MS looking at ways to make money from online gamers

[Zara_Latina]

You can view the page at http://www.maxconsole.net/content.php?39795-MS-looking-at-ways-to-make-money-from-online-gamers

[grapeape]

Or perhaps you might figure out that for 98 out of 100 people online gaming just isnt important enough to pay for. Now I know there are alot of apple haters...but take a look at what they are doing with iAD, MS, Sony and Nintendo should adopt similar strategies, it will create a true trackable targeted audience, allow enough revenue for advertiser sponsored content and those that still feel like paying will have ad free versions of games available...it works for tv...why not for gaming. Live has the framework they just haven't bothered to think past "can we get them to pay $5 a month" when they should be thinking how to get people to pay for free while offering enough advertising opportunity to charge x per month...

[AcCeSsDeNiEd]

Someone needs to tell this jacka*s that 98 out of 100 people are smart enough not to pay for this kinda of crap.

The purchase price of the expensive games should already come with online play.
Instead of squeezing more outta of customers.

Unless he can figure out how to make the other 98 stupid too, he's going no where.

[grapeape]

The purchase price of the expensive games should already come with online play.
Instead of squeezing more outta of customers.

The problem is while the cost of game production is many times more expensive than it used to be the price of games have stayed relatively the same (I can remember paying $75 for Chrono Trigger). They simply have put themselves in a corner yes production values are higher but the cost of games is at the level the market will bear and making them more expensive will just decrease sales...IMHO if they don't figure out a new way to either be more efficient or generate revenue without fleecing customers the gaming market is heading towards imploding. I do believe this is the reason for dlc's prominence this generation and the push for digital delivery next gen. Blockbuster games can still make money but for most HD games under a million sales means a loss in many instances, something has to change. Problem is they cant really lower game prices, and the multiplayer element in todays games has just increased costs and overhead....their kinda screwed.

[iLLNESS]

The problem is while the cost of game production is many times more expensive than it used to be the price of games have stayed relatively the same (I can remember paying $75 for Chrono Trigger). They simply have put themselves in a corner yes production values are higher but the cost of games is at the level the market will bear and making them more expensive will just decrease sales...IMHO if they don't figure out a new way to either be more efficient or generate revenue without fleecing customers the gaming market is heading towards imploding. I do believe this is the reason for dlc's prominence this generation and the push for digital delivery next gen. Blockbuster games can still make money but for most HD games under a million sales means a loss in many instances, something has to change. Problem is they cant really lower game prices, and the multiplayer element in todays games has just increased costs and overhead....their kinda screwed.

yeah. i think i paid a good $85 for goldeneye (CAD) back in the day.. games are only $60 now in canada for a new release.. going from carts to optical media knocked off $10, the other 10 was just cuz people stopped buying games i guesss lol.

[WickedSkin]

So GFWL will cost you $$ when? When will you force developers to accept your bullshit to release their games on Windows? Burn in hell assholes... on second thought just burn alive... forever. It's what you deserve if that would ever happen. Same goes for the morons that would actually accept that and fork out the cash.

Gaming is slowly going down the drain.


The problem is while the cost of game production is many times more expensive than it used to be the price of games have stayed relatively the same (I can remember paying $75 for Chrono Trigger). They simply have put themselves in a corner yes production values are higher but the cost of games is at the level the market will bear and making them more expensive will just decrease sales...IMHO if they don't figure out a new way to either be more efficient or generate revenue without fleecing customers the gaming market is heading towards imploding. I do believe this is the reason for dlc's prominence this generation and the push for digital delivery next gen. Blockbuster games can still make money but for most HD games under a million sales means a loss in many instances, something has to change. Problem is they cant really lower game prices, and the multiplayer element in todays games has just increased costs and overhead....their kinda screwed.

Well there is a huge amount of new gamers paying for games now compared to just a few years ago. That is one reason for the prices staying the same or slightly lower. Most gaming companies do make profits, sometimes huge, otherwise they wouldn't be in business. They still wants more profit of course. Who wouldn't want that really? It's logical. However gamers can stop them from actually scraping all the cash off of you by not being consumer-whores.

Gaming is pretty much the biggest entertainment industry today.

[Xenogears V]

Ms learn from Sony. Onlinee service is free. :mad:

[Neglefarot]

Carts last longer then discs so the extra 10 dollars give you at least 10 extra years (and sell them on Ebay).

I saw the God of war 3 "in the making" and they clearly show how the "poseidon" was a year of work and 6 people at least, so the math is simple...1 year salary for 6 guys for 1 character for 1 section of the game equals a too expensive "part" of the game...it is a high quality part, but only to compete for the "Just state of the art full next gen graphic chip HD images" (say that fast) that the last gamers generation expects.

Once every couple of years games like little big planet (i dont like it) or guitar hero and rock band etc, got out and state that games are about "GAMING EXPERIENCE" and not "just" about how they look, and brings them millions to the table but thats just once in a while, my top franchise games lost their primary factor...Resident Evil worth millions but its not scary anymore, Final Fantasy..i played them all...til 10 and not anymore, some games are changing, others dont change at all and thats dessapointing sometimes too like Gears of war 2...its a millions of dollars bet and a lot of times they just loose and loose...but thats not "OUR" problem its only theirs, they should invest more in research and not in hype and that might give them more money on the long term.

i think MS is doing this because Alan Wake finally passed the bill to them and they just cant pay it...imagine that math.

[grapeape]

i think MS is doing this because Alan Wake finally passed the bill to them and they just cant pay it...imagine that math.

Its not just Alan Wake but thats a good example...what are the chances of it making its money back? I think it will sell well but its going to be really tough to break even. Its rare you catch lightning in a bottle, I think at best sales will be like that of the first Uncharted...good but not amazing...from what I understand Naughty Dog barely broke even the first time around. Gaming just cant sustain itself that way especially when companies have share holders to answer to. Privately held companies can fare it a little better since many are happy just to make a decent living and dont worry as much about profit margins beyond salaries and upkeep, for the big ones though things are kind of bleak right now.

[Ligerbomb]

Isn't Billy boy milking the gamers enough already?! XB-fn-Live is a overpriced sh*t, I'm only using Wii & PSN for free because I'm not playing online very much (maybe 1-3 hours A YEAR).

[headyfred]

I understand the comments that people say about the relative price of games has not changed in the last 15 years or so and the cost of development has gone up, but there are more game players now compared to 15 years ago. 15 years ago the average age was about 12 to 15, you didn't really see people in their 30's or 40's playing like you do now. Also the price of cartridges took up quite alot of the cost of a game, not like now.

[ok123]

Dont you have to pay to play online on Xbox 360, that you need a Xbox Live Gold account? How can only 2 out of 100 be paying people then, or am i missunderstanding something?

[weeboo]

Dont you have to pay to play online on Xbox 360, that you need a Xbox Live Gold account? How can only 2 out of 100 be paying people then, or am i missunderstanding something?

yeah, you have to have gold account. its just eg of fraction of 1.)who pays for online and 2.)who dont pay/use online. eventhough xbox live is huge success its safe to say there are more offline users than online users. and that small fraction is big. it looks small but..

what i hate about this gold subscription though, eventhough you have not use live in a month or use it only for like 1hr of online gaming, they still lets you pay for the full price. i hope in the future theres some kind of subtraction to your fee if you have not used live or used for few minutes. they let you pay lesser or give you some credit for not using your live. **** i havent been online for 2months and subscribed with 1 year thing and i cant do any about that because im out on vacation. i bet others too are paying live even they dont use it.

[Blades]

I love how they always throw Bill's face up when talking about MS. He doesn't really have anything to do with MS anymore. And really hasn't since after the release of Win95. Other people did the work/coding for him, he was just a front for the most part.

Also, yea, it's a toss up. I would rather pay $50 a year, then having to deal with commercials and ads all mucking up my display. But there are others who would prefer the opposite. There yea, go. Give us a choice. Be pestered with ads and receive free online play. Or Pay and get rid of the ads.

;

[stanleyopar2000]

the companies attitude to get MORE MONEY and f*ck the other people who don't PAY for online games..

THIS.

IS WHY WE PIRATE.

F*CK THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THE SYSTEM F*CKS YOU.

[grapeape]

the companies attitude to get MORE MONEY and f*ck the other people who don't PAY for online games..

THIS.

IS WHY WE PIRATE.

F*CK THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THE SYSTEM F*CKS YOU.

oh bullshit if games were a dollar most of you would pirate them anyway and just use a different excuse. What I don't understand is the attitude by most gamers that everything should be like some charitable not for profit effort for their entertainment...where did this sense of entitlement come from and seriously if no one is making money who do you propose is actually going to bother making stuff? I hate nickel and diming that is going on as much as anyone..probably more than most here because I actually do buy my games, but seriously what lesson do you think piracy sends? all it does is make games more of a hassle for legitimate gamers or in some extreme cases get developers to just drop support completely...if thats the goal mission fucking accomplished many times over...if pirates think its going to lower the cost of games or get less drm or make systems cheaper they are delusional. Gaming isnt a fucking right...if you cant afford it find a different hobby. For those things to happen both sales and interest have to decrease...the only way to do that is if you think they are too expensive dont buy them.

[WoIverine]

Bet they want you to buy an "official" hint book / guide which is usually offered at time of sale via gamestop anyways. That is...for the non digital copies of games. Just glad gamefaqs.com doesn't charge for site access.

[QrafTee]

Looking at ways to make money from online gamers? Dude, Microsoft just hike up Gold subscription to $75, create a new Platinum subscription at $100, charge Silver subscription for $50, create a new Bronze subscription at $25, and just so you guys seem fair create a Copper subscription for free which lets you sign on and that's it.

[dsav]

oh bullshit if games were a dollar most of you would pirate them anyway and just use a different excuse.

maybe some, but lol alot of people would buy nearly every game at that price.

i know i would.

hell even if they were $20.

[QrafTee]

maybe some, but lol alot of people would buy nearly every game at that price.

i know i would.

hell even if they were $20.Dude, I know. If games were $1 each, I'd need like 2-3 bookcases to hold them all.

[ok123]

yeah, you have to have gold account. its just eg of fraction of 1.)who pays for online and 2.)who dont pay/use online. eventhough xbox live is huge success its safe to say there are more offline users than online users. and that small fraction is big. it looks small but..

what i hate about this gold subscription though, eventhough you have not use live in a month or use it only for like 1hr of online gaming, they still lets you pay for the full price. i hope in the future theres some kind of subtraction to your fee if you have not used live or used for few minutes. they let you pay lesser or give you some credit for not using your live. **** i havent been online for 2months and subscribed with 1 year thing and i cant do any about that because im out on vacation. i bet others too are paying live even they dont use it.
Ye, that is true, but people pay for Xbox Live Gold even if they dont use it as you say, so how can only 2 out of 100 Xbox Live Gold subscribers be paying subscribers? I didnt quite understand that part :) The total amount of Xbox Live Gold members seems to have increased every year as well, so i guess that many people continues to pay for Xbox Live Gold.

[ThreeDog]

Ye, that is true, but people pay for Xbox Live Gold even if they dont use it as you say, so how can only 2 out of 100 Xbox Live Gold subscribers be paying subscribers? I didnt quite understand that part :) The total amount of Xbox Live Gold members seems to have increased every year as well, so i guess that many people continues to pay for Xbox Live Gold.
Im one of those people, I buy a years worth of Live Gold every year yet i play online games possibly four times a month for around an hour, its all the RPGs ;). It was different back on the original Xbox there were a few games i played every night, Mech Assault - Crimson Skies - Soldier of Fortune 2.

I don't think id pay more for getting demos a week early and occasional online use, i don't use the other features anyway. I think MS needs to find more to offer these people that haven't subscribed.