Comments on: Games are a Moonshot http://tedhoward.com/index.php/2009/02/15/games-are-a-moonshot/ technology morsels and rambling rants Tue, 04 May 2010 07:00:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Ted Howard : Funware is not a Moonshot http://tedhoward.com/index.php/2009/02/15/games-are-a-moonshot/comment-page-1/#comment-121 Ted Howard : Funware is not a Moonshot Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:15:02 +0000 http://tedhoward.com/index.php/2009/02/15/games-are-a-moonshot/#comment-121 [...] a previous post I posited, while providing little proof, that games are a moonshot in a sense that you aim and [...] [...] a previous post I posited, while providing little proof, that games are a moonshot in a sense that you aim and [...]

]]> By: TedHoward http://tedhoward.com/index.php/2009/02/15/games-are-a-moonshot/comment-page-1/#comment-109 TedHoward Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:18:41 +0000 http://tedhoward.com/index.php/2009/02/15/games-are-a-moonshot/#comment-109 @NickH, lowering prices won't do much. You said it yourself as you state that "when its time to get a new game" you don't mention price, just newness and buzz. Game consumers, especially the hardcore market which is the majority in dollar terms, has a very price inelastic demand. Generating buzz is incredibly hard without something that's new. What will the press say to generate the buzz? "Game still exists, see last year's reviews for more." It doesn't work. DLC packs, like the Lost & Damned, provide a way to extend the buzz for a game by providing something for the press to write about. That's one reason that publishers like DLC's. On the other hand, thanks for the comment. The important thing I think is to continue to question the status quo, consider new business and production models, and ultimately try some out to see if they work. @NickH, lowering prices won’t do much. You said it yourself as you state that “when its time to get a new game” you don’t mention price, just newness and buzz. Game consumers, especially the hardcore market which is the majority in dollar terms, has a very price inelastic demand.
Generating buzz is incredibly hard without something that’s new. What will the press say to generate the buzz? “Game still exists, see last year’s reviews for more.” It doesn’t work.
DLC packs, like the Lost & Damned, provide a way to extend the buzz for a game by providing something for the press to write about. That’s one reason that publishers like DLC’s.
On the other hand, thanks for the comment. The important thing I think is to continue to question the status quo, consider new business and production models, and ultimately try some out to see if they work.

]]> By: NickH http://tedhoward.com/index.php/2009/02/15/games-are-a-moonshot/comment-page-1/#comment-108 NickH Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:04:31 +0000 http://tedhoward.com/index.php/2009/02/15/games-are-a-moonshot/#comment-108 The cost of new titles to consumers is not exactly low, and there is a common perception (with some truth to it) that games developers learn how to get more from a platform over time. As a result, when its time to get a new game, whatever is currentlynew and generating buzz is what's going to sell. The solution is to lower prices, and generate buzz and excitement without having to complete in the current games arms-race. Easier said that done, but Nintendo seem to be making a fair attempt at doing exactly this. The cost of new titles to consumers is not exactly low, and there is a common perception (with some truth to it) that games developers learn how to get more from a platform over time. As a result, when its time to get a new game, whatever is currentlynew and generating buzz is what’s going to sell.

The solution is to lower prices, and generate buzz and excitement without having to complete in the current games arms-race. Easier said that done, but Nintendo seem to be making a fair attempt at doing exactly this.

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