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GN Mailbag 5/14
NFD 5/17 outtakes
NFD 5/17 - video
ND 5/17 - full info
EoD - Bye, EA
EoD - 3rd party love
GN Mailbag 5/14
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Yes, Nintendo would save money from offering digital. I'm not saying that they don't. However, the problem is thinking that if Nintendo saves money, consumers should, too. This is wrong.
Let me clarify... I'm saying that how much Nintendo is spending on manufacturing products doesn't mean anything to how prices should be set.
As explained in my example, we have two different games that cost the same to produce, but they're offered at different MSRP's. If how much it costs Nintendo to manufacture copies doesn't affect how much they will cost for consumers, it shouldn't mean anything if the digital version are priced the same.
I am not Australian. However, my research has indicated to me $69.99 is a complete normal price for a 3DS game in Australia.
Because their monetary value of production don't mean anything to the consumer, nor have they ever.
There's more to the benefits of digital then that, but even then, how much these pros and cons will matter to consumers will vary to each individual. Neither choice is objectively better than the other.
That can't be right. That's like $30 more than the retail version.
Certainly... not?
@Jerome
You can also get sales from digital copies if you purchase the download cards from gamestop or download codes from places like amazon (let's see how these retailers deal with that though)
You do own the game, and it isn't attached to DRM, just your system.
You can get a 32 Gig SD card for like 20 bucks now a days. With few games being more than 2 you won't be needing to worry about SD cards filling up.
Of course, this is for those who want the convenience. If you are the type of person who would make of excuses to not buy digital then digital is not for you.
That's the Australian price. $69.99 is the normal price for a 3DS game in Australia.
This is specifically with regards to Australia. Everything is broken there, from their season patterns to their game prices.
@thedreadpirateguy I believe that's normal price for Australia
Holy heck. I don't know what Australian Dollars equals in my pounds [or dollars even] - but that number alone just looks wrong.
Don't understand how games sale at $60 either!
... Still waiting for a Global Currency already.
@Sir Tobbii
Touche, I poorly worded my point. My point with that question was, why are people making it sound like Nintendo is the only one doing this?
There's people absolutely shocked at the idea of a digital game costing the same as its retail counterpart at launch.
Okay, there's also the ability to get games without waiting for mail order or having to go to a store. I guess I like stopping by a store and picking up a game I'm excited about, though, as it makes it feel much more like a special event instead of something completely mundane. Also, from what I've read about 3DS download times, I could pick up a retail game at my local Best Buy and be home again in less time than it would take to download it.
In the broadest terms I'd have to agree with you, but that's being a bit vague. Nothing is objectively better than anything else unless you lay out criteria. As distribution systems, we may not be able to say which is better because they both accomplish the basic function, and both have unique merits. If we get more specific, though, we can say which is objectively better for certain things.
Physical 3DS cartridges are objectively better for freedom of use, likelihood of discount, transfer to new systems, value as collectibles, and ability to recoup investment.
Digital copies are objectively better for convenience of procurement and access.
Surelly nintendo pays the manufacturing cost by themselves, but Where do you think that money they pay then comes from? I think it's fair to cost less than retailers.
The Norwegian price is the only one i have seen so far that is actually below retail-price.
So, what, we're talking a couple bucks off, then? Many stores occasionally do "buy 2 get 1 free" sales, or things like that. I have not seen that with console game downloads.
The very fact that it is attached to your system is a form of DRM, or Digital Rights Management. What if you want to loan your game to a friend, so they can play it on their system? Sorry, out of luck.
Yeah, good point. Those cards are something of an added expense, though, on top of the games being the same price or more, which is something to consider.
Are you saying I'm some kind of Luddite or something? I'm not superstitiously afraid of technology or change. In fact, the desire to hold a piece of physical media isn't my main reason for not totally embracing digital distribution. I value the concept of ownership, which includes the ability to use items I purchase in the manner I desire, to be free from binding commitments in order to continue to access what I've purchased, and the ability to accumulate equity which I can recoup later if I wish. Places like the iTunes store and Steam offer enough in the way of incentives (increased convenience, the ability to access content on multiple systems, big discounts, etc.) to offset the loss of this somewhat, but Nintendo is being pretty stingy with their download system, so I'm just not interested.
This is how digital works people. New games cost the same either way, you have the option to choose which way you want it. The incentive is for the devs to put their game on digital. I mean really, when you spend money on a game, you are buying the game. It's what that is worth. Lets not act all surprised that Nintendo is charging full price for digital when everyone else is.
Lol, this is seriously the funniest thing I've read in a while.
Ha, I like the way you said this, it's very true and better said than I have, I feel.
I believe it is important to understand that the ways both formats differ aren't so black and white. It's very loony to try to generalize how one way is outright objectively inferior to the other for subjective reasons, you know what I mean?
Hi guys,
Here in Brisbane (Australia) these are the prices I've seen advertised for tomorrows launch:
Big W - $ 54
JB Hi Fi - $ 59
EB Games - $68 (with preorder bonus)
Gametraders - $ 59 (or $ 69 with a Mario hat & mag)
Don't know if this aids the debate or not. The display in Big W even tells customers they can now download the game instead of buying it. I guess that's one reason why they've made it more expensive than retail. They don't want to arsehole loyal retailers?? Just a thought.
I will make this story weirder. Here in the Netherlands, Nintendo games always release one day earlier than Nintendo tells us. I bought my physical game card (EU version, which includes quick start guide, a Nintendo folder, a "Important" folder and Club Nintendo Point card and all in a beautiful yellow box with double sided cover) for the price of €42,99. The Nintendo eShop offered the game for the price of €44,99. The eShop version would cost me 2 euros more. Though I need to mention that the shop where I bought the game always offers games for a slightly cheaper price.
you think that's bad. it cost $90 for the digital version in new zealand! it onlys cost $75 for the boxed version. what the hell?!
That's interesting. All other eShop prices in Switzerland are based on the Euro price, multiplied by 1.4 (while currency rate has actually been 1.2 for months now). So that would make 44.99 € 63 Francs, but it's actually 57.90 and thus even 2 Fr below usual retail price of 59
Not just Nintendo but ALL companies that don't beginning with the letters VALVE need to work out their fucking digital prices!
69.95!!! EB Games is selling it for $68, a while 1.95 cheaper
What the fuck is the point of this all, you mean to tell me that simple data costs the same as making the cartridge,printing the cover and instructions, putting it in the case and shipping it.
The only choice that services like EA and Nintendo are giving us is deciding wither or not to get off our asses
This just in! THINGS YOU KNEW ABOUT MONTHS AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!
@enigmaxtreme
Hey you.
Yeah, you.
Stop posting.
Actually, talk of eShop prices never came up until early last month.
I think the price is fair because if u want it digitally then you obviously see an advantage with it and then that's what you pay for. If you don't want that, like me, then I don't care about that price.
you foolish men , you really expected to be cheaper ? like steam ? stop dreaming , steam sales are only possible because the universally loved valve doesn't actually make a lot of games . One could even argue that their output is quite ridiculously low . And like apple they have a monopoly over this particular device (pc or ios), some developers dared complain about the thirty percent cut they get but hey five bucks games i can't say no that .
Bottom line is the eshop full retail game is closer to the 360 full game thing , and those prices are also too high. But it was obvious both have actual partners and just won't undercut the retail market because unlike valve and apple they do earn money from it . Big surprise but that is the simplest explanation .
to put it in other words, you confused the delivery system with the economic model . Valve can because they are overtly profitable for doing not that much since they don't actually provide the things that make a gaming pc . MS or nintendo cannot . As for sony and its ps+ , let just keep in mind that although 300bucks over five years for something is a great deal compared to the nothingness of xbox live gold , it still is more than the average consumers would spend . And it's never going to be full brand new game day one biggest ip of the year.
Many services charge the same price for digital. Mario in specific never decreases and rarely sees sales. This really should not be coming as a surprise to anyone, ESPECIALLY when Nintendo said it will be directly involving retailers in the price of the digital version.
No one has problems with Steam prices being higher than retail though.
And I still buy every PC game from Steam, even if they were 5 times more expensive, as I love to have my games in one instantly selectable place, and I don't mind paying for online services convenience.
And I am a value centric guy, who formerly whined about having to pay same amount for a game, than those guys who paid for their boxes and physically wearing media.
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