Topic: It's time to get realistic about Spore's pricing.

[Haseri]

In the UK, I'd be prepared to spend £50 on it. (More or less $100USD)

Yeah, but most games only start off around £40 anyway (well £39.99).

[munchkin5]

In the UK, I'd be prepared to spend £50 on it. (More or less $100USD)

Seriously? You'd expect the average price of PC games to rise from around £34.99 to £49.99 after the release of one game? Prices in the UK using the Pound Sterling are close enough to those of the US, merely using a higher valued currency. It doesn't matter how much one currency is worth over the other, Spore is going to follow past market trends in pricing. In the case of the US, the game is going to cost 49.99USD$.

Pices in the U.K range from £30 to £40 usually about £35 for a decent game thats $60 to $80 so thats about right.

[Gil]

I'll probably pay between €50 and €60 here in the Netherlands, that's $80 to $95  USD

[DarkDragon]

49.99€ is the price for games when they are released.

[Mighdas]

At the gamestop where I pre-ordered it, the clerk said that it would cost $50 USD

[BlueSabor]

From Game.

http://www.game.co.uk/PC/Strategy/Simulation/~r326442/Spore/

[Tr0n]

Believe it or not, I'd actually pay 60 bucks for Spore... easily.  Plus 10 bucks for the full Creator.  Every game's a gamble, but if Spore is even half of what I expect it to be (and my expectation have been reduced over the last three years), it'll easily dominate my PC and my time.   We can do a price comparison:

World of Warcraft costs 15 dollars a month (US). Thus, the cost of WoW for six months is 90 dollars.
Spore could cost a total of 70 dollars (with the editor pre-release).  Assuming you play Spore as much as you play WoW for 6 months, you come out ahead.

Now expansions are a different story and I'd guess expansions, like those of the Sims series, will produce the bulk of the money.  30 bucks for an expansion upon release isn't too heft, IF you make heavy use of it for at least two months.

No matter how you cut it, if Spore does take off and produces as much as it boasts, it'll easily be a value.  The real question comes in this pay-per-part crap.  To be honest, I'd rather have them just release a part a week/two weeks or something for free and save the majority for new expansion packs.  Nonetheless, DLC and such is catching on and though I hate it, it's here to stay.

[Taken By Robots]

That's £26.99 per-copy, you have two in your cart, £53.98 total - just to clarify the image.

Pices[sic] in the U.K range from £30 to £40 usually about £35 for a decent game thats $60 to $80 so thats about right.

I'll probably pay between €50 and €60 here in the Netherlands, that's $80 to $95  USD

THe[sic] dollar is weakened a great deal since then, all those jokes about canadian money being less than our don't even apply anymore.

i tihnk[sic] we just have to accept that on a world scale that 50 we used to pay isnt worth 50 anymore.

Once again, it doesn't matter at all what your local currency translates into in terms of USD; it will meet the current rate charged for PC games.

Think about this - why would prices on PC games, stable for many years at $30-$50 within the US jump in the middle of a market correction while the publisher is attempting to start a franchise?

i remember buying wow for 60 in what? 2005?

That's an MMORPG at around 50$ plus a subscription within the package.

Believe it or not, I'd actually pay 60 bucks for Spore... easily.  Plus 10 bucks for the full Creator.  Every game's a gamble, but if Spore is even half of what I expect it to be (and my expectation have been reduced over the last three years), it'll easily dominate my PC and my time.

It doesn't matter that a few fanboys would give their house to play Spore. From a business standpoint it would be insane to eliminate a casual demographic for higher prices and a smaller demand. Companies such as EA make more money through volume than prices. There is also the fact that charging one-fifth the retail value of the game for its less than one-fifth is flat out ridiculous.

World of Warcraft costs 15 dollars a month (US). Thus, the cost of WoW for six months is 90 dollars.
Spore could cost a total of 70 dollars (with the editor pre-release).  Assuming you play Spore as much as you play WoW for 6 months, you come out ahead.

Last time I checked, replayability had nothing to do with price. *see FEAR*
 

[Uroboros]

Im here with TBR on this one. Even if Spore were to be priced high, it would only be in line with the market itself. Overpriced games only sell well to the fan crowd and the frivolous, and this game is trying to be accessable to everyone. I dont really see where the general pricing issue is, though I can understand people being a touch annoyed about the pay-for-full creature editor. I just really dont think there is much to discuss when it comes to this.

Also, BlueSabor, that preorder might not be reliable yet. Places from all over have been offering pre-orders for well over a year now, on Spore. The fact Game are displaying screenshots of Spore from the old version back in about '05 isnt helping my suspicions here. I'd wait a little closer to the release date.

[BlueSabor]

Also, BlueSabor, that preorder might not be reliable yet. Places from all over have been offering pre-orders for well over a year now, on Spore. The fact Game are displaying screenshots of Spore from the old version back in about '05 isnt helping my suspicions here. I'd wait a little closer to the release date.

Game are very reliable with their prices even if the price goes up they will only charge me £26.99 per copy.

[microgta]

That's £26.99 per-copy, you have two in your cart, £53.98 total - just to clarify the image.

Pices[sic] in the U.K range from £30 to £40 usually about £35 for a decent game thats $60 to $80 so thats about right.

I'll probably pay between €50 and €60 here in the Netherlands, that's $80 to $95  USD

THe[sic] dollar is weakened a great deal since then, all those jokes about canadian money being less than our don't even apply anymore.

i tihnk[sic] we just have to accept that on a world scale that 50 we used to pay isnt worth 50 anymore.

Once again, it doesn't matter at all what your local currency translates into in terms of USD; it will meet the current rate charged for PC games.

Think about this - why would prices on PC games, stable for many years at $30-$50 within the US jump in the middle of a market correction while the publisher is attempting to start a franchise?

i remember buying wow for 60 in what? 2005?

That's an MMORPG at around 50$ plus a subscription within the package.

Believe it or not, I'd actually pay 60 bucks for Spore... easily.  Plus 10 bucks for the full Creator.  Every game's a gamble, but if Spore is even half of what I expect it to be (and my expectation have been reduced over the last three years), it'll easily dominate my PC and my time.

It doesn't matter that a few fanboys would give their house to play Spore. From a business standpoint it would be insane to eliminate a casual demographic for higher prices and a smaller demand. Companies such as EA make more money through volume than prices. There is also the fact that charging one-fifth the retail value of the game for its less than one-fifth is flat out ridiculous.

World of Warcraft costs 15 dollars a month (US). Thus, the cost of WoW for six months is 90 dollars.
Spore could cost a total of 70 dollars (with the editor pre-release).  Assuming you play Spore as much as you play WoW for 6 months, you come out ahead.

Last time I checked, replayability had nothing to do with price. *see FEAR*
 

Actually the price of 49.99 or even 59.99 is not uncommon. In my community gaming is not huge therefore the price should be about standard or average. And most PC games here are 49.99 brand new.

[Daan]

For some reason we pay the same amount in numbers as the US in the Netherlands, but we pay a lot more when converted. I might just let my dad buy it in the US if he goes on business. Especially with the crashed US economy it's very cheap to buy stuff there if you're European

[Uroboros]

Microgta, please trim your quotes. You only had a line to add   xP

[nurizeko]

I stopped pre-ordering after the second time a game never arrived, from amazon.co.uk of all places.

[DaMuncha]

SECOND time? I woulda stoped the FIRST time. Hell I wouldnt even DO it the first time. There would BE no first time. Which WOULD make that the LAST time. But I never DID.

And theres no need to worry about a hang over in the morning, because there will BE no more mornings