possible to reduce the packaging if it's already at a minimum?
$50 ten years ago is not $50 today. It's a little more due to inflation. So we're getting games at effectively lower prices :yepp:
WrigleyVillain
11-02-2007, 09:51 PM
$50 ten years ago is not $50 today. It's a little more due to inflation. So we're getting games at effectively lower prices :yepp:
So what? Much less total 'value' :down:
strange|ife
11-02-2007, 11:05 PM
Todays manuals, PDF or paper isnt that useful at all.
Does anyone remember microprose manuals ?
M1 Abrams and such, jesus you could spend a whole day reading the manual and they really gave you information how to use tactics.
yup=- I still have some old microprose games, in ratty full size boxes with either floppies or gasp CDROM. The last sim i bought SH4 had a pretty decent size manual. the last modern sim too have a tome for a book was Dangerous waters. Spiral bound 600 pages or more. I didnt buy it, honeslty wasnt much diffrent than 680i from 96 minus the other subs/ships you could drive around. I need eyecandy, and SH4 delivers.
falcon has a crazy sized book aswell
The_Beast
11-03-2007, 08:23 AM
I'd love to see a $40 game
Natalia
11-03-2007, 08:32 AM
I think if game studios moved to direct downloads of their games, the price would go down quite a bit. They wouldn't have to pay retail packaging costs, shipping costs, and the large cost: the retailer.
My game developement professor siad that when you buy a game at Walmart, up to 60% of that $59 goes straight to Walmart.
:banana: disgusting.
Most game studios make only $17-19 per game (according to my professor's lecture).
The other larger eater of profits is the publishing house, but I am not sure if you can get rid of them or not when you are doing online distribution.
Slay0r
11-03-2007, 08:40 AM
EA has alot to do with the market being like it is now....they assimilate the "good" companies and then ruin what they have created.
/thread :up:
DTU_XaVier
11-03-2007, 08:40 AM
The other larger eater of profits is the publishing house, but I am not sure if you can get rid of them or not when you are doing online distribution.
I suppose you could... Basically, all they need is a server with a big-ass connection and space enough for a single copy of the game, some key-generating software, and some kind of billing software of couse...
Best Regards :toast:
actually the markup on games isnt much at alll, most of it goes to the publishr and the developer. The store makes about $2-8, i used to work at a gaming store....when i was like 17 , 8 years ago.
Nuker_
11-03-2007, 09:07 AM
EA has alot to do with the market being like it is now....they assimilate the "good" companies and then ruin what they have created.
QFT
EA is sh*t, and that evil company must be stopped before consuming all of the good game companies!
Scubar
11-03-2007, 09:31 AM
Doesnt help the games they make are all crappy ports either.
what they need to see is that maybe using big wig musicians for soundtracks to distract from a basically unchanged game of last years season (add a name, change a face here and there) probably doesn't cut it anymore. and maybe start creating games that are rewarding to play again. hm? because i sure as hell don't see the point in paying 50 bucks (and our bucks are slightly more worth than yours in comparison) for 8hrs of soso gameplay. and there's plenty of titles to fit this description.
also some people may grow accustomed to being patient. like wait 2 months and you get the game for half the price - and the hardware you may need to upgrade too is also down in price. and yet you bought the game legally and all.
oh and then there's this pc-game malarky of games not being able to run or run crapatastic out of the box, so some people have to wait for ages to download a patch once the company deemed it necessary to do so. again plenty of examples in that department. oh, and you can count yourself lucky if you actually get a patch - some companies apparently don't see the point in doing so. again, a boatload of examples. some of which are fabricated by the company in the first post.. hint hint.
/rant
oh and yes, i do buy games