Creeping Costs

GameHouse Forums > The Lounge

It started innocently enough with "premium edition games", each one having its non-premium counterpart, for only a slight increase in price. If one didn't want to pay the additional cost, one could purchase the "ordinary" version for the regular low price. Now we have "Platinum edition" games, without the ordinary alternative (for only a little more money). Now the ordinary versions of new games are starting to disappear from sight. Interesting way of raising your prices - you stopped selling games, and are selling us more impressive words (e.g. premium and platinum). Where will it end? Oh well, I guess the original deal was too good to last.

Posted on Fri Dec 02 18:34:10 PST 2011

Varzil wrote: It started innocently enough with "premium edition games", each one having its non-premium counterpart, for only a slight increase in price. If one didn't want to pay the additional cost, one could purchase the "ordinary" version for the regular low price. Now we have "Platinum edition" games, without the ordinary alternative (for only a little more money). Now the ordinary versions of new games are starting to disappear from sight. Interesting way of raising your prices - you stopped selling games, and are selling us more impressive words (e.g. premium and platinum). Where will it end? Oh well, I guess the original deal was too good to last.

There are a couple things to consider here. The price of games dropped in half before the prices got creepy. Also, did you notice that when the price of games dropped in half, the price of Funpass did not? Odd, huh, that funpass members pay the same but people who buy games essentially have been getting a 50% discount?

Posted on Fri Dec 02 19:32:08 PST 2011

Yes, the price of quality, first-run games seems to be increasing, but it didn't start here. It started at BFG with the CE's that charge double for very little extra. Originally, these CE's were supposed to be rare and special, followed shortly by the SE’s. However, seeing an opportunity to make more money, BFG now turns out 2 CE's a week. SE release time is now 5-6 weeks. The developers, happy to earn double, have jumped on the CE bandwagon, which means the CE's will be turning up at GH.

Personally, I think FunPass is great. For $9.99 a month (annual), I've found at least 6-10 games I would otherwise have bought for $6.99. I also get to try out other genres, catch up on older games, and I'm not cluttering my computer.

Would I like GH to get more current games more quickly, sure I would. I keep a membership at BFG just in case. But all told, I seem to be saving a bundle (I used to buy 18-24 games a month from BFG!) and enjoying myself just as much. Maybe I'm learning patience, too.

Posted on Sat Dec 03 11:25:33 PST 2011

One of the problems here that GH gets these games so much later than other sites, which you can buy for $6.99 immediately member or not. I don't want to purchase games! I just want to play them that's why I bought a FunPass. But between the coin scam and the extremely poor quality of game choices the last few months, FunPass is no longer fun. I keep telling BFG they need to do a monthly pass, even if it was more money than GH, they have so many more games more suitable for adults.

Posted on Mon Dec 05 06:47:28 PST 2011

I enjoy the fun pass but am not a fan of not being able to play the platnium games.
I can understand why you would have to buy it.
Stop and think for a minute. What do these games come with?
Maybe screensavers and wallpaper.
Platnium editions got started because the develpers decided that they wanted to offer levels to their fans.
Most now come with a stategy guide.
What I really do not like are all of the dark and erie games that out now.

Posted on Mon Dec 05 12:52:25 PST 2011

Well let's face it, it's the developers that are controlling the pricing here, not the distributors, meaning GH. So GH is just a middle-man in this and not the one who's raking in the money. So if there's a site out there that has lower prices in games with no hike for "platinum" or "collectors" editions, clue me in! And I agree, granny, on the overwhelming amount of "sinister" HOGs out there. What happened to the "fun" ones? I'll stick to playing games like the Emily series, which GH DOES produce, btw. One heck of a great accomplishment! (And you won't see this game over at BF.)

Posted on Mon Dec 05 14:04:56 PST 2011

mirkar wrote: One of the problems here that GH gets these games so much later than other sites...

I think the reason we have to wait so long for high quality games might be the pricing system. When you buy a game for $6.99, a % of that goes to the developer. When it becomes available on GH, it may be for a flat fee or for a much smaller % since we are not 'buying', but 'renting.'. Whatever it is, it's certainly not the same price as a first-run 'buy' situation. It makes sense that the developers would hold out on sending games to GH until they feel they have gotten all the sales they can from other sites. Developers are looking to maximize their profits. So, I guess, considering pricing, you either pay the $6.99 per game or you wait until the market is saturated and it comes to GH for FunPass.

Posted on Mon Dec 05 15:37:45 PST 2011

My daughter and her fried have laptops.
They love to play games on facebook.
Sandlot games sold ou to design game for social games.
Facebook, iphones, and ipads are now where the interest lies.
I think that is where games other than hidden objects are going.
There is a hugh demand for two player games.
My son is into downloading movies and playing games that you can rent.
My husband enjoys hidden object games and card games.
I like granny games, snowy games, gold sprinter and word and card games.

Posted on Mon Dec 05 17:58:21 PST 2011