Best Deal for Paradox: gamersgate or amazon?

[e-stab]

Reason why new games bought through digital disruption have same or higher price than when bought through normal stores, is because no normal store would take any products to their shells if it is easily acquirable with cheaper price through digital disruption.

I think that'll have to change over time. Some people prefer retail over digital purchases simply because they don't get a nice shiny box and a physical manual with it - for the same price in most cases. I don't need this kind of stuff, so I don't see why I should pay for it indirectly. Digital distribution still has to grow up.

 

[Alerias]

I agree. Digital distribution is largely a no-go for me because I feel like I get scammed paying more for less... although that sometimes change once a title is no longer "brand new".

Furthermore, theres the question of bandwith. In addition to the d/l cost, I must also cover the bandwith. No biggie for Paradox games, because they are relatively small, but some games are 7-12 Go now. When my cheapass ISP insists on charging me for every bit after 30Go, well, a single game download forces me to be extremely careful the whole month what I do with my bandwith, or face overcharges. I really dislike having to deal with that.

So anyway, I might do GG for HoI3, but itll be the exception and not the rule. Digital distribution should really be looking at strategies allowing it to sell at slightly lower costs than boxes.

 

[Angelos]

Digital distribution can certainly be practical for some people, but i prefer "real" (i.e. in physical form) games any time. Its something about the whole packaging concept that makes my old gamer's heart go all mushy inside . My first original game was back in 1987 and it was Pirates! for Amstrad CPC. I can still remember the opening process, the printed manual, the map... That is a feeling that a download cant provide. And i really believe Paradox can achieve it, since HoI Anthology was really nicely packed. Btw, i really didnt't like the whole digital-only concept adopted for the latest expansions... Considering their size its understandable, but it forced me to wait for the complete versions of both Victoria and EU3 until i purchased them on a physical disc.

 

[ashbery76]

I want a box and disc,paper manual.

 

[Jorath13]

Isn't it kind of peculiar that Amazon says that it will be released on Aug. 4th, but Newegg say Sept. 8th. Take your pick.

CB

Hmm, interesting. I actually put that down as NewEgg posting the date in American format but they had received the date via European format (American is month, day, year...European is day, month, year) so that would actually be August 9th release. /shrug Well I ordered thru NewEgg, if I end up having to wait another month its no big deal - at least the first patch should be hitting around then.

 

[ileonu]

If i had a notebook to bring to my bathroom to read the PDF while i POOP... i would buy it from GG or STEAM... but since i need that paper manual to help my body functions i would go for Amazon...

And if you have a notebook just be sure to use ONLY to read the manual while you POOP.... playing for hours while sitting can make wiping your ass off dried POOP a very bad thing....=P

 

[Alex_brunius]

So anyway, I might do GG for HoI3, but itll be the exception and not the rule. Digital distribution should really be looking at strategies allowing it to sell at slightly lower costs than boxes.

If what I've heard is true then its normal retail distributors that keeps Digital prices high. They simply refuse to distribute games that can be found cheaper in DD since an effective Digital Distribution system can be made many times cheaper and would spell their ruin.

Imagine how many games we could have if prices just followed the law of supply and demand. Almost Infinite Digital Distribution supply would mean we gamers could pay very low prices and afford many times more games for the same money.

This is pretty much the cause of most Piracy. A screwed up supply & demand balance being held back by old forces that are afraid of the new possibilities in general and internet in particular.

One strategy that seems to work is sales, ATM Paradox have 50% off all titles at Gamersgate due to 10 year anniversary.

 

[Alexander Seil]

Hardly, games have very high fixed costs that need to be recouped, so don't expect games to start selling for $1 just because they're only digitally distributed. Plus, for wargames, there is the issue of considerable market power, which is why Matrix can get away with charging $70 for WitP years after release, or why HPS never lowers their prices.

 

[Alex_brunius]

Hardly, games have very high fixed costs that need to be recouped, so don't expect games to start selling for $1 just because they're only digitally distributed.

Well since its very close to free to actually distribute games digitally 30 people buying for $1 or one buying for $30 is the same. If I could buy games 30 times as cheap I would by 30 times as many I can promise you that

 

[kunadam]

Probably for some of us it is still cheaper to buy from GG, than Amazon. Shipping prices can go up quite steeple once you are not in the correct country.
And Paradox games hit the shelves in Hungary 3-5 months later than release.

 

[Nilmerf]

One strategy that seems to work is sales, ATM Paradox have 50% off all titles at Gamersgate due to 10 year anniversary.

Wow, thanks for the heads up. I bought Crusader Kings Complete and Rome Gold for $20 total. Glad I waited on those titles.. even if I rarely play them it was too good to pass up.

 

[DiLune]

If what I've heard is true then its normal retail distributors that keeps Digital prices high. They simply refuse to distribute games that can be found cheaper in DD since an effective Digital Distribution system can be made many times cheaper and would spell their ruin.

Imagine how many games we could have if prices just followed the law of supply and demand. Almost Infinite Digital Distribution supply would mean we gamers could pay very low prices and afford many times more games for the same money.

This is pretty much the cause of most Piracy. A screwed up supply & demand balance being held back by old forces that are afraid of the new possibilities in general and internet in particular.

One strategy that seems to work is sales, ATM Paradox have 50% off all titles at Gamersgate due to 10 year anniversary.

A) they won't stop piracy if they lower their prices. A lot of pirates wouldn't buy the game at any price.

B) PI has a relationship with Amazon and the Bricks and Mortar sellers. If they undercut that relationship by selling very cheaply on the internet, they would be hurting a distribution network (which they use to reach potential gamers.)

 

[Alex_brunius]

A) they won't stop piracy if they lower their prices. A lot of pirates wouldn't buy the game at any price.

I never said they could either, just that people can actually even handle the distribution them self now. I'm sure a lot of Piracy is because its easier to get it illegally then legally. Making it faster, cheaper and easier to buy & download online would reduce piracy since game pirates are those that already download their games.

I think most of the pirates want to pay for them self if prices were more reasonable. With DD its actually possible to make the prices lower as opposed to old distribution where a certain price must always be charged for delivery, printing handling and so on.

 

[unmerged(63310)]

Pirates usually steal due to 3 main reasons;

1. its relatively easy

2. its price is merely the ISP and knowledge on how to do the process- IE torrents for example is not that hard for tech savvy but many people find it complicated and easier to buy BUT- the many news stories and publishing media attacks on piracy keep it in peoples memory and more people seek it out- also computer use expanding everywhere in the world as computers cheaper and standard of living rises... brings a lot of new potential pirates online as well as new customers eventually.

3. curious try out, it is a fallacy to assume all the pirated software would be bought if only pirating was ended. many people try out games or applications they would never buy even if that was the only way to get them.

So the actual price of a game or software is only 1 part of the picture at most price points and applications. However I would bet Ultimate/Premier etc versions are pirated more often than others because once you willing to engage in piracy there is essentially no price difference between the versions. Publishers lowering prices would have minimum impact on piracy until the prices did reach the $1 or .99 cent range like ITunes sells at. For music the market is much larger than games or most software however and that model makes sense in music whereas $1 for a game which cost $500,000 to develop which is a small budget these days would probably need 1 million buyers to cover cost of development/marketing and give reasonable profit.

 

[qgbnorman]

if i buy a box copy from amazon.com can i add the cd key to my gg account?

 

[jdrou]

if i buy a box copy from amazon.com can i add the cd key to my gg account?

I believe Paradox said they planned to do it for all hardcopy games starting with EU3 Complete.

 

[Lord Valentine]

Yes. All digital distribution revenue gives more $$$ to us.

Yet another pro Argument for GG.

1. I get the game on release date and don't have to stalk through half of Germany looking for it.
2. I don't pay the shipping or god knows what I have to pay Amazon on top of the price.
3. PA get's more money and can make even more and even greater games!

~Lord Valentine~

 

[Palmetto]

I prefer physical distribution. Because if I buy online I'll want to print the manual and printing a colorful game manual tends to burn through a printer cartridge in a hurry. And a laser printer cartridge costs more than the actual game itself. Been there, done that. So I prefer the actual hard copy for the printed manual.

The only thing that bothers me about Amazon is whether they will ship on the release date or not. They have been slow in getting new PI game releases out the door in the past. But I have pre-ordered from them this time around. Once more into the breach...

 

[jdrou]

I prefer physical distribution. Because if I buy online I'll want to print the manual and printing a colorful game manual tends to burn through a printer cartridge in a hurry. And a laser printer cartridge costs more than the actual game itself. Been there, done that. So I prefer the actual hard copy for the printed manual.

For some games this makes sense but not so much for Paradox. Most Paradox manuals you will skim through once and maybe refer back to a few times for the basic mechanics but most of the hard info you get from tooltips in the game or from the forum. Especially since the manual starts becoming obsolete almost immediately with the first patch release.

 

[unmerged(146240)]

Okay, Threadstarter again

Some of the people who answered this question had the (understandable) point that they are looking for the most bang for the buck.

I asked this question simply because paradox is the last producer to make a decent grand strategy war simulation (gsws), and if they stop producing these games, people who like this genre (like me) are screwed.

Let's face it: a 1st person shooter has 30 times the market potential than a gsws. I am playing computer games since 1982, i am in the IT industry since 1988, and i know that failing computer game companys are the standard, not the exception.

Making complex software is incredibly expensive, and if paradox does not produce an adequate return on investment, they can't survive.

So my bottom line is: yes, one must look that you get a bang for your money, BUT if your only supplier goes out of business, you're f+++ed... thats why i try to make a win-win situation.