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Researchers* today discovered that the humble Personal Computer could soon go the way of Sega, and bow out of the console market altogether. Recent analysis of the retail prices for the top 10 games produced some disturbing results.
For example, out of the top 7 major formats (PC, PS2, PSX, N64, GBA, GB and DC), it was understandable that the top 10 Dreamcast games came in at a total price of half that of the top 10 N64 games.
What WAS surprising is that fact that there was only £3 difference (an average of only 30 pence per game) between the top 10 PS2 games and the 10 ten N64 games.
Analysts** believe that this could be indicative of a price fixing cartel between Nintendo and Sony to drive the others out of the marketplace.
Those figures in full:
Total RRP for top 10 games:
N64 £358.90
PS2 £355.90
GBA £275.91
GBC £259.90
PSX £202.90
PCs £207.90
DCs £185.90
PC developers were asked for their opinions on these figures. One of them*** said:
"Well, it certainly looks like you get more bang for the buck by developing for Nintendo at the moment, just look at it! 3 out 4 of the most expensive formats are all Nintendo! There must be some money floating about there!! I certainly see no point at all in developing for the PC anymore!!! Where can I buy a DC by the way?"
Footnotes:
* FM
** FM
*** FM
For example, out of the top 7 major formats (PC, PS2, PSX, N64, GBA, GB and DC), it was understandable that the top 10 Dreamcast games came in at a total price of half that of the top 10 N64 games.
What WAS surprising is that fact that there was only £3 difference (an average of only 30 pence per game) between the top 10 PS2 games and the 10 ten N64 games.
Analysts** believe that this could be indicative of a price fixing cartel between Nintendo and Sony to drive the others out of the marketplace.
Those figures in full:
Total RRP for top 10 games:
N64 £358.90
PS2 £355.90
GBA £275.91
GBC £259.90
PSX £202.90
PCs £207.90
DCs £185.90
PC developers were asked for their opinions on these figures. One of them*** said:
"Well, it certainly looks like you get more bang for the buck by developing for Nintendo at the moment, just look at it! 3 out 4 of the most expensive formats are all Nintendo! There must be some money floating about there!! I certainly see no point at all in developing for the PC anymore!!! Where can I buy a DC by the way?"
Footnotes:
* FM
** FM
*** FM
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Very true!
They're obviously going to make money from games they do themselves.
Halo (although developed by Bungie, which of course MS now own), Age of Empires, Monster Truck Madness etc.
MS do make games, so I guess they hope to make money that way.
Having said that, it's not as though they can't afford to lose a few bob!
Halo (although developed by Bungie, which of course MS now own), Age of Empires, Monster Truck Madness etc.
MS do make games, so I guess they hope to make money that way.
Having said that, it's not as though they can't afford to lose a few bob!
I can't believe MS would do anything without making money on it!
But maybe I'm just being too cynical...
But maybe I'm just being too cynical...
Thing is, how are MS going to get their money. It's alleged that they won't make any on the sale of the hardware, and apparently there won't be any licence fee's for the games.
This is good for us gamers as it means we *should* get PC priced games.
This is good for us gamers as it means we *should* get PC priced games.
gronti_v wrote:
> The main thing is that competition between developers on
> different systems is likely to reduce cost,
> which is why PC games tend to be cheaper and console games are
> likely to be more expensive (to start with at least).
The same developers develop for the consoles as for the PC, so competition is not an issue.
Console games are more expensive because the developers have to pay a licence fee to the console manufacturer in order to put their game on that machine.
This is why you always hear that console manufacturers make very little profit, if any, on their machines. Console manufacturers make their real money from the licence fee, not the sales of the console.
Of course, whether that licence fee actually justifies a £10 minimum difference between PC and console software is another matter!
> The main thing is that competition between developers on
> different systems is likely to reduce cost,
> which is why PC games tend to be cheaper and console games are
> likely to be more expensive (to start with at least).
The same developers develop for the consoles as for the PC, so competition is not an issue.
Console games are more expensive because the developers have to pay a licence fee to the console manufacturer in order to put their game on that machine.
This is why you always hear that console manufacturers make very little profit, if any, on their machines. Console manufacturers make their real money from the licence fee, not the sales of the console.
Of course, whether that licence fee actually justifies a £10 minimum difference between PC and console software is another matter!
It was an entertaining post by FM, yes i'll give you that. The most important thing is that companies will take as much money as they can get away with while also keeping an eye on the competition so that they don't over charge. The main thing is that competition between developers on different systems is likely to reduce cost, which is why PC games tend to be cheaper and console games are likely to be more expensive (to start with at least). Then there's also the age of the console and games which will drive prices down to encourage people to buy them since they are a bargain.
FantasyMeister wrote:
>I WAS
> genuinely surprised at the cost of the PS2 games compared to the N64
> games, but then new technology (??) usually costs more on first
> release.
As was I ... Especially since I was just reading a post about how cheap PS2 titles are :)
>I WAS
> genuinely surprised at the cost of the PS2 games compared to the N64
> games, but then new technology (??) usually costs more on first
> release.
As was I ... Especially since I was just reading a post about how cheap PS2 titles are :)
Wòókiee Møn§†€R wrote:
> Whhhooooooooooossssshhhhhh!
Did you hear that?
The sound of
> FM's post passing at high speed over several people's
heads! :-)
Not me :D
> Whhhooooooooooossssshhhhhh!
Did you hear that?
The sound of
> FM's post passing at high speed over several people's
heads! :-)
Not me :D
I should point out that this bit from the original post:
Total RRP for top 10 games:
N64 £358.90
PS2 £355.90
GBA £275.91
GBC £259.90
PSX £202.90
PCs £207.90
DCs £185.90
is ACTUAL data, the rest of the post was just a spin around the figures. The figures were compiled from the top ten charts listed on ukgames.com.
But the figures ARE interesting, as are people's views on them, and I WAS genuinely surprised at the cost of the PS2 games compared to the N64 games, but then new technology (??) usually costs more on first release.
Total RRP for top 10 games:
N64 £358.90
PS2 £355.90
GBA £275.91
GBC £259.90
PSX £202.90
PCs £207.90
DCs £185.90
is ACTUAL data, the rest of the post was just a spin around the figures. The figures were compiled from the top ten charts listed on ukgames.com.
But the figures ARE interesting, as are people's views on them, and I WAS genuinely surprised at the cost of the PS2 games compared to the N64 games, but then new technology (??) usually costs more on first release.
Wòókiee Møn§†€R wrote:
> Whhhooooooooooossssshhhhhh!
Did you hear that?
The sound of
> FM's post passing at high speed over several people's heads! :-)
I heard it from over in the chat forum!
:-)
> Whhhooooooooooossssshhhhhh!
Did you hear that?
The sound of
> FM's post passing at high speed over several people's heads! :-)
I heard it from over in the chat forum!
:-)
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