Let’s face it,we havean expensive passion. Evenbuying one console, let alone multiple or a high-end PC rig, is a pricey proposition. What’s more, once you’ve got the system, you need something to play, and at $50 - $60 per game, you may find yourself choosing between games and food.
But there's hope on the horizon. Brian Farrell, President of THQ, says the industry ought to sell games starting at $40 apiece.
Above: Example! If you don't currently plan to buy Black Ops, would you reconsider if it were $20 cheaper?
Speaking at the BMO Capital Markets Digital Entertainment conference in New York City, Farrell suggested "It's not [about] how high a price we can get [away with], but how many users we can get." He enthused to those in attendance about how when THQ dropped the price for one of its titles from $60 to $40, the sales “just popped.” He also suggested, going forward, that offering games at $40 from the outset would actually create more revenue for popular titles.
Given that DLC is commanding an ever increasing chunk of profits, making the initial title more accessible to more potential consumers makes nothing but sense in the long run. "With a series of downloadable content so people can extend their experience, people might end up spending $129.99. We think this type of game monetization is going to work," said Farrell.
Nov 12, 2010
