News - Bethesda claims "games are too expensive", announces $150 Skyrim Collector's E

[.havoc]

[Saracen]

....

It's also not helped by the fact that there will indeed be no demo for Skyrim, making that decision to part with your cash somewhat more difficult.

For me, it's makes it much easier. No demo, no ability to "taste" the game, then no parting with cash. Period.

[kalniel]

Ah yes, the VAT, £20 for logistics is extreme though, don't you think?

Not when you also take into account market sizes/bearing prices. We're quite used to paying up to 100% on stuff from the states, £20 is hardly unusual.

For me, it's makes it much easier. No demo, no ability to "taste" the game, then no parting with cash. Period.

I thought you said you'd bought previous TES games? The only one with a demo was Daggerfall if I remember correctly.

[Saracen]

Not when you also take into account market sizes/bearing prices. We're quite used to paying up to 100% on stuff from the states, £20 is hardly unusual.

I thought you said you'd bought previous TES games? The only one with a demo was Daggerfall if I remember correctly.

Only because a friend had them. A friend that's since moved too far away to get to very often.

[Yosh]

Not when you also take into account market sizes/bearing prices. We're quite used to paying up to 100% on stuff from the states, £20 is hardly unusual.

I thought you said you'd bought previous TES games? The only one with a demo was Daggerfall if I remember correctly.

Its more likely a bit of extra profit. Logistics might cost £1 but not £20 when you consider stock is shifted around in containers (Container fee divided by a lot of units)

[kalniel]

Only because a friend had them. A friend that's since moved too far away to get to very often.

Yeah I quite like the demo via friend approach, still, you might be able to find someone in your near vicinity/social circle that will be playing Skyrim.

Its more likely a bit of extra profit. Logistics might cost £1 but not £20 when you consider stock is shifted around in containers (Container fee divided by a lot of units)

As opposed to a cut in profit for the US market?

Logistics isn't really just shipping costs, it's more local personnel costs - marketeers, retail, lawyers, other localisation costs etc. Wages in the UK are high, which contributes both to actual cost and market-bearing pricing.

[Yosh]

Yeah I quite like the demo via friend approach, still, you might be able to find someone in your near vicinity/social circle that will be playing Skyrim.



As opposed to a cut in profit for the US market?

Logistics isn't really just shipping costs, it's more local personnel costs - marketeers, retail, lawyers, other localisation costs etc. Wages in the UK are high, which contributes both to actual cost and market-bearing pricing.

Surely all that is covered in the unit/box price already, all they are doing is shipping from their warehouse to either their UK warehouse or direct to retailers warehouses.

[kalniel]

Surely all that is covered in the unit/box price already

Which is why box prices are higher in the UK, yes

[aidanjt]

How does $150 work out as £130, shouldn't it be more like £90-95?

All technology products usually reach around $1=£1 parity after market size, transport, property costs, taxes, etc., are accounted for.

[Saracen]

Yeah I quite like the demo via friend approach, still, you might be able to find someone in your near vicinity/social circle that will be playing Skyrim.

Sadly, with a couple of exceptions, I'm not aware of anyone near in my social circle that plays computer games much less TES, and that couple are more into flight sims and racing games, etc, not fantasy/RPG.

[Lucio]

Sadly, with a couple of exceptions, I'm not aware of anyone near in my social circle that plays computer games much less TES, and that couple are more into flight sims and racing games, etc, not fantasy/RPG.

I will quite happily purchase Skyrim and spend many many hours telling you how awesome it is (assuming it is indeed awesome as promised)

With regards to the article, it would be nice if games could reach a new, lower price point but the only way this could realistically happen is if they shifted more units of a particular title. It could be argued that the sheer number of new releases each month is actually increasing the price of games per unit, rather than decreasing them as the development costs tend to remain fairly static.


Of course, with regards to the collectors editions, you're paying for the statue, as any regular visitor to Forbidden Planet will tell you, those resin pieces cost a lot of money, usually due to their low production run. It's annoying, I'd pay a bit extra for a couple of in-game items, or some nifty piece like a cloth map, or a lunchbox or small desktop statue (the Fallout 3 Collectors edition is one of the best I've seen recently)

[Dareos]

Skyrim will be awesome, of that there is no doubt in my mind whatsoever, however it will be awesome around 6 months after release when they have patched all the holes and gamebreaking issues.

I will never buy a Bethseda game immediately it comes out, I will buy them, but after Fallout : NV, I really do not want to get stung again.

[CrazyMonkey]

I cant remember the last time i bought a game and felt truly happy with it. I no longer get that sense of worth, i find damn near all these games incredibly over priced to begin with and then they push out DLC.

For instance i still feel cheated with my purchase of Black Ops on 360, though it still gets a lot of play the game cost me £37 on release and within the space of a few months i saw 2 map packs out. And the worse thing is, as more and more people buy those map packs my ability to play the game online diminishes. I bought one map pack and couldnt feel more mugged off when the exact same day just hours later they released news of the next one.

The exception to any of my recent game purchases within probably the last 2 years would be Starcraft 2, the game felt well polished, well supported and continues to see hours and hours of play. Also there limited edition didnt cost me a kidney, coming in at £50 pre-ordered i am still very content and appreciated the extras included.

Just wish more developers would cotton on to what gaming is about: Producing the best game possible, showing off and fun. Not overpriced endless crap.

[TooNice]

Been doing that for ages. Unless you feel a driving need to be playing the latest game as it comes out, perhaps because of playing others online, that strategy saves a huge amount of money.

I am still waiting for Starcraft 2 to drop in price. Yes, there are a lot of very content buyers. But even if I were to swallow the argument that the game is so epic that it should be seen as the first of a trilogy than a third of a whole game, it's still an expensive year old game.

And as for DLC, I have to say some companies are really milking it. I can live having to pay the same price for Super Street Fight IV: Arcade Edition as someone who has never bought Street Fighter IV. But look at the DLC for it: http://store.steampowered.com/app/45760/

I won't buy a single one of them unless they make a complete package by the time I buy it. And if they don't, I'll hold my purchase until the game is dirt cheap and I'll just ignore the DLCs.

[Lucio]

And as for DLC, I have to say some companies are really milking it. I can live having to pay the same price for Super Street Fight IV: Arcade Edition as someone who has never bought Street Fighter IV. But look at the DLC for it: http://store.steampowered.com/app/45760/

I won't buy a single one of them unless they make a complete package by the time I buy it. And if they don't, I'll hold my purchase until the game is dirt cheap and I'll just ignore the DLCs.

Actually, the link you provided shows the *good* side of DLC, the side where you can buy optional extras that really don't make a blind bit of difference to the gameplay, nor stop you from taking part in any of the action. Costume packs and minipets are the ideal form of DLC, you buy them if you like them and ignore them if you don't.

[dfour]

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I have my copy of Skyrym on pre-order basd on the strenth of the previous 2 eldar scrolls games and the bargain pre-order in the hexus forums.

I agree dlc shouldnt be game breaking stuff like map packs as it excludes non payers from playing and enjoying there games. Unfortunatly its a good money spinner for the companies so its going to continue

Dragon, book and DVD very nice but £120 no thanks .