It's the Sales! Everything half Price!!!

[$kelet0r]

I wish...
Would be very cool if Valve had a January 'sale' or similar to shift the Steam titles. It's a little disheartening to see the games not only at high street prices but not even reducing in price the older they get :(
What's the deal - surely they should be priced more competitively than they are?
I imagine I'm not alone in saying that my gaming purchases depend more on my wallet than my desire and a good bargain is just too good to miss.
Your thoughts ...

[Garfield_]

If they could offer such an offer for atleast 45 mins, and those who were online during these 45 could get the 50% off and this would come unexpected :>

would be sick great ,D

[giant384]

If they could offer such an offer for atleast 45 mins, and those who were online during these 45 could get the 50% off and this would come unexpected :>

would be sick great ,D

lol then the servers crash because of the loads of orders

[smwScott]

There are a few things offered on Steam that I'd pick up if there was some kind of sale, so yeah I think it's a good idea.

[Jintor]

Sales over Steam? I can see it... the prices wouldn't be reduced that much though... it's not like they need to shift copies like real stores would.

[$kelet0r]

Sales over Steam? I can see it... the prices wouldn't be reduced that much though... it's not like they need to shift copies like real stores would.but they could....
There's like half a dozen titles I'd buy if they were ten euro each

[Jintor]

Yeah, they could. But they have no pressing need to. I wouldn't buy, soley because I'm underaged and don't have a credit card/can't obtain a credit card.

[CyberPitz]

I wish a sale would occure sometimes. I can't justify paying the prices on some of the games I actually want to get because I don't, personally, think it's worth it.

[smwScott]

Also, it's important to remember that games sold online should cost less than retail games. It costs nothing to produce and you receive no physical product.

Originally I was sold on the Steam idea because Valve hyped it as a way to cut out the publishers, drastically lowering costs and therefore be able to sell the game cheaper and pull in more of a profit. Instead they decided to just sell it like any old retail game and reap a ridiculous amount of profit. It's just not worth it.

[$kelet0r]

agreed - the problem is that the lower costs for the publisher are not being passed on to the consumer. Steam would be more profitable for Valve if the games were lower priced

[Krynn72]

Id buy psychonauts if it went on sale.

[Jintor]

You should buy Psychonauts anyway. It's worth it.

Wait, aren't games on sale on Steam for like $20 US? What are they normally? Someone hand me a pricing plan.

[CyberPitz]

You should buy Psychonauts anyway. It's worth it.

Wait, aren't games on sale on Steam for like $20 US? What are they normally? Someone hand me a pricing plan.

Sir, the planogram has been tampered with. We aren't sure who is responsible, but we are on it.

For times sake, use this gummy bear for the presentation graph.

[Gray Fox]

Id buy psychonauts if it went on sale.

It's 20,- for christ sake

[Bad^Hat]

With all these misleading yet exciting but ultimately down-letting thread titles, you'd think half of you lot would be in advertising by now.

[Samon]

Also, it's important to remember that games sold online should cost less than retail games. It costs nothing to produce and you receive no physical product.

Originally I was sold on the Steam idea because Valve hyped it as a way to cut out the publishers, drastically lowering costs and therefore be able to sell the game cheaper and pull in more of a profit. Instead they decided to just sell it like any old retail game and reap a ridiculous amount of profit. It's just not worth it.

Don't blame Valve for the price of games they didn't develop. They don't decide on the prices.

[Jintor]

There's no way in hell I'm blaming Doublefine. :P

[$kelet0r]

Don't blame Valve for the price of games they didn't develop. They don't decide on the prices.lol yes they do
valve take 40-60% of the retail price :O

[Samon]

No, they don't control prices. The very idea behind taking your game to Steam is to open up to a new audience, but also because it's another way of distributing it. They aren't going to bring their games down to a low price simply for Steam; they are going to up it. Valve do not decide on the price of these games, the best they can do is stop developers making them too pricey.

Half-life games and other Valve related games are pretty damn cheap.

[$kelet0r]

the publisher of a game dictates the retail terms not the developer - so yes valve do have the power to dictate the price
they choose not to

[Samon]

the publisher of a game dictates the retail terms not the developer - so yes valve do have the power to dictate the price
they choose not to

The whole idea behind Steam is that developers are free from publishers. Whilst Valve publish their games they don't, as you said, dictate the price. Therefore, it is in the hands of the developers and not Valve.
Valve shouldn't step in and make developers lower the prices, because ultimately it's up to the developer, no matter how silly it is.

[$kelet0r]

VALVE take 60% (a negotiable figure obviously) of the retail price for the simple task of hosting files - Valve incur no marketing, publishing or logistical costs at all by the very nature of their service
At that rate they are still more generous than other developers but at the same time they do not incur comparable costs.
If valve said that our prices will be 10% lower on all titles because Steam is a cost saver than they could easily modify their percentage take to accommodate that
And like I said the publisher determines the price always - the developer is only able to negotiate their royalty on each unit sold, nothing more.