Rumour is Microsoft culled the physical division

[Madmya]

I'm more disappointed I won't be able to go to EB and buy a hard copy still.

[Deef]

I agree that devs deserve whatever pay they can get (and more) from their games, considering the skill and crazy hours that go into them, but I don't think taking away buyers' rights to own the thing they buy is the place to look. Slippery slope, as has been said. It's just a concept we should be rejecting, not welcoming, imo.

I would happily see every single game ever cost double the price instead. Games are crazy value for the amount of entertainment we get out of them; they're crazy value for the amount of skill and effort that goes into them. And often they're both at once. I paid $100 for Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Theme Park (Mega Drive), $140 for SSFII.

Can't remember what else, but that was 30 freakin' years ago.

Obviously supply is too high for those kinds of prices to be commonplace nowadays, so I'm not really suggesting it as some kind of viable solution. Just saying I'd happily accept much higher costs for games, much sooner than I'd accept not really owning the ones I buy.

[Ambrose Burnside]

I did a quick Google search so my numbers could be off. Apparently movie ticket prices increased 24% between 2014 and 2023 (from $13.65 to $16.96). Both those numbers seem too low to me but whatever.

I think games were $80 in 2014, and a 24% increase would push them to $100. I see the new FFVII will be $120 for the standard edition. Final Fantasy XVI is still $115 at both EB Games and the PlayStation Store (weren't we meant to get lower prices with no manufacturing costs? Fucking monopolies).

I agree that games should cost more (and they will, with no retail competition the walled gardens are only going to get worse, unless there are favourable outcomes in the courts around alternative storefronts etc), but how much more? And how do we ensure developers get a reasonable slice of the action?

[Froggy]

FUCK! I didn't get Spec Ops The Line! I was definitely going to get it this year, in its 13th year of sale. Devastating.

That Outrun experience is shit though, which I was going to mention as I'm sure you've talked about it before.

Also Froggy I've got no idea what you're on about with that analogy. It obviously must be beneficial if devs like Remedy are now going digital-only.

Remedy not having physical is a load of shit about saving costs for consumers, they will still be hit with storefront fees etc so I highly doubt the cost difference is much of anything to them but it's bad for consumers, digital storefronts are always more expensive. They'll end up selling less copies for a lot more money and that seems to be the goal in the long run. It seems to be about 115 for a base game now, then you'll have the premium and deluxe versions up to about 175.

My point was thanks to digital a dev can now sell a finished piece of software with relatively little development upkeep for perpetuity if they want, so people buying and selling physical copies is going to have no impact on the devs game sales plus they've monetised second hand users for over a decade now through DLC and other paid transcations so they are still making money even if the base game is changing hands. Books was a good one as with the onset of digital stores it's in the exact same position, you can buy them either physical or digital, so ban book selling?

[Froggy]

I did a quick Google search so my numbers could be off. Apparently movie ticket prices increased 24% between 2014 and 2023 (from $13.65 to $16.96). Both those numbers seem too low to me but whatever.

I think games were $80 in 2014, and a 24% increase would push them to $100. I see the new FFVII will be $120 for the standard edition. Final Fantasy XVI is still $115 at both EB Games and the PlayStation Store (weren't we meant to get lower prices with no manufacturing costs? Fucking monopolies).

I agree that games should cost more (and they will, with no retail competition the walled gardens are only going to get worse, unless there are favourable outcomes in the courts around alternative storefronts etc), but how much more? And how do we ensure developers get a reasonable slice of the action?

The thing is though whilst you still got a whole movie for 16.96 you no longer get the full game. The issue they'll have is the blow back from increasing the price but then paywalling content via DLC or deluxe editions etc so by the time you've bought the actual full game its 150 or more.

[Froggy]

I'd also hang on to the 360 games, wait til the collectors start on them.

[Ambrose Burnside]

Another example is Wolfenstein. Was never on my radar until I picked up the newer ones and had a blast. Went back to play the older ones and they're all available on Steam etc ... Except for one. Wolfenstein (2009).

Luckily it had a physical release on Xbox 360 so I was able to grab a copy (at the local markets lol) But it's not backwards compatible. Because of course not.

This kind of thing is bullshit and I get being indifferent but actively supporting it or at the very least criticising those who find it bullshit? Ugh.

Incidentally Return to Castle Wolfenstein is old enough (early 2000s) that it was still in the era of having its source code released so has some excellent mods to make it highly playable today. Great game.

[Madmya]

Spec Ops The Line and Wolfenstein 2009. The horror!

[Madmya]

I would happily see every single game ever cost double the price instead. Games are crazy value for the amount of entertainment we get out of them; they're crazy value for the amount of skill and effort that goes into them. And often they're both at once. I paid $100 for Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Theme Park (Mega Drive), $140 for SSFII.

Completely agree. Put some value back into physical forms of the game, give them proper fan service by just having a really nice (but size-regulated) case, complete with a proper dedicated manual and what have you. Let people be proud of their purchases again, instead of just some shitty green plastic with nothing inside except a disc. But make people pay. They'll have the right to re-sell, and since manufacturing numbers would likely be a lot lower they would probably hold their value.

If you want it cheaper buy it digitally, but you can't re-sell.

[unfnknblvbl]

You should SEE the box I got for Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. Not a great remake, but wow, the package was well worth it. If all physical media became packages like this, I'm here for it.

And despite arguing that some people can't afford new games, I do agree that some games should be more expensive. The Red Dead Redemption games (for example) are properly monumental achievements and are easily worth way more than what Rockstar asked.

But on the flip side, so many games are coming out that are uniquely broken and still were being asked to pay $150+ for, and it's bullshit.

Looking your way, Forza Motorsport...

[flipswitch]

Cut and paste from Era.


Chris Dring, head of GI.biz, shares he's heard, from a major publisher, that several European retailers are not restocking Xbox games anymore.

I was told by a major publisher, about just before Christmas, that across Europe several retailers have started just not listing Xbox anymore. Right, so they've just stopped stocking Xbox games because the digital, the Xbox is such a digital console now. The physical performance of Xbox games is really low and ultimately when you're selling a console that most people are just downloading games for, it doesn't really benefit the retailer very much. The margin on hardware is often quite small so, I wasn't able to corroborate that, I couldn't find which retailers these are, but it was a proper senior European publishing boss that said it to me.

[Ambrose Burnside]

During the absolute raging trash fire that was the AFL 23 release, the head of Big Ant alluded to the same thing, that he doubted they'd release any more physical Xbox games after this round of shovelware sports game releases.

I just assumed it was because his games are shit and they wouldn't release any more games full stop, but maybe there was more to it

[Ambrose Burnside]

If retailers stop selling Xbox games, why would they bother selling the consoles?

[Peppermint Lounge]

I recently picked up a mint PS3 Slim because I'd been thinking about the games I liked on the system. I'd been digital only PC since selling my launch PS3 in 2009. I'd forgotten the pleasure of physical games and the convenience of being able to acquire/play abandonware games like Blur. Been pining for Blur since it was pulled from Steam in 2011.

I've been really enjoying getting back in front of a console. Currently replaying Uncharted 2 which holds up well on a modern TV. I finally played The Last Of Us too (I can't believe I avoided spoilers for all those years).

[Madmya]

If retailers stop selling Xbox games, why would they bother selling the consoles?

My memory of how the xbox one launched is pretty fuzzy, but I always thought how Don Mattrick originally wanted the xbox one to be digital only would end up with retailers selling keys. Now that so many people buy from the xbox store, I'm not confident that would be the case. But that's a clear alternative for xbox to keep games in retailers, and one they should look at (but they won't because they probably don't need to).

[Froggy]

During the absolute raging trash fire that was the AFL 23 release, the head of Big Ant alluded to the same thing, that he doubted they'd release any more physical Xbox games after this round of shovelware sports game releases.

I just assumed it was because his games are shit and they wouldn't release any more games full stop, but maybe there was more to it

Nah it's coz his games are shit and aren't ready when they ship physical anyway. AFL, Cricket, Tennis.. every one of them is released unfinished from that mob these days.

[Froggy]

If retailers stop selling Xbox games, why would they bother selling the consoles?

My memory of how the xbox one launched is pretty fuzzy, but I always thought how Don Mattrick originally wanted the xbox one to be digital only would end up with retailers selling keys. Now that so many people buy from the xbox store, I'm not confident that would be the case. But that's a clear alternative for xbox to keep games in retailers, and one they should look at (but they won't because they probably don't need to).

They already do sell keys. I just think they have probably bastardised their physical with game pass that people on the fence who aren't sure about a game will wait to see if it comes to game pass then buy it. I know I've been burned a few times buying a game to then have it show up on game pass, sometimes literally the next day out of the blue. I think they now give what's coming to game pass clarity due to this but not sure it helps, I still don't see it being dropped, maybe software but hardware no.

[Madmya]

Do they? Just not at mainstream retailers like EB? If they continue to do this, I don't see why these would be immune from day 1 competitive prices.

The gamepass thing can be a bummer, but some games don't last forever on there, so you've just to got to be happy with the fact you'll still have it forever. Best not to dwell

[Froggy]

Do they? Just not at mainstream retailers like EB? If they continue to do this, I don't see why these would be immune from day 1 competitive prices.

The gamepass thing can be a bummer, but some games don't last forever on there, so you've just to got to be happy with the fact you'll still have it forever. Best not to dwell

Yeah they sell keys at jb etc for some games but the price is always astronomical. I don't take much notice but don't they have like the full RRP printed on them? That price is always gonna match the inflated digital store price.

[lestat]

More rumors of Xbox going full 3rd party.

For many weeks now, rumours have persisted regarding Microsoft's intentions to release a number of 1st party games – namely Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves – on rival platforms. According to our sources, who have asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorised to talk about company plans, that list of games also includes Bethesda Game Studio's Starfield.

Starfield released back in August of 2023 to fairly positive reception (despite the narrative that now exists online), and was the biggest Bethesda game launch of all time, surpassing 6 million players within a week of release.

Now it looks as though Microsoft are planning on bringing Betheda's newest RPG universe to an entirely new platform – PlayStation 5.

According to sources, we understand that currently Microsoft are planning a launch for Starfield on PlayStation 5 post the release of the already announced "Shattered Space" expansion for Xbox and PC, which is on target to arrive at some point later this year. We've also been informed that Microsoft have made additional investment into PlayStation 5 dev kits to support ongoing development efforts – adding further fuel to the fire.

As the already existing rumours have suggested, the idea of bringing 1st party titles to competing console platforms marks a massive change in strategy for Microsoft and from what I understand, it's not been without fierce internal debate on this new direction. Releasing Starfield on PlayStation 5 contradicts the original statement around exclusivity made by President of Xbox Sarah Bond, during the Xbox and Bethesda Games Studios summer showcase of 2021.

According to our sources, Microsoft senior leadership have reportedly debated the various pros and cons of releasing more of their exclusive software elsewhere, and internally, not everyone is necessarily happy with the decision, but recouping the potential money "left on the table" by not releasing elsewhere has arguably won out.

According to sources, Hi-Fi Rush's release on rival platforms is tentatively planned for Q1 this year, and we've been advised to expect Microsoft to make a more public announcement on this new strategy this month.

https://xboxera.com/2024/02/04/exclusiv ... station-5/

This puts into question their long term commitment to hardware.

[Ambrose Burnside]

Would be shit if they do pull out of the console/hardware market, as frustrating as they've been since the 360 golden era.

[Madmya]

That would be a monumentally dumb move by Microsoft. It's short term gain, it'll hurt them in the long run.

[unfnknblvbl]

it's not without precedent for them to release 1st/2nd party titles on other platforms, but this is one hell of a left turn. Why should I bother getting an XBox if their exclusives are going to be on Playstation? And if I buy a PS5, I'll get Playstation-exclusive games, too!

I kind miss the days when the games on SNES and Megadrive were completely different things despite the same title

[Froggy]

They are already negotiating the next gen chips, they aren't exiting hardware. Some of these games make sense to go cross platform, sea of thieves has hit the limit, star field, hifi rush.. who cares. Spending 60 billion comes with issues on how to recoup it, you'd hope system sellers wouldn't move.

[Ambrose Burnside]

They are already negotiating the next gen chips, they aren't exiting hardware. Some of these games make sense to go cross platform, sea of thieves has hit the limit, star field, hifi rush.. who cares. Spending 60 billion comes with issues on how to recoup it, you'd hope system sellers wouldn't move.

Starfield was meant to be a system seller

Are you saying if a game ends up not being all that at launch they should just say fuck it, and release it on PlayStation? In this age of release broken mess and spend a year or two fixing it?