Pricing Hurting Sales?

Distant Worlds is a vast, pausable real-time, 4X space strategy game which models a "living galaxy" with incredible options for replayability and customizability. Experience the full depth and detail of large turn-based strategy games, but with the simplicity and ease of real-time, and on the scale of a massively-multiplayer online game. Now greatly enhanced with the new Universe release, which includes all four previous releases as well as the new Universe expansion!

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Bleek
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Bleek »

You're not, I'd pretty much put money on the majority of people being put off by the combined price and it's a massive shame.

Image when the third expansion hits, you're then looking at well over $100... borderline insanity, surely?
I've been beta testing myself for decades.
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Bleek
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Bleek »

You could employ the Laffer-Khaldun curve, which is applied to tax, to explain the price issue.

In essence the potential result of the Laffer curve is that increasing price beyond a certain point will be counterproductive for raising further revenue.

This is also true of having too low a price whereby your market saturates and your sales peak and any resulting price change has a negligible result regardless of how low the prices goes.

There's a happy medium somewhere between expensive and cheap, unfortunately DW is way off it.
I've been beta testing myself for decades.
Montesano
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Montesano »

Obviously Matrix Games can run their business however they see fit, but I do feel bad about DW developer. This game bundled on Steam for $30-$40 would make a killing, yet they are stuck with this archaic publisher.
As for comments related to “marketing gurus”, that is what’s so sad. The pricing scheme for this game is so obviously out of whack you do not need to be a guru to understand that. Matrix pricing is a bit loony across the board, but this type of game is less niche then the others, so it is simply inexcusable. Hopefully the developers can get away from Matrix and partner with someone that knows what they are doing.
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Bleek
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Bleek »

It's not just price, there's a gross lack of PR for DW!

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/distant-worlds

4 reviews in how many years?

In comparison the brand new INDIE Endless Horizons has 11 reviews already!

DW deserves more praise and exposure than Endless Horizons, for sure.
I've been beta testing myself for decades.
Beag
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Beag »

Endless Space has something DW has not.

Steam. And some people still say it´s irrelevant and doesn´t impact sales. IMO, even if Steam conditios are harsh, once the game is known, a DW 2 would already have a much larger public looking for it and then ditching Steam wouldn´t be as important.

On a secondary note, Endless Space is also prettier and makes for nice videos to put on Youtube, thus fooling many people (the combat system is silly and late game is all about spam and auto-resolving battles, it seems.)
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ehsumrell1
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by ehsumrell1 »

Just in case anyone missed it, just thought I'd put a link to what Erik
has said about all this:

fb.asp?m=3141719
Shields are useless in "The Briar Patch"...
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Bleek
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Bleek »

ORIGINAL: Beag

Endless Space has something DW has not.

Steam. And some people still say it´s irrelevant and doesn´t impact sales. IMO, even if Steam conditios are harsh, once the game is known, a DW 2 would already have a much larger public looking for it and then ditching Steam wouldn´t be as important.

On a secondary note, Endless Space is also prettier and makes for nice videos to put on Youtube, thus fooling many people (the combat system is silly and late game is all about spam and auto-resolving battles, it seems.)

It doesn't cost anything to send reviewers a copy of your game, or are they expecting the press to spend $100+ too? [8|]

NEED MORE COVERAGE!
I've been beta testing myself for decades.
Neuronomad
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Neuronomad »

I would love to buy the game but I can't justify $80 on the complete package. I would pull the trigger on it if it was $35-45 maybe up to $50. I love 4x space games and own almost everyone DW is one of the few I lack and it is because of the price point I could buy three other games.
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Algoritm
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Algoritm »

I've read this thread and feel I've got to share my opinion on this.

Firstly, I'm one of those casual players who doesn't have more than an hour to spend on a game per day. But I like to make that hour count.

Distant World definately feels like the sort of game I'd be into, and personnaly, I don't think a demo is needed since the official video's are actually taken from the game and well explained, unlike the meaningless cinematics for other games of the genre that show breath-taking space ships blowing up which have nothing to do with how the game plays out.

My biggest problem with DW is... you guessed it: the price. I can understand someone having tons of free time getting the most out of his money on this game. But I can't convince myself to spend that amount, no matter how much I would love it, considering the time I can spend on it.

If the game + expansions were bundled and sold for 50$, I wouldn't hesitate a second.
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Bleek
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Bleek »

We should also say the last thing we want is the developer to read this and feel disheartened that people essential want more for less i.e. reduction in price.

The product is great, we want more people to become fans and enjoy it but that won't happen with the current pricing structure.

Fingers crossed the publishers do a complete bundle with all three titles at a reduced price or perhaps coincide a bundle with the next expansion to get first timers on board and enjoying the game gaining it merit and the praise it deserves.
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Neuronomad
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Neuronomad »

Well I will keep $50 in reserve for the moment they decide to do a bundle for that amount.
Numdydar
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Numdydar »

Well I just spend my $80 bucks on the game along with the expansions. I had no problem doing so eoither :). People are just too used to how fast prices drop in other games and expect the same thing here.

Regardless of how many people say the will buy DW if the price dropped, I hate to tell you, but people lie [:@]. Regardless of what people say, if matrix dropped the prive $5, people will then say 'Oh they are dropping the price so i will wait until the price drops further' Look at the US housing market if you want to see this in action.

People will not buy until two things have occured regardless of the actual cost of something
1. The precieved value of the item equals or exceeds the cost of the item
2. They can afford (or think they can lol) the item.

Both 1 and 2 have to be true for a sale to occur. So in the case of DW, for some the precieved value is not there while for others they do not feel they can afford it at the current price. While lowering the price MAY increase units sold, it will NOT necessarily increase profits for Matrix. Also just because Company A lowers a price does not mean Company B needs to. Otherwise IPads would be selling for a lot less [:)]

A staed before without access to matrix's units sold, no one here has any idea of how Matrix is doing with DW. They could be selling 100 units/month or 1,000 or 1 (the one I bought [:D]) .

Regardless of popular belief, dropping of prices of 'other' game through other fulfillment centers, i.e. Steam, etc., do not mean that they want to increase sales. It could very well mean that the copany is tryibng to recoop its costs quicker before everyone turns to the next big thing. Or a dozen other reasons. Revenue streams from sales is a lot more complex and pricing changes occur for a lot of reasoms besides increing profits and units sold. That Matrix sees no reason to do that, indicates to me they are having no issues with their current sales model, including DW.

So either buy it like I did yesterday or not. But do not expect the price to drop based on this thread. No matter how entertaining it is :)
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Bleek
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Bleek »

It'd be interesting to know how many they do sell actually, I don't see any issue in them letting us know either?
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Numdydar
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Numdydar »

Yea it is an issue lol.

Units sold is a highly private number, not just for Matrix, but everyione else too. Amazon for example has never published any of their number of Kindle sales. As opposed people estimating the number they have sold.

So if Matrix said they sold 1,000 units why would that matter to you? After all Matrix is not EA or Bioware [:(]. If matrix sold 100,000 copies of DW, would that make you buy a copy more?

Just trying to figure out why providing that numbe rwould amke any difference to anyone [&:]. You either buy the game of not. It shold not matter if 10 or a 1,000,000 copies were sold to whether you buy the game or not. Especially since it is SP only lol.

If you just want to make sure that Matrix is making money, the fact that their web site is still up and they are releasing new games and patches, says that they are. No other information is needed [:D]
Neuronomad
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Neuronomad »

Well I certainly don't mind paying a decent price for a decent product. However I have spent $50 plenty of times on AAA games that I hated after 5 minutes. However I am willing to spend $50 on indie products but once you get up into the $75-80 mark it really gets unattractive to me. I really would like the game but I just can't justify that amount. I would love to see them go the route that Stardock did with SIN.
Numdydar
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Numdydar »

So there you are. In my post above, you are unwilling to buy the game because your precieved value of the game does not equal or exceed the price involved.

Your post does seem odd though as you indicate you really would like the game. I bought my copy soly based on the review at Eight of Eight. I was actually looking for a differnt game when I ran across this one lol.

I have tried all the othe space sims, like SINs, Galtic Civ etc. Space Empires Vis the one I played the most. Out of all I tried X3 Terrian was the one I like the most, but it was too tactical for me.

So far DW and the expansions are the best space sim ever. So to me the precieved value was greater than the cost. There is nothing wrong if anyone else's opinion is different than mine. So you either willing to pay the price as advertised or not.

The odd thing about prices of items is at what price point would you buy the game? $5 less, $10? To put it abouther way, you are unwilling to pay $80 for a game you think you will really like, but you would pay $70? If $5 or $10 is that important to you, you should not be buying games at all lol.
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Neuronomad »

I think you misunderstood me. I was saying that I would happily pay $50 for the game, I think that is more than fair as it is standard fair for AAA titles, with Indies being much less. I own SIN, GC2 and the whole gambit granted I got a lot of them off Steam on sales. I am saying that $50 for a bundle would be a very good deal, but anything over that to me reaches beyond that. I am all for the developers charging whatever they want to. Don't get me wrong, I am a very big capitalist. On the flip side just because they have a right to charge what they want, I see nothing wrong with interested parties stating what they see as the value of said products or services.

The game may be every bit worth $80. Heck I have paid $10 for games that after playing I felt guilty almost for not having paid more for. That said I do not see any problem with interested potential customers coming on and expressing interest in a game but letting the developers know that the price is keeping them from pulling the trigger on a purchase.
Neuronomad
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

Post by Neuronomad »

Sorry my browser screwed up and made multiple post.

I think you misunderstood me. I was saying that I would happily pay $50 for the game, I think that is more than fair as it is standard fair for AAA titles, with Indies being much less. I own SIN, GC2 and the whole gambit granted I got a lot of them off Steam on sales. I am saying that $50 for a bundle would be a very good deal, but anything over that to me reaches beyond that. I am all for the developers charging whatever they want to. Don't get me wrong, I am a very big capitalist. On the flip side just because they have a right to charge what they want, I see nothing wrong with interested parties stating what they see as the value of said products or services.

The game may be every bit worth $80. Heck I have paid $10 for games that after playing I felt guilty almost for not having paid more for. That said I do not see any problem with interested potential customers coming on and expressing interest in a game but letting the developers know that the price is keeping them from pulling the trigger on a purchase.
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RE: Pricing Hurting Sales?

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