On Pricing Models (Destiny)

by Avateur , Monday, June 29, 2015, 23:37 (3416 days ago) @ Ragashingo

Ugh, had a whole thing typed and lost it. Summary: Halo pricing models that fit the market at the time (even CoD had $10 DLC for maps until Activision bumped it to $15 during MW2) do not compare to this current time. I've never even implied it. The market was different back then. Activision set a funky pricing scheme for Destiny, and within that pricing scheme has worked itself into a corner. Blizzard releases a base game for $60, and then releases an expansion for $40 that's just as big if not bigger than the base game. TBD on the next expansion. And I've already made the Halo 3 vs. ODST pricing comparison.

So within Activision's own pricing scheme, set up by Activision, expansions cost $20. A lot of the irritation felt at DBO on many occasions, as well as throughout other Destiny communities, is how it feels like the base game did not include a lot of content (subjective), and that a lot of content was either cut or held back purposely for DLC (subjective, or maybe a mix of true and false depending on whatever changed during production). Then the Collector's Edition pricing comes out, people get mad. Then Luke's interview. Even angrier. Then an apology that throws out a price point that matches the cost of an entire expansion for nothing more than emotes and shaders. You may not like the cynicism, but it's hardly unique to myself or the megathreads here at DBO.

Does that mean I'm right or that others are right? Not necessarily. Does it mean you are? Not necessarily. The pricing scheme definitely appears hostile to the consumer. At this point, it's so sad that it's gotten funny. What's next from Activision?

Either way, they have my Taken King money guaranteed. I've thoroughly enjoyed Destiny, even with my problems with it. Doesn't mean for a second that I enjoy Activision. I wonder how much Bungie's enjoying them. I bet they thought they were finally free once they escaped Microsoft. I guess potentially not as much as they'd hoped with Activision. :P