5697

So, I don’t mind the Epic store. (To be honest, I kind of like its simplicity.) And I’m not bothered by the exclusivity agreements. Satisfactory was a must-buy for me, and once I had EGS installed, it’s no more bother to buy a game there than anywhere else. And, as I pointed out above, I don’t think that exclusivity will lead to higher prices. So I guess I’m as much an Epic fan boy as anyone here. But…

I’m not really sure what argument you’re trying to make here. I don’t think that the Epic store will result in lower prices for consumers in any obvious way. (Maybe it will subtly, as @DaveLong describes above.) All of your arguments about how popular games are cheaper actually work against the EGS, with its dramatically smaller market share. (And I don’t think it’s generally true for non-mobile games that cheaper is more popular.)

5698

I think that was part of my argument. We won’t see Epic make any impact on the prices of games any time soon. It would take a lot to eliminate the stickiness of the 59.99 prices. But, I think it will happen as Epic expands, and as more stores make the split more beneficial to the developer.

It won’t happen as long as the Steam is the giant fish in the pond that gobbles up 30% of all revenue.

5699

Just because a creator increases their margin does not mean they have any incentive to actually decrease the price.That’s not how it works. They’ll lower prices when they think that will increase sales and lead to more money as a result or maybe for a market share play. Do you know why when you try to look up scenarios where exclusives led to lower prices and all you get are discussions about Steam and Epic… it’s because it’s nonsense. Do you remember how AT&T had all these awesome deals on plans and Iphones when it was theirs exclusively. Yeah, neither do I. I do remember a number of people leaving that service when they could take their phones with them though.

5700

It’s not exactly nonsense. Console exclusives regularly receive discounts, often before and more deeply than non-exclusives. This is presumably because exclusives drive sales to the platform and discounts mean more platform uptake. I’m not sure if or how or whether this applies to the EGS, but, again, video game pricing is complicated and contingent. It’s hard to make any blanket statement about any of it.

5701

The consoles did not create their exclusives with any claim that indicates their purpose for exclusives was to drive down prices. The fact they provide discounts is immaterial to what is being claimed here.

5702

Is it though? Exclusives get marked down to drive more business to that console. You could say that epic is doing the same. They did have that 10 dollar off sale, which was pretty epic (pardon the pun, I really could not resist).

In any case in the US (tough break, but at least you all have universal healthcare and a lack of fun violence), Metro Exodus is currently 49.99, instead of the original, and expected 59.99.

And, it was part of the 10 dollar off sale. So, not too shabby.

Lowest price ever - 34.99.

5703

I agree, and I don’t think that Epic claims that either. The purpose of exclusives here is transparently to grab market share. And I’ll agree that does remove consumer choice and the ability to use platform features that many folks enjoy and/or depend on. But they’re probably not going have that much effect on consumer prices.

5704

They’re not. It’s the people supporting them no matter what that keep confusing which efforts are meant to support which goals.

Exclusives drive traffic, and that’s it. It forces people through the door if you believe what you have is worthwhile enough to get them interested in the first place.

It’s the dev/split, more money for the creator approach, that could lead to that but there is no real evidence to show that it will. After all, we know know the market can tolerate these prices. Epic does not control whether or not the creators decide to give up some of their new found margins too reduce prices. One corner of the mouth might say hey lower prices, competition, but the rest of the body doesn’t really support that position.

5705

And introduces a different kind of competition.

They are, by being the only place you can get games you want. That is a form of competition.

Yeah, but here’s the thing. Valve only turns a blind eye to being undercut by them because they are just selling Steam keys. What GMG does would not be sustainable otherwise, nor would it be tolerated by Valve.

Because they don’t want to devalue the PC version compared to the console version where they do pay a 30% cut.

They are matching the price of the console version.

You don’t understand metaphors?

Sony, notably, has specifically attempted to drive down prices at certain points by selling their exclusives less than the industry standard. Back on PS1 they were launching games for $40 instead of $50. More recently they’ve sold games like Rachet and Clank for $40 that could easily have been sold for $60.

5706

And they came out and said, hey we’re entering the market with exclusive games, and those exclusives are going to drive the prices down, all by themselves not at all related to hardware or any other efforts? Do you have some trending and statements to support that?

Exclusives by themselves don’t drive down prices. PS1 came in with new actual hardware.

5707

I do, hence his loaded language. Steam having favored nation status is silly and yet somehow @Nesrie had to apologize for calling him out in it. This whole thread has just gotten stupid. Same old people reaching for reasons to justify EPS being a shitty store.

5708

Why is it silly?

Here is the part that I think is similar to the idea of Favored Nation [Status] (https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/keys) from the steam documentation for partners.

It’s OK to run a discount on different stores at different times as long as you plan to give a comparable offer to Steam customers within a reasonable amount of time.

Isn’t that similar to favored nation status.

Anyway, it’s a metaphor, but that doesn’t mean the language is loaded. Loaded language would indicate that the audience should feel a certain way about it, beyond just what the facts are.

Hence, using terms like bribes might be seen as loaded language, since the word bribe has negative connotations. I don’t think many people have really any emotional attachments to the term favor nations status. But just in case, I put together this silly poll.

  • ‘Favored Nation’ is a negative term.
  • ‘Favored Nation’ is a positive term.
  • ‘Favored Nation’ is a neutral term.
  • I have little experience with the term ‘Favored Nation’

0 voters

5709

This forum needs a downvote button.

-Tom

5710

You’re right, he neglected the Shit bonerz option

5711

Does this Forum need a Downvote Button?

  • Yes
  • No
  • I’m a big Hollywood Star! I was in West Wing, God Damn it!

0 voters

5712

This forum needs a downvote button.

-Tom

The ‘Ignore’ button is a decent alternative :D

5713

No. It is as I said. MFN is a term that’s commonly used for describing contaracts that forbid giving better terms to some third party. Yes, the term includes “nation” in it. That does not matter. It still gets applied to contracts between corporate entities, not just nations. This is not loaded language. (I have used it with this exact meaning in this thread while arguing against Lego and Brad.)

How many references to the word being used the way I say do you need to believe this, and do you have any particular constraints on acceptable sources?

5714

By that logic, prices will never be lower then, at least for AAA. And further, Valve is justified in forcing their discount clause in order to not devalue their store, just like the publishers.

5715

Or a ranking of the most ignored posters.

5716

I actually haven’t looked at that information, but I can bet you dollars to donuts it would shake out exactly the way everyone expects. :)

-Tom