Gaming Overpricing of WiiU games is killing the WiiU

[Foxi4]

I wouldn't go that far. Very rarely have I seen a mobile game that comes anywhere near as large or complex as NSMB... and that's saying something.

Large? In terms of "lenght" or amount of content? Perhaps. Complex? You jest. NSMB is not complex, it never has been - that wasn't the point behind making the game, the point was providing a "classic" experience and it does that.

I'm not saying that there's a lot of "quality mobile games", but still, they are there. It's still a developing market, plus, let's not forget that it follows slightly different rules.

With "normal" gaming platforms, you get a burger for $60 and you eat the whole thing happily, with "mobile" you have a buffet of smaller starter dishes for $5 each and you mix and match, but that balance is slowly tipping as more and more quality games are released on typically "mobile" devices.

 

[TripleSMoon]

Large? In terms of "lenght" or amount of content? Perhaps. Complex? You jest. NSMB is not complex, it never has been - that wasn't the point behind making the game, the point was providing a "classic" experience and it does that.

I'm not saying that there's a lot of "quality mobile games", but still, they are there.

Yes, I meant large as in length, and amount of content. And I mean complex compared to most mobile games, not all games.

 

[RodrigoDavy]

Really bad example - New Super Mario Bros. games are dangerously close to "mobile" games. As an example, I bring forth Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2:

A good example of one AAA title in a mobile platform, but it doesn't represent the mobile games since it's more of an exception (unfortunately as I would love to see great games produced for smartphones).


OP... It doesn't make any sense saying the Wii U competes with cell phones, they are different markets. End of story... Wii U's competitors are other consoles, PC and MAYBE Ouya and Steam Box. The mobile market is 3DS,Vita and Smartphones



Also, comparing Mario to Sonic? We all know Sonic is cooler, faster, harder, more mature, not childish at all even though when he kills an enemy, it transforms into a bunny...

 

[Foxi4]

Yes, I meant large as in length, and amount of content. And I mean complex compared to most mobile games, not all games.

See Edit. The way I see it, it's one bigger dish for $60 versus a buffet of $5 smaller dishes right now, but this will gradually change with time, at least I believe it will.

The thing with the "mobile" market is that:

1. You don't have to suck anyone's d*ck to get a license - you just release your App on the store and it's your responsibility whether you take care of it or not.
2. Everybody and their dog, gamer or not, has a phone or a tablet these days, so you're releasing a game for the largest audience there is.
3. The Online Stores are convenient and available for all users, so distribution is not a problem here.

With all its perks, mobile gaming platforms will only become increasingly popular, especially among the upstarters in the industry who don't have big publishers behind them.

 

[Yepi69]

Fun fact: People said the same thing when the PS3 games were released and they kept buying it without bitching.

 

[KingVamp]

This same question is ditto for Android.

Sounds like the Ouya. If I buy the Ouya, no I wouldn't do so solely because even though it is a console,
it isn't design to play the same type of games as the main consoles.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

I find this claim to be true when similarly priced $60 software across systems sells well. Hell I just read Far Cry 3 sold 4.5 million copies. Not that FC3 is a Wii U game but it's a piece of $60 software.

Mobile games are fine in their own right but they're an entirely separate sphere from console and even normal handheld (3DS and Vita) games.

 

[McHaggis]

You don't have to su*k anyone's dick to get a license - you just release your App on the store and it's your responsibility whether you take care of it or not.

It's not quite that simple. Our company was gagging on Microsoft a short while ago trying to get an app certified for Windows Phone, and I know that Apple is similarly strict with who they give licenses to these days. Granted, the licensing fee is cheaper, but there's more involved than you think.

 

[Foxi4]

It's not quite that simple. Our company was gagging on Microsoft a short while ago trying to get an app certified for Windows Phone, and I know that Apple is similarly strict with who they give licenses to these days. Granted, the licensing fee is cheaper, but there's more involved than you think.

Trust me, it's certainly less "paperwork" than with console games where first you need to pay for all the SDK tools. Microsoft may be a bit bitchy about their quality control, Apple is too, albeit much, much less so, and with Google it's a breeze.

As for your iOS comment, a friend of mine released an App on the Apple Store. Guess what, he's 13.

 

[emigre]

Trust me, it's certaily less "paperwork" than with console games where first you need to pay for all the SDK tools. Microsoft may be a bit bitchy about their quality control, Apple is too, albeit much, much less so, and with Google it's a breeze.

As for your iOS comment, a friend of mine released an App on the Apple Store. Guess what, he's 13.

What kind of 23 year old man is friends with a 13 year old?

 

[Foxi4]

What kind of 23 year old man is friends with a 13 year old?

I help him out with programming, he's a nice guy.

 

[emigre]

I help him out with programming, he's a nice guy.

The fucked up jokes I could make is killing me.

 

[Foxi4]

The fucked up jokes I could make is killing me.

How's about "acquaintance" then?

I find this claim to be true when similarly priced $60 software across systems sells well. Hell I just read Far Cry 3 sold 4.5 million copies. Not that FC3 is a Wii U game but it's a piece of $60 software.

I find this claim to be true when certain games are inexplicably more expensive on the WiiU than they are on other consoles, and I don't mean the enhanced ports which actually do require some extra work, I mean the normal releases.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

It doesn't look like the Wii U is anywhere close to dying to me.
Be happy you don't live in Norway. The games are more like $100 over here.

 

[McHaggis]

Trust me, it's certaily less "paperwork" than with console games where first you need to pay for all the SDK tools. Microsoft may be a bit bitchy about their quality control, Apple is too, albeit much, much less so, and with Google it's a breeze.

As for your iOS comment, a friend of mine released an App on the Apple Store. Guess what, he's 13.

I'm not arguing that it's easier, I'm just saying it's not quite as simple as you make out. I'm speaking from my experience with Windows Phone, I can't really say the same for iOS other than what I've heard. I think it's easier for individuals/students on the Windows app store, because they don't need to be independently verified by a third-party company. I do have some limited experience working with the iOS app store: when it first launched I remember we had to pay before we could download the SDK. iOS isn't really my department, though.

 

[Foxi4]

I'm not arguing that it's easier, I'm just saying it's not quite as simple as you make out. I'm speaking from my experience with Windows Phone, I can't really say the same for iOS other than what I've heard. I think it's easier for individuals/students on the Windows app store, because they don't need to be independently verified by a third-party company. I do have some limited experience working with the iOS app store: when it first launched I remember we had to pay before we could download the SDK. iOS isn't really my department, though.

Oh, I don't mean the software itself - I mean physical kits which are pretty much required for console development beyond PSN minis/XBox Arcade titles.

It's obviously not all a breeze, yes, but it's certainly less of a pain. I suppose I downplayed it a little, ... but still, the publishing flow does not reach "suck someone's d*ck" levels of inconvenience.

 

[Devin]

How's about "acquaintance" then?

Foxi you sly dog you. And to beat a dead horse, people don't complain too much about other console games being $60. Though I'd like to see some games cheaper.

(Anarchy Reigns was released new for $30 on the 360, which I thought was great.)

 

[McHaggis]

Might as well post something on topic...

If you're not happy with the price of Wii U games then wait. I was a little disgruntled to see my local GAME store offering most launch day titles at £54.99 until after Christmas. Just recently I bought Arkham City from Amazon for less than £25 and Darksiders II for less than £30. That's two games with significant price drops in less than two months since release. The only game I've bought at around RRP is NSMBU, which I got on launch day for slightly less than £40. Next up is ZombiU, which has also dropped in price recently. Only the desperate and needy pay £55/$60 for games.

 

[Etkar.H]

60 dollars for a Wii U game is overpriced? Really? $60 for a Wii U game here would have been heaven. Wii U games costs from $81 - $109 here and you complain about it being 60 dollars? Just be glad that you get it for $60 and not $100.

 

[Rizsparky]

Home console games are certainly expensive... Even though they use optical media which is an inexpensive media, 3DS game paks which are flash based which is significantly more expensive to produce manage to cost $40 which is $20 less.

That said, one thing I learned with the 3DS (when I had to start buying legit games) is that if you don't buy a game right away you can find some nice deals later. For example, I bought Kid Icarus Uprising for just $15 in a sale in bestbuy* and you can find Resident Evil Revelations for $20 nowadays. Prices for new games are way too high but tent to get lower as time passes sometimes getting to half the price. I am pretty sure that with the Wii U the same thing will happen

*Compared to the original $40 price in the US and the $75 price they charge in my country I was really lucky

I guess people pay more to play the game earlier, personally I wait for the price to drop before I commit unless the game is already cheap.