Here's a very interesting little tidbit of information, especially if you're from the UK, where we find ourselves subject to unfair price hikes that don't reflect the true value of an electronic product. With videogames costing $60 in the USA, the UK equivalent price should be near the £30 mark, but usually we get savaged with £40-50 price tags. Not very fair at all. Capcom, however, has decided to show an amazing sense of righteousness, and will be pricing its upcoming Devil May Cry 4 at £29.99 in the UK. The catch -- it can only do this with the Xbox 360 version, as the PS3 price tag comes ten pounds more expensive at £39.99.
Capcom actually expressed surprise that other companies weren't discounting their 360 games, and I must admit it's shocking. If Capcom can do it, and seems to believe everyone can do it, then it means games companies are willingly slapping RRPs on their titles that are far more expensive than they need to be. And they tell us not to buy secondhand games and show respect to the industry -- what a laugh. Either way, I'm buying Capcom a beer for this, but the question remains, why can't the company do this on the PS3? This is all Capcom has to say:
I didn't realize we were the only publisher doing this. In actuality, it's not that the PS3 version has been made more expensive, but that our business model has allowed us to discount the Xbox 360 version.
There you have it. Not very explanatory, but what can you do? Well I know what I'm going to do -- buy Devil May Cry 4, brand new, for £29.99. When I see a publisher selling a new game for that much, that's when I show some respect. Capcom has guaranteed a brand new, day one purchase from at least this happy chap, but as far as UK PS3 owners go ... damn, sorry guys. At least you get to not have loading screens or something, right?
Contest:
10:29 AM on 01.29.2008
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Lets just hope you don't get any red light flashy Jim.
Awesome caption by the way. You're just asking for it aren't you? Reguardless, Action Bastard would be proud.
@Harkonnen - That's your punishment for the Euro. Worst. Currency. Ever.
@Snaileb - I do hope that's sarcasm.
If all games were that much cheaper on the 360, would that affect your console purchasing decision?
yeah... that doesnt make sense, at all. instead of discounting one by 10, why not discount them both by 5? PS3 was apparently the lead platform on this game, so i understand that porting would be easier for the 360. but why would that make it ok to discount just the 360? the money is still going to the same company. cheaper games means more sales, period. i guess it doesnt matter to me since i'll be paying $60 for it anyways.
ZOMG!
P.S. DMC is AWESOME!
It does seem pretty self-fulfilling, doesn't it? DMC4 went multi-platform, obviously, because Capcom didn't think there would be enough PS3 sales, but if they sell one version at a discount, anyone with both consoles really seems ill-advised spending extra for the same game.
We seem to agree on the pricing issue. If both were sold for 35, it would be below the standard 40 and it wouldn't be so set up for a "see, we knew the ps3 version wouldn't sell enough".
PSone = usually 40 bucks, sometimes 50 for multidisc.
N64= around 60 to 70.
Of course, I still had both back then too.
29.99 british pounds is pretty much 60 US dollars. So thats pretty much right
but 39.99 pounds... You guys do have rape laws over there right?
Very sound Call my man!
That translated means Microsoft is paying Capcom, or helping them cover the difference, to sell this game at a near skimming price so that people with both systems will choose the 360 version over the PS3 one.
You heard it from me.
In this case though, I don't mind the extra tenner for this one. The PS3 version is the slightly better one imo(Not that the 360 one is like playing DMC1, and some say 360 edges it graphically, I can't see a difference). However, DMC's home is Sony's PS, and the controls are perfect on SA/DS3. Also, slightly better loading can't hurt, and install apparently plays a retrospective of the series, which should be cool. PS3 one even has achievements, but don't add to a gamer score like 360, but nothing is stopping Capcom not patching them as trophies into Home. We're not getting Ripped off, just that 360 owners are getting a great bargain. (Winning some of the NG fans maybe?). TBH, I won't be surprised if its 40 for 360 instore anyway. Money Grabbers etc etc.
So is the difference here due to licensing cost for the console. Media Cost might factor into it Im sure Blu-Ray cost more to make but not sure 20 US dollars worth. Or maybe development cost the PS3 does take a lot more work coding wise so maybe that is a contributing factor or maybe all of the above.
This is why i buy second hand. This is also why i'll wait up to a year before buying a game that i'd 'like' but aren't desperate for (such as Bladestorm). People say it's wrong to buy second hand, but until i can go into a store, safe in the knowledge that £30 will buy me a nice shiny new game, they can go suck eggs. Next console, i'm buying an NTSC model if it's not region free, and UK can go screw, i'll import EVERYTHING.
Breakdown of DMC4 prices, not special edition:
EB Games.com.au
DMC4 PS3 $109.95 AUD
DMC4 360 $ 99.95 AUD
EB Games.com (US)
DMC4 PS3 $ 59.99 = $67.60 AUD
DMC4 360 $ 59.99 = $67.60 AUD
Game.com.uk
DMC4 PS3 49.99 pound = 112.00 AUD
DMC4 360 39.99 pound = 89.00 AUD
Hmmm .. actually, looks like we're getting a better deal than the UK. That's kind of interesting. Usually we get screwed.
You pay more for the name it seems! Trendy sux balls!! and cocks!!