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A typical PC or Console game in 1990 was priced at $50.

Now, 25 years later, a typical AAA release (PC or Console) costs $60, while thousands of non AAA games cost anywhere from $40 to free.

Of note is the fact that the development costs of something like The Witcher 3 or Just Cause 3 are immeasurably higher then the development of any of the 1990 titles.

Don't forget the inflation either. $50 in 1990 equals $95.50 in 2015.

This is all to say that we should be VERY, VERY happy with the prices of games right now.
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budejovice: Since I only buy DRM-free, I haven't experienced too much sticker shock. But when I first saw a $90 entry for Pillars of Eternity I made the pledge to not buy that game (at any tier) until it hit 80% off. I've still got some years to wait - no worries, my massive collection of DRM-free games should get me through the interim. :)
Same here, except that Pillars of Eternity no longer costs $90; it now costs $115 and likely to be even more if more DLCs come out, so I might have to go up to 85% or 90%.
Post edited December 10, 2015 by mrkgnao
Yes and you shouldn't talk or you're entitled.

/s
No, mine cost less than 6$ ;P
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Yeshu: Seriously? I understand that people have different incomes but 25$ can be saved up in a month.
Unless you're one of those special sales vampires.
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mrkgnao: I can pay $25 for a game, but I don't want to. I don't think it's worth it.

For example, King's Bounty: The Legend is an absolutely awesome game that I have played for hundreds of hours and it only costs $6 without sale (I paid $5 for it back in 2010). There might be better games out there, but 5 times better ($5 x 5 = $25)?! Or 20 times better ($5 x 20 = $100)?! No way.

I believe somewhere between $5 and $15 is a fair price for most games (including all DLCs and expansions); a bit more for indie games, a bit less for mass-market games.
You pirate allot don't you?
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Yeshu: You pirate allot don't you?
Why would you assume that? There's no need to pirate games at all. Good prices for literally more games than you can play can be found at any time.
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mrkgnao: I can pay $25 for a game, but I don't want to. I don't think it's worth it.

For example, King's Bounty: The Legend is an absolutely awesome game that I have played for hundreds of hours and it only costs $6 without sale (I paid $5 for it back in 2010). There might be better games out there, but 5 times better ($5 x 5 = $25)?! Or 20 times better ($5 x 20 = $100)?! No way.

I believe somewhere between $5 and $15 is a fair price for most games (including all DLCs and expansions); a bit more for indie games, a bit less for mass-market games.
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Yeshu: You pirate allot don't you?
Never pirated a game in my life.
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Vyraexii: well you can always just wait for the price to go down.
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rtcvb32: I will wait for a game to lower in price. Be it console or otherwise. As such i haven't bought a game over $20 in a long time, one of the few games i bought with a really really low discount was TIS-100 (and was like $8).

I can't help but remember looking at [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_Returns:_Final_Fantasy_XIII]Lightning Returns[/url] (PS3), seeing the $60 price and shook my head. 2-3 years later it's now low enough at about $20.
I wouldn't pay 20 cents for that piece of crap.
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rtcvb32:
Agreed. 50 to 60 bucks back in the day for a new game. 60-70 for a new game now. That's not too bad all things considered.

Though i have not bought a "New" game in years. Used or something on a GOG sale.
Post edited December 10, 2015 by ScotchMonkey
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Ganni1987: If you think that's too much, Think Again. Just expand the DLC list and scroll to the bottom for final price.

:D
Well, this means they have to sell a considerably lower amount of copies to break even. :D
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OneFiercePuppy: ... $100 for a new game isn't really all that much. ...
Funny secret message!

Btw. obviously there is one way out even today: Move to Russia. Prices are currently vastly different depending on region. http://www.gog.com/forum/general/good_news_price_updates
Post edited December 10, 2015 by Trilarion
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But you have to take into account that the amount of potential buyers of your game also has risen far above the few people that bought video (or computer) games in the 90ies.
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seikilos: But you have to take into account that the amount of potential buyers of your game also has risen far above the few people that bought video (or computer) games in the 90ies.
It is never enough. You grow as much as you can in capitalist world.
Only in socialist countries prices were set by government and you were not able to become a millionaire and be above society.
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seikilos: But you have to take into account that the amount of potential buyers of your game also has risen far above the few people that bought video (or computer) games in the 90ies.
That is true, which is why the average price is now much lower than 25 years ago in absolute terms.
Post edited December 10, 2015 by Alaric.us
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Smannesman: W3 also has a season pass.
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Yeshu: The difference is that with the Witcher you are getting actual expansions and not glorified mission packs.
Well they couldn't use the word DLC since they made a big deal about DLC being free (granted, they didn't mean 'bigger DLC packs' but it' still a stigma they themselves created), but from what I remember at least for the first "expansion" the playtime is no higher than some of the Skyrim/Borderlands content, and they just call them DLC.
Post edited December 10, 2015 by Pheace
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Yeshu: The difference is that with the Witcher you are getting actual expansions and not glorified mission packs.
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Pheace: Well they couldn't use the word DLC since they made a big deal about DLC being free (granted, they didn't mean 'bigger DLC packs'), but from what I remember at least for the first 'expansion' the playtime is no higher than some of the Skyrim/Borderlands content, and they just call them DLC.
The Secret Armory of General Knoxx for the first Borderlands game added from 10-20 hours of quality content. Maybe Gearbox should invest in PR as much CDPR does:D
Post edited December 10, 2015 by Mr.Caine
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Compare that to the movie industry. They are easily spending 50 times (if not exponentially more in some cases) to make movies today than they did just 20 - 30 years ago. Yet the cost to buy a movie (VHS, DVD, Blu-ray) hasn't really changed much. VHS new releases were pretty much what Blu-Ray new releases are today. THEN, factor in that in that $50.00 price point for games in the 90s, a significant amount was tied up in packaging and distribution costs... most of which don't exist today. We also had better "demo" (try before you buy) options for many of the expensive games that we don't have today. (More risk and higher cost today).

I'd also claim its not very fair to bundle in Indie pricing with the AAA pricing scheme. Getting garbage for 99 cents doesn't change the pricepoint of a $90.00 game that assumes a season pass from day 1. I.E. just because there are cheaper options, doesn't mean the high price points are reasonable.

All that to say, I'm in huge agreement of waiting out the price breaks... but I don't think the inflation is an exact match after DLC (Season Pass) expenses. Valve promised huge savings to the consumer when Steam kicked out both the Publisher and the Distributor.... here we are with games costing almost 100% more 12 years later.