Are Video Games Too Expensive?
jonathan
http://www.edge-online.com/features/valve-are-games-too-expensive#exp...
DekuDekuplex
I disagree with the conclusion. By comparing sales of a digital
distribution platform with those of retail, they are really comparing
apples and oranges.
Example: If I walked into a discount store and found, say, Final
Fantasy XII available for only $20, I definitely wouldn't buy it. My
gut reaction would be to assume that there's probably something wrong
with the item, and since I care about such other factors as the
quality of the packaging, the quality of the customer service, the
flexibility of the clerk in dealing with special requests for extra
bags (or no bags, in some cases) as well, the time I need to wait in
line, whether there is space in the store to set aside my baggage (I
typically carry around two heavy bags with lots of food, drink, and
miscellaneous items wherever I go), the distance of the store from my
home, the store hours, and the general store atmosphere, I would feel
sceptical (I'm an game otaku, not a game mania, mind you).
The same principle holds for game strategy guides, game manuals, game
novels, game dolls (!), etc.
However, if I found the same item for the same price available for the
same console on some online medium, I would definitely purchase it.
Why? The reason is that then I only need to worry about the content,
and not about any physical factors, because there are no physical
factors involved. It's impossible to put a dent or a scratch on
digitally downloaded content, and there are no such silly issues as
clerk attitude and the like to worry about.
When I purchase a physical item in the real world, first off, I
usually won't purchase the item unless it is in perfect physical
condition; i.e., free of scratches, blemishes, dents, discolorations,
strange odors, fingerprints (!), and the like. Second, even if the
item is in perfect physical condition, I still won't purchase it if I
don't like the store or the clerk for some reason (for example, if the
clerk gives me an attitude problem when I ask for an extra bag, or for
no bag at all). So if I see an ununsually low price for an item that
I plan to invest 1000+ hours in playing, my gut reaction is to be
skeptical of both the quality of the physical product and of the store
itself.
However, if I see exactly the same item as downloadable digital
content, or as a virtual item in a virtual world, I won't care about
the physical condition, because there won't be any "physical"
condition: It is virtual item, after all. In that case, I'll only
care about the digital content. So of course I'll just go for the
lowest price I can find, since virtual products don't have a physical
entity that can be damaged.
I have heard reports of some stores here (in Tokyo) having
difficulties with customers who insisted on obtaining games that came
in packaging that was in the most optimal condition, so this
phenomenon actually seems rather common among game otaku (I don't know
about mere game mania, since they are completely different breed). It
seems that the article in question completely misses this point. Not
to mention the customer service of the store in question.
Game otaku tend to have a deep emotional investment in their games,
similarly to the way that, say, Mac-users view their Macs as pets, and
not just tools. For example, there's a reason that some Mac-users
only buy Mac-related products at Apple Stores. It's the same for game
otaku as well.
-- DekuDekuplex