This morning I read JC Fletcher's article on Joystiq regarding comments made by Guillaume Rambourg. Rambourg is the CEO of 'Good Old Games', a digital distrubition service on the 'net, which I'd vaguely heard of but never explored.
Rambourg suggested that massive discounts hurt gamers, because if they were not paying a fair price for a title, the gamer wasn't placing a fair value on that game. I had had similar fleeting thoughts but had never really formed them into an idea.
The scenario certainly isn't lost on me. Off the top of my head I can think of 8 titles that I've purchased at a heavy discount which I haven't even opened. Operation Flashpoint: Red River, Silent Hill: Homecoming, LEGO: Indiana Jones, Front Mission: Evolved, Overlord 2, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2, Crackdown 2 and Damnation. Fable 3 I played for 20 minutes or so, but it might as well be part of this pile. I bought all these titles for under $30, either in second hand bins at EB, or from MightyApe's daily deals and gaming marathons.
Is the reason I haven't played these games, that I don't value them? I hadn't really thought about it, but it probably is. The three games that weigh in against this argument, for me anyway, are Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition, Mass Effect 2, and LEGO: Harry Potter Years 5-7. I bought these three titles at launch for full price and have barely touched them.
I'm one of those people who get home and can't figure out what to play. My library of games is pretty massive, but if I can't make a choice I'll often abandon everything and watch an episode or two of whatever I've acquired that week. It's not because I don't have anything to play.. it's possibly because I'm overwhelmed by choice, or possibly because too many of my games were bought so discounted that I don't value them enough.
It sounds like a bizarre idea.. I certainly don't want these sales to stop.. and I'm slightly affronted at the idea that they are making me a 'bad gamer'.. but I guess the evidence is there.
If you'll excuse me, MightyApe are having a game marathon sale this evening.
What are your thoughts?
I make a point of pre-ordering games I want to 'support'. Like the upcoming Witcher 2 and Ghost Recon :FS. Gamers have to look at the industry and decide if they want to have a part to play in making sure 'their' favorite game types keep getting published. That means paying a bit extra
ReplyDeleteMany of my full-price pre-ordered games will be, keep forever titles, BUT if they don't live up to my expectations or are crap, they hit Trade-me to re-coop my cash.
Games I have a passing interest in I will pick up later for cheap.
A pre-ordered full price game, I will play through straight away. Cheap games may sit for a month before I get to them. I may differ from you Wlf, as if a game is average, it gets sold on. My collection only stands at 20ish games I guess. Only top grade titles or niche favorites get a place.
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I'll play OF:Red River with ya ;)
nzBrowncoat