this post was submitted on 27 Sep 2023
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Capcom president Harushiro Tsujimoto claims that the prices of video games need to increase to meet ballooning development costs.

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[–] taiyang@lemmy.world 33 points 2 years ago

I want to mention the concept of consumer surplus since it's a lesser known economic principle compared to supply and demand.

Put simply, everyone has a price. A static price like $60 will get everyone willing to pay over $60. Some will be willing to pay $90, some $120, and so forth. The latest developments on pricing take advantage of that with horse armor, as those are folks with a higher threshold. On the other end of the spectrum, you have 50% to 90% sales to get the rest of us. Flexible pricing is the main reason companies are doing well, especially in an age of growing economic disparity. Just ask the whales how much they spend!

That said, saying the base price should go up neglects the broader economic situation everyone is in, and the US and Japan hasn't seen their baseline go up. Sadly, companies should know this, that's why prices vary by county. Ever buy a game from a Brazilian website? Much cheaper.

Tldr, dudes a short sighted twat, companies already optimize prices.

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 29 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

The president of Capcom can lick the wrinkles out of my sweat steamed scrotum if he thinks I'm buying another Capcom game after this.

Yeah, games cost more to make than they did on the SNES.

But theres also an absolutely massively bigger customer base buying more games than ever before. So if your big name games are failing to bring in big numbers, that sounds like you and your fellow executives need to step down and let someone who knows what customers actually want run the company. But I bet that thought never crossed his fuckin mind.

[–] korinflakes@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Just to add to what you mentioned, Capcoms Street Fighter 6 in my region on steam is $100 AUD, assuming you don't want the deluxe or ultimate editions (Not that the store page bothers to explain the differences}. On top of that you can buy the Year 1 character pass for $45 which adds 4 characters. The ultimate pass for $75 which adds the previously mentioned characters and some cosmetics for those 4 characters. The soundtrack for $50 holy shit that's an expensive soundtrack.

And on top of all that you can buy the games in game currency, fighter coins. Which are used to unlock costumes and characters including classic costumes. Wanna buy a character? You'll never be able to buy just the right amount of coins, coz fuck you give us money.

It's bad enough these people want to raise prices whilst making record breaking profits, but they monetize their games in so many different and often scummy ways on top of the purchase price.

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[–] SCmSTR@kbin.social 27 points 2 years ago

IT'S ALMOST AS IF THERE IS A DEFINED SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS THAT'S SUCKING MONEY FROM THE ECONOMY

Less infighting, more eating of the rich. Pay the devs, not the landlords. The capitalism system is broken and breaking further. The cost of goods is defined by how much workers need to be paid to make it, and then multiplicatively inflated by how much greed that BILLIONAIRE CLASS wants.

Government is for the people, by the people, that's the ONLY reason it exists. People in, and that want to be the billionaire class have declared war on the rest of us, and it's the government's sole purpose to protect the well-being and will of the people.

The government MUST serve the people.

If it can't, the highest priority is it MUST be fixed immediately.

The longer we flail and wait, the more that obviously hostile class of people grow in power and make fixing this a more and more serious issue.

Like any good leader, if you are failing in your duties, you must self-correct, elect an adequate replacement, or you must be removed, by your own will or by force.

Because life-time is too precious to waste waiting for the conflict to come to a head and burst.

That hostile class is doing everything possible to prevent any of this. Calm down, diffuse, obfuscate, confuse, project, gaslight, lie, cheat, steal, destroy, and gain power to RULE above the-will-of-the-people: the government.

[–] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 26 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Rich asshole doesn't think he's making enough money, News at 11:00.

[–] yuki2501@lemmy.world 22 points 2 years ago

Tell him to go live in the US in a rented apartment on an average salary. Bet he'll change his mind in 3 months.

[–] NutWrench@lemmy.world 21 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Tsujimoto also went on to claim that a slow economy wouldn’t have a big impact on video game prices either: “Just because there’s a recession doesn’t mean you won’t go to the movie theater or go to your favorite artist’s concert. High-quality games will continue to sell,” he said.

Yes it does. "Recession" means you have less disposable income to waste on poor quality entertainment.

[–] AstridWipenaugh@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Recessions also cause a spike in vice and escapism, so it could drive more game sales or at least offset the lack of disposable income.

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Spike in affordable escapism.

Going to a movie matinee for 3 dollars is not comparable to dropping $$$$Absurdity for games like these assholes want.

[–] stopthatgirl7@kbin.social 3 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Closer to $12 than $3, though. Last time I went to movies, one ticket was ¥1800. And that’s not touching the concession stand.

That said, Baldur’s Gate 3 ran me ¥8500.

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[–] Thranduil@lemmy.world 20 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yet they keep having record profits.

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[–] WarmSoda@lemm.ee 20 points 2 years ago (2 children)

They can raise the prices all they want.
I'm still only going to buy them long after all the patches and on discount.

[–] DarkGamer@kbin.social 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Funny how completed games are cheaper than games that are still in development/public beta.

[–] WarmSoda@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago

This needs to repeated a lot.

[–] natryamar@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

Yeah, let them try and see what happens lol

[–] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club 19 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Or maybe don't make expensive games.

The AAA market seems to be chasing a business model that isn't there any more. I don't know why game developers still chase photo realism, it isn't what makes money.

[–] verysoft@kbin.social 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Not to mention until it's actually photo-realistic, it looks uncanny. It's better to find a style and use that than to chase realism imo. But then again, these AAA games just add a bunch of foliage, some god rays, maybe a sprinkle of rain and people are oooh, aaah-ing and coughing up their cash.

[–] coltorl@programming.dev 5 points 2 years ago

This is all software, companies keep finding excuses to tack on “features” that increase development cost which eventually lead to necessary price increases.

In the professional world you will rarely ever hear project managers and leaders ask the question “would our customers rather pay extra for feature X or save money by sticking to their simpler feature set?” This is because development is nearly always started with the long term goal of incorporating a feature into the product to increase the overall “value” of the product. This increased “value” of the product then means that the company should charge more for it.

I am ranting now.

[–] Chet_Awesomelad@kbin.social 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yeah they always ask "Why won't people pay $100 for our video game?" and not "How about we DON'T spend $100,000,000 making ONE video game?"

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[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 19 points 2 years ago (3 children)

I know that Diablo isn't a Capcom game, but if industry leaders are looking at $90 games with battle passes and in game purchases for $20 horse armor is "too low", then we are truly fucked.

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[–] DarkThoughts@kbin.social 17 points 2 years ago

Capcom games with their gazillion overpriced DLCs that never go on reasonable sales? Funny.

[–] Kjatten@lemmy.world 16 points 2 years ago (2 children)

To be honest, game prices have stayed the same for a very long time, but you can't release garbage and expect people to hundreds for it

[–] Kashbus@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

To also be fair, producers have been trying to raise prices on game for over 15 years now to little traditional success and instead relying on battle pass and micro transactions

I don't think it is surprising that with recent events they are attempting to raise prices again

[–] CaptPretentious@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

The BASE cost remains the same. They then started finding ways market a spreadsheets with of 'versions'. Then they added 'micro' transactions, battle passes, etc. Or they just shut down the old game so you have to buy the new version to keep playing.

And the cost of games has risen faster the minimum wage in the US.

So will all the multi millionaires and billionaires video games were making... I think $60 was more than fine for a large studio produced game.

[–] JokeDeity@lemm.ee 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Every company executive has gotten way too big for their fucking britches. I'm pirating shit again, fuck all of these greedy mother fuckers.

[–] grayman@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago

You're literally taking yachts away from someone's children! Why can't you think of the board's children?!

[–] HRDS_654@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Here's my hot take, I agree, but publishers need to increase pay to developers before I will accept a price hike. Until then I am waiting for that discount like I always do.

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[–] Orionza@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

When the creator of Stardew Valley can charge $14 for his awesome game, and put it on multiple platforms and release updates for jo extra cost, and not charge subscription fees, and everyone can mod it and be happy, and the creator has made multimillions by now ... Other companies need to take note.

From someone who worked at a company who wasted tons of money and had too many parties, excess staff and ceos who made excessive salaries, if these gaming companies are charging too much they need to look internally to fix issues instead of asking their customers to fuel their greed.

[–] GoosLife@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (2 children)

He said "because of ballooning development costs". Stardew valley is famously a one man labor of love, the opposite of ballooning development costs.

$14 pr sold copy is ridiculously high in this context, because development costs is only for one dude.

You're comparing this guys runaway success with a company with several development teams, office spaces, marketing teams, accountants, probably janitors, security, etc, etc.

I'm not saying he is in the right, just pointing out that it is apples to oranges.

[–] SeeJayEmm@lemmy.procrastinati.org 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

You're comparing this guys runaway success with a company with several development teams, office spaces, marketing teams, accountants, probably janitors, security, etc, etc.

That's sorta the point tho, isn't it. Not saying Capcom should be one guy in a bedroom, but maybe there's alot of bloat not related to actual game development that could be streamlined/cut. Esp. When it comes to executives.

[–] closetfurry@yiffit.net 3 points 2 years ago

I agree with this. I find myself regularly missing the middle of the road games with lower development costs because those are the games that often dares to try new things.

Last one I remember like that was Ubisoft's "Grow Home" which was utterly charming and had me hooked from beginning to end. Didn't need to be big. Didn't need amazing graphics. Just needed a little idea that (pardon the pun) grew to become a really engaging game.

More games like that please! Maybe the development costs didn't have to balloon that much.

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[–] korinflakes@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago

I've never understood why people defend this mentality. Ballooning development costs? Last I checked half of the triple A games that get released spent just as much on marketing as fucking development. Not to mention Video Game revenue has been increasing year on year.

Also fuck these people because how often does this shit release with extra "monetisation" like on top of trying to make games more expensive they also throw in tons of microtransactions, loot boxes and battle passes, platform exclusive content, pre-order exclusive content etc.

[–] Binthinkin@kbin.social 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Poor management is the problem. Your overhead has nothing to do with us. You suck at business and cutting jobs is all you do.

Games are not worth more by any means. The market is saturated and AAA games release unfinished and you still make your profits and bonuses.

The problem are the elite shitbags who go to elite schools and get cherry picked by other elite shitbags who continue the cycle of enshittification of the world rather than hiring good hard working Americans within that KNOW their industry and the products where people like Tim Apple and whoever this Capcom CEO ding dong do not at all.

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[–] Delusional@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago (1 children)

What a fucktard. If games were cheaper, more people would buy them. Nowadays a hell of a lot of people wait until the game is updated and on sale to buy it since most games are released broken anyways. That or they just pirate it. No way I'm spending 1/10 of a paycheck on a new video game every once in a while.

[–] JokeDeity@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Ha ha ha. A $60 game is like a third of my paycheck.

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[–] Gabadabs@kbin.social 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The problem that they're not considering is that if they raise the prices, more people are going to be priced out of buying the games, and will resort to piracy. The cost of living is absurd right now, and I can only afford a handful of $60 games a year.

[–] UxyIVrljPeRl@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Why resort to piracy, just wait for next years 75% discount. It even comes with all the bugfixes.

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[–] Etterra@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

How about your mom is too low, ya greedy CEO bastard.

[–] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Well, I think piracy is a viable option.

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[–] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 years ago

Game prices are already pushing $100+ when you factor in season passes, special editions, and microtransactions. Basically every AAA game has some combo of all of these.

[–] amenotef@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Some prices are crazy in my opinion.

I generally buy 2 year old games except in some cases.

And in the consoles they are even more expensive. Game price could be higher than on PC and then you also need to pay an expensive subscription (because they charge you for a lot more things than just the multiplayer costs) to be allowed to play in multiplayer.

The player base is also bigger than before. While that needs more post sales support and more infrastructure it is nothing compared to the game.

I think in short the problem here is just the wrong forecasting when planning the game.

[–] LarryTheMatador@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)
[–] WilliamTheWicked@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Or.... maybe development costs have just gotten stupidly high? There are a lot of great indie games for a few bucks that pack a heck of a lot more fun and experimentation than a lot of the cookie cutters garbage coming out of a lot of big studios lately. I'm honestly sick of every facet of my life trying to bleed me dry of any spare cent I get.

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[–] mojo@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Cut back on graphics, and I mean this unironically

[–] CaptPretentious@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Or, hear me out, we cut out the most expensive part of game development.

Upper management. They cost the most, contribute the least (if anything), and can be replaced by someone who not only take 25% of what some of these CEOs make, but do a better job.

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/the-games-industrys-highest-earning-ceos-listed-in-new-report/

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[–] _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 years ago
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