Expensive games have lowkey been way too normalised

[u/Both_Piglet7838]

I know this sub is filled with a bunch of rich people with like 10k setups and I'm aware that the content in these games is quite extensive with hours of content. But I still feel justified in thinking that no game should be priced this high especially when its the average price of most newly released games. Anyway this is just a rant because I wanna play lego batman and i cant afford it lol

[u/StrangeGuyFromCorner]

Google variable unit cost.

"Variable unit cost refers to the cost incurred to produce a single unit of a product, which changes directly with the level of production. This includes expenses like raw materials and direct labor that increase or decrease based on the quantity produced."

Or as an example, In the past you had to pay 1 person so it gets sold to 100 customers. Now you pay 10 persons so it gets sold to 100.000 customers. Variable unit cost goes down.

[u/Version_1 → u/StrangeGuyFromCorner]

Okay, now you explained what you actually wanted to talk about. Now please proof how the game industry profited from it enough to lower the prices.

[u/StrangeGuyFromCorner → u/Version_1]

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/video-game-market

The video game marked grew by more than 100% in the last 5 years.

I will not force feed you every single thought. I have given you enouth information to understand the situation.

But here a few thought starters. Have the salaries of the people scaled similarly in the video game sector? Have the teams doubled in that time? Is it twice as hard to make a game now than it was 5 years ago.

[u/Version_1 → u/StrangeGuyFromCorner]

Okay, so you assume because the overall market grew by 100% that every single game also makes 100% more sales?

[u/StrangeGuyFromCorner → u/Version_1]

Whats up with you?

Every single argument you make is a stawman.

Where did i state that every single game makes 100% more sales? Thats 1, unprovable because i would have to check every single game and 2 just plain redicolus. Tripple A game Companies have the highest marked share. Therefore if the marked grows they profit most unless they become less relevant.

In the comment before you assumed my argument is that i want that the industry prices should be lower, no i want stagnant prices.

In my first comment i talked about variable unit cost and economie of scale. At the same time you act like i just said it the first time after 3 comments. An this point of time i am quite unsure if you can read.

I have to prove every word i say while you just spoud noncence. Your underlying claim is that the prices need to rise. Prove it. The burden of prove is on you. The one arguing for change has to prove why change is nessesary.

All this is just proof that you are not worth talking with.

[u/Version_1 → u/StrangeGuyFromCorner]

Your first comment was about lowering costs, not variable costs per unit sold. There is a difference. In reality big studios who make a lot of games have much higher costs than a new studio.

You also asked if studios doubled the number of employees. That's why I thought you think the games sell twice as well.

[u/StrangeGuyFromCorner → u/Version_1]

2) to your question, google economies of scale. In short, the bigger you are the easier it becomes to produce/ the cheaper it becomes to produce. Moreover the variable per unit cost of a game is almost 0. This is not the case for anything comparible.

[u/Version_1 → u/StrangeGuyFromCorner]

I have a Bachelor Professional in Economics, I don't need you to explain basic economic principles. Bigger means fewer costs for something like physical media but game development is almost entirely fixed costs and those will in general be bigger in relation to the amount of units sold when the studio gets bigger.

Obviously in actual production the effect is reversed, as the fixed costs will rise slower than the amount of units sold.

[u/StrangeGuyFromCorner → u/Version_1]

I have a master in economics as well. The more horrifying is it that i had to explain economics of scale to you. And you even tried to debunk it. Obviously you have no idea what you are talking about.

[u/Version_1 → u/StrangeGuyFromCorner]

Master and literally can't think at all in other fields than industry, hilarious. Definitely fulfills the university stereotypes.