Analyst: Activision Price Hike is a "Test" of Consumers

[Amnestic]

Hah. £55? I think not. My local CEX will be getting my money on a second hand copy, even if it still costs more than a normal game does. "Test of consumers" my arse.

 

[nova18]

1. Pachter is an idiot.
2. I say this because I posted not too long ago saying exactly the same as his "prediction".
3. I also posted that I could do his job just as well, I think that number 2 proves this.
4. I want a job.

 

[Booze Zombie]

They already make enough fucking money, if they want more... I'm not going to be the one giving it to them.

 

[sneakypenguin]

Spoiler: awesomewall of text

I actually see this as activision slyly trying to prove a POINT about the expensiveness of consoles (specifically the PS3).

Sony refuses to lower it's cost, in large because (and they have been QUOTED saying as much) people will ultimately pay what they ask in order to own their console which they feel is a superior product to it's competitors.

Activision is simply following that model. If you can hike up a price based on production costs and claim that poor economical conditions are hurting sales CAUSING the rise in price, which essentially Sony has stated time and time again (and to which in many cases I'm inclined to agree) then I do not see any reason why Activision cannot do this to improve profits. After all, the goal of a business is to make a profit, not give away free entertainment to fanboys. Sure, on the consumer end of things it sounds like a dick-move, but in the business world it makes PERFECT sense, and moreso if they still sell a number of copies. They understand that there are still plenty of people who will gripe and moan all the while forking over the money anyway because their desire to own a product supercedes their desire to save money.

So in essence, I make the same statement as I do to people who complain about Sony not giving the PS3 a price cut. You, the consumer, have only ONE power and ability... you can 'vote' with your FEET.. essentially if you think something is worth buying, then buy it. If not, YOU DONT HAVE TO HAVE IT. There is no requirement or need in life to play Modern Warfare 2 or any video game for that matter if you do not agree with the price point. They don't make games for YOU, they make games for a PAYING CUSTOMER. Either save your money and buy the game because you really want it, or don't. Ferrari makes cars that are totally awesome, and I'm sure almost all of us would LOVE to own one, but they price them at what they feel the car is worth and no one complains because we recognize it as a Luxury item and find cheaper alternatives to our vehicular needs. The same applies to games, consoles, health care, and anything else. YOU have to decide if it's worth the price. Free market capitalism regulates itself in this manner, and thats the beauty of it. If the price is too high, consumers wont buy, which in turn causes price REDUCTIONS .. OR... the benefit of a COMPETITOR. The Wii and the 360 are direct examples of this, benefiting from the PS3's refusal to lower the price to consumer demand and causing people to buy a cheaper console as an alternative. If Modern Warfare 2 is too expensive, then another shooter that might be a decent title but was threatened to be swamped into obscurity by the superiority of the modern warfare brand will suddenly be thrust into the limelight offering up a new IP and developer to bring newer and exciting gaming experiences.
And of course there is always Battlefield 3 out there, although that too is owned by Activision.

In short, complaining about prices accomplishes nothing except to make you look like a cheap ass. Activision is only doing what businesses do, just like every other business. This is the reality. Either buy the game or don't, and by NOT purchasing it, you send a message that you and other consumers like you are unwilling to pay that amount for what amounts to cheap entertainment. Nobody stopped going to the theatres when they hiked the prices on everything from tickets to concessions and as a result a date to the cinema is easily worth a day's wages.
Fight with your wallets not your words.

Hehe glad I'm not the only one who appears sick of whining. Just don't buy it and when sales are half of what they were activision will cut the price. I swear people don't realize the power they have as consumers.

 

[nova18]

Does anyone else have a feeling that when the sales for MW2 are drastically low in the UK that Activision will call their experiment a success?

They won't be.
It's sad but most of the people here buy into the COD series because its COD.
Even people who rarely play games will buy Call of Duty, just because their mates have got it.
Sadly its why I will be paying a kings ransom just to play it, because I know all my friends will have it, and its rare that we all have the same game, so we can all play multiplayer.

 

[KaiRai]

What total pricks. Why don't I just buy everyone else's games to test loyalty of developers, how do you like that Activision?

Fucking dickholes.

 

[bad rider]

Well time to start some boycott threads!

 

[bad rider]

1. Pachter is an idiot.
2. I say this because I posted not too long ago saying exactly the same as his "prediction".
3. I also posted that I could do his job just as well, I think that number 2 proves this.
4. I want a job.

Wait he's an idiot for agreeing with you..... Okay!

 

[Andy_Panthro]

Those of you who mention about games costing millions and therefore need to charge more in order to recoup their costs, you forget one thing...

You should always have a business plan. If you think you're going to make something that will sell hundreds of thousands of units, you can spend a big budget. If you think you're going to make something that will only sell thousands of units, you reduce your budget accordingly.

Piracy, second-hand sales, etc., shouldn't matter because you're initial plan should be based on a well researched estimate of the potential market and your competition (in regards to release date, platform, genre etc.).

As for this Activision thing, well, I was never going to buy it anyway. So I guess I don't really have much of an opinion. I do know that PC games are usually far cheaper on launch (Dragon age for PC 26.99, for Xbox 39.99 [http://www.play.com/Search.aspx?searchtype=allproducts&searchstring=dragon+age&page=search&pa=search&go.x=0&go.y=0]), and they also reduce in price far faster than their console counterparts.

So if you can, buy on PC. If you can't, buy something else and wait for this to turn up cheap second hand or on offer or something.

 

[nova18]

1. Pachter is an idiot.
2. I say this because I posted not too long ago saying exactly the same as his "prediction".
3. I also posted that I could do his job just as well, I think that number 2 proves this.
4. I want a job.

Wait he's an idiot for agreeing with you..... Okay!

I'm bitter because he gets paid for saying stuff that I can already figure out
Leave me be.

 

[Joos]

Can someone explain to me why a prince increase justifies pirating? If it costs to much, then wait until it costs less. It's not that hard.

Quoted for truth.

 

[sneakypenguin]

Can someone explain to me why a price increase justifies pirating? If it costs to much, then wait until it costs less. It's not that hard.

Quoted for truth.

But we are consumers we have a right to play it now and at the price we wanna pay! and if activision (someone in business to stay in business (IE make money) wants to charge us more we have a right to get it free! Those evil jerks. I can't believe they would make a game I like then charge "too" much for it.

/sarcasm

Really just wait till after christmas then buy it for 25% off. Vote with your wallet, simple as that.

 

[AlexTheBucket2112]

Activition is evil. 'nuff said.

 

[FloodOne]

Activision is more dangerous to this industry than Microsoft or Sony could ever be.

Boycott $90 games, or all the hot titles will cost $90 down the road.

 

[The Political Gamer]

So maybe the $70 "next-gen" will come true. :S

 

[wewontdie11]

Excuse the French, but Activision can eat a dick. I was looking forward to this game but if they're going to fuck us over just to see how much cash they can squeeze out of my already bare pockets during a fucking international economic recession then they can go suck a car exhaust.

If I can't find it the same price as every other new game, £39.99, they can go shove it up their asses, because I won't be buying it.

That has really annoyed me.

 

[Dudemeister]

I don't care how good it is, I'm not buying it.

 

[theultimateend]

Games are going to be more expensive than sex soon.

 

[Dragonrabbit]

Wasn't it an Activision CEO who said the PS3 has to lower its own price in these hard economic times? Way to go hero.