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On February 10 2016 08:11 JimmyJRaynor wrote: with both Friendly AIs and Enemy AIs Blizzard can now construct a single player progression system or mode that is necessary to charge the full $60 price they are asking for the game on console.
The full $60 price the console producers are asking for the game on console*
Unless you think Blizzard is not selling the $40 version on consoles out of pure spite for the peasants.
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They are going to charge $60 on consoles because that is the price of going through cert and dealing with getting their patches certified by Microsoft/Sony. Those are not open platforms at all.
On February 10 2016 08:14 Gorsameth wrote:Show nested quote +On February 10 2016 08:11 JimmyJRaynor wrote: with both Friendly AIs and Enemy AIs Blizzard can now construct a single player progression system or mode that is necessary to charge the full $60 price they are asking for the game on console.
The full $60 price the console producers are asking for the game on console* Unless you think Blizzard is not selling the $40 version on consoles out of pure spite for the peasants.
Exactly. It costs money to be on those systems, its not free.
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On February 10 2016 08:14 Gorsameth wrote:Show nested quote +On February 10 2016 08:11 JimmyJRaynor wrote: with both Friendly AIs and Enemy AIs Blizzard can now construct a single player progression system or mode that is necessary to charge the full $60 price they are asking for the game on console.
The full $60 price the console producers are asking for the game on console* Unless you think Blizzard is not selling the $40 version on consoles out of pure spite for the peasants.
the game is $60 on consoles. remember MS or Sony gets a piece of that $60. The $40 is reflective of the fact taht Blizzard does not have to make and ship a physical box AND that Sony and MS get $0 out of the $40.
doh! already answered.
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Why should they pass those costs to the consumers though? They're fucking Blizzard-Activision. There's no way they couldn't easily cover the cost. Seems pretty greedy to me.
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On February 10 2016 08:34 zzdd wrote: Why should they pass those costs to the consumers though? They're fucking Blizzard-Activision. There's no way they couldn't easily cover the cost. Seems pretty greedy to me. Because if they don't, there is no reason to release it on consoles. Their margin is not that amazing.
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On February 10 2016 08:44 Plansix wrote:Show nested quote +On February 10 2016 08:34 zzdd wrote: Why should they pass those costs to the consumers though? They're fucking Blizzard-Activision. There's no way they couldn't easily cover the cost. Seems pretty greedy to me. Because if they don't, there is no reason to release it on consoles. Their margin is not that amazing. Then why release it at all? If they only care about money then it doesn't make much sense.
Also Blizzard is one of the biggest companies. If indies can do it without charging $60, then so can Blizzard.
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On February 10 2016 08:34 zzdd wrote: Why should they pass those costs to the consumers though? They're fucking Blizzard-Activision. There's no way they couldn't easily cover the cost. Seems pretty greedy to me.
Why wouldn't they? If it is that much more expensive for them to put the game on that system, why shouldn't it be that much more expensive for you to buy it from them on that system?
But lets be honest, that is not the reason they sell it for 60$ on consoles. The reason is simply that console gamers buy games for 60$, while PC gamers are used to much cheaper games nowadays due to the indie market. A game producer will always sell a game at the price that they think will net them the most money in the end, there are no other reasons for setting a price, and that makes quite a lot of sense too. (Please do not read this superficially, stuff like consumer goodwill and not being seen as overcharging are a part of "making the most money in the end" due to being able to sell more products in the long run.)
Simply put, consoles are weird. Games on consoles are usually inferior and more expensive, yet people do buy them. I have no explanation for that.
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On February 10 2016 08:49 Simberto wrote:Show nested quote +On February 10 2016 08:34 zzdd wrote: Why should they pass those costs to the consumers though? They're fucking Blizzard-Activision. There's no way they couldn't easily cover the cost. Seems pretty greedy to me. Why wouldn't they? If it is that much more expensive for them to put the game on that system, why shouldn't it be that much more expensive for you to buy it from them on that system? But lets be honest, that is not the reason they sell it for 60$ on consoles. The reason is simply that console gamers buy games for 60$, while PC gamers are used to much cheaper games nowadays due to the indie market. A game producer will always sell a game at the price that they think will net them the most money in the end, there are no other reasons for setting a price, and that makes quite a lot of sense too. (Please do not read this superficially, stuff like consumer goodwill and not being seen as overcharging are a part of "making the most money in the end" due to being able to sell more products in the long run.) Simply put, consoles are weird. Games on consoles are usually inferior and more expensive, yet people do buy them. I have no explanation for that. Yes, greed.
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I guess you could call it that, but expecting anything else from a corporation is silly. A corporation is not your friend, they are there to make money. That might coincide with your interests sometimes, because making good games tends to make more money than making bad games, but their basic interest is always making money. I do not see that as a bad thing either.
Be an educated consumer and buy things because you think they are worth your money after informing yourself about their properties, and you can have a quite symbiotic relationships with companies, where they make stuff that you enjoy to make money, and you get stuff that you enjoy by paying a price that you think is reasonably low.
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And yet D3 costs the same on PC as it does on console (correct me if I'm wrong here). So if its greed, why did they not charge more for that?
I think its just as likely its Sony/Microsoft trying to protect their shooter market and letting it be sold for less then their own games (60).
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On February 10 2016 08:48 zzdd wrote:Show nested quote +On February 10 2016 08:44 Plansix wrote:On February 10 2016 08:34 zzdd wrote: Why should they pass those costs to the consumers though? They're fucking Blizzard-Activision. There's no way they couldn't easily cover the cost. Seems pretty greedy to me. Because if they don't, there is no reason to release it on consoles. Their margin is not that amazing. Then why release it at all? If they only care about money then it doesn't make much sense. Also Blizzard is one of the biggest companies. If indies can do it without charging $60, then so can Blizzard.
theoretically ATVI has so much cash reserves they could easily charge $0 for everything the next 2 years and still roll along like nothing happened.
The Full Box price of a PS4 game and an XBOX1 game is $60. That is the price they set for their work. TitanFAIL had the same price and no single player mode with AI bots having the IQ of a chicken with its head cut off.
Blizzard has now included a feature and customization set that makes it better than or on par with any other full box priced game for a console.
I have now spent in the thousands on Blizzard. I'm happy and I do not think they are greedy. They are the best around and they want to make a huge fuck-tonne of cash for their great work. I respect that and fill in my credit card # on my BNet form as i say it.
On February 10 2016 08:51 zzdd wrote: Yes, greed.
"This is John Galt speaking...."
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On February 10 2016 08:56 Gorsameth wrote: And yet D3 costs the same on PC as it does on console (correct me if I'm wrong here). So if its greed, why did they not charge more for that?
I think its just as likely its Sony/Microsoft trying to protect their shooter market and letting it be sold for less then their own games (60).
Overwatch is a multiplayer only game. D3 is a single player and multiplayer game. D3 did not cost $40 on PC. Not sure why you are comparing them.
I can't think of any shooters Sony and Microsoft have that are still popular that would make that suggestion even reasonable.
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On February 10 2016 09:00 JimmyJRaynor wrote:Show nested quote +On February 10 2016 08:48 zzdd wrote:On February 10 2016 08:44 Plansix wrote:On February 10 2016 08:34 zzdd wrote: Why should they pass those costs to the consumers though? They're fucking Blizzard-Activision. There's no way they couldn't easily cover the cost. Seems pretty greedy to me. Because if they don't, there is no reason to release it on consoles. Their margin is not that amazing. Then why release it at all? If they only care about money then it doesn't make much sense. Also Blizzard is one of the biggest companies. If indies can do it without charging $60, then so can Blizzard. theoretically ATVI has so much cash reserves they could easily charge $0 for everything the next 2 years and still roll along like nothing happened. The Full Box price of a PS4 game and an XBOX1 game is $60. That is the price they set for their work. TitanFAIL had the same price and no single player mode with AI bots having the IQ of a chicken with its head cut off. Blizzard has now included a feature and customization set that makes it better than or on par with any other full box priced game for a console. I have now spent in the thousands on Blizzard. I'm happy and I do not think they are greedy. They are the best around and they want to make a huge fuck-tonne of cash for their great work. I respect that and fill in my credit card # on my BNet form as i say it. Besides paying for the cert process, they would also have to pay for servers, support, future updates, the physical product (disc, cases), etc. It seems to me like they have zero problem covering the costs so I don't know why console customers have to pay $20 more for what seems like zero reason and zero benefit.
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the Boxed Copy of the PC game is $60. Same as the physical boxed copy of the console version. box making and distribution is fucking expensive. so a DL only PC version is $40.
On February 10 2016 09:03 zzdd wrote:Show nested quote +On February 10 2016 08:56 Gorsameth wrote: And yet D3 costs the same on PC as it does on console (correct me if I'm wrong here). So if its greed, why did they not charge more for that?
I think its just as likely its Sony/Microsoft trying to protect their shooter market and letting it be sold for less then their own games (60).
Overwatch is a multiplayer only game.
no it is no longer multiplayer only. check the feature list for February 9. you can play single player games and you can play 1v1 games where you and your best gaming pal get 5 AIs each per side.
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On February 10 2016 09:07 JimmyJRaynor wrote: the Boxed Copy of the PC game is $60. Same as the physical boxed copy of the console version. box making and distribution is fucking expensive. so a DL only PC version is $40.
If that's true, then I stand corrected.
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On February 10 2016 09:06 zzdd wrote:Show nested quote +On February 10 2016 09:00 JimmyJRaynor wrote:On February 10 2016 08:48 zzdd wrote:On February 10 2016 08:44 Plansix wrote:On February 10 2016 08:34 zzdd wrote: Why should they pass those costs to the consumers though? They're fucking Blizzard-Activision. There's no way they couldn't easily cover the cost. Seems pretty greedy to me. Because if they don't, there is no reason to release it on consoles. Their margin is not that amazing. Then why release it at all? If they only care about money then it doesn't make much sense. Also Blizzard is one of the biggest companies. If indies can do it without charging $60, then so can Blizzard. theoretically ATVI has so much cash reserves they could easily charge $0 for everything the next 2 years and still roll along like nothing happened. The Full Box price of a PS4 game and an XBOX1 game is $60. That is the price they set for their work. TitanFAIL had the same price and no single player mode with AI bots having the IQ of a chicken with its head cut off. Blizzard has now included a feature and customization set that makes it better than or on par with any other full box priced game for a console. I have now spent in the thousands on Blizzard. I'm happy and I do not think they are greedy. They are the best around and they want to make a huge fuck-tonne of cash for their great work. I respect that and fill in my credit card # on my BNet form as i say it. Besides paying for the cert process, they would also have to pay for servers, support, future updates, the physical product (disc, cases), etc. It seems to me like they have zero problem covering the costs so I don't know why console customers have to pay $20 more for what seems like zero reason and zero benefit.
The point of a company is not to cover costs, but to make a profit. I have no idea where you get this idea that Blizzard should sell stuff for less than they price they deem optimal to make the most money off their product.
The game costs 40$ on PC because Blizzard thinks that they will make the most money that way. They think that the larger amount of sales will offset the lower profit compared to 60$, 80$, or 531$. They think that going lower than 40$ will not yield enough additional sales to warrant the lower profit per unit. Now, they might be correct or incorrect in this assumption, but i am pretty sure they are way better at analyzing this then either you or i are.
The game costs 60$ on consoles because Blizzard thinks that they will make the most money that way. They don't believe that going lower than 60 will net them enough additional sales to offset the reduced profit per unit, and they think that going higher than 60 will reduce the amount of sales significantly, and by a larger amount than the additional per unit profit can offset.
These calculations probably include some long-term variables like the idea that they need a large enough player base to continue selling the game lateron, the idea that there are psychological limits for consumers, with that for console players being that 60$ for a game is the normal price, which PC gamers don't believe, and many other things. There are people whose job it is to figure this stuff out, and i will assume that they are good at their job.
Blizzard is not your friend. They are a company trying to make money. That is the main and only reason for their pricing. Stuff like "fairness" only figures into this when it influences whether consumers will buy their stuff or not. Your job as a consumer is to decide if what they are selling is worth the price they are asking, and if you do that correctly, both sides are happy with the deal.
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On February 10 2016 09:07 JimmyJRaynor wrote: the Boxed Copy of the PC game is $60. Same as the physical boxed copy of the console version. box making and distribution is fucking expensive. so a DL only PC version is $40.
Looks to be the case yeah. Didn't know the only box release was the 60 version.
Makes it the most likely cause.
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On February 10 2016 09:09 zzdd wrote:Show nested quote +On February 10 2016 09:07 JimmyJRaynor wrote: the Boxed Copy of the PC game is $60. Same as the physical boxed copy of the console version. box making and distribution is fucking expensive. so a DL only PC version is $40.
If that's true, then I stand corrected.
np dude. and just ignoring the "chest thumping" of this debate for a minute here... let me ask you this...
relative to the other $60 console games out right now.. don't you think a Blizzard game will turn out to be an awesome value priced at $60?
Overwatch is really fucking awesome man.
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United States12238 Posts
FYI you guys are arguing two different products: Overwatch and Overwatch: Origins Edition.
Overwatch contains the base game, all the heroes and maps, and costs $40, PC digital download only.
Overwatch: Origins Edition contains the base game, all the heroes and maps, plus a cross-promo item for D3/WoW/SC2/Hearthstone/Heroes, plus special cosmetic skins for 5 heroes. It's $60 for PC and consoles.
Some of the posters here are correct that there are costs for third-party certification, packaging, publishing, distribution, retail partnerships, that are completely sidestepped by offering the product digitally. That is a likely reason why the $40 price point exists.
The $60 price point is their way to reach walk-in customers who don't follow gaming news while still offering additional value in the forms of cosmetics and xpromo. Even though you can order the Origins Edition digitally as well, they have to mirror the price to what you would see at a retailer so they don't undercut their partners.
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