Not the least bit unfair. (Destiny)

by Cody Miller , Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Friday, January 31, 2020, 19:10 (1765 days ago) @ Vortech
edited by Cody Miller, Friday, January 31, 2020, 19:22

Can I also just say how uncomfortable I am with the idea that people should have to be able to pay a certain amount of money, otherwise they aren’t enjoying the game in the correct way, are damaging the whole industry, and should be excluded?

I don't think anyone here made that argument. The price you pay for a game has zero to do with enjoying a game the 'correct' way.

I know it’s not the specific goal but at the end result is a poll tax for gaming.

Only with digital distribution. Another reason to oppose this. With physical releases you don't have to pay anything: "Hey, can I borrow that game for a bit?" "Okay sure". You can also buy used.

Breaking up the cost of a game over time isn’t just a way for game companies to make money it is also a way for them to increase the number of people who can play their game and reduce The price of base games given inflation. That’s democratizing gaming.

It is not always true that expanding the base means increasing the profits. You know this. Set the price too low and while more people might buy, you make less of each sale. There is an optimal price point which maximizes profit, which is always going to be higher than some people are willing to pay. People are already being excluded. There already exist options for players who can't afford it: wait till there's a sale or price drop, borrow the game, or pirate it.

Sometimes good things are expensive and unaffordable to many, and if good games must be that then so be it, but let’s note the impact on those people as we talk about idealist purity in game revenue.

It's not just about revenue but sensible design. If you won't pay full price for a game, and in order to capture you as a player the designers must compromise the game design, then you have in fact done harm to the industry. The idea of widening your audience becomes self defeating if it ruins what made the thing good in the first place. By all means widen without compromise; I think gaming being as big as it is today is a wonderful thing. But only if the games continue to be wonderful.