Does the cost of a game play a factor in playing it?

Kopogero · August 2016

I make this poll because at the end of this month Blizzard will release WOW: Legion. I for instance can easily afford this game and more importantly I could enjoy it for all of what it offers, yet most likely I won't be buying it because of its cost compared to my other free to play alternatives.

I remember how for instance when Guild Wars 2 was super popular on release (despite buying myself Guild Wars 1 in 2005 and enjoying it) I choose not to buy it because I didn't find the price justified, but if the price was $29.99 instead of $59.99 I would've spent $ on it. Anyways, based on what I know and do not know about WOW: Legion as well as based on my other options as well as how the CAD $ has lost significant value over the last two years vs the USD, I'm looking at spending $32 CAD every month (counting the expansion) if I wanted to play a single game for 5 months.

So, I ask the community does the cost of the game plays a decisive factor for you or not? In my case if some products were cheaper over the last 5½ years they would've took more $ from me than they did.

SpottyGekko · August 2016

Not for me, unless the cost is way out of line with current average pricing, of course.

gervaise1 · August 2016

SpottyGekko said:

Not for me, unless the cost is way out of line with current average pricing, of course.

In other words yes.

Grunty · August 2016

Nope, I will happily pay 10,000 in order to play Dig-Dug.

SEANMCAD · August 2016

gervaise1 said:

SpottyGekko said:

Not for me, unless the cost is way out of line with current average pricing, of course.

In other words yes.

that would be incorrect interperation of the word 'unless' meaning 100% coverage which it does

Sovrath · August 2016

No

gervaise1 · August 2016

It is a well proven "fact" that price is one of the major factors in purchase decisions. Across the board not just for games. Countless studies, marketing textbooks, surveys and actual examples of companies cutting the cost of a product support this.

There are different behaviours associated with different price "levels" but it is all very well studied and documented. From the cost of basic commodities to the price of luxury goods.

SEANMCAD · August 2016

no

immodium · August 2016

If I think it's to expensive, I'll wait for a sale.

Gobstopper3D · August 2016

no

ZombieCat · August 2016

Like any other product, if I feel the cost is not in line with my perceived value I am not going to buy it.

SEANMCAD · August 2016

ZombieCat said:

Like any other product, if I feel the cost is not in line with my perceived value I am not going to buy it.

you weigh the same value of buying something like a pack of gum as you do buying a house? or is it more of a sliding scale?

gervaise1 · August 2016

SEANMCAD said:

gervaise1 said:

SpottyGekko said:

Not for me, unless the cost is way out of line with current average pricing, of course.

In other words yes.

that would be incorrect interperation of the word 'unless' meaning 100% coverage which it does

The inverse of what SpottyGekko said is that if a company wanted to charge more than the "current average" price then it would be a factor.

And that is the simple test. Everyone saying yes should ask themselves: if EA or Activision Blizzard or UbiSoft or whoever released their next game and decided to charge $500 or increased their sub from $15/$20 to $50 a month would it make a difference.

If you are answering no then - clearly - not.

However there are countless examples of people being price sensitive. Skyrim saw large sales, then further large sales when the price was reduced, then further large sales when they Legendary edition was launched. ESO with a sub sold not so well, without a sub they have passed 7M. Destiny had a sales boost with the Legendary pack. So many examples.

And - as I said - this is not just for games.

Now there are "bands" and "situations" within which people are "price insensitive". Discussing them would get somewhat academic though.

Ask yourself: if the cost of a game was five or ten times the current price would it make any difference. To you it might not. In general though?

Price - as a barrier to entry - is why f2p games have become so popular. To suggest that price does not matter is like claiming the earth is flat. That is not the same as some people being "insensitive" to whether a game costs $20 or $40. Price matters

SEANMCAD · August 2016

gervaise1 said:

SEANMCAD said:

gervaise1 said:

SpottyGekko said:

Not for me, unless the cost is way out of line with current average pricing, of course.

In other words yes.

that would be incorrect interperation of the word 'unless' meaning 100% coverage which it does

The inverse of what SpottyGekko said is that if a company wanted to charge more than the "current average" price then it would be a factor.

And that is the simple test. Everyone saying yes should ask themselves: if EA or Activision Blizzard or UbiSoft or whoever released their next game and decided to charge $500 or increased their sub from $15/$20 to $50 a month would it make a difference.

If you are answering no then - clearly - not.

However there are countless examples of people being price sensitive. Skyrim saw large sales, then further large sales when the price was reduced, then further large sales when they Legendary edition was launched. ESO with a sub sold not so well, without a sub they have passed 7M. Destiny had a sales boost with the Legendary pack. So many examples.

And - as I said - this is not just for games.

Now there are "bands" and "situations" within which people are "price insensitive". Discussing them would get somewhat academic though.

So the test: ask yourself is the cost of a game (or VR headset) was five or ten times the current price would it make any difference. For some it won't since individuals, depending on their personal circumstances, have different price sensitivities. For most it will however.

1. you are adding factors to the equation that currently do not exist. IF and and I stress IF the prices of games where in the region of $14,000 the yes obviously people would consider price but they are not so as a result you are dabbling in extreeme abstraction.

2. the reality is that its a sliding scale. You will not research the quality of a pack of gum to the extent that you would a car because of the price difference. The lower the cost the less relevant that becomes.

3. as a result video games per hour of value are extreemly low and as a result its like the stick of gum example rather than a car purchase example

4. taking statistics that apply to a very large diversity of population sets in which said statistics are trying to show a non-specfic but rather general trend and then take that an apply it as a rule to the purchase of a pack of gum is not being accurate

cameltosis · August 2016

Cost will be a factor for everyone with a limited amount of disposable income, which is everyone.

I can't even imagine a scenario where cost isn't a factor at all. Sure, if you're a milllionnaire then cost won't put you off the purchase of an average individual game, but you're still likely to consider the cost if the game was priced at £10,000, or consider the cost if your son asked you if he could purchase the entire steam library.

For me personally, its all down to value for money. I have a decent chunk of disposable income and will quite willingly spend £50 on a game if i think it is worth the money. For most games, they aren't worth that much, so I wont buy many new games. However, once they've dropped below £20, and especially below £10, I'll be more likely to purchase them.

SEANMCAD · August 2016

cameltosis said:

Cost will be a factor for everyone with a limited amount of disposable income, which is everyone.

I can't even imagine a scenario where cost isn't a factor at all. Sure, if you're a milllionnaire then cost won't put you off the purchase of an average individual game, but you're still likely to consider the cost if the game was priced at £10,000, or consider the cost if your son asked you if he could purchase the entire steam library.

For me personally, its all down to value for money. I have a decent chunk of disposable income and will quite willingly spend £50 on a game if i think it is worth the money. For most games, they aren't worth that much, so I wont buy many new games. However, once they've dropped below £20, and especially below £10, I'll be more likely to purchase them.

some of you are trying to suggest that the amount of factor of price of a pack of gum is similar to the factor of price in the purchase of a car.

gervaise1 · August 2016

Cost is a factor period.

Multiple interviews given by CEOs - which also detail the reasons they can't because .... price is a factor.

And look at the endless complaints about multiple games launching with "not enough content". More content would mean more cost which would mean a higher price however.

Cost is a factor in all purchases. When it comes to basic commodities it is often the only factor. When it comes to low value products e.g. gum we may knowing pay more because we don't want the hassle of going elsewhere to save a dime. Big ticket items like cars - for most - get a lot of attention. And then there is luxury pricing.

The relationship between price and products is well established and very, very well studied. Companies would very much like to double the cost of all their games - yes? - but they don't because they believe that they will make more money by not doing so.

There are other key factors - hence why it might not matter when it comes to buying e.g. gum - like e.g. quality of the product and availability. There is a relationship. How much more can they charge for a premium product say. Every aspect is very, very, very well studied by companies and researchers because price directly impacts a companies bottomline.

Kopogero · August 2016

This is why it's essential producers to be more flexible as times change, and the fact Blizzard has done little over the last 12 years with the cost of their product, especially after it released WOW:WoD, one of the worst expansions ever....I think companies should be more open to increase and decrease their product costs more often, based on its performance.

I know for a fact if Blizzard did a "good gesture" and at least waived the expansion fee for Legion based on how WoD performed a lot more would be inclined to get back into WOW.

Kyleran · August 2016

Is really an "it depends on the value" sort of question.

Would I pay thousands of dollars on a game? Probably not though a I do pay $700 or so a year for EVE.

If we are talking small change (under $100) then no real influence on my buying decision.

SEANMCAD · August 2016

gervaise1 said:

Cost is a factor period.

Multiple interviews given by CEOs - which also detail the reasons they can't because .... price is a factor.

And look at the endless complaints about multiple games launching with "not enough content". More content would mean more cost which would mean a higher price however.

Cost is a factor in all purchases. When it comes to basic commodities it is often the only factor. When it comes to low value products e.g. gum we may knowing pay more because we don't want the hassle of going elsewhere to save a dime. Big ticket items like cars - for most - get a lot of attention. And then there is luxury pricing.

The relationship between price and products is well established and very, very well studied. Companies would very much like to double the cost of all their games - yes? - but they don't because they believe that they will make more money by not doing so.

he should have said

'are the current ranges of prices on videos games enough to make you have a concious choice in your decisions in buying them'

which is what he meant.

1. .00000000000000000000000000000000000000001%of a decision factor really isnt whats being implied here.
2. the factors, time and engery one spends deciding on a pack of gum is not the same as the factors, time and engery that one uses in buying a house. it is, in fact, a sliding scale and nothing except for nothing ever reaches a true 0 anyway

Kayo83 · August 2016

Kind of a vague question to answer with just a yes or no. As far as MMO's go id pay the standard box price $60ish and even double the sub for a great MMO if the dev ever has the balls to do so, promising no cash shop. Free MMO's I just stay the hell away from just out of principle, not that ive found a good one as of yet. B2P ill dab and mess around with but probably never buy anything extra.

There are a bunch of factors going into SP games (fun factor, age, appeal, replayability, etc) but id pay up to $100 - $120 for like new collectors, or $80 if its like a never before seen, huge production thatll keep me playing and addicted for months or something.

ZombieCat · August 2016

SEANMCAD said:

ZombieCat said:

Like any other product, if I feel the cost is not in line with my perceived value I am not going to buy it.

you weigh the same value of buying something like a pack of gum as you do buying a house? or is it more of a sliding scale?

Same scale? No. Same process? Sure. And there is no single method used for every category of product. Evaluating the rent on a house vs grabbing a pack of gum at the corner store are two completely different things.

I am not going to spend days agonizing over the cost of a pack of gum but I damn will over the rent of a house. Same goes for a game. The higher the price, the more I will invest in researching it to see if I feel it is worth it.

SpottyGekko · August 2016

gervaise1 said:

SpottyGekko said:

Not for me, unless the cost is way out of line with current average pricing, of course.

In other words yes.

No.

It's rubbish poll, of course, the question is far too wide in scope.

My answer was based on the fact that I don't refuse to play a game until it becomes F2P... then play the crap out of it !

If it's good enough for me to spend serious time on, then it's good enough for me to pay for.

UNLESS the game costs $500 or $1000, which is far outside my gaming budget.

cameltosis · August 2016

SEANMCAD said:

cameltosis said:

Cost will be a factor for everyone with a limited amount of disposable income, which is everyone.

I can't even imagine a scenario where cost isn't a factor at all. Sure, if you're a milllionnaire then cost won't put you off the purchase of an average individual game, but you're still likely to consider the cost if the game was priced at £10,000, or consider the cost if your son asked you if he could purchase the entire steam library.

For me personally, its all down to value for money. I have a decent chunk of disposable income and will quite willingly spend £50 on a game if i think it is worth the money. For most games, they aren't worth that much, so I wont buy many new games. However, once they've dropped below £20, and especially below £10, I'll be more likely to purchase them.

some of you are trying to suggest that the amount of factor of price of a pack of gum is similar to the factor of price in the purchase of a car.

Well, I don't know about you, but every single time I spend money, I consider the price of what I'm buying. It doesn't matter if it's a can of coke, a stick of gum, a game or a house. Price is a factor in my decision making, as it should be for everyone!

1) Can I afford it?

If you are asking this question, then price is a factor. If you aren't asking yourself this question when buying something, you're a complete idiot.

2) Is it value for money?

This is more of an ethical question so wouldn't expect everyone to ask themselves this. I mean, if you can afford something and you want it then you don't necessarily care that its value for money (just look at all the idiots who buy apple products!). But, I'd still expect most people to ask themselves this question.

3) Opportunity cost - what else could I spend my money on?

This is going to be product-specific, but most sensible people ask themselves this question. Do I spend £50 on one new release game, or do I spend £50 on 10 games that are 3+ years old?

Now, when the prices are low, you don't need to spend as much time thinking about these questions but I bet you still ask yourself these questions with most / all purchases. Even if you're buying a pack of gum, at some point between picking it up and getting to the til, you have to ask yourself "how am I going to pay for this? do I have enough cash on me, or do I need my card?" at which point, price has played a factor in your purchase.

SEANMCAD · August 2016

ZombieCat said:

SEANMCAD said:

ZombieCat said:

Like any other product, if I feel the cost is not in line with my perceived value I am not going to buy it.

you weigh the same value of buying something like a pack of gum as you do buying a house? or is it more of a sliding scale?

Same scale? No. Same process? Sure. And there is no single method used for every category of product. Evaluating the rent on a house vs grabbing a pack of gum at the corner store are two completely different things.

I am not going to spend days agonizing over the cost of a pack of gum but I damn will over the rent of a house. Same goes for a game. The higher the price, the more I will invest in researching it to see if I feel it is worth it.

its a sliding scale that can get lower than .000000000000000000000000000001% but never reach zero.

but do we really think the OP was asking for some esoteric question to test philosophy? or does he just want to know if the current existing prices is really something that you conciously consider much? because i dont consciously consider much

as a side note I nearly never have any clue what the prices are of items I buy at the grocery store. not before and not after.

Phry · August 2016

The cost of playing a game is largely irrelevant tbh, far more important is whether the game is actually any good, if a game is fun to play then i don't particularly care whether its P2P B2P or F2P, although i do prefer P2P generally as i hate being pestered for more cash while i'm playing, which is something that generally infests most F2P games.

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Does the cost of a game play a factor in playing it?

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