Are PC games getting harder to find?

[azzaman333]

PC Games at the moment cost the equivalent of $50-80 US. ($80-120 AU)

New Xbox360 games cost $65-80 US. ($100-120AU)

 

[JtheJackal]

What PC game is $80?

 

[azzaman333]

$80 Australian or $80 US?

 

[JtheJackal]

$80 US or $120 AU

 

[azzaman333]

My mistake, PC games only seem to reach $100AU. It was the various "special offers" that were $120.

 

[Maniacal]

Here PC games are usually $50-55 CAD (they used to be 50 or 60, but the dolar went to apr with the USD earleir this year, but since it's dropped again the prices are creeping back up). Add $10 for console games, except Wii games I think.

 

[Macha]

The amount of PC Games here has went up. Your average game store went from 1/2 a shelf for PC games to 1 Will Wright shelf(Sims 1/2 Expansions and Spore) and 1/2 a shelf for other games.

 

[sheep21]

over this side of the pond things are getting bad


I remember when at least half of a gaming store would be PC Games, now its roughly a quarter if that, also, PC Worlds selection has shrunk massively.
PC Games are getting squashed out of the market by consoles and some old favourite genres have ceased to exist in todays enviroment, the space fighter sim for one aswell as old fashioned adventure games. Monkey Island and X-Wing series, we miss you!


EDIT: new games here cost on average £45-£60 GBP

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

EDIT: new games here cost on average £45-£60 GBP

Where are you buying these games? I rarely see PC games above £35 in street stores, and normally I see them for £30. London prices?

That said, PC games are becoming rarer to find in town, and at least half my game collection are bought online. All the Paradox games since EU3 I've bought through their online service, and Steam is fantastic for game purchases.

 

[Maniacal]

I went to an HMV in london as my friend needed an adapter for his laptop so he could plug it in in Britain and the games weren't that expensive O_O

£45 is $83 Canadian! That's a $30 mark up!

 

[sheep21]

Where are you buying these games? I rarely see PC games above £35 in street stores, and normally I see them for £30. London prices?

That said, PC games are becoming rarer to find in town, and at least half my game collection are bought online. All the Paradox games since EU3 I've bought through their online service, and Steam is fantastic for game purchases.

Just going by the prices I see in some shops in London, I never buy anything for over £30 mind

EDIT: Meh, maybe my memory fails me, its been ahwile seen I have actually bought a game instore and not online, I must be going senile early!

 

[Maniacal]

I think I saw Spore for £35.

 

[sheep21]

i swear new games used to be more expensive back in the early 00's

I remember getting the complete RA1 Boxset back in 1998 or so for £45.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I looked around some more. The Source (some electronics store) now only has console games.
Zellers (Canadian store) still has a few PC games, but the console games are taking over the shelf.
Giant Tiger (smaller Canadian store) has a large bargain bin, but the only few I found interesting I already bought. Nothing new coming in, and they're mixing them with DVDs and console games now.
Although in a small local store I found a bargain bin full of dumb little kiddy games. And match three's. Aren't there enough match threes?

Staples and Walmart are still bringing in PC games, although Walmart is slowing replacing them with consoles. Staples is still good, but the games aren't what I'm into.

Sadly, I can't buy online without a credit card. Hopefully I'll get a prepaid one for Christmas, or at least a paypal account, but ...

 

[Maniacal]

Zellers is a joke sometimes, that's why i stopped even looknig at their selection, they have had games at twice the price as walmart! I think their problem though is that most of their customers are the parents of the gamers (or grandparents).

 

[Maniacal]

London Drugs is my hero, I never go there and I went there today, they have an awesome selection! I finally found EUIII Complete

Also The Witcher Enhanced! Finally!

Staples has severely shrunk all their video games at my local store, and there selectino has been decimated by christmas.

 

[DBear]

Staples' selection is a joke. I've found Best Buy to have the best selection, Wal-Mart the best price, and Gamestop in between.

 

[warpstorm]

No, not really. Computer games are way easier to make. The first reason is that computers are how the games are made in the first place. It is much easier to have it on the computer and transfer the files onto a computer disc, rather than convert the files and possibly downgrade the game so it can play on consoles.

Having done both (made PC and console games), they each have their challenges. The challenge of consoles is that they really don't have much memory to play with. The challenge of PCs is that they are all different and you have to deal with many variations of your code for different configurations. The biggest benefit of consoles is that you only have a few possible configurations that you have to deal with.

Lately many game companies are doing simultaneous development with the 360 as the baseline version.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I was at Staples yesterday. Looks like they're selling out too.

 

[Maniacal]

Well it is 4 days before christmas.