Pricing of Video Games

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[Mister Schmidt]

Can somebody please explain to me the reason for console games being so much more expensive than PC games?

I simply don't get it, in general, if you buy the console version of a game, it tends to be a dumbed down, not as graphically nice, smaller and overall less impressive product, with a lack of dedicated servers and customization.
Case in point - BF3.

And yet, in my country at least, brand new console games cost usually over £10 more than the PC version, and I simply don't get why, when the PC version is always so much better and capable of much more.

For example, BF3 was £30 at release on PC, and £40 on Xbox and PS3. I literally don't get it. Why pay for a subpar game?

[Dragon2008]

Think its something to do with tax on the game that you buy but not 100% sure.

EDIT: Also think its involves licencing fees which the console makers charge for selling the game on their console.

[Demon767]

Larger market, thus more demand and less competitors to lower the price, competitors being PC gaming.

[Sachaztan]

Can somebody please explain to me the reason for console games being so much more expensive than PC games?

I simply don't get it, in general, if you buy the console version of a game, it tends to be a dumbed down, not as graphically nice, smaller and overall less impressive product, with a lack of dedicated servers and customization.
Case in point - BF3.

And yet, in my country at least, brand new console games cost usually over £10 more than the PC version, and I simply don't get why, when the PC version is always so much better and capable of much more.

For example, BF3 was £30 at release on PC, and £40 on Xbox and PS3. I literally don't get it. Why pay for a subpar game?

It's because of the franchising. Developers have to pay the makers of the console. Not only that, they do it because they can get away with it since people buy it anyhow.

[Mister Schmidt]

Yeah I mean I thought of it being because console gaming is a larger market, and the majority of consumers being stupid, but it still doesn't make sense to me.

[Demon767]

If we have a new console become introduced (im talkign a xbox/ps3 type) that challenges the current prices then they will drop, but if that doesnt happen, console gamers are forced to pay whatever is on the market

[Mysthalin]

Part of it is the licensing fees that developers have to pay to Sony and Microsoft, yeah - but something far more important is the fact it's much harder to circumvent paying for a console game than it is for a PC game (AKA - Piracy).

Higher levels of piracy mean a lesser demand to begin with, and a higher likelihood of people just going "fuck it" and not ever buying the game - so developers have less freedom in setting the price too high for games.

Plus, quite a few PC games are digitally distributed - which also reduces the cost faced by the seller (and as such - the consumer) - what with there being no need to rent a store, hiring staff to maintain the store and sell the games, the cost of the hardcopy itself, etc.

With a lower cost in digital release creating a viable alternative to buying hardcopies - hardcopies have to go down in relative price as well to remain competitive.

All that is not present for console gaming, soooo..

[Demon767]

Part of it is the licensing fees that developers have to pay to Sony and Microsoft, yeah - but something far more important is the fact it's much harder to circumvent paying for a console game than it is for a PC game (AKA - Piracy).

Higher levels of piracy mean a lesser demand to begin with, and a higher likelihood of people just going "fuck it" and not ever buying the game - so developers have less freedom in setting the price too high for games.

Plus, quite a few PC games are digitally distributed - which also reduces the cost faced by the seller (and as such - the consumer) - what with there being no need to rent a store, hiring staff to maintain the store and sell the games, the cost of the hardcopy itself, etc.

With a lower cost in digital release creating a viable alternative to buying hardcopies - hardcopies have to go down in relative price as well to remain competitive.

All that is not present for console gaming, soooo..

[Tymathee]

Myst again with the wisdom. He hit it right on the head.

[nikomas]

It's funny when you can pick up a PC copy of battlefield 3 for almost half the price of a console one...
Unless your company is activision of course, they'll charge 59.99£ for their PC ports games because, you know, they are ****'s

[Tymathee]

bc3 is so not a port dude. it's built specifically for the pc. they said so!

if anything, mw3 will be a pc port. if u look at the bc3 code, there's no mention of ps3 or xbox in it at all.

[nikomas]

bc3 is so not a port dude. it's built specifically for the pc. they said so!

if anything, mw3 will be a pc port. if u look at the bc3 code, there's no mention of ps3 or xbox in it at all.

Duuuuude, I picked up BF3 on release for 35$/£...
What I'm saying is activision is trying to sell me CoD4 1.3 for 60£/$

lol 

[Falcon333]

bc3 is so not a port dude. it's built specifically for the pc. they said so!

if anything, mw3 will be a pc port. if u look at the bc3 code, there's no mention of ps3 or xbox in it at all.

Activision is not the guys behind BF3

[RikiRude]

Damn Mysth really owned the thread.

Either way, better graphics, cheaper games, better controls (for rts/fps, and if you don't like M&K buy a usb controller), dedicated servers, customization through modding, which in turn adds tremendous replay value to any game.

And I wonder why the hell someone would be proud to call themselves a console gamer. Sure at some points some games were PC only or console only, but now since games (at least big hits) are available on both, I really dont see the point in getting a console.

I take that back, split screen playing and games like rockband. In other words casual gaming, is the only point in console gaming.

[AmPM]

Part of it is the licensing fees that developers have to pay to Sony and Microsoft, yeah - but something far more important is the fact it's much harder to circumvent paying for a console game than it is for a PC game (AKA - Piracy).

Higher levels of piracy mean a lesser demand to begin with, and a higher likelihood of people just going "fuck it" and not ever buying the game - so developers have less freedom in setting the price too high for games.

Plus, quite a few PC games are digitally distributed - which also reduces the cost faced by the seller (and as such - the consumer) - what with there being no need to rent a store, hiring staff to maintain the store and sell the games, the cost of the hardcopy itself, etc.

With a lower cost in digital release creating a viable alternative to buying hardcopies - hardcopies have to go down in relative price as well to remain competitive.

All that is not present for console gaming, soooo..

Piracy on the 360 is easy if you want to mod it (not,hard) but it requires knowhow and tools most gamers dont have. You can just DL a PC title that comes pre cracked and play. Incentive to buy PC titles is lower price and multiplayer aspects.

[Tymathee]

Activision is not the guys behind BF3

i know this...

[Falcon333]

Just realized I misread you post. Sry lol