Game of Thrones DVD...must be a bad joke.

[PrinceofWands]

BTW they have made over $250 million off Band of Brothers on DVD. Certainly more than it cost to make.

BoB cost $120,000,000 as I understand it. That's $12 million per episode, or almost 3 times what GoT cost to make (actually there's an extra hour of time in there over the 10 episodes, so it's slightly different, but close enough). Multiply my suggested price of $15 for GoT by 3 and you get $45, or very close to what BoB is selling for. In other words, fairly reasonable given what it actually cost.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

You're forgetting that shows that run on HBO earn money differently than shows on network TV or movies. Movies are released in theaters where people have to pay money get a ticket; this ticket revenue goes back to the producers of the movie. Network television shows are supported by advertising; more popular shows can generate more ad revenue, which goes back to the production company. Shows on HBO make their money SOLELY based on HBO subscribers (which is money that gets spread around all HBO productions since it's impossible to know whether a subscriber is subscribing for Game of Thrones or Boardwalk Empire or the latest movies or simply for old episodes of The Wire on HBO Go).

So HBO shows aren't going to be as lucrative based solely on sharing their money between all the shows out of the subscriber pool. The way they make some money back? DVD and Blu-ray sales. They can afford to charge a premium because their content is available elsewhere, and people will pay it, in a large part because shows like Game of Thrones or Boardwalk Empire could NOT be done on network television. By limiting the supply of where you can get access to the material, HBO can inflate the price, and they'll find enough people to pay it.

Now, that said, yes, it does seem a bit exorbitant. But it also costs more to produce an episode of Game of Thrones than it does to produce an episode of How I Met Your Mother, so there should be a gap in price. Also, your typical TV sitcom has 22 or so episodes per season at 22 minutes each, which means that 10 episodes of Game of Thrones at 1 hour each is actually MORE television, despite being fewer episodes. Higher cost to produce and more actual television... yes, it should cost more than a typical DVD set for a sitcom (or what have you).

 

[PrinceofWands]

Sorry no, the cheapest to make movie doesn't have a cheaper movie ticket price. By your standards the blair witch project should have had an admissions price of 1 cent, and avatar costing 300+ mil should cost multiples of a full price ticket.

I'm talking about industry standard costs and pricing, which HBO is ignoring on THIS show (but which it followed with such epics as BoB).

 

[PrinceofWands]

You're forgetting that shows that run on HBO earn money differently than shows on network TV or movies. Movies are released in theaters where people have to pay money get a ticket; this ticket revenue goes back to the producers of the movie. Network television shows are supported by advertising; more popular shows can generate more ad revenue, which goes back to the production company. Shows on HBO make their money SOLELY based on HBO subscribers (which is money that gets spread around all HBO productions since it's impossible to know whether a subscriber is subscribing for Game of Thrones or Boardwalk Empire or the latest movies or simply for old episodes of The Wire on HBO Go).

So HBO shows aren't going to be as lucrative based solely on sharing their money between all the shows out of the subscriber pool. The way they make some money back? DVD and Blu-ray sales. They can afford to charge a premium because their content is available elsewhere, and people will pay it, in a large part because shows like Game of Thrones or Boardwalk Empire could NOT be done on network television. By limiting the supply of where you can get access to the material, HBO can inflate the price, and they'll find enough people to pay it.

Now, that said, yes, it does seem a bit exorbitant. But it also costs more to produce an episode of Game of Thrones than it does to produce an episode of How I Met Your Mother, so there should be a gap in price. Also, your typical TV sitcom has 22 or so episodes per season at 22 minutes each, which means that 10 episodes of Game of Thrones at 1 hour each is actually MORE television, despite being fewer episodes. Higher cost to produce and more actual television... yes, it should cost more than a typical DVD set for a sitcom (or what have you).

So again, look at the numbers of BoB which mostly adhered to industry standard pricing. Now tell me why a show that cost 1/3 as much to make is selling for the same or higher price?

 

[Ns1]

So again, look at the numbers of BoB which mostly adhered to industry standard pricing. Now tell me why a show that cost 1/3 as much to make is selling for the same or higher price?

to pay for other epics like BoB

 

[Arkaign]

I recently re-watched GoT, and have come to the conclusion that it's pretty overrated and unexciting. I pretty much only watch it for the excellent Tyrion, everyone else is either an ass, an idiot, or both. Well Jon Snow is okay, but yeah that's pretty much it.

As for pricing, it will probably be available for a bit cheaper with various sales here and there, but it's pretty par for the course with very expensive to produce shows like that.

Boardwalk towers over GoT in quality. As did Rome season 1, and of course BoB > *.*

 

[Arkaign]

So again, look at the numbers of BoB which mostly adhered to industry standard pricing. Now tell me why a show that cost 1/3 as much to make is selling for the same or higher price?

Eh? I remember BoB being about $100 on DVD a few years back when it was new.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

So again, look at the numbers of BoB which mostly adhered to industry standard pricing. Now tell me why a show that cost 1/3 as much to make is selling for the same or higher price?

How do you feel about the Planet Earth Limited Edition Blu-ray which just came out? It has an MSRP of $99.99 and the documentary cost under $30,000,000 to produce. Surely that's an even more absurd cost than GoT? Band of Brothers also didn't release at $45 when it came out on DVD; it was selling for around $100 for a LONG time. It's been out for 9 years now, of course it's going to have gone down in price.

HBO is going to charge what they think people will pay. If people don't buy it at that price point, it will likely come down in price. That's how selling stuff works; you try to maximize profit by figuring out the demand for your product and pricing it accordingly. Also, HBO isn't just interested in making back the money they invested; they're a profit-driven business. If GoT makes back 5 times what it cost to produce, HBO isn't going to think "Geez, we really should have lowered the price on that DVD set."

Also, "industry-standard pricing" is using a fairly broad definition of industry; you're comparing shows from a subscriber-based channel to network television and major motion pictures. That's like saying that Lady Gaga's latest CD should be priced the same as the London Philharmonic plays Beethoven's Fifth Symphony or an audiobook for Bill Clinton's autobiography; after all, all audio recordings are part of the same industry.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Eh? I remember BoB being about $100 on DVD a few years back when it was new.

I got it soon after launch for $65. Not saying some places didn't charge more, but overall I think it found equilibrium pretty quick. Again, it was 3 times the cost of GoT too...three times what a major motion picture cost to make at the time. While it was a higher price, it wasn't THAT much overpriced comparatively. GoT is coming out at nearly the same price for 1/3 the cost to make.

 

[Arkaign]

I got it soon after launch for $65. Not saying some places didn't charge more, but overall I think it found equilibrium pretty quick.

Yeah same here. I wouldn't freak out too much over MSRP, I don't think a ton of people pay that much. Look at the Pacific for example. DVD set is about $40, though the MSRP is still $79.99.

http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Joseph...7851993&sr=8-1

GoT will be similar.

 

[TheNinja]

That's less than the cost of 1 month cable bill. It's not that outrageous. Cheaper than paying for HBO for a bunch of other shows I probably won't watch.

 

[PrinceofWands]

How do you feel about the Planet Earth Limited Edition Blu-ray which just came out? It has an MSRP of $99.99 and the documentary cost under $30,000,000 to produce. Surely that's an even more absurd cost than GoT? Band of Brothers also didn't release at $45 when it came out on DVD; it was selling for around $100 for a LONG time. It's been out for 9 years now, of course it's going to have gone down in price.

HBO is going to charge what they think people will pay. If people don't buy it at that price point, it will likely come down in price. That's how selling stuff works; you try to maximize profit by figuring out the demand for your product and pricing it accordingly. Also, HBO isn't just interested in making back the money they invested; they're a profit-driven business. If GoT makes back 5 times what it cost to produce, HBO isn't going to think "Geez, we really should have lowered the price on that DVD set."

Also, "industry-standard pricing" is using a fairly broad definition of industry; you're comparing shows from a subscriber-based channel to network television and major motion pictures. That's like saying that Lady Gaga's latest CD should be priced the same as the London Philharmonic plays Beethoven's Fifth Symphony or an audiobook for Bill Clinton's autobiography; after all, all audio recordings are part of the same industry.

Obviously I'd never buy something that obscenely priced...even if 50% of the price was a donation to a cause I agreed with. I ONLY pay what something cost to make, plus a small, reasonable, sustainable profit. Ever. Period.

See my previous note about how quick it went to normal pricing, and why it wasn't that overpriced even at places charging $100.

You're illustrating my point: the greed of people, especially around THIS particular show, is ridiculous. Saying 'other people do it too' does not excuse it. Seeking excessive profits is AN EVIL ACT. Period.

That's why I narrowed it to a comparison with BoB, which actually was fairly close to the rest of hollywood with regards to pricing. This one release isn't, which is why I'm outraged.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Yeah same here. I wouldn't freak out too much over MSRP, I don't think a ton of people pay that much. Look at the Pacific for example. DVD set is about $40, though the MSRP is still $79.99.

http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Joseph...7851993&sr=8-1

GoT will be similar.

Yeah, I know you're right. It just chaffs. Especially since I missed 5 episodes and have been looking forward to grabbing the set.

 

[PrinceofWands]

That's less than the cost of 1 month cable bill. It's not that outrageous. Cheaper than paying for HBO for a bunch of other shows I probably won't watch.

Actually that's more than I ever paid for cable in the 20 years I've been an adult, but even then it was so much that I dropped cable. $20-40/mo is MORE than enough for television... especially considering how few shows/channels I ever watch.

I don't suffer the same ignorant inflation acceptance as other people. I demand reasonable prices or I don't participate. It's just that simple.

 

[abaez]

Ok. Then don't buy it.

/thread

 

[ProfJohn]

Dude if you are such an economic genius then start your own film company and show HBO how to do it the right way.

otherwise
/thread

 

[alkemyst]

Seems reasonable to be for what will be a low volume sale. I am sure if you want about 6-12 months it will be more in your desired price range.

 

[Born2bwire]

That doesn't seem wholely unreasonable. Particularly when you take into account that the only way to see the show otherwise is to subscribe to the HBO channel. Not like they make money off of ticket sales or advertising.

 

[soccerballtux]

hbo shows are like super long movies though. Great production quality, high budget, great plot, keeps you interested.
I would never pay that much but I can see why they charge that much.

 

[Squisher]

This might explain why Comcast pulled the episodes off On Demand again. They were there while the show was airing and a month or two after, then they pulled them, then like a month ago they reappeared, but when I checked two days ago they were gone again. wtf

 

[dbk]

i'll wait for the complete pack... in few years..

 

[Mike Gayner]

I've studied economics. A lot (perhaps most) of it is dead wrong. Most certainly that little gem that you just offered. Something is worth what it costs, plus a SMALL (ie sustainable) markup for profit. Do things my way, economies last forever. Do them yours and human greed destroys the world in short order. Just take a look around.

I don't think you have studied economics. Anyone who had studied economics would tell you that saying something is worth "what it costs, plus a SMALL markup" is a value judgement, which serves no purpose in economics. Moreover, the word "sustainable" has no cohesive meaning in that silly diatribe.

I think you're a liar. And a stupid one.

 

[zinfamous]

Sounds in line for what they charged for BoB and Pacfic (Can't speak for the others) BoB and the Pacific are still around $50 (blu ray) a while after they were released

BoB was $35 on BD, day of release. It has been on sale atleast twice per year for that price.

though the DVD set, stayed around $60-70 up until the BD.

I'll never understand that.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

This might explain why Comcast pulled the episodes off On Demand again. They were there while the show was airing and a month or two after, then they pulled them, then like a month ago they reappeared, but when I checked two days ago they were gone again. wtf

If you're an HBO subscriber, you can access any of their shows online via HBOGO. Yes, it's slightly more of a pain in the ass than just going through Comcast On Demand, but it's available, plus every other show HBO has ever done (which means fuck paying for The Sopranos, Band of Brothers, The Wire, True Blood, Entourage, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Rome, Deadwood, Eastbound and Down, Carnivale, Flight of the Conchords, Oz, etc.)... But, yeah, dick move to pull them from the On Demand.

BoB was $35 on BD, day of release. It has been on sale atleast twice per year for that price.

though the DVD set, stayed around $60-70 up until the BD.

I'll never understand that.

Well, first of all... the Blu-ray came out in 2008, roughly 7 years after the series aired and 6 years after the original DVD boxset came out. And $35... well, that's just plain retarded. The MSRP is STILL listed at $99.99 (which, obviously, no one pays) and Amazon is selling it at $48.60 at the exact time I write this post. You CANNOT compare individual deals on random days to the MSRP of an unreleased item. It is complete bullshit to say "Oh, there was a deal, with manufacturer's coupons and a day and date release of BoB, that made it go from $99.99 to $34.99, so it's ridiculous that an unsubstantiated rumor suggests that the MSRP for GoT is going to be $79.98." Are you fucking kidding me? Jesus tits, even Amazon has it listed at $54.99 if you pre-order now, which is $25 less than you idiots are proclaiming is some end-of-the-world nonsense; have you honestly never see pre-release pricing before?

 

[oogabooga]

I don't understand, this is in line with pricing they've always had. Most HBO shows cost an enormous amount of money to produce. Especially something like Game of Thrones, and on top of recovering costs I'm sure they probably want to make money off of what they made too.

If you want to buy it for cheaper just wait patiently. I doubt it'll ever be $15 bucks cheap, but it'll get cheaper for sure. This has always been the game for buying BoxSets. If you want it right away and can't wait you pay a premium. If you want it and are willing to wait you pay a lot less.

HBO would be idiotic not to get the maximum value they can out of their series. Plenty of people (including myself) will be buying this day one at Release Day prices. I consider the price reasonable all things considered.

Also, mentioning band of brothers, you guys obviously didn't buy it when it came out. I'm pretty sure my band of brothers box set cost me around $100 bucks when it first came out way back when, and I think I got it on sale.