Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

[Jistic]

Why is that the same title on the 360 is usually $20 more than on the PC?

[Graphik]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

I've wondered this question many times myself. My guess is consoles offer a convienence that PCs dont. You cant take a PC and move it around the house or to a friends house with ease. Most PCs aren't desinged to handle a games capabilities unless you buy addtional graphic and sound cards as well as memory. Plus you also have to consider the supply and demand. Everyone knows consoles rule households, publishers can charge whatever and get away with it because they know you'd rather buy a simple console than piece together a gaming PC rig. Plus sales firgures of PC games aren't even comparable to console games.

I'm sure somebody else can add to it but this has been my guess for quite some time.

[Addy]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

I believe it’s due to royalties. Like $X.XX goes back to Microsoft, Sony etc…

[Peji911]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

Most people have access to PC downloads, but not console downloads (unless they hack their console). So they can get you like that easily. Making PC games cheaper offers an incentive to purpose the game and not download it

[mgoblue]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

My personal guess/opinion is that the PC market isn't as large, therefore they have to be cheaper to entice that market to purchase a game. With consoles they have us by the balls, and while we could move towards PC gaming I know I don't want to spend the cash keeping my PC current.

[fistofrage]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

I think its because most games need so much patching it isn't even funny. If you buy a new PC release, you are basically paying 39.99 to be a beta tester.

[CoRruPt-]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

Personally my reason is that I think PC games are getting more and more demanding on the specs of your PC. Most of the newest games need a P4, 2gig ram, the latest graphic cards and such. A lot of people simply don't have the means of spending a couple hundred bucks or more on new computer (parts) just to play the latest craze in gaming. On the flip side, consoles are made to last a few years and you don't need to do any upgrading to play the titles released for the next 5 years.

Minor reason also, console games undergo a lot more debugging and testing than PC games. With PC games, developers can always release a patch to fix their errors. Once a console game is out, it's out and you can't fix it.

[McLite]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

My personal guess/opinion is that the PC market isn't as large, therefore they have to be cheaper to entice that market to purchase a game. With consoles they have us by the balls, and while we could move towards PC gaming I know I don't want to spend the cash keeping my PC current.

Agreed. Supply and demand.

[Dice]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

I believe it’s due to royalties. Like $X.XX goes back to Microsoft, Sony etc…

This is the main reason why. Also, you don't need to use a $10,000.00 development kit to create a PC game.

[DrJones]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

This is the main reason why. Also, you don't need to use a $10,000.00 development kit to create a PC game.

Yep.

[Kodiak33]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

Yep, every game sold pays Microsoft/Sony a certain amount of money. Thats why the consoles sell for less than what they cost to make. They make the money back on the software.

[BigTigLSU]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

Piracy

[Village Idiot]

Re: Why are PC Games so much cheaper than console games?

Good question. Good answers.