After seeing that Sony is basically charging extra money to early PSP Go buyers, I was a bit dejected about actually buying one. I'd been meaning to get a PSP for a while, and now that this new one has the promise of easily downloadable software, it seemed like the right time to jump in. Now, though, I still want to buy it, but if I go ahead and plop down the $250 for it, then I'll just be proving the theory that fans will always pay extra for products that could be sold for less.
The fault, however, doesn't necessarily lie with Sony (although they're not exactly the hero); they're only charging extra for it because they know they can, because people are probably going to buy it. So why is it that fans are always so readily willing (and somehow able) to spend so much cash on things that they know are superfluous?
The fault, however, doesn't necessarily lie with Sony (although they're not exactly the hero); they're only charging extra for it because they know they can, because people are probably going to buy it. So why is it that fans are always so readily willing (and somehow able) to spend so much cash on things that they know are superfluous?
The biggest offender we seem to have in the game industry is the special edition. Affix whatever "limited" or "collector" tag you like, it's hard to argue that they're anything more than a marketing ploy. Companies will ask focus groups for what sorts of swag they'd be willing to pay for in addition to the game, figure out how to mass produce those things, then charge as much money as most people are willing to pay. It stinks of exploitation, sure, but as mentioned before, we as consumers are at fault, because we've let the market come to this. But before I revile the buyers any longer, I think it's important to note the trends of which the not-so-savvy buyers are the biggest contributors, so that there's no question of what it is I'm trying to fix.
Brand Attachment: This is probably the reason there are even special editions at all. Companies (and fans) usually won't sink so much money into something that doesn't seem to deserve it. The most ridiculous and shameful extras usually come from the biggest and most well-known franchises, because they're obviously the ones that are going to sell, but special editions also show us when a company really wants to push a new IP; we all remember when EA was pushing Mirror's Edge and Dead Space with outlandish versions of those games. They had huge faith in those games, and the results, while not disappointing, were a little under EA's expectations.
The kicker here is that they don't even have to be any good. Even the most expensive and ridiculous things don't even have to be mass produced. They just have to exist. This is because when they're announced, they tend to pop up on all of the various news sites, people do write-ups about whether or not they're going to get it, and all in all do exactly what the publisher wants them to do: promote the game for what is basically free. Even if it's for the wrong reasons, this gets word out about the game, and gets fans excited (if for only the extras themselves), which leads me to my second point.
All-too-eager Fans: No less important than pimping brands are the fans who'll eat these things up. Gamers have shown themselves to be very capable of spending their money on the things that companies are willing provide. There hardly ever seems to be a price cap. People will complain about the excessive price of a collectible, sure, but rarely will that affect the sales of a collectible; If you're not going to buy it, someone else will undoubtedly will.
And when you look at it that way, it's a pretty lopsided seller's market. Collectibles are usually in low quantities because the manufacturer doesn't really want to have a surplus or lost money, so they tout the product as a rarity, which inevitably drives people to want to buy it so that they won't miss out on it. We've seen times when the production lines far outweigh demand (i.e. the Halo 3 Legendary Edition), but for the most part, demand outweighs supply. And of course, if a company sells all of their inventory, that's a big percentage gain for them.
So when this happens all the time, it infuses a "get it now, before it's gone!" mentality in any fan of a franchise. Even when there is plenty of a product to go around, buyers often feel as if their time to own something is short, and that if they don't act quickly, something important may be lost forever. This is what incurs the buying frenzy on all things collectible, be it video games or otherwise.
The Triple Take: This one is pretty simple. When you buy a game at full retail price, the retailer gets a cut, the console manufacturer gets a cut, and the people who brought you that game get a cut, and out of that cut, the publisher and developer each get a cut. This is a pretty segmented deal, and the best way for all sides to make money is to charge more for the product.
But they can't just inexplicably up the price, because that would lead to outrage. So by adding some extra trinkets to sweeten deal, they can justifiably charge more for a game, and because you can control what consumers are getting extra, you can come up with all sorts of ways to get back more money from your investment. Shady indeed, but from a business standpoint, one can certainly see a why somewhere.
We can see the infrastructure of exploitation here, but if you know anything about business at all, none of this is new to you. So then, what is the problem? Several points are in favor of this practice, in fact. There's nothing wrong wrong with promoting a brand, especially a new one; these enhanced offerings can put new IP's in the same breath as established franchises, and can feed the existing frenzy of "AAA" titles.
Additionally, not everyone uses collectibles to abuse a big name; Atlus is famous for always providing free stuff with their games, included with a game's initial run. This is nothing but good promotion. Atlus wants you to buy the game, and if you're sucker for soundtracks and plush toys, chances are you've at least been tempted to buy a game for the extra swag when you otherwise would've ignored it.
Besides, the people buying these sorts of things don't seem to be bothered at all. When looking at these products in sheer numbers, getting something extra with a game doesn't come around as often as you'd think. Fans want as many of these things as they can get their hands on. They want something to strengthen their bond to the product they're buying, to assure themselves of their fandom, and to be able to say "I am better than the average fan". I don't say that with a negative inflection, because with as brief as the impact of the average game is nowadays (how many people will be talking about Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood or BlazBlue a year or two from now?), it's understandable that fans want a sense of attachment to their favorite titles.
No amount of longing for possessiveness to our favorite games can account for credulity, however. The reason that we should be cautious towards these sorts of things is that it leaves a bad impression. For most of people do buy these things, that's fine, because to them, this sort of loyalty is what separates the "hardcore*" from the "casual*" crowds, and they wouldn't have it any other way.
But from the perspective of the people who campaign for video games as something more than a collector's hobby, the fact that fans will so blindly get behind these sorts of things makes it seem like "gamers*" are an easy marketing group, to be exploited by collector's editions and swag again and again, because they honestly don't know better.
And sure, other industries do this (movies, music, etc.), but they're not trying to prove themselves. People already know that those things are important to our culture. Most people don't care to take games as seriously, so we have to show them that not only are the games we covet are as important as any album or movie, but that their fans aren't to be taken lightly, either.
I don't mean to be cruel or cynical towards special editions, but instead I'm asking that when you see an amped-up version of a game you're already buying or an inflatable whatever, that you be more careful with your dollar instead of yelling "DO WANT*" and buying recklessly. Whether you care about it or not, you're both voting and expressing how you want people to see you every time you spend that dollar, so use it wisely.
*Asterisk denotes hatred for term. Brand Attachment: This is probably the reason there are even special editions at all. Companies (and fans) usually won't sink so much money into something that doesn't seem to deserve it. The most ridiculous and shameful extras usually come from the biggest and most well-known franchises, because they're obviously the ones that are going to sell, but special editions also show us when a company really wants to push a new IP; we all remember when EA was pushing Mirror's Edge and Dead Space with outlandish versions of those games. They had huge faith in those games, and the results, while not disappointing, were a little under EA's expectations.
The kicker here is that they don't even have to be any good. Even the most expensive and ridiculous things don't even have to be mass produced. They just have to exist. This is because when they're announced, they tend to pop up on all of the various news sites, people do write-ups about whether or not they're going to get it, and all in all do exactly what the publisher wants them to do: promote the game for what is basically free. Even if it's for the wrong reasons, this gets word out about the game, and gets fans excited (if for only the extras themselves), which leads me to my second point.
All-too-eager Fans: No less important than pimping brands are the fans who'll eat these things up. Gamers have shown themselves to be very capable of spending their money on the things that companies are willing provide. There hardly ever seems to be a price cap. People will complain about the excessive price of a collectible, sure, but rarely will that affect the sales of a collectible; If you're not going to buy it, someone else will undoubtedly will.And when you look at it that way, it's a pretty lopsided seller's market. Collectibles are usually in low quantities because the manufacturer doesn't really want to have a surplus or lost money, so they tout the product as a rarity, which inevitably drives people to want to buy it so that they won't miss out on it. We've seen times when the production lines far outweigh demand (i.e. the Halo 3 Legendary Edition), but for the most part, demand outweighs supply. And of course, if a company sells all of their inventory, that's a big percentage gain for them.
So when this happens all the time, it infuses a "get it now, before it's gone!" mentality in any fan of a franchise. Even when there is plenty of a product to go around, buyers often feel as if their time to own something is short, and that if they don't act quickly, something important may be lost forever. This is what incurs the buying frenzy on all things collectible, be it video games or otherwise.
The Triple Take: This one is pretty simple. When you buy a game at full retail price, the retailer gets a cut, the console manufacturer gets a cut, and the people who brought you that game get a cut, and out of that cut, the publisher and developer each get a cut. This is a pretty segmented deal, and the best way for all sides to make money is to charge more for the product.
But they can't just inexplicably up the price, because that would lead to outrage. So by adding some extra trinkets to sweeten deal, they can justifiably charge more for a game, and because you can control what consumers are getting extra, you can come up with all sorts of ways to get back more money from your investment. Shady indeed, but from a business standpoint, one can certainly see a why somewhere.
We can see the infrastructure of exploitation here, but if you know anything about business at all, none of this is new to you. So then, what is the problem? Several points are in favor of this practice, in fact. There's nothing wrong wrong with promoting a brand, especially a new one; these enhanced offerings can put new IP's in the same breath as established franchises, and can feed the existing frenzy of "AAA" titles.Additionally, not everyone uses collectibles to abuse a big name; Atlus is famous for always providing free stuff with their games, included with a game's initial run. This is nothing but good promotion. Atlus wants you to buy the game, and if you're sucker for soundtracks and plush toys, chances are you've at least been tempted to buy a game for the extra swag when you otherwise would've ignored it.
Besides, the people buying these sorts of things don't seem to be bothered at all. When looking at these products in sheer numbers, getting something extra with a game doesn't come around as often as you'd think. Fans want as many of these things as they can get their hands on. They want something to strengthen their bond to the product they're buying, to assure themselves of their fandom, and to be able to say "I am better than the average fan". I don't say that with a negative inflection, because with as brief as the impact of the average game is nowadays (how many people will be talking about Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood or BlazBlue a year or two from now?), it's understandable that fans want a sense of attachment to their favorite titles.
No amount of longing for possessiveness to our favorite games can account for credulity, however. The reason that we should be cautious towards these sorts of things is that it leaves a bad impression. For most of people do buy these things, that's fine, because to them, this sort of loyalty is what separates the "hardcore*" from the "casual*" crowds, and they wouldn't have it any other way.
But from the perspective of the people who campaign for video games as something more than a collector's hobby, the fact that fans will so blindly get behind these sorts of things makes it seem like "gamers*" are an easy marketing group, to be exploited by collector's editions and swag again and again, because they honestly don't know better.
And sure, other industries do this (movies, music, etc.), but they're not trying to prove themselves. People already know that those things are important to our culture. Most people don't care to take games as seriously, so we have to show them that not only are the games we covet are as important as any album or movie, but that their fans aren't to be taken lightly, either.
I don't mean to be cruel or cynical towards special editions, but instead I'm asking that when you see an amped-up version of a game you're already buying or an inflatable whatever, that you be more careful with your dollar instead of yelling "DO WANT*" and buying recklessly. Whether you care about it or not, you're both voting and expressing how you want people to see you every time you spend that dollar, so use it wisely.
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