Poll: Are console games overpriced?

[the_green_dragon]

I was just thinking about the string of new releases coming out and plently of games which have already come out and looking at my wallet I could only afford a scant few at their new release price. Even if I waited for them to come down or second hand I could still only afford a few, so heres my poll, are console games overpriced?

Now there have been a rare few good games worth the full $110, and many many others which are not worth squat and everywhere in between. So when doing the poll I'm asking about 'in general' not about any specfic awesome or terrible game. (but feel free to comment on awesome games you think were worth $110)

I'm also not asking how much would you like to pay for a game cause the answer to that would be free. (most the time, am I right?)

I also think 2nd hand games are overpriced in general too, considering the stores give you next to nothing most the time and try to sell them at $10 less then full price.

Now keep in mind with exchange rate,
$1 AUD is roughly $1 USD
$1 AUD is roughly 0.6 british pounds
$1 AUD is roughly 0.7 Euro

 

[moretimethansense]

Depends on the game but, yeah, a little bit.
Also I read that as £40-£50 so...
Frankly you americans pay barely anything compared to us in the UK, and the aussies have it even worse!
I'd pay £40-£50 (note the currancy) far a new game, if it was a decent leangth and isn't too bugged.
Unfortunatly fewer and fewer games are really worth the money any more.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Well, yes.

But than I haven't paid more than £15 for a (new, boxed) game in years. It's more a symptom of games themselves becoming overpriced to make than developers or even publishers getting greedy. An A-list game costs as much or more than a big movie now, but has a much shorter shelf life for sales.

 

[viking97]

40-50, mostly cuz i'm damn poor. i don't think $60 is really unreasonable though, games are expensive to make.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

I don't think they are overpriced, but then again I don't buy that many. This year (for example) I plan to buy Duke Nukem Forever, Skyrim, and (maybe) the new CoD game. So that's two games (maybe three) over a twelve month period at 40 quid a game - the worst case scenario is that I fork over an average of 10 quid a month for games this year. I reckon I can deal with that - moreover, given the work that goes into AAA games these days, I reckon that's a bargain.

 

[Aeokirr]

I assume you live in Australia? In the U.S., games generally cost 60$ as new releases.

I only spend money on a game if I know I will play it for enough time to make the money worth it. If its a game I'll just dink around on for a couple hours and never touch again, e.g. Just Cause 2, I'll wait for it to go on sale. If it's a game that I'll pour time into, e.g. Fallout 3 or Oblivion, I'd pay the full 60$.

no way in hell would i pay 110$ for a game.

 

[Slash Dementia]

The only game that I bought and didn't think was worth the $60(USD)--$65 with taxes--was Two Worlds.. I guess it's all about how much you really look into a game to determine if it's worth it or not.

I usually buy my games used and online now, but they are expensive. Development time for games has also been longer, except in the cases in which games are put out yearly by the same developers. I do think they are reasonable, seeing as last generation's games were $50, but technology advances, and so does the cost--I guess.

I do like when games like The Bard's Tale are $5, though.

I plan on getting--from this year--Skyrim, Mortal Kombat, Rage, and Mass Effect. Two are going to wait until they're at least $10-15 down.

 

[Trogdor1138]

I live in Australia and I have NEVER payed that much for a videogame, I usually pay really cheap for pre-owned or sale stuff later, I don't really do launch games.

But now that importing is a much bigger thing I'll be buying launch games regularly I think, 50-60 for a new game is awesome, you guys are lucky to have such prices.

The American PSN store is also ridiculously better, so I'm going to be getting my content off there from now on, we get so ripped off here. I advise people to do the same with importing and such.

 

[TheKruzdawg]

I try to wait until a game comes down at least $10 in the U.S. before I go out to buy, even if it is a game that I have been waiting for and will love, ie. Mass Effect 2. I didn't buy that game until the first week of May, even though I knew that I would love it and it was a game I had been waiting for. This was all due to the fact that I don't make a bunch of $ and it was so expensive.

And I'm not going to buy a game unless I am absolutely sure that I will play it multiple times and I will really enjoy it. Otherwise I rent games or borrow them from my friends.

 

[seditary]

Argh my aesthetics bone is screaming out in horror at the space between the $ and 40.

To answer the thread, I live in Australia so I haven't paid full Australian price for a game ever since I was 9 years old. Last game I bought at full (steam) price was Mass Effect 2. There are plenty of games I simply haven't bought because they were over my personal value for money barriers and I refuse to buy any game on steam that costs more in my area than elsewhere, woot for friends in America.

I'd happily part with up to $50 for a great title from a good developer that I'm looking forward to, never ever anything over that. If the game isn't great, take 30 bucks off. If the game isn't something I was looking forward to before release, remove 10. If the developer doesn't have good history with me, then take off another 10. Since most games aren't great and there aren't that many I look forward to, my usual limit for impulse game purchases is $10.

 

[the_green_dragon]

my usual limit for impulse game purchases is $10.

Can't buy much for $10

 

[Outright Villainy]

In euro, nothing over 30. Portal 2 and Syward sword will be the sole exceptions to that rule for the next few years or so, and with Portal, the Ps3 steamworks business does sweeten the deal considerably.

my usual limit for impulse game purchases is $10.

Can't buy much for $10

From the steam sale over christmas, I bought:

Killing floor- 6.50
Knights of the old republic- 2.50
Half life 1 collection (inlcuding tfc and the HL expansions)- 5 for all
2 indie game packs at a fiver each (which included VVVVVV and Recttear, two of the best games that year), so that's 1 euro per game.
Stalker: shadow of chernobyl and Call of Pripyat- 5 for both.
Deus Ex: 2.50

Then, to hammer it home, there's this. [http://store.steampowered.com/browse/under10]

 

[Hiphophippo]

I prefer 50 bucks but history has clearly shown that I'm willing to pay 60 for something I really want.

 

[Veteran]

£40 is usually the limit for me on games, though having jumped from console to PC in recent months i've felt really silly that i've been paying even that much.

Why do console games cost (on average) a good £10-£15 more than the PC counterparts anyway?

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

I refuse to spend more than $70 on a game now, and that price is reserved for games I've been eagerly awaiting. If not, that drops to about $50. Even then, only a few games per year get bought, not including packs on steam sales where I get the bulk (note: I never torrent games).

Easier said than done of course, can't even get a second-hand, slightly-broken game for that price without importing, and then I have to worry about shipping fees. Funny thing, it's not too hard to avoid that maximum still with shipping involved. Really highlights the economic backstabbing Aussies have put up with in recent years.

Ahh, corporate greed, you so silly. If you weren't constantly pushing to make avoiding you illegal like the noisy spoiled child you are, I might consider it quirky.

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

Nope. $60US is right in line with what games have always cost. Obviously some games are just bad and aren't worth that, but as a market, the pricing is where it's always been.

 

[Sarahcidal]

games here in Ontario *generally* run anywhere from $49.99-$59.99 CDN

It's a little pricey but I figure if the game is really good, then it's worth it.

with the amount use and enjoyment you get out of a good game.. with all of the multiplayer options most games have now in addition to the campaign.. i have no complaints.

 

[Zhukov]

Yeah... I really feel for console gamers here in Australia. $110 is utterly fucking ridiculous. Especially now that some games think they can get away with a 5 hour single player campaign.

I avoid the worst of it since I play on PC, hence lower prices. Also, Steam has pretty reasonable prices, even for Australia.

But yeah, $110 AUD. Bleh.

Just a hint for the console folks: online shopping is your friend.

 

[TheEvilCheese]

I don't EVER pay more than £40 for a game, and those are few and far between.
£30 is reasonable for new games IMO, unless they are amazingly well made.