Discussion Topic: Download Content

So this may or may not have been gone over, but after talking with Jason Wilson this past weekend I began to think. Yes I know anything I start thinking may not be good for your health if you have been reading these Discussion Topics. Now lets get on to this topic.

When I was flipping through the PSN store I was just looking at DLC for old games. Saying old I mean about last year games that lower in price. So with saying that Sonic Unleashed is at about 20 dollars on the shelf, but the DLC for this game is 2.99 at 6 DLC packs equals 17.94. I mean there is no price cut or anything for this DLC.

Now You may be saying I am being harsh, but lets take a look at Call of Duty 2 for the Xbox 360 DLC. Last time I checked this old game from day one launch the map packs are still at 800 microsoft space bucks. Even though I am one to complain, but I think they could at least lower the price to 200 points by now with two games coming out later this year. I said two cause Call of Duty is coming out for XBL/PSN as well.

So taking one game from each system that matters to me. Well cause my Wii sits and collects dust and we don't go on-line with it. Now my question to you. What do you think about old gmaes and the prices of there DLC for a game that has been out for at least a year?

(4)

Frank Anderson

October 13, 2009

Great discussion topic Toby!

I hope this makes it to the main page because I really want to see what people have to say about this.

My perspective on it- This is proof positive that going digital will bring the price of gaming up. If you look at pricing on things like Steam and Xbox Live On Demand, the prices they are, or have gone down to, are prices which have been driven down because of retail.

In spaces like PSN, Virtual Console and Xbox Live where there is no retail equivalent prices have mostly stayed the same. I think we have seen a bit of movement down in some cases. I think Live lowered the price on a few of the old ported games. What we have not seen is significant drops in pricing to digital exclusive games and add on content.

Part of why iTunes has won me over so much is because buying my albums there is cheaper than buying in stores.

For me to really get behind a digital future that should hold true for games as well, and we should see the relative prices for games go down as they get older.

While places like PSN and Live might not have actual floor space to drive the need to move software, this does not mean that they are free from the need to reduce the price on older wares in order to keep them selling.

This is one of those things that really makes me worry that going digital is really just about fleecing the wallets of gamers more and making more profit for the publisher, and less about what it has been pitched to gamers as- a way for them to save money on their games.

What surprises me a bit is that we have not seen an outcry from developers whose games are being ported to things like the Virtual Console, yet whom I am pretty sure are not seeing a dime from the sales. I have to wonder if any programmer other than Miyamoto is making any money off VC sales of Super Mario Brothers. Maybe they are and I just do not know about it.

If they are not then I am a bit surprised that developers are so eager to rush into the digital era without securing contracts which guarantee them money from the sales of the games they help make not matter what format it is released on.

I guess that is a different subject, though, and this post is already way too long for a comment.

Thanks for the great topic, Toby!

October 14, 2009

Hmmm, no other responses. Looks like I might have killed your post.

Sorry, Toby!

Toby Davis

No worries Frank I don't get many comments or views on these things. So don't worry you didn't killed my post.

Philip Smith

Toby, you need to start putting your posts through a spell check. Your last two posts you've spelled games "gmaes". I'm not trying to be a dick, just trying to help you out.