The REAL cost of modern Video Games

[stevenhowlett]

According to Yahoo... (prices in British Pounds)

[Mord]

So... where's the rest of the money going? Missing over 50% of the 45 there so I'd think that would change the look of the pie ... just slightly.

 

(In short, it's bad/misleading statistics, whoever made the chart.)

 

*edit*

 

Essentially, if the chart is just trying to point out that over 50% of the pie is pure profit... the only answer we can give is... "so?"

 

The pie chart is an example of misleading statistics though regardless. To be proper if it's showing a breakdown of a 45 pound game, it should include the full 45. Not just most of the pieces since then it arranges them to look like they make up a bigger slice of the pie than they really do. The chart would look a lot different for instance if the missing 50% slice of "profit" was properly added.

Edited August 30, 2014 by Mord

[Nukey Shay]

It also doesn't mention aspects such as type of medium, whether a licensing issue applies, size of initial production, or even the size of workforce needed to create one. All can have a big impact on the bottom line.

[krslam]

I think it's saying the "real" cost is the publishers and printers share (including thier profits) and the rest goes to people not involved in actually making the game (retailers,tax, and royalties).

 

Not exactly a surprise but it does give an idea of how much you should be saving by buying direct.

[omegadot]

Yeah, I don't see 'development' in there.

[Mord]

Not exactly a surprise but it does give an idea of how much you should be saving by buying direct.

 

Nah, they'd still charge you the same and complain about how to charge even more (with DLC etc) and pocket that extra. Savings to them doesn't mean savings to the consumer - not if they can help it.

[TPA5]

 

Nah, they'd still charge you the same and complain about how to charge even more (with DLC etc) and pocket that extra. Savings to them doesn't mean savings to the consumer - not if they can help it.

 

This times one million. It's not about passing savings onto the consumer, it's about squeezing every last withered, bleeding cent from the consumer.

[BydoEmpire]

Yeah, I don't see 'development' in there.

Yup, pretty much. Developer salaries, health insurance, HR and IT departments, music licensing, legal departments, etc. All adds up, which is why so many studios go under even with million-selling titles. That said, I haven't paid $60 for a game in 4-5 years, and I don't even remember the last "modern" game I bought. Probably something for the Wii. Edited September 10, 2014 by BydoEmpire

[Video]

that translates into roughly 36$ in the US (last I checked, it could be even more now)

 

Though I haven't paid over $20 for a game in years. I was doing a check of what I had for all systems the other day, and as it turns out, I paid on average about $45 for xbox games, and average of about $27 for 360 games. a LOT more games back then were worth having day one for me.

 

Of course, back then, you got COMPLETE games, not watered down crap you had to pay to play and buy expansions for. As much as anything, that "sell a broken game" mentality has really hurt my purchasing of such games.