Game Companies Shouldn't Rely On price Drops

[Tails 6,690]

You know, vodeo game companies shouldn't rely on a price drop just to make their game consoles/handhelds sell a ton of units. While i do like the idea of price drops I don't think game companies likes Nintendo and Sony should do it too often. But this is the thing that sort of bugs me. Why do you all want a price drop for EVERY system that comes out? I mean, it was understandable with the PS3 because it was crazy expensive when it first came out. But why does everyone feel the need to get a price drop for the Wii U and PS Vita? is it even necessary? If you ask me: No, it it not necessary to have a price drop for both systems. I hate how gamers nowadays always whine about wanting a price drop simply because they can't afford that said system. I mean the Wii U and PS Vita have very reasonable prices and I don't think they should use price drop just to make it sell. What they really need is a library of good games to make people want to buy that system. Though with the PS Vita memory cards, I whole-heartily agree that Sony should have a price drop on those. But why does everyone want a price drop for the PS Vita, itself? it's at a very good price point everyone's all "Hurr durr we want a price drop simply because we can't afford it. Please make it happen Sony durr hurr." The whole reason why Japan got a price drop on the system was because it was a lot more expensive in Japan than it is in America/Europe. Which gives a good reason to price drop the system. Same thing could be said about the Wii U, it's at a good price that isn't super expensive. I mean, Everyone bought the PS3 around 300-350 when it got that price drop but when newer consoles like the PS Vita and the Wii U comes out everyone suddenly whines and complain about a price drop when they are at the same price the PS3 is at now.

 

To put this topic in short: Game companies shouldn't rely too heavily on a price drop just to make a system sell a crap ton of units

[Weiss 8,279]

Price drops are good but they are not the solution to everything. I agree that most systems right now don't need a price drop. Just a better library imo.

[Namikaze 654]

You have to think about everyone else. Not everyone can pay $300 for a vita. 

[Deadshot 666]

 

1. The Vita is too expensive to buy and has a ridiculous price on the memory cards.

 

.

Changed your tune?

 

 

price drops sell systems, look at 3ds as easy example.

Edited March 23, 2013 by Deadshot

[Caity 3,946]

Thing is most people have noticed that eventually Systems do get a price drop, so would rather wait til then before they purchase one.  When you're noticing a lack of sales a price drop is a logical choice 'cause it will get the Bargainers interested, Early Adopters (people who buy things at their initial cost on release) most likely already bought it.  If the system isn't selling really well, has had a good market campaign and been out for a while there's no point leaving it at a high price that barely anyones willing to pay.

 

While I think the cost of the Wii U right now is reasonable (when it wasn't released the rumored cost of it was much higher than the real price at release) I still can't afford to splash that amount of cash, but i'm happy to wait til it's cheaper.  I however don't demand a price drop, I know they'll come throughout the products life cycle.  

[LordOfTheCastle 92]

When most people talk about a price cut for the Vita, they usually mean the memory card.Sony thought they could get away with charging triple for flash memory, and most people just threw it back in their face. That's why the Vita sold so horribly. That, and they haven't bothered to make enough games for the thing. The 3DS had the same problem with games, but it came with an SD card AND you can buy your own flash memory that will fit in there for average retail price. $20 for 32GB instead of, what, $120? $100?As for the Wii U, same thing. There are pretty much no games for it, and all you get in the box is basically a PS3 with a special controller. That's why people think it's too expensive, because half the price of the system is the tablet thing that people are already wary about wanting to use.And I'd just like to point out that when you said that you can understand that $600 was too much for the PS3 but $300 wasn't, somebody with more money than you could easily label you as a "whiny gamer who just can't afford the PS3 at its price point."I'm not trying to be contrary here, I'm just trying to bring some perspective to why people say what they say.

[Rob 5,571]

You have to think about everyone else. Not everyone can pay $300 for a vita. 

 

Its a handheld, it shouldnt even cost $300 period. $200, sure why not.

[Mystics Apprentice 2,397]

I think a lot of us come from a gaming generation where you could buy a console for under $200.  Now, it's hard for us to swallow $300+ for a single console (especially for a handheld).

 

While I do feel that Nintendo and Sony should be able to profit from their consoles and sell them for the full retail price, it's only natural that prices would go down overtime.  Take the games that come out for these consoles, for instance.  Most PS3 games start out at $59.99, but give it a few years and you can get the same game for $20 or less.  Overtime things lose value, and I think that's partly what happens on video game consoles.

 

Another theory I have is that, because of the poor economy these days, Nintendo and Sony have strategized by pricing their consoles slightly above retail when they're first released so that they literally can drop the price later.  This is because if consumers see the price drop, they'll think they're getting a good deal by getting something cheap when, in actuality, that's its true value and it was overpriced from the beginning.  Please note that this is just observation and speculation; I've seen some companies do this (seriously), but not saying this is something Nintendo and Sony practice.  I'd definitely see it as a possibility though.

 

Overall, I don't think it's bad to expect a price drop.  We're all just poor gamers that can't afford spending $369 on a Wii U (or at least MOST of us are).  If these price drops were hurting Nintendo and Sony that badly, I don't think they'd continue doing it.

[Namikaze 654]

Its a handheld, it shouldnt even cost $300 period. $200, sure why not.

exactly

Edited March 24, 2013 by Namikaze