Would You Buy More Digital Games at 20% Off?

Best Buy and Amazon both provide 20% off of new games with a special membership. Why don't gaming networks do that for digital games too?

[DLB23]

Let's take a moment and think about this..

Discounted game sales are viewed among some developers as the industry's silent killer. After consumers buy games cheap instead of paying the entire $60, they return it to the store and turn it in to receive some cash back. The retailer that bought the game then puts it back on store shelves for another reduced price. When the next customer comes in and buys that game, all the revenue goes to the retailer; the developer is only able to generate cash from new sales. They don't even generate anything from discounted games. It seems we as gamers are destroying our own industry. Smh...

[GryestOfBluSkies]

this article isnt talking about the new vs used debate.

if anything, i think amazon and best buy are showing us that we have definitely been overpaying for new games for years. they would not give people this sort of discount without still making a profit on it.
i think digital could afford to do even better than 20%, considering they are cutting out the cost of manufacturing, dealing with retailers.

[freshslicepizza]

retailers like gamestop are keeping digital prices high. the console makers don't want to upset retailers who sell the hardware. this is why steam and amazon have much better sales.

[GordonKnight]

Digital should be cheaper and should also release a week before physical copies.

[2pacalypsenow]

But yet the Gaming industry is growing every year?

[Pandamobile]

Man, every comment you make just makes you look more and more clueless.

[MachuchalBrotha316]

Did you read the article?

[TyBREAKR]

When has any company ever been entitled to the proceeds of a sale the second time it was sold in retail. I buy a bike brand new from the store and then decide to sell it to a used bike shop to buy a new one. How is that any different? Insert X product into the first scenario and you get the same answer. No company gets to double dip.

[jaycptza]

If you sell physical copies, there is a distribution cost involved. I suppose they want to now encourage digital sales because the company won't need to worry with manufacturing cost of producing physical media as well as distribution.

[rainslacker]

The games on the shelf are sold to the retailer at the price the publisher sells it for. The publisher is getting the same amount regardless, with the store taking the loss of profit on themselves. Over time, prices at retail come down because stock needs to be moved, and it's the same at the distribution level. Companies continue the selling life of a product by reducing prices themselves later, thus making less, but still getting revenue.

Reduced prices on games aren't killing the industry, they're helping to ensure that games continue to sell, and profit is maximized.

This last bit is why we're not likely to see lower digital prices, because there is no incentive to not maximize profit for the publisher, however, as time goes by, it actually brings in more revenue to reduce the price to get people to impulse buy. Since there is no storage or distribution of actual product to contend with, digital doesn't have to try and move stock to make room for more, thus prices remain higher longer.

Take the time to think about that.

[NapalmSanctuary]

The biggest problem here isn't so much used games. Its the fact that modern games, especially narrative based SP games like UC, AC etc., lack hardcore replayability. Unless you really loved a games story and want to play it over and over, there just isn't any real reason to hold on to the game. Publishers and developers are directly responsible for the massive stock of heavily discounted used games on the store shelves.

[MCTJim]

Personally, I think that digital games should be cheaper. 20% would be the sweet spot.

[BosSSyndrome]

To be honest, that would literaly be the only selling point for me to buy digital.

[Tdmd]

I'm not sure. I think every digital game should cost less than a physical disc. And even if it was like this, I think I still would stick with physical for most of my games. I just enjoy having that big pile of games around, you know? :)

[GryestOfBluSkies]

i would still buy physical releases from Amazon at 20% off. i could at least trade it in after and get something towards my next purchase. however, id be more likely to buy a digital only game at a discount.

[MilkMan]

Better believe it.
I already buy all digital. This would just make me go nuttier than usual when I buy stuff up.
It's simple, save me more money so I can buy more of your product.
Im already a client.

[2pacalypsenow]

No cuz I already get that with best buy, but 30% yes

[NoFanboyJustLovGames]

HELL YEA. I own over 100 games on my xbox one all Digital, so yes this would make me feel better and buy more.....

[jwillj2k4]

yea because they are really afraid that YOU wont buy more... /s

[NoFanboyJustLovGames]

actually some games i do not buy and have slowed down on buying games. Every game not worth 60 bucks.....

[MachuchalBrotha316]

Yes, I would. It is also the right thing to do. Why pay top price, when theres no case or shipping,shelf cost. I'm loving the 20% for Prime Members right now. Best Buy and Amazon have made it hard for me to shop at Gamestop. But I still show em love on those B2G1Free deals.

[FITgamer]

I already get all my games %20 off. BestBuy Gamer's Reward Club. $30 for 2 years, it's unbeatable. I just renewed my sub 2 months ago, and it has already payed for it's self.

[Goldenarmz]

Best Buy actually has the better deal, 1 it only cost 30 bucks for 2 years. And 2, Amazon only gives you 20% off during the first couple weeks of release. So its not applied to all games. At best buy, it applies to NEW and games that have gone on Sale. So if a game is on sale at best buy for 39.99, you can apply the 20% to that to drop the price even further, and that 39.99 now turns in to 31. Far better deal in my book.

[Artemidorus]

Well I got my first digital download which was star wars battlefront. why? Because they knocked 60% off the price and no one else at tbe time were offering anything cheaper and I wasn't prepared to pay full retail.

So yes a decent discount can win me over but I still say physical copies are better over time.

[migrateddoor]

This is my biggest biggest gripe about physical vs digital. There is overhead cost for physical copies and just a server(s) for digital. No transportation for digital or stocking for stores just maintenance of said server(s) so why o why is digital the same cost as physical. Pisses me off who buys digital only to save money by game sharing with friends if digital was realistically cheaper gamers would actually save money and maybe just maybe buy more and the profits go to consoles and publishers developers

[DivineAssault]

I have no issues with digital games being cheaper.. They damn should be! As long as they continue physical support.. I see no reason why a digital game should cost the same as physically distributed one.. That doesnt mean there isnt a market for physical collectors like myself though

[joab777]

Yes!

[blawren4]

Ignoring all of the a analysis of varying degrees of quality, yes. If digital were 20% off I would be completely digital.