This is something I've been harping on for quite some time. Publishers need to realize that not every title is fit to release at the $60 mark. Games with fantastic length or an unparalleled experience should still understandably go for top dollar, but titles like Shadows of the Damned would have sold better had they been available at a more reasonable price point.
Vita to Possibly Support Multiple Tiered Pricing
Sony takes a long hard look at the mobile market and comes to the conclusion that change is necessary.
With the dawning of DLC updates, digital distribution and cheap mobile and iOS gaming experiences the long accepted concept of a fixed price structure for video games has come under fierce scrutiny. This is particularly true in the handheld sector, which is arguably starting to feel the sting of the free and $5 game apps that are muscling into territory long unchallenged.
This trend coupled with ongoing worldwide economic issues is making Sony think outside the box when it comes to pricing games for the forthcoming PlayStation Vita. Jim Ryan, the big guy at PlayStation Europe, has indicated that they’re looking to offer multiple price-points for Vita software to counteract the ever-changing economics of the handheld sector.
“I think it would be safe to assume we will take a more tailored approach than perhaps we’ve done in the past,” said Ryan in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz. During last week’s Vita Event in London he admitted that it would be “foolish and naïve to ignore what’s happening” in the smartphone market.
While this is certainly no confirmation of multiple tiered pricing, Ryan’s comments are quite telling, serving as evidence that Sony isn’t taking the consumer base for granted when it comes to pricing certain games. Multiple tiered pricing would not only allow for a more competitive and consumer-friendly market, but would also add value to the higher quality titles like Uncharted and Resistance.
“It’s our challenge to ensure that the gaming experience that we provide is closer to that TV console experience than it is to your 69 pence thing that you’ve downloaded on your iPhone,” continued Ryan.
“If we do that and we provide great value to the consumer on games like Uncharted, I think the possibility to sustain historic console type price points is there.”
With launch titles already going for greatly varied price points in Japan and a European launch line-up starting to solidify, it’s likely we’ll know sooner than later if Sony decides to put its money where its mouth is.
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