The Cost of A Digital Game

[Ciel]

Meh. I rarely buy digital copies of games on the PSN, unless they are titles specifically released through PSN. Are they too high? Sure. But people will buy them, people do buy them, so really I don't see it being a problem from a business standpoint. That said, if they released a physical copy of Transistor I would buy it in a heartbeat despite already owning it on my PS4.

 

[FosterTXT]

I couldn't agree more. The prices of digital games should be cheaper, not full price. As you stated there are a number of factors that should make digital copies of games cheaper that there hard copy counterpart. This is why I love steam, there are prices are usually more than fair.

 

[Dmadman72]

I can see physical disks for people with slow internet speeds. If one takes a second to actually think about it digital is half the price of physical. You get 2 copies of every digital copy you buy. It works flawlessly on the PS3 and with a little bit of thinking flawlessly on the PS4. I think a lot of this stems from people not actually understanding how PS works. This works with any game on PSN and for me anyways is totally within the terms of use.

 

[Annabell]

Where are you buying your games that you're paying more for a digital game than you are a physical copy? With Steam, GoG, Greenmangaming and the like, you can easily get games for a lot cheaper than physical copies. And with each of these systems, you don't have to spare any space on your computer after you've finished playing them. Just the same as with a physical game, which needs to be installed.

 

[Ciel]

Where are you buying your games that you're paying more for a digital game than you are a physical copy? With Steam, GoG, Greenmangaming and the like, you can easily get games for a lot cheaper than physical copies. And with each of these systems, you don't have to spare any space on your computer after you've finished playing them. Just the same as with a physical game, which needs to be installed.

PSN is notorious for this. And, despite it being a Kotaku article, just look at the prices for Now.
http://kotaku.com/playstation-now-prices-are-currently-insane-1594025919

 

[RobDaCool]

PSN is notorious for this. And, despite it being a Kotaku article, just look at the prices for Now.
http://kotaku.com/playstation-now-prices-are-currently-insane-1594025919

Wow! If those are true, it would be cheaper to go out and buy the game, but Sony knows most guys are scared they'd meet someone if they went to the mall to buy a game lol

 

[Derri]

Well Xbox http://ps4forum.com/12-xbox/4155-xbox-one-trial-cheaper-digital-prices.html did trial this.

 

[Annabell]

PSN is notorious for this. And, despite it being a Kotaku article, just look at the prices for Now.
http://kotaku.com/playstation-now-prices-are-currently-insane-1594025919

Whelp, that explains that I guess. I always think of PCs when I hear of digital downloads, which caused some of my confusion obviously.

 

[Derri]

Now the video at the start focuses on digital prices for PS Now. However at 2:35 he starts discussing digital games in general and prices.

Its basically saying what we're saying here.

I honestly wish someone would explain to us why the cost of a digital game is the same as physical copy.

 

[Ridge]

I honestly wish someone would explain to us why the cost of a digital game is the same as physical copy.

Iwata has explained it a little bit. The experience is the same whether you buy your game digitally or physically, and that experience is what you are paying for. Whether you buy a disk or download the game, you are paying to get access to the experience. Like a concert or going to a movie. The faster, easiest way for you to get a game is digitally, physical games only still exist for people whose isn't up to snuff, or prefer clutter for whatever reason. If you need a physical game bigger game companies will absorb all the increased costs of physical (trucks, employees, printing disks, etc..) and not charge you an extra penny for it! Lucky you. Smaller companies just cant afford to absorb that cost, so indies largely just release games digitally.

Also it isn't free to make/maintain something like PSN. There is a cost associated with digital. A lot of you pretend digital games just appear on your PS4 from heaven.

Digital games being cheaper would also devalue IP, which is a major problem in the industry. The app store and humble bundles have devalued games to the point where people complain whenever something costs anything. This devaluation is also a huge part of what is turning gamers into entitled, whiny, butt hurt children.

Lastly it doesn't piss off retailers.

 

[Derri]

Iwata has explained it a little bit. The experience is the same whether you buy your game digitally or physically, and that experience is what you are paying for. Whether you buy a disk or download the game, you are paying to get access to the experience. Like a concert or going to a movie. The faster, easiest way for you to get a game is digitally, physical games only still exist for people whose isn't up to snuff, or prefer clutter for whatever reason. If you need a physical game bigger game companies will absorb all the increased costs of physical (trucks, employees, printing disks, etc..) and not charge you an extra penny for it! Lucky you. Smaller companies just cant afford to absorb that cost, so indies largely just release games digitally.

Also it isn't free to make/maintain something like PSN. There is a cost associated with digital. A lot of you pretend digital games just appear on your PS4 from heaven.

Digital games being cheaper would also devalue IP, which is a major problem in the industry. The app store and humble bundles have devalued games to the point where people complain whenever something costs anything. This devaluation is also a huge part of what is turning gamers into entitled, whiny, butt hurt children.

Lastly it doesn't piss off retailers.

I actually made a mistake in my wording, I'd actually like to say that it costs more as well.

Thank you for your detailed explanation and I understand what you're saying. Furthermore we all understand PSN wasn't made by magic and games don't appear on their from heaven. However, you're paying for an experiance but actually you only own a game. You can't do anything with a digital game and consumers want choice. I can give a game to a friend to play, I can sell it, I own something physical (which is more psychological than any real point) and I have control. With a digital game I don't have any control and I can't sell it or give it to a mate.

Digital games aren't popular and the price is the number one reason.

Here's the current logic I'm faced with:

Watch Dogs: Digital Game - £60
Watch Dogs: Disc Based - £40-£45

Digital

I can't sell the game
It takes up much more space on my HDD
It does offer convenience but £20 more for convenience isn't a big selling point to me

Disc

It's cheaper 95% of the time
It saves me room on my HDD
I own something physical
I can sell it
I can give it to a friend and do a game exchange for a week e.g. I give you blah and you give me blah

--------

So you understand my point of why I think digital games should be cheaper than what I can get out of Asda or Tesco.

 

[Ridge]

I actually made a mistake in my wording, I'd actually like to say that it costs more as well.

Thank you for your detailed explanation and I understand what you're saying. Furthermore we all understand PSN wasn't made by magic and games don't appear on their from heaven. However, you're paying for an experiance but actually you only own a game. You can't do anything with a digital game and consumers want choice. I can give a game to a friend to play, I can sell it, I own something physical (which is more psychological than any real point) and I have control. With a digital game I don't have any control and I can't sell it or give it to a mate.

Digital games aren't popular and the price is the number one reason.

Here's the current logic I'm faced with:

Watch Dogs: Digital Game - £60
Watch Dogs: Disc Based - £40-£45

Digital

I can't sell the game
It takes up much more space on my HDD
It does offer convenience but £20 more for convenience isn't a big selling point to me

Disc

It's cheaper 95% of the time
It saves me room on my HDD
I own something physical
I can sell it
I can give it to a friend and do a game exchange for a week e.g. I give you blah and you give me blah

--------

So you understand my point of why I think digital games should be cheaper than what I can get out of Asda or Tesco.

Retailers are quicker to discount for sure, but quite often the more ridiculous deals will be digital.

Also I don't care about any of those physical benefits you mentioned. So I like digital because it is easier..

 

[Bingo]

Everyone screamed bloody murder when Microsoft revealed X Box One's original download only design, but personally I think it's unfortunate they didn't go ahead with their plan. As a PC gamer, I was hoping that when up against PS4 they would eventually settle on a model not unlike Steam for console gaming. Anyone who has experienced Steam knows how great it can be. Super sales and a virtual collection of games at your disposal. I think it could have made for a very interesting generation of gaming, and the competition would have been good for gamers. Instead, this generation seems like it's going to be very much like the last one.

 

[Derri]

Retailers are quicker to discount for sure, but quite often the more ridiculous deals will be digital.

Also I don't care about any of those physical benefits you mentioned. So I like digital because it is easier..

I've never seen PSN do any kind of amazing deals other than for games that have been out for years upon years.

I just wish they could adopt a model like steam because there prices, even for new releases are very reasonable.

 

[Annabell]

I've never seen PSN do any kind of amazing deals other than for games that have been out for years upon years.

I just wish they could adopt a model like steam because there prices, even for new releases are very reasonable.

Steam has the full price on new releases, although they will have sales or promotions on them. However they can arrange this with the devs because they've got a tried and tested method of this.

 

[Oberon]

Digital

I can't sell the game
It takes up much more space on my HDD
It does offer convenience but £20 more for convenience isn't a big selling point to me

Disc

It's cheaper 95% of the time
It saves me room on my HDD
I own something physical
I can sell it
I can give it to a friend and do a game exchange for a week e.g. I give you blah and you give me blah

Agree and it's what I have said too.
Also not to mention different internet speeds from over the world and peoples data limits.
How long would it take any of you to download a 40GB game? An hour? A day? A week? And what is your data limit per month? 10GB? 50GB? 200GB? Unmetered/unlimited if you are lucky? Diff countries and ISP's charge differently so we cant all have unlimited,regardless of what speeds.
Yes I know its not Microsoft or Sony's fault but it looks like they dont take that into account when talking about future digital only,or just dont care.

Sorry,but there is no reason at all why digital only is of actual real benefit other than having a game quicker on release,as long as your connection is very fast that is.
Digital only at this point in time,is a hindrance to many of us,for many reasons.

 

[Annabell]

Digital

I can't sell the game
It takes up much more space on my HDD
It does offer convenience but £20 more for convenience isn't a big selling point to me

Disc

It's cheaper 95% of the time
It saves me room on my HDD
I own something physical
I can sell it
I can give it to a friend and do a game exchange for a week e.g. I give you blah and you give me blah

Digital games are the ones that are cheaper 95% of the time. I'm not sure where you're buying your games, although again I may be biased as I'm thinking of PC gaming over consoles.
You can sell your digital games if you buy off of GMG although again, PC gaming bias I guess.
Most games can be downloaded to your HDD when you want to play it, and deleted when you don't. Do you really find yourself running out of space on your HDD that often that you can't afford to have a game on there when you play it?

 

[Derri]

Digital games are the ones that are cheaper 95% of the time. I'm not sure where you're buying your games, although again I may be biased as I'm thinking of PC gaming over consoles.
You can sell your digital games if you buy off of GMG although again, PC gaming bias I guess.
Most games can be downloaded to your HDD when you want to play it, and deleted when you don't. Do you really find yourself running out of space on your HDD that often that you can't afford to have a game on there when you play it?

Well the entire discussion here is console. I mean if you look at my first post I specifically talk about console and everyone's reply here, apart from the ocasional mention of a system like steam working on console, is discussing console.

Not PC.

 

[Annabell]

Well the entire discussion here is console. I mean if you look at my first post I specifically talk about console and everyone's reply here, apart from the ocasional mention of a system like steam working on console, is discussing console.

Not PC.

Yes, and my points still refer to console gaming, although aside from GMG of course. Including the talk about downloading to the HDD.

 

[Derri]

Yes, and my points still refer to console gaming, although aside from GMG of course. Including the talk about downloading to the HDD.

£64.99 for Watch Dogs PSN Store UK
£40-£45 Asda/Tesco UK

Digital games are the ones that are cheaper 95% of the time

Now £64 is the biggest I've seen it but usually £59.99 on PSN is the average so what you've said is only containing to PC.

The last point you've made, is again, not a major issue but its apart of the disadvantages I've listed to digital. And to be honest a lot of major games install files have been around 20GB each and have been up to 40GB (KZ Shadow Fall) and on a 500GB this soon adds up. Plus if you have a download cap or limit then once again, digital games can impact on that.