PC Games and Best Buy

[Keeper]

I believe that tomb raider for pc is digital only.

MAN. Welcome to the future. LOL

I am going to write the publisher and tell them I want the 8 inch Lara Croft doll so where do I get my collectors edition for PC?

Sad...........

 

[Bateluer]

Best Buy stocks Sims expansions, WoW expansions, and Steam gift cards. Been that way for years.

 

[frozentundra123456]

I stopped going years ago when I realized how small their PC section had grown. Sadly it was still the best selection of PC games in town. Gamestop, target, etc are a joke for PC games.

Comp USA was probably the best in my area. Digital downloads are great, but it was nice to get real manuals. I remember with kotor I got like a 200 page spiral bound manual that really helped me understand the game since I had never played D and D rules before.

 

[ViRGE]

THATS INTERESTING.... No BOX for PC?????

So there was no collectors edition or such?
This COULD be a BAD BAD SIGN...

Yet whats funny? A HUGE cardboard kiosk with DOZENS of the new Sim City in it.... Is that even available for console?

PC games have largely transitioned to digital distribution. The publishers won't release specific numbers, but looking at active users versus estimated box sales, for most games digital looks to be moving more copies than boxed these days. So it's not all that surprising that a game is digital only, especially when it's a Steamworks title (i.e. it's not as if you can resell it or do anything else with the boxed copy once you install it).

Tomb Raider will be the first of many AAA games to go digital only. If this was a success for Square Enix then they will lead the charge by doing more digital only games. Followed by Ubisoft, Sega, and the rest. I would expect EA to be one of the last despite the fact that they have their own service, simply because they have so much clout that they don't have to fight for retail space.

 

[Keeper]

Comp USA was probably the best in my area. Digital downloads are great, but it was nice to get real manuals. I remember with kotor I got like a 200 page spiral bound manual that really helped me understand the game since I had never played D and D rules before.

LOL I broke out a manual the other day, my sons 23 year old GF was like "WOW, that is AWESOME." It was Baulders Gate.

Days gone by....... Days gone by.

 

[BladeVenom]

Last time I was in a Best Buy, Steam cards were the only thing worth buying.

 

[Midwayman]

PC games have largely transitioned to digital distribution. The publishers won't release specific numbers, but looking at active users versus estimated box sales, for most games digital looks to be moving more copies than boxed these days. So it's not all that surprising that a game is digital only, especially when it's a Steamworks title (i.e. it's not as if you can resell it or do anything else with the boxed copy once you install it).

Tomb Raider will be the first of many AAA games to go digital only. If this was a success for Square Enix then they will lead the charge by doing more digital only games. Followed by Ubisoft, Sega, and the rest. I would expect EA to be one of the last despite the fact that they have their own service, simply because they have so much clout that they don't have to fight for retail space.

Not surprising considering that DD makes piracy harder and the percentage of pirated copies on PC compared to consoles. Plus publishers get a larger cut of the sale.

 

[Keeper]

As far as WORTH buying, with their death spiral, let me just say you NEED to check out their clearance section. Since Dec. I have picked up a video card, a power supply and a USB (Powered) 2.0 desktop block.... SOME good deals exist there.

 

[Dankk]

THATS INTERESTING.... No BOX for PC?????

So there was no collectors edition or such?
This COULD be a BAD BAD SIGN...

It's not a bad sign. If anything, it means that PC game publishers are recognizing that most PC gamers have successfully transitioned into the age of digital downloads, and they don't care about boxes anymore.

Smart move IMO. All that extra paper and plastic is a waste of resources, and a waste of shelf space.

Yet whats funny? A HUGE cardboard kiosk with DOZENS of the new Sim City in it.... Is that even available for console?

SimCity is an EA game, and despite being PC-only, it's still a very mainstream title appealing to older gamers who are still accustomed to buying things in boxes. Blizzard does the exact same thing: Die-hard Starcraft fans still fondly hold onto their CD-ROMs from 1999, and they want to have that same physical experience when buying StarCraft II in 2013. Their market is kind of "oldschool" in that way.

Demographically speaking, it makes more sense to release SimCity in a box, than it does to release Tomb Raider in a box.

Tomb Raider will be the first of many AAA games to go digital only. If this was a success for Square Enix then they will lead the charge by doing more digital only games. Followed by Ubisoft, Sega, and the rest. I would expect EA to be one of the last despite the fact that they have their own service, simply because they have so much clout that they don't have to fight for retail space.

Hitman Absolution was also never released in a physical box. Same thing with Sleeping Dogs and Deux Ex: Human Revolution; neither of those games had a boxed version (at least, not in the USA). This is a common thing now for Square Enix.

That's not all though. Sniper Elite V2, which is arguably an AAA-quality title, did not have a boxed release on PC either. Much more cost-effective, because this means they could also self-publish the game digitally without any middleman to worry about (except for Steam).

 

[Dijeangenie]

Boxed PC games are quickly becoming a thing of a past. I got SimCity in a box from Amazon (they had a $20 promotion on the box and only a $5 on the download), and it's the first boxed game I've bought since the original World of Warcraft. With bandwidth as pervasive as it is (and a requirement for most games these days), boxed copies of games are quickly going the way of the dinosaur.

Would be interested to know - how many people here enjoy having boxed PC games? Personally I far prefer to have a boxed version of the game even if it is a steamworks game etc - I just like having the box art etc (Even though many games have no physical manual etc these days). Also although internet speeds are getting quicker, it can still take me 5 or 6 hours to download a 10gb game (which is still quicker than a 2 or 3 day delivery ofc) but at least I can play the game as soon as a receive it. Lastly its a lot better for giving/receiving gifts as if I asked a non gamer to buy me a steam game for my birthday etc - They would often not see the value its not a physical thing you can hold in your hand.

I buy most of my games from Amazon UK (which does not do digital PC game sales), and it is also cheaper than Steam (Apart from when Steam sale etc - although many deals are the same on amazon when that does occur anyway).

 

[Dijeangenie]

Hitman Absolution was also never released in a physical box. Same thing with Sleeping Dogs and Deux Ex: Human Revolution; neither of those games had a boxed version (at least, not in the USA). This is a common thing now for Square Enix.

That's not all though. Sniper Elite V2, which is arguably an AAA-quality title, did not have a boxed release on PC either. Much more cost-effective, because this means they could also self-publish the game digitally without any middleman to worry about (except for Steam).

Maybe its different in the UK but I can buy all those games physically from amazon. (I bought deus ex yesterday in fact) - It tends to be only very indie titles that you cant get on DVD.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Square-Enix..._1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1363125927&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sniper-Elit..._4?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1363125860&sr=1-4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deus-Ex-Hum..._3?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1363125872&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Square-Enix..._1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1363125985&sr=1-1

 

[Dankk]

Maybe its different in the UK but I can buy all those games physically from amazon. (I bought deus ex yesterday in fact) - It tends to be only very indie titles that you cant get on DVD.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Square-Enix..._1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1363125927&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sniper-Elit..._4?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1363125860&sr=1-4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deus-Ex-Hum..._3?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1363125872&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Square-Enix..._1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1363125985&sr=1-1

Yeah, it must be because you're in the UK. None of those games have boxes in the US.

If I search for one of those games (i.e. Deus Ex) on Amazon, I can find boxed versions from 3rd party sellers, but they're definitely European. They have the PEGI rating sticker on them instead of the ESRB sticker.

I wonder why that is. Must be some kind of difference between the US and UK markets.

 

[Dijeangenie]

Yeah, it must be because you're in the UK. None of those games have boxes in the US.

If I search for one of those games (i.e. Deus Ex) on Amazon, I can find boxed versions from 3rd party sellers, but they're definitely European. They have the PEGI rating sticker on them instead of the ESRB sticker.

I wonder why that is. Must be some kind of difference between the US and UK markets.

Yeah I mean we are clearly a more densely populated country so maybe the retail market is stronger as nobody lives very far from a shop etc - and our internet is worse? I don't know!!

Out of interest, if you purchase a physical version of the game in the US from europe would it still work (say if a steamworks game like deus ex for example)?

 

[Dankk]

Yeah I mean we are clearly a more densely populated country so maybe the retail market is stronger as nobody lives very far from a shop etc - and our internet is worse? I don't know!!

Out of interest, if you purchase a physical version of the game in the US from europe would it still work (say if a steamworks game like deus ex for example)?

It's a mixed bag. If we're talking about games that require Steam activation, I believe UK Steam codes can be safely activated in the US, and vice versa. The language is the same, and the regional pricing is roughly the same, so publishers don't mind. I believe the UK keys are region-free anyway.

It's different with more far-out countries though, such as Russia. The price of video games in Russia is extremely inexpensive (imagine $15 for an otherwise brand-new $60 game). To prevent sneaky consumers from getting around regional pricing and snagging cheap Russian games, they region-lock the games hard, so the only way to activate one is to use a Russian VPN (which I've actually done before). And even then, you run the risk of having a Russian-language only game attached to your Steam account, because it was developed specifically for that region. On top of that, if the publisher finds out you got your hands on a foreign game key, they may contact Valve and shut down your Steam account (but that's really pushing it). This applies to some other Eastern-European countries as well, among other places.

I hope that makes sense. I just depends really. You also probably wouldn't want to buy the German version of a video game, because it would contain special censorship that applies only to the German version.

 

[Dijeangenie]

It's a mixed bag. If we're talking about games that require Steam activation, I believe UK Steam codes can be safely activated in the US, and vice versa. The language is the same, and the regional pricing is roughly the same, so publishers don't mind. I believe the UK keys are region-free anyway.

It's different with more far-out countries though, such as Russia. The price of video games in Russia is extremely inexpensive (imagine $15 for an otherwise brand-new $60 game). To prevent sneaky consumers from getting around regional pricing and snagging cheap Russian games, they region-lock the games hard, so the only way to activate one is to use a Russian VPN (which I've actually done before). And even then, you run the risk of having a Russian-language only game attached to your Steam account, because it was developed specifically for that region. On top of that, if the publisher finds out you got your hands on a foreign game key, they may contact Valve and shut down your Steam account (but that's really pushing it). This applies to some other Eastern-European countries as well, among other places.

I hope that makes sense. I just depends really. You also probably wouldn't want to buy the German version of a video game, because it would contain special censorship that applies only to the German version.

Thanks - I was aware about the Eastern Europe region lock because of lower prices, but I wasn't certain about UK to US etc - useful to know that I can send games to friends living in the US without worrying about them not working

 

[Anteaus]

5 years from now I doubt you will see any boxed PC games in a store except for budget games marketed towards casual gamers and even then maybe not that. 10 years from now I doubt you will even see console games in stores. Chances are they will start phasing them out during next gen. It's just too tempted to developers to have absolutely control via digital distribution. People always cite lack of internet access by many gamers as a reason it won't happen, but I promise you they would rather lose some sales and have control and thus "less piracy - ".

 

[steelodon]

MAN. Welcome to the future. LOL

I am going to write the publisher and tell them I want the 8 inch Lara Croft doll so where do I get my collectors edition for PC?

Sad...........

Only console versions appear to get exclusives now...

 

[steelodon]

Digital should mean better pricing. For $60, at least the console version usually comes with pre-order bonuses.

 

[chalmers]

Digital should mean better pricing. For $60, at least the console version usually comes with pre-order bonuses.

I'll take much better graphics over some dumb doll or pre order bonus any day.

 

[Majcric]

It's not a bad sign. If anything, it means that PC game publishers are recognizing that most PC gamers have successfully transitioned into the age of digital downloads, and they don't care about boxes anymore.

Smart move IMO. All that extra paper and plastic is a waste of resources, and a waste of shelf space.



SimCity is an EA game, and despite being PC-only, it's still a very mainstream title appealing to older gamers who are still accustomed to buying things in boxes. Blizzard does the exact same thing: Die-hard Starcraft fans still fondly hold onto their CD-ROMs from 1999, and they want to have that same physical experience when buying StarCraft II in 2013. Their market is kind of "oldschool" in that way.

Demographically speaking, it makes more sense to release SimCity in a box, than it does to release Tomb Raider in a box.



Hitman Absolution was also never released in a physical box. Same thing with Sleeping Dogs and Deux Ex: Human Revolution; neither of those games had a boxed version (at least, not in the USA). This is a common thing now for Square Enix.

That's not all though. Sniper Elite V2, which is arguably an AAA-quality title, did not have a boxed release on PC either. Much more cost-effective, because this means they could also self-publish the game digitally without any middleman to worry about (except for Steam).

Dues Ex had a box, I grabbed a copy at Target a while back for $15.

 

[ViRGE]

Digital should mean better pricing. For $60, at least the console version usually comes with pre-order bonuses.

I don't know about Tomb Raider, but most digital pre-orders come with bonuses.

 

[Achilleslastand]

I was going to purchase the Tomb Raider pc version here in the US until i found out it was digital only here in the US.
I just dont understand it.....
A bigger question is.
Why are gamers charged the same price for a digital download as a physical copy? There are none of the costs involved ala printing,manufacturing and getting said product from point A to the retailer.
But i pay the same price to steam or whoever and all i get is a silly dl key?
Are you freaking kidding me?
Why arnet any of the savings passed on to the consumer?
No wonder Gabe Newell is always smiling.
And even boxes...i miss the days for your 40-50 bucks you actually got a beefy manual or a tech tree pull out ...now your lucky if you get a 4 page start up guide.

 

[ViRGE]

I was going to purchase the Tomb Raider pc version here in the US until i found out it was digital only here in the US.
I just dont understand it.....
A bigger question is.
Why are gamers charged the same price for a digital download as a physical copy? There are none of the costs involved ala printing,manufacturing and getting said product from point A to the retailer.

Because the production cost for a mass produced box copy is tiny. It's a DVD case with a disc and a few pieces of paper put in it. Going digital saves almost nothing, and in fact incurs some equally marginal hosting/bandwidth costs.

Ultimately the real cost of the game is the content within. The packaging is practically irrelevant.

 

[Red Hawk]

I believe that tomb raider for pc is digital only.

Yeah, I think "Deus Ex Human Revolution" was the last game Square Enix published that got a physical PC release. I know Sleeping Dogs was download only.

Digital should mean better pricing. For $60, at least the console version usually comes with pre-order bonuses.

Stock analyst Michael Pachter, who does stock consulting for companies related to video games and has a web video series called "Pach Attack" on Gametrailers.com focusing on the business side of video games, did an episode on this once. Basically, even if the publishers wanted to make the standard digital download price lower than the physical copy price, they couldn't because the physical retailers would not approve. They're already feeling pressure from online distribution, and if the regular price will be lower online than in a store that's just another encouragement for the retailer to not carry the physical copies at all.

Once you do abandon physical copies, then yes, you probably could lower the standard price. But really, how much of a difference will the mass shipping and packaging costs make? Two dollars? Three dollars? How much cost will maintaining servers 24/7 for downloads incur? I don't think it would really be enough of a difference to change the price.

More important, IMO, is lowering the price for the PC version of a game compared to the console version. On consoles, you have to pay royalties to the console manufacturer; not so on PCs. This means PC games can be released at a lower price and maintain the same profit margin as console games. And indeed, that's what companies like Square Enix do; they release the PC versions of their games at $50 rather than the console standard $60. It annoys me to see a PC game released at $60, just like the console versions.

 

[Dankk]

Because the production cost for a mass produced box copy is tiny. It's a DVD case with a disc and a few pieces of paper put in it. Going digital saves almost nothing, and in fact incurs some equally marginal hosting/bandwidth costs.

Ultimately the real cost of the game is the content within. The packaging is practically irrelevant.

Yup.

I'm tired of the "Digital games don't have boxes, therefore they should be cheaper" argument. It's asinine.

When you go to the store and buy a new video game, you're not buying a box. Rather, you're buying an extremely sophisticated, complex, high-tech piece of computer software that was created by hundreds, sometimes thousands of people - programmers, engineers, artists, designers, writers, testers - took years to make, multiple million dollars to produce, and involved lots of blood, sweat, and tears. The little plastic box the game comes in is worth jack crap.

Even for the crappiest video game, somewhere out there, some honest hard-working guy dedicated years of his life to it. 8:00 to 5:00, every single day, at his desk, on his computer, putting in his best effort so he could get paid, feed his family... and then watch all of his hard work get shit on when the game actually releases and the negative press starts rolling in.

It's one of the reasons I stopped pirating games. Music is one thing; film is another; and then you have the insanely massive, behemoth projects that are modern video games. I feel scummy downloading years of someone else's hard work for absolutely nothing in return.

I guess I've kind of gotten off on a tangent here, but basically, I don't think many people realize how hard it is to make a video game.