$59.99?

[Kemble]

I saw the MSRP of $59.99 on the Operation Darkness website much to my chagrin.

Is this a price that Microsoft is essentially forcing because of its steep licensing fees or what? Is it because of inflation? Do we value games more during the XBox 360/PS3 generation than the PS2 days?

I understand that we all have to make a living and everything, but I can't deny the price point doesn't seem to make me want to wait until it goes down to $40 or even $50.

[Kid Marin]

Isn't it the standard price for Xbox 360 softwares ?

[Voodoo]

yeah Kid 59.99 is the standard price point for both Xbox 360 and PS3 games.

[Kemble]

I understand it is "standard", but I was kind of hoping that Atlus wouldn't charge that much.

See Persona 3 FES, Arcana Heart, and Baroque for recent examples.

I know that those are all for different systems, but that's what I'm trying to get at: are they pricing it at $59.99 because everyone else does or does Microsoft have a direct say somehow?

[Kid Marin]

See Persona 3 FES, Arcana Heart, and Baroque for recent examples.
Sure, but the PS2 grows old. Atlus USA used to sell PS2 games at full price back in the golden days of the system.

[Kemble]

"Full price" being $50 instead of $60, though. I'm just wondering where the pricing comes from, I guess.

[Flußkönig]

"Full price" being $50 instead of $60, though. I'm just wondering where the pricing comes from, I guess.

yeah Kid 59.99 is the standard price point for both Xbox 360 and PS3 games.

Atlus was charging full price for ps2 games past the systems prime. That is why this shouldn't have surprised anyone.

[Sayckeone]

While $60 is the standard, that price for this game is utterly hilarious.

[unknown]

A lot of the price tags of next gen games are hilarious :wink:

It's not hilarious to my wallet though ;o;

[softserve]

Technically if you have a budget title, it can go as low as $39.99 (which was the original MSRP for Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis). I think EDF 2017 was $40 or $50 originally as well.

Originally the price was supposed to justify the added development costs in making games take advantage of platform strengths... but when you see the same games on PC for $10 to $20 less, you see MS's first party games go from $50 (as they were around launch) to $60, you see games that aren't far beyond last generation abilities and so forth it becomes more questionable. If you want to bring up inflation, technically they should be more expensive. Some N64 games were $60 to $70, as were some SNES RPGs. It went down thanks to disc mediums, but I guess that's over with.

I think in this case you have to consider this is a niche game on a system not know for RPGs (despite having the most so far this generation from what I've seen). They'll probably make up their costs in localizing and licensing this far more quickly since its audience is extremely targeted simply by default. I don't know if that's necessarily the best move, but I think it's part of the consideration.

I'd be more willing to spend $50 on it myself.

[Kakizaki]

^It is ten dollars. Who gives a crap? I am piss broke, and still I could care less. 10 bucks means not getting a couple of coffees. Big deal.

[Sayckeone]

I can afford $60 and I give a crap.

[Flußkönig]

^It is ten dollars. Who gives a crap? I am piss broke, and still I could care less. 10 bucks means not getting a couple of coffees. Big deal.

I have always been pretty cheap, but for me this is a totally different issue. More of an internal valuation that I arbitrarily give products. If the retail price exceeds that value I generally won't buy the product due to the mental anguish that I feel when I think I am getting ripped off.

[Kakizaki]

I am just curious, but why do you guys feel this should be a budget. What about the gameplay or production values makes you feel this way.

[Kakizaki]

I can afford $60 and I give a crap.

Would you buy this title anyway?

[Flußkönig]

I am just curious, but why do you guys feel this should be a budget. What about the gameplay or production values makes you feel this way.

I am going to wait to play the demo before I make any judgments about the gameplay or production values. To be fair Japan had a large amount of 360 shovel ware come out lately and people probably just automatically included OD as a third tier title.

I can afford $60 and I give a crap.

Would you buy this title anyway?

I don't think Sayck even has a 360 (lol probably doesn't want one either).

[Sayckeone]

If EO2 got localized and I had a 360, I would have considered it. Besides, it's not like this is the only over priced game out there.

Is this another, "you have to own a gun in order to have an opinion on gun rights, otherwise you're an idiot" things? (I know, you didn't say that.)

I don't think Sayck even has a 360 (lol probably doesn't want one either).
I'm not sure what this has to do with the price of next gen games. Do I have to own a particular system in order to feel that $60 is a lot for many games?

Where did you get the idea that I don't want a 360?

[Flußkönig]

I don't think Sayck even has a 360 (lol probably doesn't want one either).
I'm not sure what this has to do with the price of next gen games. Do I have to own a particular system in order to feel that $60 is a lot for many games?

I wasn't trying to infer anything other than you probably wouldn't buy a 360 game if you didn't have a 360.

Where did you get the idea that I don't want a 360?

I am probably misremembering what you had said, but I thought that you were in the 360s are too unreliable for a purchase crowd.

[Kakizaki]

Is this another, "you have to own a gun in order to have an opinion on gun rights, otherwise you're an idiot" things? (I know, you didn't say that.)

No, but for some reason I remember thinking you panned this game. I don't really think assuming your judgment of the monetary value of a title based on your opinion of its content is quite the same as someone thinking your opinion is invalidated regarding gun control because you don't own a gun -- but that is besides the point -- that sentence is ####ed up. Sorry, I'm working on several other things at the same time.


Is this more of a "you think games are overpriced" in general or just this title?

[Kemble]

Is this more of a "you think games are overpriced" in general or just this title?

I think that's why I started the topic. The pricing of Operation Darkness is merely a catalyst for my complaints. Atlus has shown some reason (even in explaning via their newsletters) with their recent pricing of Arcana Heart, Persona 3 FES, and Baroque, so I was hoping they would be reasonable about Operation Darkness as $60 seems pretty steep to me when as has been mentioned, PC titles are still going strong at $40-$50.

I understand it's only 10 dollars. But when you say for every facet of life, it's only 30 to 50 cents more for a gallon of gas, it's only a few extra dollars for food, etc. etc., you realize that you have had $100 to $200 extra dollars taken out of your wage. It gets to be a significant.

I just thought I would voice my opinion while attempting to generate some discussion on this issue. If anyone can point to logical reasons for the current pricing structure, please do so. I'm curious.

Through all this, I can't complain because
A) Atlus is doing me a great service by localizing games that interest me and keep the video game market diversified in these first-person shooter times
and
B) their doing it on a system that most people didn't think they would do it for that is dying for more RPGs.

[Flußkönig]

Is this more of a "you think games are overpriced" in general or just this title?

I think that's why I started the topic. The pricing of Operation Darkness is merely a catalyst for my complaints. Atlus has shown some reason (even in explaning via their newsletters) with their recent pricing of Arcana Heart, Persona 3 FES, and Baroque, so I was hoping they would be reasonable about Operation Darkness as $60 seems pretty steep to me when as has been mentioned, PC titles are still going strong at $40-$50.



What do the price of ps2 or pc games have to do with anything? 59.99 is the standard price point for XBOX 360 games and Operation Darkness is a XBOX 360 game!

There is no need to try and find a complex reason for this when an obvious answer is staring you right in the face.

[Kakizaki]

Atlus has shown some reason (even in explaning via their newsletters) with their recent pricing of Arcana Heart, Persona 3 FES, and Baroque, so I was hoping they would be reasonable about Operation Darkness as $60 seems pretty steep to me when as has been mentioned, PC titles are still going strong at $40-$50.

They also have had plenty of regularly priced games as well. You aren't looking at the rationale behind why those 3 titles are priced the way they are. There is a reason for each.

[Flußkönig]

Atlus has shown some reason (even in explaning via their newsletters) with their recent pricing of Arcana Heart, Persona 3 FES, and Baroque, so I was hoping they would be reasonable about Operation Darkness as $60 seems pretty steep to me when as has been mentioned, PC titles are still going strong at $40-$50.

They also have had plenty of regularly priced games as well. You aren't looking at the rationale behind why those 3 titles are priced the way they are. There is a reason for each.

I also think that Kemble is ignoring the fact that $39.99 is the new upper limit for ps2 games and that many new ps2 games are being released at $29.99, $19.99 and $14.99.

[Sayckeone]

I am probably misremembering what you had said, but I thought that you were in the 360s are too unreliable for a purchase crowd.
Although I do feel that way, it's Kakizaki who said that.

Kakizaki, I wouldn't say I panned the game, I've just never been as interested in it as others around here, and my "$20 a month after release" thread was just me trolling.

And it's a little of both concerning this title being over priced and games in general. I'm not buying the whole "games need to be $60 now because development costs are up" ####. I chalk that up just to the general rampant capitalism of corporations. I do think $60 is too much for games in general, even though, yes, I do pay that price on the regular. As far as this game specifically, I'm not trying to knock its quality, but I see full priced titles as triple A games, like DQ, SMT, Yasumi Matsuno games. Titles like this to me are second tier, and should be priced lower. Of course, I could be wrong as I have yet to play it... I'm not suggesting that this be priced at like $20, $30, just maybe $45 or $50.

[Kakizaki]

^That makes sense. I just didn't know if you were pointing this game out specifically.

[puffycloud]

Few valid points.. But let me point this out... In Australia we pay 100$ AUS give or take for an xbox360 game.... So just think about that, when you're all crying over paying 60$ US dollars..

100AUS dollars = 91US dollars..... It'll be cheaper for me to import it from playasia though :-D

[Sayckeone]

No one cares what you pay in another country. When we're accustomed to having games sold at a certain price for two generations, having that price rise for no reason other than greed is something to complain about.

[Kemble]

No one cares what you pay in another country. When we're accustomed to having games sold at a certain price for two generations, having that price rise for no reason other than greed is something to complain about.

Thank you.

[Futomimi]

Few valid points.. But let me point this out... In Australia we pay 100$ AUS give or take for an xbox360 game.... So just think about that, when you're all crying over paying 60$ US dollars..

100AUS dollars = 91US dollars..... It'll be cheaper for me to import it from playasia though :-D

Just out of curiosity, how much is the MSRP for the 360 over there?

[puffycloud]

No one cares what you pay in another country. When we're accustomed to having games sold at a certain price for two generations, having that price rise for no reason other than greed is something to complain about.

No one cares? Little baby American child only cares for himself. Heres a suggestion, instead of posting on here as though it a means of oxygen for you to survive, get a well paying job and pay the extra 10$...

In case this thought hasn't crossed your awareness, through out history everything has increased in price....

Somehow you think higher developing costs should = no price rise.. Then you are clearly a moron. No offense, but if you can't under stand simple SIMPLE economics then just don't open your mouth.

Futomimi, best price on a Arcade Xbox360 is 329$ US..

[Riku Xander]

No one cares what you pay in another country. When we're accustomed to having games sold at a certain price for two generations, having that price rise for no reason other than greed is something to complain about.

No one cares? Little baby American child only cares for himself. Heres a suggestion, instead of posting on here as though it a means of oxygen for you to survive, get a well paying job and pay the extra 10$...

In case this thought hasn't crossed your awareness, through out history everything has increased in price....

Somehow you think higher developing costs should = no price rise.. Then you are clearly a moron. No offense, but if you can't under stand simple SIMPLE economics then just don't open your mouth.

Futomimi, best price on a Arcade Xbox360 is 329$ US..

I wonder if you read Sayck's post. ^If you look at what he said you would notice that the price was the same for TWO generations, but for some reason rose this generation.

[Kakizaki]

Prices actually dipped down for the DC.

[Sayckeone]

No one cares? Little baby American child only cares for himself. Heres a suggestion, instead of posting on here as though it a means of oxygen for you to survive, get a well paying job and pay the extra 10$...

In case this thought hasn't crossed your awareness, through out history everything has increased in price....

Somehow you think higher developing costs should = no price rise.. Then you are clearly a moron. No offense, but if you can't under stand simple SIMPLE economics then just don't open your mouth.

Futomimi, best price on a Arcade Xbox360 is 329$ US..
I never said I only care about myself, nor did I even imply it, but the price of games in Australia is irrelevant when discussing the price of games in the US. Like I said, just because you pay more, doesn't mean we can't complain when our prices suddenly increase for no reason other than greed.

Further more, if you were paying any sort of attention, you would have seen me say that I do buy games at $60 and that affording them is not an issue, since I can afford that price. Affordability is not the issue here. Please pay attention before posting next time.

I understand simple economics, bro. I am also playing these games that are being released. This gen is that such a huge leap that prices need to rise.

Also, I like how you attempted to insult me. lol :roll:

[SlaughterX]

I think it's in Atlus' best interest to release their 360 games at budget ($4) prices. They simply do not garner as much attention as higher profile games like say Lost Odyssey, or even Eternal Sonata. The game isn't ugly, but it isn't espeically beautiful too, it could easily pass for a PS2 game. I personally would have more interest in the game if I knew it was being released for $40, but unless the game gets fantastic reviews around the board I don't see myself buying it any time soon.

[Futomimi]

I think it's in Atlus' best interest to release their 360 games at budget ($4) prices.

Sounds about right for Spectral Force 3.

[Sayckeone]

^Even that would be a rip off.

[SlaughterX]

Lol, opps, you all know I ment $40... :)

[Xeo]

In most cases the price jump between last gen and current gen prices is in development costs, of course this can't be said for ALL next gen games, just most.

[Over]

What are you complaining about? Here I have to pay ~118USD for a X360 game.

59,99USD? That's only 38€! Pratically the budget price!

[Sayckeone]

^We've been through this already.

[Over]

It didn't seem so.

[Sseklebeast]

I think it's in Atlus' best interest to release their 360 games at budget ($4) prices.

Sounds about right for Spectral Force 3.

I'm curious as to why Spectral Force 3 is so bad? I've not played any games in this series so can anyone tell me why they think its so bad? Thanks

[Sayckeone]

Idea Factory.

[Delition]

I've only played their PSP games, but the worst thing I keep encountering is the load times. I actually sort of enjoyed Spectral Souls, but I could only truly play it by turning off movement animations and attack animations during battles. Even then the load times were pretty bad. You should never have to take out anything to be able to play a game.

Plus, there should not be terrible load times for non-spoken lines of dialog. Sometimes it would take about 5 seconds for a new line of text to appear during conversation. Heaven help you if there is anything graphical going on while the text loads, or else it'll take twice as long.

[Sei]

Idea Factory is okay.

The next gen tax is stupid, and weak, and one of the reasons I tend to do most of my purchases on Wii and PS2, and that Eternal Sonata is not bought, and Blue Dragon had to wait for a 40 price drop. I got Lost Odyssey at full price but honestly It is kind of a rip off, even the case is cheap and you get paper slips for the extra discs.

MS started this stupidity and it is sad to see so many companies following suit, hopefully the prices will drop soon.

It is not about the extra 10, but rather principles, when the same game on PC is 10 dollars cheaper, and glorified PS2 games are going for 60 dollars, it becomes really hard to see the "extra development costs" argument fly.

It' s Ms trying to tack on an extra tax, plain and simple, just like the microtransaction bs, the pay for online peer to peer thing, the delay demos for a week to make playing demos on time a "premium" feature thing, etc.

It is truly, and utterly, bull####. And I don't see how people put up with it.

And I don't care if Sony is following suit, MS started it, and Nintendo has enough integrity not to go with it (friend codes retardity notwithstanding).

It is always amusing to see people justifying other people giving it to them up the rear. Yeah you can probably afford to pay 100 dollars per game, just like people can afford 50 USD DVD's and 40 thousand dollar cars.

Is it reasonable, or otherwise justifiable to randomly increase prices by 12% because of some arbitrary next gen designation all other things being the same? Uh, no.

And, despite anyone's stance on the "rising dev costs" issue, I really don't think this was one of the AAA 100 million dollar games that that would apply to. And most of those are trite garbage anyway.

[puffycloud]

I got Lost Odyssey at full price but honestly It is kind of a rip off, even the case is cheap and you get paper slips for the extra discs.


I imported the NTSC J/ PAL version from good ol' Play Asia.... Which had english subtitles/audio and of course Japanese subs/audio. Also came out 2-3 weeks before the 'real' PAL version.
This version came in a nice case, better artwork on both discs and cover (opinion) and housed the dvds properly. Also the manual is in Japanese, Chinese & English.

It was sad to hear MS Screwed over people with the American version. Yet they gladly released it in a reputable manner for the Asian consumers..... :-s Anyway.. I'm hanging out to try this demo...Bloody 7 day wait for xbox live silver!!! meh....

[mjemirzian]

The reason for the jacking up in price in this generation is largely the fact that to reach those next gen graphics potentials, a lot more money has to be spent making them.

Not only does this game have mediocre graphics that wouldn't look out of place on a Gamecube, but it also has a number of flaws and criticisms levelled against it in the gameplay area, which is completely unforgivable. This game could be easily ported to a DS with 2D graphics minus most of the voice acting, then priced reasonably at 30$. Success, and Idea shovelware Factory for that matter, won't get away charging a premium price for a game with sub par gameplay and features and sub par graphics to go with it.

I imagine the price will drop rather quickly, after they've fleeced everyone who wants to get it close to release (and knowing Atlus, it will be very hard to find by the time the price drops).

[Churchill]

I now this is reviving a dead thread but I paid the full price for this game and it was a complete mistake.

Take mjermirzian's comments, add them to mine and you got truth of the matter.

This game is a 29.99 buy at most. I'll never spend full price on an atlus game as it is not worth it.

On a side note gamefly has this game on the cheap!