Quote Originally Posted by ForteNightshade View Post
Would you prefer the alternative of retail prices doubling? Capcom's CEO has gone on record saying he believes video games should be at least $150 if not $200. Do you really believe he's the only publisher with such a sentiment. Before you argue "LOL. No one would pay that price." Maybe, maybe not. But then be prepared for even less content on $60 titles. Instead of the Last of Us being 12-15 hours, it's only 7.

Put simply, the cost of development has skyrocketed over the last decade yet video game retail prices haven't changed. Like it or not, publishers aren't just going to eat those extra costs. They will put them onto the consumer in some capacity. Micro-transactions at least give you the option to opt out. You can play FFXIV without spending a single cent more than the expansion cost and monthly sub. None of this is unique to the gaming industry either. Ten years ago, I could buy a bottle of Pepsi for .99. Now it's 2.49.

On a separate note, nearly every single publisher is offering a free upgrade for PS5 games if you own the PS4 copy. Same thing with X-Box Series X.
You make some fair points.
However, there are a few inaccuracies there.
On you last point you said yourself that -nearly- every publisher does that. So some are pushing the envelope then. That's exactly what I said. Give it another few years and it will become the norm because you're apparently not allowed to speak out against greed.

Publishers also love to say that gaming has gone up in cost, but I'd argue that I, first off, never asked them to make everything photo realistic, nor to spend two thirds of the budget for PR and trailers to generate hype. (That's some real contempt for your audience there, if you think that dangling a few shiny keys in front of them will distract them long enough so they'll forget that the trailer actually didn't contain any gameplay - and preorder. SE certainly is no stranger to that)

And another point in conjunction with my last statement: we're going more and more digital. There are less manufacturing costs. When was the last time as a PC player you even got a disk with your purchase? Weird that publishers never mention that side, too.

And how do you explain indie games like Hollow Knight or Spiritfarer (both damn good btw)?

One could even say this over-reliance on generating ludicrous amounts of money is they reason why this game gets more and more boring. Broadest common denominator. So that Timmy-ten-thumb and Melissa-mindless can sub too. I'm not saying there is no place for them but if you bring pretty much down everything aside from raids to keep them subbed I think there is a problem. The last point is an exaggeration, granted, but I don't think I'm too far off.

I think it boils down to seeing the bigger picture here. No action happens in a vacuum.
I hope I was able to make my points clear, even if it was a bit rambly. ^^