Nintendo Explains Why Digital Games Aren't Any Cheaper

[Frostbyte666]

Well the thing I see is that yes digital games are less valuable than retail games, why because with digital you don't own an official physical disc, the box, manual and anything else that may come in the box. So why should a digital copy of a game be worth the same as a physical one?

 

[nickpy]

Ahh... So THAT'S why PC games are ludicrously expensive on Steam, just like in retail shops. Oh wait... No. No they're not. Most of them aren't even CLOSE to expensive on Steam. Huh. Guess all those discounted games and IPs are completely worthless by now, hey Nintendo?

You say that, I actually frequently find that retail copies are significantly cheaper than steam (e.g. I picked up Skyrim at Tesco for £19.99 whereas Steam was selling it for £39.99 at the time) and quicker too since it only takes me an hour to go to the shop, buy the game, come home and install it whereas steam can take 5 hours for a large download. Hence, I prefer retail in most instances, as I don't actually see any overriding value to me in using Steam, plus if I physically own the disc no greedy publisher or belly-upping company can rob me of it.

 

[circularlogic88]

Another reason why Nintendo won't drop their digital prices: They don't want to upset retailers with more competitive sales pricing than what retailers can provide. Dunno about most places, but I'm fairly certain Gamestop only makes about a $2 profit off of every new game that's sold. If the publisher is offering the same game at a cheaper price that makes it not possible for the retailer to compete then what incentive does the retailer have for ordering more product from the publisher when the publisher is actively undermining the retailer's own business? Digital distribution isn't getting any cheaper because there still isn't a viable amount of people with internet connectivity and still very much a heavy reliance on physical copies to play games.

Steam and GoG get a pass from this as they don't have much of a stake in cutting into retailers' profits. Not sure if you've been to a PC Section in your local Gamestop or WalMart, but aside from WoW, Diablo 3 and some other random hot games of the month, there isn't much physically offered by way of PC gaming. This allows Steam and GoG to make deals and have competitive pricing as a majority of people who game tend to favor consoles instead of PCs and can't be bothered to do what is necessary to set up a physical disc computer game most times.

I dunno, that's my supposition anyways.

 

[Magmarock]

Steven Bogos, I think your TF 2 icon best sums up my thoughts on this.

As much as some might consider this blasphemy I think it would be great if Nintendo came to PC imagine Wind Waker on PC.

 

[Woodsey]

EA's reasoning for having less sales than Steam - and less good ones, at that - was because they didn't want to be seen to be running an "Ikea store", or something like that. I doubt it's the real reason, but then it's so pathetically transparent that I wonder if it is a genuine insight into how these peoples' minds work.

Bloody idiots.

 

[circularlogic88]

Steam and GoG get a pass from this as they don't have much of a stake in cutting into retailers' profits. Not sure if you've been to a PC Section in your local Gamestop or WalMart, but aside from WoW, Diablo 3 and some other random hot games of the month, there isn't much physically offered by way of PC gaming. This allows Steam and GoG to make deals and have competitive pricing as a majority of people who game tend to favor consoles instead of PCs and can't be bothered to do what is necessary to set up a physical disc computer game most times.

No idea where you buy your games, but the shops in my region have pretty big PC sections. And they aren't just selling the latest stuff either, but lots of classics, budget games and bargain bin stuff as well. Most retail PC games now are just Steam keys that come with a box and a disc for convinient install anyway.

So... what is your point? PC gaming sections are always dwarfed by console sections in size, variety and abundance.

side note: I am not a fan of these solvemedia checks.

 

[WeepingAngels]

The contents aren't really the same. A physical copy brings with it certain advantages like being able to play the game on any 3DS and/or Wii U. A physical copy is likely to go on sale more often too and you can resell it.

It's like buying a car that can be driven on any road or a car that can only be driven on the road you bought it on and can never be resold. If such cars existed, they certainly would not be the same price.

 

[shrekfan246]

I didn't say they weren't being stupid, but the way comments on this thread is going is less of just being genrally tired of digital copies being the same as retail copies and more or less being like "X company is stupid for doing this what clowns" like they are the only company doing it.

Doesn't make it better, but considering how they are basically reinforcing the standard mentality it doesn't even surprise me at all.

You realize that's because this is a thread about "[X Company]", right?

If "[X Company]" happened to be Ubisoft instead of Nintendo, most of the responses would still be "[X Company] is stupid for doing this, what clowns", because regardless of the state of the rest of the industry, [X Company] is the only one being shown under the spotlight here.

Besides, not being surprised by something doesn't mean you can't be disappointed by it. I'm not surprised; It still annoys me that Nintendo has the gall to just say "Yeah, we're going to keep them full-price because we want all of the money". Especially since, as you yourself stated, Nintendo titles are notorious for staying full-price years after their release.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Ok that's the kind of bullshit I'd expect from EA not Nintendo. I am disappointed in you Iwata.

 

[theApoc]

Man for all the people who say MS doesn't care about customers, here is a prime example of a company that TRULY does not think of them as anything other than money machines. He is equating perceived value with actual value, ignoring the fact that games are priced too high to begin with, why? Because companies spend tons of money on pointless marketing and wasteful packaging. Digital media has a much lower inherent cost and should be priced accordingly. What they truly don't want is for people who are unable to access digital media right now to not buy the physical version because they know a cheaper option is out there. What they really don't want to do is set a precedent for digital media, forcing them into a price point when ALL games are delivered that way.

Greed, pure and simple.

 

[Karadalis]

Oh nintendo how have you fallen...

You know if you still where the stronghouse you have been during the times of the SNES with titles like secret of mana, final fantasy, breath of fire, Contra, street fighter, r-type and the megaman series i would maybe.. just maybe see a point.

But nowadays all the "good" games you have are the same old nintendo lineups, pokemon, mario (including spinoffs like mario cart), zelda and metroid.

Your console name has become synonimous with shovel ware.

If it hadnt been for the fact that you cornered the handheld market and sony shooting itself in the food with its attempts then the situation would look just as bleak as it did before sega stopped making consoles themselves.

Lets face it, the overwhelming mass of games for your consoles arent even worth half the prize you ask for them. And those who are are so milked that their teats are about to fall off.

The console basicly has NO triple A exclusives anymore that arent a nintendo house franchise or from a japanese game developer.

 

[TiberiusEsuriens]

So digital games are the same price as physical copies cause publishers want more money.

All it is and all it ever will be. The excuse they've come up with is hogwash. Granted, there have been mixed reports for their finances and they've let people go, but please don't use an excuse like something EA would use.

Well, half hogwash. The last bit in their is totally true, by putting new IPs or games they don't think will sell well at a lower price they should succeed in getting more interest for those games. They know they can get away with the regular price points because they have data to back it up. The moment people stop buying the 'overpriced' digital products they will drop the price to encourage sales, but as they said it will likely never happen.

 

[klaynexas3]

I have a few questions. One, why are they getting targeted specifically? All console people do this. Only on the PC do we see sales and even then they're just that, there is still a base price that is the same, in fact sometimes more, than retail. Another question, why do they expect people to switch to digital when their digital distribution is absolute shite? Seriously, I can't think of a worse online shop. Maybe that's why they're answering this, because they think this is why we complain. I'm fine with buying a digital game as long as I have benefits to buying it digital over physical. It's a detriment to buy a digital Nintendo game, simply due to their piss poor way of using accounts. Dammit, now I'm pissed off again by their incompitance with the online world. Dammit Nintendo, god dammit.

 

[loa]

Digital only games already are devalued because they are digital only which means locked to the specific system they were bought on in nintendos case because nintendo is incompetent as fuck when it comes to online.
What an idiot.

 

[Weresquirrel]

Frankly, I'd be less annoyed at this attitude if the downloadable games weren't the same price now as they've always been. The Ocarina of Time remake for the 3DS is still £40 on the eShop. I find it staggering the Nintendo thinks it's okay to price a 2 year old port of a 15 year old game at the same price as a game released this week. Ditto for their Star Fox rerelease. I only have it because I found a physical copy for 1/4 of their asking price.

What makes it all the stranger, is I can buy a downloadable copy of the game from another company's website for cheaper than direct from the source.

 

[bdcjacko]

Why do people get outraged the games cost money?

Because you pay the same and get less, that's why.

What do you get less of, do they withhold the last level if you buy a digitial copy?

 

[loa]

Why do people get outraged the games cost money?

Because you pay the same and get less, that's why.

What do you get less of, do they withhold the last level if you buy a digitial copy?

You get less of an entire game if you ever use another system.

 

[Neonit]

So yeah, it costs the same because we want money. No news here, move along....

"oooo, we have to pay for the servers, that we dont have because we live in middle-ages - thats why we dont have websites nor emails"

ffs, we all know it - just be honest.... at this point they are like a guy explaining that he didnt commit murder, while holding the body in one hand, and knife in the other. and a post-it with "today i shall commit a murder". and a map titled "i shall bury the body here" with a big red cross. you know what im getting at.