Borderland 2's DLC is releasing early? That probably should not be as surprising as it is. Also, I just looked up Mechromancer's skill tree, I get the feeling someone there likes the ponies.
Yeah, but as irrational as it is, I will probably end up preferring the 4 bite size $10 chunks to the $30 investment, if only for the fact that I'll be able to see the DLC and hear some of the reaction before plunking down the cash.
I bought the LA NOIRE season pass thinking Rockstar couldn't go wrong, and ended up sort of regretting it, and it was cheaper than this.
After watching one of the panels posted over on the Pax thread, I felt the need to dig out my dance pad. Took me twenty minutes to find it and my eyes are still red and itchy from the dust I stirred up but it was totally worth it.
The new X-Com is wonderful, and you should feel bad if you're not playing it.
I feel good about $50 in my wallet. Call me when it's $20.
It is worth $50. Easily. Maybe more, depending on how gullible you are. People (Scott) are spoiled by Steam sales and so many amazing Indie games that are $20. $20 is not a price point for an AAA game. $50 is.
It is worth $50. Easily. Maybe more, depending on how gullible you are. People (Scott) are spoiled by Steam sales and so many amazing Indie games that are $20. $20 is not a price point for an AAA game. $50 is.
Maybe, but the market says $20. That game will be $20. The extra $30 is purely an Apple Bloom tax.
I think if your entire market is two new yorkers, then you can consider your title a pretty big flop.
And everyone who's actually in the industry realizes the truth of our assertion. Fewer and fewer people are buying AAA titles at launch: sales have trained us to wait. DLC packs always come. Every modern game's price curve looks about the same.
There is a hardcore contingent that will buy AAA titles at launch, but the curve of the price drop is a constant pressure on the industry that will only increase over time.
I'm not doing it anymore because I really have no time for gaming, and I'm making a real, earnest attempt to be more frugal, but for quite a while I was buying AAA games on release day, serially, all the time. However, I generally did this by chaining purchases on Amazon in such a way that I would end up with rolling credits and never paid retail for any of them. Normally I got around 35% off. I guess that isn't exactly supporting the "boutique" pricing of AAA titles, though, in the end.
I'd agree with you normally, but X-COM seems to have been a fair success at launch. Possibly due to the DLC bonuses they offered. I know that I did it as much for a copy of Civ 5 as to play it on release day.
I think if your entire market is two new yorkers, then you can consider your title a pretty big flop.
And everyone who's actually in the industry realizes the truth of our assertion. Fewer and fewer people are buying AAA titles at launch: sales have trained us to wait. DLC packs always come. Every modern game's price curve looks about the same.
There is a hardcore contingent that will buy AAA titles at launch, but the curve of the price drop is a constant pressure on the industry that will only increase over time.
It's one thing for you to say "Hey, there are all these people that back us up", and for them to speak up. And looking around, I don't see many of them here. Plus, I don't think your argument is borne out by sales numbers(for example, Modern Warfare 3 - which despite personal opinion is still a AAA title - sold 6.5 million copies on the first day, and Battlefield 3 sold 5 million in the first week, Borderlands 2 has sold over a million on 360 alone, all at $50 or above), especially when you factor in consoles.
That, and I was just cracking wise. I don't see how you can expect me not to needle you a little, with such a grandiose claim as your opinion being the opinion of the market at large, particularly with no data presented to back you up. Come on now, Rym, you know me better than that.
Well, even without data the fact that we're seeing more and more pre-order bonuses offered for just about every AAA title that's launched hints at day 1 sales numbers being down.
I mean, they wouldn't try to offer bonuses for people to buy on day 1 if day 1 numbers weren't dropping, right?
It's cool. You can be cheap. I'll keep experiencing the wonderfulness that is X-Com and mocking you for being cheap. It's the way of the world.
I have a good 40 years to enjoy X-Com. Even if I bought it today, I'm busy with other games and things for at least the next few months:
1. Writing new PAX panels 2. Burning characters for Burning Con. 3. Hiking this weekend. 4. GeekNights 5. Radio Free Equestria (ramping up for the new season) 6. One of our shit-talk projects 7. Beantown 8. DDR 9. CounterStrike 10. FTL 11. The 40 or so board games I own 12. Bi-weekly Burning Wheel 13. Bouldering 14. Biking 15. The other 80+ games I own on Steam and haven't played yet.
I'd agree with you normally, but X-COM seems to have been a fair success at launch. Possibly due to the DLC bonuses they offered. I know that I did it as much for a copy of Civ 5 as to play it on release day.
So, the moral there was that I should have waited to buy Civ V? (Actually, I should have. I'm pretty disappointed in Civ V).
It's cool. You can be cheap. I'll keep experiencing the wonderfulness that is X-Com and mocking you for being cheap. It's the way of the world.
I have a good 40 years to enjoy X-Com. Even if I bought it today, I'm busy with other games and things for at least the next few months:
1. Writing new PAX panels 2. Burning characters for Burning Con. 3. Hiking this weekend. 4. GeekNights 5. Radio Free Equestria (ramping up for the new season) 6. One of our shit-talk projects 7. Beantown 8. DDR 9. CounterStrike 10. FTL 11. The 40 or so board games I own 12. Bi-weekly Burning Wheel 13. Bouldering 14. Biking 15. The other 80+ games I own on Steam and haven't played yet.
I'd agree with you normally, but X-COM seems to have been a fair success at launch. Possibly due to the DLC bonuses they offered. I know that I did it as much for a copy of Civ 5 as to play it on release day.
So, the moral there was that I should have waited to buy Civ V? (Actually, I should have. I'm pretty disappointed in Civ V).
80+? Lightweight. Also, it's cool that you do so many things aside from play games. I'm happy that you have a robust life outside of video gaming, filled with all sorts of things. It's good. I do too, but X-COM is pretty much the bee's knees. I'm glad I bought it so I can play it tonight, despite all the other stuff I have to do.
I should note, I do rarely buy games at the full release price, national pricing differences aside. Not many games lately have struck me as games I'm interested enough to pay $50 bucks(minimum) for. I think the last game that struck me as at-least-$50-interesting was Sleeping dogs, and I'll be honest, didn't go wrong there, I consider that a decent enough transaction(though I did only pay $40 for that, since I pre-ordered so far in advance.)
I can't talk publicly about what's been said by many people (e.g., at PAX Dev or in confidence). But it is common knowledge that there is severe downward pressure on the price of PC games right now. Plenty of people still buy them at launch, but the tail is being pushed further and further out. It's extremely hard to maintain launch-day price for very long.
Personally, unless there's a multiplayer component, I have plenty of existing games to play already, so there's no time pressure on any one game. No game has come out in the last several years that was good enough to get me to drop everything else to play it.
I can't talk publicly about what's been said by many people (e.g., at PAX Dev or in confidence). But it is common knowledge that there is severe downward pressure on the price of PC games right now. Plenty of people still buy them at launch, but the tail is being pushed further and further out. It's extremely hard to maintain launch-day price for very long.
Personally, unless there's a multiplayer component, I have plenty of existing games to play already, so there's no time pressure on any one game. No game has come out in the last several years that was good enough to get me to drop everything else to play it.
I would argue that the only two games to come out in recent time that have been worth playing on day one are Borderlands 2 and Diablo 2. BL2 because it basically is a multiplayer game, and Diablo 2 because it burned fast and bright and then died off. That's separate from what I personally do though. The only launch day titles I've bought in the past few years have been X-Com (because I was insanely excited to see the title come back, and wanted a free copy of Civ 5) and BL2, because I wanted to play it with my group of friends.
I also picked up Aliens vs. Humans last night for the iPad, because it's an extremely faithful (if unofficial) port of the original X:Com. Sadly, it just felt pretty terrible compared to the new one. Granted, I can't compare the base building stuff just yet and there are some significant differences (the way individual inventory is handled is more streamlined in the new one), but the core tactical action is far improved in the new one.
Example: In the old X-Com, trying to hide behind low cover was iffy at best. In the new X-Com, hiding behind cover is an absolute key tactic. Tactical movement actually pays off, and careful cover/suppressing fire is very useful. Grenades are also more tactically useful, although you can't prime them and just charge a rookie into a mass of aliens.
Well, even without data the fact that we're seeing more and more pre-order bonuses offered for just about every AAA title that's launched hints at day 1 sales numbers being down.
I mean, they wouldn't try to offer bonuses for people to buy on day 1 if day 1 numbers weren't dropping, right?
I want to comment specifically on the pre-order bonuses. I can remember exactly two times in my life where a pre-order bonus for a major video game that was worth even a faction of a shit. Both of those times I pre-ordered the game at full price.
Even on Kickstarter, I don't want most of the bonuses they give out, but I get them anyway because they come as bonuses with the things I actually do want. For example, in the OotS Kickstarter, I got a bunch of stickers and stuff I did not want along with the books I did want.
I challenge anyone to show me a real example of a recent pre-order bonus that is worth paying for and has never been made available afterwards in any other way.
If you are curious about the two worthwhile pre-order bonuses, I can tell you they were both Zelda related discs for the GameCube.
I would argue that the only two games to come out in recent time that have been worth playing on day one are Borderlands 2 and Diablo 2. BL2 because it basically is a multiplayer game, and Diablo 2 because it burned fast and bright and then died off.
Diablo 2's fadeout is exactly why one should wait. Get the cheap single-player game later and play it one gloomy weekend. ;^)
As for Borderlands 2, personally I see no reason to ever buy it. One had too many flaws for me to really enjoy it enough.
I would argue that the only two games to come out in recent time that have been worth playing on day one are Borderlands 2 and Diablo 2. BL2 because it basically is a multiplayer game, and Diablo 2 because it burned fast and bright and then died off.
Diablo 2's fadeout is exactly why one should wait. Get the cheap single-player game later and play it one gloomy weekend. ;^)
As for Borderlands 2, personally I see no reason to ever buy it. One had too many flaws for me to really enjoy it enough.
Comments
I bought the LA NOIRE season pass thinking Rockstar couldn't go wrong, and ended up sort of regretting it, and it was cheaper than this.
I forgot how much I love DDR.
Also, the gaming industry isn't a charity.
There is a hardcore contingent that will buy AAA titles at launch, but the curve of the price drop is a constant pressure on the industry that will only increase over time.
That, and I was just cracking wise. I don't see how you can expect me not to needle you a little, with such a grandiose claim as your opinion being the opinion of the market at large, particularly with no data presented to back you up. Come on now, Rym, you know me better than that.
I mean, they wouldn't try to offer bonuses for people to buy on day 1 if day 1 numbers weren't dropping, right?
1. Writing new PAX panels
2. Burning characters for Burning Con.
3. Hiking this weekend.
4. GeekNights
5. Radio Free Equestria (ramping up for the new season)
6. One of our shit-talk projects
7. Beantown
8. DDR
9. CounterStrike
10. FTL
11. The 40 or so board games I own
12. Bi-weekly Burning Wheel
13. Bouldering
14. Biking
15. The other 80+ games I own on Steam and haven't played yet. So, the moral there was that I should have waited to buy Civ V? (Actually, I should have. I'm pretty disappointed in Civ V).
80+? Lightweight. Also, it's cool that you do so many things aside from play games. I'm happy that you have a robust life outside of video gaming, filled with all sorts of things. It's good. I do too, but X-COM is pretty much the bee's knees. I'm glad I bought it so I can play it tonight, despite all the other stuff I have to do.
Personally, unless there's a multiplayer component, I have plenty of existing games to play already, so there's no time pressure on any one game. No game has come out in the last several years that was good enough to get me to drop everything else to play it.
My point is simply that no video game is worth $50 to me, despite being an extremely invested gamer.
I also picked up Aliens vs. Humans last night for the iPad, because it's an extremely faithful (if unofficial) port of the original X:Com. Sadly, it just felt pretty terrible compared to the new one. Granted, I can't compare the base building stuff just yet and there are some significant differences (the way individual inventory is handled is more streamlined in the new one), but the core tactical action is far improved in the new one.
Example: In the old X-Com, trying to hide behind low cover was iffy at best. In the new X-Com, hiding behind cover is an absolute key tactic. Tactical movement actually pays off, and careful cover/suppressing fire is very useful. Grenades are also more tactically useful, although you can't prime them and just charge a rookie into a mass of aliens.
Even on Kickstarter, I don't want most of the bonuses they give out, but I get them anyway because they come as bonuses with the things I actually do want. For example, in the OotS Kickstarter, I got a bunch of stickers and stuff I did not want along with the books I did want.
I challenge anyone to show me a real example of a recent pre-order bonus that is worth paying for and has never been made available afterwards in any other way.
If you are curious about the two worthwhile pre-order bonuses, I can tell you they were both Zelda related discs for the GameCube.
As for Borderlands 2, personally I see no reason to ever buy it. One had too many flaws for me to really enjoy it enough.