D&D 4E the Price of 4E

[MoogleEmpMog]

How many times has your wife had to buy the same equipment over, and I'm not talking about the consumables?

How about equipment with improved or new/different features, since that's what we're talking about here?

How about upgraded cameras every few years?

How about the at least one order of magnitude difference in the base price?

Not that I'm defending a $50 price point, exactly, because I'm not. It sounds highly improbable, especially considering the source (for one, there's no such thing as a "well-known gaming store" ) and like a bad business model. However, RPG players complaining about all the money they have to spend never ceases to amaze.

At $50, each of those core books would be the cost of a new video or computer game (in fact, cheaper than a 360 or PS3 game today, and than a major SNES or N64 cartridge in the '90s and early '00s). With, of course, no ($150+) system required to run them.

At $50, each of those core books would be less than half the cost of a typical reasonably competitive Magic the Gathering deck if you purchased the individual cards via the secondary market. To actually build a decent deck via pulls from boosters, you would on average be looking at $500 or more.

Somehow, both electronic gaming and collectible card games have managed to be successful with a significantly greater proportion of

pretty much every kid on the planet, not to mention those of us in the working world

than RPGs ever have. :\

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Kids can't afford $50? Halo 3 goes for $60 and it managed to bring in $170 million in its first week. Please don't tell me all those were bought by adult gamers and parents.

Of course I'm a cheapskate so I hope the core books drop in around the $30 range, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were more.

 

[Zaukrie]

Which is why they need a low entry point.

Electronic games can be played on their own, anytime you want - that is a big advantage. Also, you get them hooked on the first game, and then a subscription. if that is the model with DDI, then the entry point needs to be lower.

Collectible card games, for entry for kids, have a very low entry point. A couple of packs, that fit easily in a box or two - things your parents can see you hold and touch - that entry point is waaaaaay lower than for an RPG. Plus, the rules are contained in an insert that fits in an entry pack - another place where the barrier to entry is smaller. Plus, they have a whole industry of pre-release and release events, game stores that encourage in store play (without committing to every week like in an RPG) - lots and lots of reasons CCGs kick the butt of RPGs.

There are many reasons both those games systems have great penetration into the market. That won't be fixed by actually increasing the cost of entry to RPGs.

 

[Zaukrie]

Cost is not the only barrier to entry - that was a big part of my last post. I can pick up a first person shooter and start playing right away, not so for RPGs. Not so at all. So, the $50 is just part of the cost of entry. And, it isn't $50, it is $50 per book, plus more books to come, plus DDI, plus trying to find others to play, plus the rules are 200 pages long - just for the players - another 200 for the poor DM. The PHB may not seem intimidating to those of us that have played for years, but if you put it in front of someone that has never played, it is a huge barrier to entry.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I hope this isn't true...

It's not. Not only is it in conflict with Amazon, but it's in conflict with various comments at GenCon.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I don't think Amazon is all that accurate, so I wouldn't put too much stock in that price. I for one hope that the Amazon price is the correct one though.

well if you pre order, they have to honor the price, so if you think it will be 50$, you should preorder.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It's not. Not only is it in conflict with Amazon, but it's in conflict with various comments at GenCon.

But, but well-known gaming store in Minneapolis!

 

[mcrow]

But, but well-known gaming store in Minneapolis!

ohh.....geez. I was just trying to hint at a store without actually saying it. I also said that I'm not sure the info is probably not all that reliable.

 

[Mr. Patient]

ohh.....geez. I was just trying to hint at a store without actually saying it. I also said that I'm not sure the info is probably not all that reliable.

It wouldn't be the first time that this, ahem, source was mistaken about 4e. They were also telling folks that 4e wouldn't be OGL for a good while after that rumor had already been quashed by WotC.

 

[lkjopajdowma]

Preorder it and they'll honor it. I'm getting the 4E PHB for $19, since they foolishly dropped it down that low momentarily a while back. (And if it ever gets priced lower, I get the lower price.)

Yeah, I didn't think about it when I saw it for $19. I just preordered it for their higher price of $23 now. If I find it anywhere cheaper in the next 7 months I'll just cancel.