THQ has claimed that the price of video games will drop in future - and could even go free-to-play - as publishers release less content on-disc.
According to THQ boss Brian Farrell, the future of console gaming is most likely see stripped-down titles bought at retail for $29 - $39.
THQ is experimenting with the hybrid model with its MX Vs ATV off-road racing title, due for release next year.
However, Farrell told investors this week that a free-to-play model - where gamers only pay for in-game items and extra content after a gratis initial sale - could end up dominating the industry.
"You might know we are the industry leader in off-road racing in gaming with our MXVs ATV brand," Farrell told the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference in New York. "In the past, we've seen that we bring the game out at $59.99 and it does reasonably well - around one million, or one million-and-a-half units.
"When we lower the price to a mass market price the thing really jumps... So what we're doing this time is we're coming out initially with a smaller game at a lower price point - the $29 to $39 range.
"We're then doing a download model for different modes, different tracks, different vehicles. It's what we call a hybrid - it's a bit of the microtransaction and DLC model.
"It does a couple of things: I'm a big believer in monetising under the curve, so we capture that $29 to $39 user no matter what, and a person that wants to spend $100 on the product can do so as well.
He added: "I think that's the future of gaming - whether it's this model or a take on the free-to-play model. It's where our industry is going and this is a very, very interesting experiment with one of our key brands."
Comments
20 comments so far...
zombiesinmyhead on 24 Sep '10 said:
Keep away from my curve, you spiteful money grabbing freak!
I also urge a worldwide boycott of MX V ATV. He can stick his experiment up his ar$e.
shiwayb on 24 Sep '10 said:
I want to pay!
AussieCrysis on 24 Sep '10 said:
I honestly agree with him, infact i would support this idea, it may encourage me to purchase games i had low expectations for, sometime i want just the game & couldn't care about the extra modes/characters etc so that would benefit me & it will be cheaper, & this could also enhance the amount of given options, there's many games out there i would like to have extra character skins & s**t & will be willing to pay $1 or 2 for, not sure how this will do on XBL since we all know how strict MS is, but could work excellently on PSN.
thedriffter50 on 24 Sep '10 said:
Oh god I should have kept all my retro consoles
alano0031 on 24 Sep '10 said:
No-one wants to spend $100 on a game. I prefer Pachter's predictions and I hate Pachter.
IbanezLewis on 24 Sep '10 said:
THIS IS MADNESS!
infamous76 on 24 Sep '10 said:
u damn rigt there mate, thank god i still have my dreamcast, ps2 and my gamecube.
the day gaming goes full download i will have to throw in the towel cuz i refuse to be held to ransom with these bulls**t ideas they seem to be insisting on implementing in the near future.
how greedy are the game devs - it's beyond a JOKE!!!
versionr on 24 Sep '10 said:
hmmm publishers would love an all digital download only model - more money for them, no worry about people reselling their games/pre owned market. Retailers not so happy though!
Giving a game for free or very cheap to get people hooked could be a good strategy but it depends how crippled/incomplete the game experience is for free play. Publishers are already trying to make more money from DLC - you could argue some are already selling half a game and you need to buy the DLC for a more complete experience.
If the game is severely limited and relies on lots of micro transactions to do anything/get anywhere in a game (a lot of casual/mobile games are going this way) then you can forget it!
Athrun888 on 24 Sep '10 said:
Wow, and I thought Bobby Kotick was bad...
The good news is this kind of scheme merely assures I'll stop buying games, I don't spend 39-49$ as an admission fee that may cost me 100$ (and does that guy mean 100 US $? If so he can shove that plan up his arse), either way, this is thq, they don't make anything good anyway so there's no point getting too worked up over this, chances are they'll just bankrupt themselves, and good riddance if they do.
l1nc on 24 Sep '10 said:
I don't mind paying £40 for a game. If the game is ace then I tend to complete it and it goes in my collection until I one day play it again (games like uncharted, god of war, cod, halo, and most nintendo titles.)
If the game sucks on the other hand It gets traded in for something else. I wanna pay once for the full game not download the content when I get home that sucks.
laminated0 on 24 Sep '10 said:
Isnt giving product for cheap or free for the first hit to get the consumer hooked a strategy that drug dealers use? Well done THQ lol.
MrRage on 24 Sep '10 said:
I just want to pay my money and get the whole game, all of it not have to pay £10 here and there to get an extra track or unlock a gun or something. I don't like the way the industry is headed, its bad enough with studios churning out sequels at least once a year.
Moribundman on 24 Sep '10 said:
Oooh, way to f**k with the "I'll wait for the Game of the Year version" brigade, guys...
J_H__ on 24 Sep '10 said:
NO, THIS IS SPARTA!!
lordirongut on 24 Sep '10 said:
What, because the millions THQ make in profit aren't enough?
The day that becomes the norm is the day I quit gaming. I'm not paying for pieces of a game - and this is even worse to me as an RPG player.
beemoh on 24 Sep '10 said:
>You might know we are the industry leader in off-road racing in gaming
You might also know that THQ also employs the games industry's tallest dwarf.
gobbybobby on 24 Sep '10 said:
I hate disks. Lets gop full DL now. Halo reach should have been released as a download. They kinda allready did for the reviewers!
Multiplayerking on 24 Sep '10 said:
*kicks
KingPepper on 25 Sep '10 said:
What is worrying me is how much DLC is there going to be for Gran Turismo 5 on the PSN, you wait & see, i bet it will cost us a small fortune to get everything, IE.....all cars & tracks etc etc.
vmanb on 26 Sep '10 said:
I pretty sure the the development team said there was going to be no DLC for GT5 as they were planning on put everything on the BR disc.