12 replies to this topic

[Inland]

What do you all think about this brave new digital move by Nintendo and the pricing? I will start off by saying that I am a collector at heart, and the digital business rarely gets a cent out of my pocket. But, don't mistake that my disinterest doesn't mean that I am against the digital practice. I think the larger the gap in digital vs physical pricing should be noticeable. I've already come to find that physical 3rd party Wii U releases do not seem to have Club Nintendo points whilst the digital downloads do. What I would love is if the digital versions were a common $20 price difference from retail. This would drop the price for the casual gamer, and instantly create a collectors market for physical releases without the need of a special Limited Edition release. I'm certain that most of you have your jaws on the floor thinking that I am insane, but I don't think it's crazy that digital should come at a significant discount, or as such retail should come at a significant price increase over digital. Somebody needs to eat the price of manufacturing costs, packaging, and shipping of retail copies.
I don't need any club Nintendo points for my retail copy, if the retail copy on my display shelf is prize enough.

Edited by Inland, 24 November 2012 - 05:51 PM.

[Sage]

Simple answer retailers hold too much power, so Nintendo doesn't want to upset retailers by stealing business from them by making downloads cheaper.

Edited by Viral Light, 24 November 2012 - 01:35 AM.

[Inland]

Simple answer retailers hold too much power, so Nintendo doesn't want to upset retailers by stealing business from them by making downloads cheaper.

I think retailers could do well with digital download cards. Seems to work well for cell phone companies at retail venues.

[Desert Punk]

Retail stores are still very important. They create awareness of products which is even more important for the casual market. If digital downloads are cheaper than retail then clearly less people will buy at stores and it may not be viable to continue selling at retail then consoles and games aren't seen on the high street and people are less aware of them and the industry shrinks. It's a delicate balance.

I'm a retail fan because its better value, you re-coup most of the price when you sell on the game and it makes gaming much cheaper. I rarely pay for downloads as its a very expensive option compared to retail. Also with my Vita and when I get my wii u, you also have to buy storage space for games which makes digital downloads more expensive again. Also dare I say it but retail is good for the country you are in. Sales tax gets paid, shops employ people and a lot more money stays in your country. Digital downloads can be very harmful to your economy with all the money being directly exported.

Its in my interests to pay as little as possible for gaming and try to protect my community as much as possible as a secondary concern.

[ianh05]

the pros and cons between physical and digital balance each other out, if anything retail copies should be cheaper seeing as you can scratch the disc and you pay to drive to the shop.

[Tom]

Nintendo should try to operate like Steam and have schweet sales on games every once in a while. Surely they can afford to do such a thing if enough people purchase the game digitally.

[SoldMyWiiUAndLeftTheForums]

NEW BOX SMELL, THAT IS ALL, lol

[derk2468]

Such a case for each side :/

[xile6]

Should but will they? dont think so.

The vita did that by dropping digital $5.
But doubt the wii u will since it needs 3rd party so they will have to do what they ask.

Either way i dont like digital games i want only hard copies.

[Gamejunkie]

Should but will they? dont think so.
The vita did that by dropping digital $5.
But doubt the wii u will since it needs 3rd party so they will have to do what they ask.
Either way i dont like digital games i want only hard copies.

Typically the only PS Vita digital retail games that are cheaper are the first party ones.

[MomoTaro]

For console systems i mainly buy my games physically. Unless its a game i know i can never part with i will always by physically. Plus more often than not it has a sweet collector/limited edition, or Pre order bonus that you cant get digitally (unless its DLC) so i really have no reason to go the Digital route unless the title isnt available in Physical format.

But i will agree if its cheaper, i can see why people would buy it. But i dont see why that means retailers would lose business. i mean kids/parents dont buy digitally or at least not in the masses so their whole sales wont be a lost. it will be people who have big enough memory that buys it in the long run. Plus there are point/game cards that the retailers still get a part of sale for.

I just dont see why something as simple as a digital formatted game needs to be  the same price (or sometimes higher) than a physical game that needs to be made/manufactured, plastic casing, shrink wrap, printing for the manual, deliver from cars/planes/boats, etc. In the end i see myself justifying buying a game 40-60$ with all that in the process than say the same digital game that got uploaded to the server and left at that.

[UnholyVision]

NEW BOX SMELL, THAT IS ALL, lol

Yeah, another means of conducting a disease. Death by plastic smell. Sort of like this.
http://www.popcornlung.com/PracticeAreas/Popcorn-Lung-Symptoms.asp

I think retailers could do well with digital download cards. Seems to work well for cell phone companies at retail venues.

They clearly are as even Steam has taken a shining to prepaid cards. (20 to 100 USD cards. No $50 cap like say Live Marketplace or PSN/SEN).

Should but will they? dont think so.

The vita did that by dropping digital $5.
But doubt the wii u will since it needs 3rd party so they will have to do what they ask.

Either way i dont like digital games i want only hard copies.

Nintendo was saying they would release DD code voucher cards along side the retail games. Which would make me assume that in time the cards will match retail prices. If not the cards would not be very compelling to buy (for most people going to the store) verse the smaller price listed on retail boxed games. Yet, what am I saying this is Nintendo we are speaking about they can be pretty stupid on pricing & such. If the companies lower the prices to try and sell something Nintendo might banish them from selling there products. Because companies have plenty of inventory room. (roll eyes) (Yeah playing that out a little, but come on).

Changing something digitally via policy or even pricing by a small fragment does not drive away third party developers. If there is a great demand on said products with reasonable policies to the company (as in charges for bandwidth or whatever else such as PSN/SEN, Live Marketplace, and/or other DD services do) then developers will hands down release digital sells regardless of a price cut. You don't hear these companies in the news saying stuff like, "We will not develop said games on this platform because the digital sucks". Nope instead you hear stuff like, "The hardware is horrible".

[Auzzie Wingman]

I for one would like digital downloads to remain more expensive than retail.

Works better for me.