Castle Crashers: 1200 is the new 800

[admin_old]

Some lame brain at M$ has decided that 1200 is the new 800. This is probably because they are so rich that they can travel to other parts of the world where their currency is not yet being printed on funny money and their economies are not melting under the stress of a mortgage [...]

More... (http://www.8bitbrigade.com/castle-crashers-1200-is-the-new-800/)

[NJAsmodeus]

This is one case where I will wait for the demo and see how it is. If it is better than Braid, I will be happy. Stupid Braid.

[UncleGramps]

Braid is awesome and you are wrong. ;)

I'm looking forward to the Castle Crashers demo as well.

[Willy]

Castle Crashers looks so much fun, I can't wait to play it.

[Duster72]

What do you guys think of the price point?

[Slitt Vicious]

I think it blows. Good discussion on the increasing price rates on the 8/8 1upyours podcast.

[Canis Firebrand]

It looks like a good game, but these 1200 and higher games are pricing themselves out of my purchase list.

I passed on the Penny Arcade game, even though I really enjoyed the demo. I passed on Lumines because of the absurd add on packs and the high base point for the base pack.

800 is my price limit for arcade games.

[Shlugendah]

Yea, $15 for an arcade game? The original xbox games are $15.

[UncleGramps]

I think the fuss over 1200-point games is a little overblown. Not every arcade game should be $15, of course, but those with particularly noteworthy elements or lots of content can justify the price. Just my opinion, obviously, but it seems like much ado about nothing.

[Duster72]

From a pure value position, I agree 100% with gramps. The whole problem with the XBLA is that they don't let the market dictate price. They are trying to run the thing like the music industry, where CDs used to be $12.99 no matter how old, how bad, etc.

There have been tons (yes tons, more than 10) of games I would have happily paid $5 for. They aren't worth $10 just because they are original content. They don't discount those titles, though, they just delist them.

If they would back off their hardline price structure they would sell a lot more games, and quantity would more than make up for price differentiations.

[UncleGramps]

I think that both XBLA and PSN need to do more sales and promotions. Once sales slow down for a title, they should cut prices. That's how things work with regular retail releases, so why not do it with downloadable games too? I know PSN has done week-long sales on certain titles and XBLA has cut prices on certain older titles, but they should make it a more common practice. That way, the people who have more money than patience and frugality (i.e., me) can buy Braid for $15 now, and those who are willing to wait can get it for $10 or less a few months down the road.

It just strikes me as a little funny that most people were fine with the $10 standard, and now an extra $5 is like some earth-shattering thing. :shrug: If every game was $15 from now on, they'd have a point. But so far it's only 2 recent games (Braid and Castle Crashers) - Geometry Wars 2, Bionic Commando, and Galaga Legions are all $10 games.

[mendicantbias00]

My issue with pricing for titles on XBLA is the fact that they aren't paying for pressing, packaging, printing, distribution, or any of the usual things they pay for when selling through retailers, but the games still cost as much. This means that they are raking the money in because its cheaper to supply to their customers, but the customers don't see any benefits.

=/

[Duster72]

It just strikes me as a little funny that most people were fine with the $10 standard, and now an extra $5 is like some earth-shattering thing.

I would like to know the number of downloads for 2008's titles versus 2007's titles. I would wager that the number of overall DLs and the conversion rate are both way off. $10 became a problem for me about 4 months into the 360 era.

[UncleGramps]

I would like to know the number of downloads for 2008's titles versus 2007's titles. I would wager that the number of overall DLs and the conversion rate are both way off. $10 became a problem for me about 4 months into the 360 era.
But if the sales fell off sharply after $10 games were introduced, I think they'd have more $5 games these days, and there wouldn't be $15 games at all. If the sales for $10 games are worse than $5 games, the difference must not be huge. As long as the $10 games sell better than half as well as the $5 games, MS wins.

But, in the end, those who don't like the $10+ games should make their feelings known by refusing to purchase them.

[Canis Firebrand]

That doesn't quite work. People still buy them because they don't, for whatever reason, associate MS points with real cash.

The community was up in arms when the GH2 DLC pricing was released in the first DLC pack and the fact that they were songs that were already paid for, in theory, in GH1. Everyone was all about not buying them because of the cost to prove a point. Then these same people buckeld and bought them anyways to play in their 360 GH2 game.

People blindly buy the games and all MS and other retailers on XBox Live that sell content is that people buy no matter what the cost. They never see the people like us that are complaingning over the prices and don't buy the game or DLC because we are a drop of water in the ocean.

[UncleGramps]

Well, in that case, you can't blame MS for charging the prices that the market is willing to pay. If people suddenly decide that $10/$15 is too much, the prices will come back down. If they stay at their current levels, blame the people who buy the games, not MS.

[CzarCastic]

People still buy them because they don't, for whatever reason, associate MS points with real cash.

What are you talking about? M$ points are not real cash.:sarcasm:

[Canis Firebrand]

Well, in that case, you can't blame MS for charging the prices that the market is willing to pay. If people suddenly decide that $10/$15 is too much, the prices will come back down. If they stay at their current levels, blame the people who buy the games, not MS.

I blame both.

I blame the buyers for reasons stated above.

I also blame MS because if they used the payment method that the PSN uses, I can almost guarentee they wouldn't see the same numbers of downloads. Besides, the numbers are inflated as it is. How many people get free points via contests, exploiting free point giveaways ment to give 100 points per person and they walk away with 100k points. Or discounted point cards or cards given as gifts, etc. They are exploiting peoples perception of what the points represent. They don't see that x game costs $10 they see it as x game costs 800 M$ points that are some imaginary currency. It is a smart move on MS part as they get to reap the benefits, but to those that want to play these games and have the DLC but aren't willing to drop hundres of dollars, it makes it hard to swallow.

If you had to actually pay $10 for a game with a credit card each purchase, the way that PSN handles it, then I bet numbres would be a lot smaller.

[UncleGramps]

Agreed, using dollars and cents is more consumer-friendly. But from a business perspective, the points thing is pretty clever. I've been conditioned to remember that 400 points = $5, but more casual players will definitely fail to make that connection and spend more than they would otherwise. I guess it's shady, but I really can't fault MS for doing what they're doing. It's not like they're lying - they show you the real world prices when you buy the points - they're just relying on the laziness of most consumers and assuming that they won't have the conversion rates in the back of their minds.

[Canis Firebrand]

Well, all I can do is my own part.

I have, so far, been true to what I stated about the price points and what I am willing and not willing to spend.

I've gotten plenty of discounted point cards, some via point giveaways, some as gifts, etc.

I still haven't boughtn games that are above the 800 price point and even those are pushing it and have to be something unique or clever. I also haven't boughten every DLC for rockband or othre games.

For DLC, I buy what I like and would enjoy playing in RB. For games, I usually buy the DLC if it adds a significant value to the game. Othrewise I'll pass or wait for it to be discounted or free(see R6: Vegas Red and Black packs, etc).

I have yet to purchase the Penny Arcade game or Lumines even though I think I would really enjoy both. Of the arcade games I have bought, they have been worth it in my eyes.

Ticket to Ride and its expansion - A fun boardgame translation. I've always wanted play but never gotten to.

Wits and Wagers - I enjoyed the boardgame and thought the XBLA would be fun. It is, somewhat

Wik and Cloning Clyde - Unique games that were fun to play

Hexic 2 - I really enjoyed the first and the second added in multiplayer

Geometry Wars 2 - I didn't like the first, but the different modes and the leaderboard tracking made this a fun purchase

Zuma and Bejeweled - I know I can probably find these online free to play, but they are mindless games that are fun and can pass the time.

I think that is all I have actually purchased.

I've gotten some free through various contests, free downloads from MS, or with the vision cam. I've also gotten a few to review for VGT.

[Music]

That is all the XBLA games you have bought?

You sir... are no gamer! :sarcasm:

[xmiyux]

I'm a little bit of a whore because i did buy one of the overpriced games. I own the first episode of Penny Arcade. :lol:

Otherwise i have stuck with 800 points and less.

[Brikenjon]

If you had to actually pay $10 for a game with a credit card each purchase, the way that PSN handles it, then I bet numbres would be a lot smaller.

Sometimes I end up having to pay more than that on my credit card to get a game because of the way they bundle the points.

It's simple business psychology, though, the whole points versus dollars thing. It's just another way of doing the oldest trick in the book, charging $4.99 or $4.95 instead of $5. I'm paying 4 dollars and change, not five bucks. I'm buying 400 points, not spending $5.

:shrug:

If it's your business, you owe it to your shareholders to earn a profit. It's not like they're lying to you, they're providing you with the ways to lie to yourself. The general population are sheep and everyone pays for it except for the people in position to take advantage.

My opinion is similar to UncleGramps'. If it's not worth the price to you... don't buy it. There will always be things out there that you might want but aren't worth the price you pay, in every different commodity.

[Shlugendah]

I got Geom. Wars, Worms Texas Hold'em for free with that Target coupon thingy. I got Uno from Mac, Robotron from Gramps, Hexic from my 360, and I actually bought Feeding Frenzy. But my kids play that as much as I do. -rolleyes- I bought Bomberman and one other I can't remember (must have been a great game) with the $5 1600 point card I bought with the Target coupon. I just don't see spending money on those. Heck, I bought Beuatiful Katamari brand new for $8, and that's a hard copy. I play that a lot.