Steam sales "cheapen intellectual property" says EA Origin boss

[AyashiKaibutsu]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/12/05

EA and Activision should merge into one super company there would be a raping of intellectual property yet unseen in this world.

 

[Wardawg1001]

Why is gaming a different market? Do you really think a blanket statement such as "all buyers care/know about the games they buy" is true? That's ignoring vast segments of the market (and any market); people who buy as gifts, people who impulse buy, people who are looking for something new/unknown, people who don't do research, people who "don't care that much" to use your own words. People who buy games are not some special breed of super savvy consumers; they're normal consumers.

People here specifically are not so influenced by price because they do read reviews, they do research and learn about a purchase, because they give a crap. That's why they're on a forum to talk about something in the first place. But so do the people on clothing forums. And flashlight forums. And car forums. And stereo forums. And gun forums. And fitness forums. These are enthusiastic niches, and as such they do not necessarily reflect normal buying patterns and behaviors; regardless of market.

As I said, price is a more powerful indicator of quality in absence of knowledge. It affects the untrained eye, which I think makes up a significant portion of any market simply because a lot of people just don't want to put in the effort. You are part of that group when it comes to clothes and gas and probably plenty of other things (as are we all really), and conversely other people are part of that group when it comes to games.

Think about this for a second: Do you think gas is more valuable when it is priced higher somewhere than other places? If you see gas at $3/gallon at Circle K, and $4/gallon at QuikTrip, do you assume that the gas at QuikTrip is better? Of course not. Its pretty general knowledge that gas is just gas, there is no public perception of higher priced gas being more valuable.

Obviously games aren't gas, but games aren't a lot of other things either. Game buyers ARE actually a special breed of consumer, in fact most goods have their own breed of consumer, that have different values, different levels of awareness, etc. I'm not suggesting that all game buyers are smart, or even more savvy consumers in general, but you cannot apply a blanket statement to all consumers in general, such as higher price = more valuable. It simply isn't true for all goods. If it was, marketing wouldn't be a multi-billion dollar industry. Computer gaming has a pretty high price of entry (the computer and peripherals). This in itself eliminates most people who would just make impulse buys, or people who go around buying games without doing even a little bit of research on it. I agree with you that price is an indicator of quality for those that have no other method to judge it, but I disagree that it makes up a large sector of the game buyer market, for the reasons stated above.

The real differentiator here is Origin though. Simply by forcing people to go buy their games through Origin or the EA website you are now eliminating even more of the potential market of 'don't know anything about games just feel like buying something' people. Your average mom/dad/grandparent who is out on a mission to buy some random game for their kid isn't going to stumble upon EA/Origin before they hit Best Buy or Amazon. Simply put, the idea that EA can create a perception of high quality around their games because they price them higher than other stores isn't going to work, at least until they become the dominant retailer in the market.

 

[Ausm]

It's nice of EA to tell us they are out to screw their customers with continually overpriced products.

^^

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

So when you buy something on Steam but then see it cheaper at Amazon or GMG or any of the other services, does your enjoyment of it decrease, or rather 'go out the window'?

To measure value much more complex than simply "product / price". Convenience, service, exclusiveness, presentation, perception, marketing, security, and numerous other factors are all rolled up into what a person believes to be 'aggregate' value and each person holds each factor in a different regard. In the OP, it sounds like they want Origin to appeal to the people who place emphasis on presentation and perception. People who buy Apple products, people who shop at Saks 5th, people who buy fancy coffee, etc.

It goes down.

And I don't know about you, but the last thing I would associate with Origin is exceptional presentation and perception.

 

[wuliheron]

Holy cow Americans are more upset with EA games than they are with Congress and dirt bags corps like Halliburton, JP Morgan & Chase, the Military Industrial complex no wonder the American Empire has fallen & my god are people ever dumb talk about backasswards priorities.

LOL, America is still the wealthiest country in the world, has been the largest exporter in the world for over a century, and has a military possibly equal to the next seven largest in the world combined. In the worst economy since the great depression the international corporations are raking in record profits. The empire hasn't fallen, its the little guys getting stomped on again by the American penchant for worshiping greed.

 

[Ausm]

LOL, America is still the wealthiest country in the world, has been the largest exporter in the world for over a century, and has a military possibly equal to the next seven largest in the world combined. In the worst economy since the great depression the international corporations are raking in record profits. The empire hasn't fallen, its the little guys getting stomped on again by the American penchant for worshiping greed.

A certain parties creedo.

 

[Gordon Freemen]

LOL, America is still the wealthiest country in the world, has been the largest exporter in the world for over a century, and has a military possibly equal to the next seven largest in the world combined. In the worst economy since the great depression the international corporations are raking in record profits. The empire hasn't fallen, its the little guys getting stomped on again by the American penchant for worshiping greed.

In reality The US dollar is FIAT currency that is worth less than nothing in fact all it represents is DEBT. Gross national debt of the USA is over 16 Trillion and counting and that's not including personal debt so in reality USA is the least wealthy and most in debt country in the world and they are only hanging on by way of Military terrorism. Can't wait for EA games to completely die off along with the USA and it's not a matter of if it's just a matter of when.

 

[ImpulsE69]

What's with the turn of American hate in this thread? Hate to say it but greed and corruption isn't confined to the USA so point that shit elsewhere. Remember all those American companies flock to all those other countries to get away with what they do. What does that tell you?

 

[Gordon Freemen]

What's with the turn of American hate in this thread? Hate to say it but greed and corruption isn't confined to the USA so point that shit elsewhere. Remember all those American companies flock to all those other countries to get away with what they do. What does that tell you?

American Government and military industrial complex is worse than Nazi Germany lets stop the fascism because it's not ok to kill end rant.

 

[ImpulsE69]

American Government and military industrial complex is worse than Nazi Germany lets stop the fascism because it's not ok to kill end rant.

I would agree it's not, however again, they are in no way the only ones, they are just the most vocal about it. Don't kid yourself that it's just them.

 

[Gordon Freemen]

I would agree it's not, however again, they are in no way the only ones, they are just the most vocal about it. Don't kid yourself that it's just them.

The problem is they profit from killing more than any other country in the world and they do the most killing and promote the most killing and violence more than any other country in the world. War is "Big Business" and a way to pass bills and take away freedoms that would normally cause a civil uprising on the home front heck there already is Civil unrest all over America because of it.

 

[ImpulsE69]

The problem is they profit from killing more than any other country in the world and they do the most killing and promote the most killing and violence more than any other country in the world. War is "Big Business" and a way to pass bills and take away freedoms that would normally cause a civil uprising on the home front heck there already is Civil unrest all over America because of it.

There's civil unrest all over the world. Big Business is also all over the world as well as killing for profit. Again, let's leave the "this country does this" mentality out of it.

There are plenty of Americans who disagree with what companies and government do, just like any other country just because it happens doesn't mean we agree with it. It's not as democratic and "free" as some would have you believe.

Anyway, enough of that....back to EA bashing.

 

[thespyder]

American Government and military industrial complex is worse than Nazi Germany lets stop the fascism because it's not ok to kill end rant.

Proper punctuation please. This run on sentence "Could" mean quite a lot of things.

 

[Gordon Freemen]

There's civil unrest all over the world. Big Business is also all over the world as well as killing for profit. Again, let's leave the "this country does this" mentality out of it.

There are plenty of Americans who disagree with what companies and government do, just like any other country just because it happens doesn't mean we agree with it. It's not as democratic and "free" as some would have you believe.

Anyway, enough of that....back to EA bashing.

Ea sucks and just because there's varying degrees bad energy all over the world that's no excuse to make even more on top of it for the sake of money,power,resource control, and economic enslavement even though EA games would just love people to become more enslaved economically to them LOL.

 

[thespyder]

Ea sucks and just because there's varying degrees bad energy all over the world that's no excuse to make even more on top of it for the sake of money,power,resource control, and economic enslavement even though EA games would just love people to become more enslaved economically to them LOL.

Were your parents flower children that fled Vietnam war by any chance? What's the term? Conscientious objectors?

Every single government does things that are less savory. it is a mere fact of life. You can espouse all you want that "The US" kills more people than any other Country for profit, but where's your proof? And what is the alternative? And what would YOU do in any of those situations.

It is terribly easy to be an arm-chair quarterback against individual circumstances isolated from their broader ramifications. But until you have to balance the health and welfare of a country full of people, plus keep them fed and employeed, and protect them against those who would knock them down for no other reason than because they can, that you really begin to see the smallest bit of the larger picture.

Canadian government may not be actively involved in wars, but the absence of taking action can have consequences as well, and lead to deaths. What is it that Edmund Burke said? "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Or words to that effect.

Point is, no matter what government you have, no one's hands are lilly white. And if they are, it just means they hide their sins better than most. the US government is no more Evil than any other. And a good deal less than some.

 

[Gordon Freemen]

Were your parents flower children that fled Vietnam war by any chance? What's the term? Conscientious objectors?

Every single government does things that are less savory. it is a mere fact of life. You can espouse all you want that "The US" kills more people than any other Country for profit, but where's your proof? And what is the alternative? And what would YOU do in any of those situations.

It is terribly easy to be an arm-chair quarterback against individual circumstances isolated from their broader ramifications. But until you have to balance the health and welfare of a country full of people, plus keep them fed and employeed, and protect them against those who would knock them down for no other reason than because they can, that you really begin to see the smallest bit of the larger picture.

Canadian government may not be actively involved in wars, but the absence of taking action can have consequences as well, and lead to deaths. What is the saying? "the only thing that Evil needs to triumph is for Good men to do nothing." Or words to that effect.

Point is, no matter what government you have, no one's hands are lilly white. And if they are, it just means they hide their sins better than most.

Seems anytime a person or group brings some detrimental social or environmental consequence of this system to the forefront, pejorative distinctions are usually branded upon their forehead to stifle such concern and frighten other detractors such as being called a "Hippie", “Socialist” or “Communist”. I can go on & on about such workings of a sick and flawed system that we have some how come to accept and unwittingly become enslaved and dependent upon but at end of day it is up to each individual to wake up and see the truth.

"To be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society is no measure of good health"

 

[thespyder]

Seems anytime a person or group brings some detrimental social or environmental consequence of this system to the forefront, pejorative distinctions are usually branded upon their forehead to stifle such concern and frighten other detractors such as being called a "Hippie", “Socialist” or “Communist”. I can go on & on about such workings of a sick and flawed system that we have some how come to accept and unwittingly become enslaved and dependent upon but at end of day it is up to each individual to wake up and see the truth.

"To be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society is no measure of good health"

"The Moral Majority is neither Moral, nor a Majority."

And pointing out isolated incidents without context of the broader canvas of the events leading up to it or full knowledge of all consequences is hardly "Pointing out flaws in the system." It is FAR from a perfect governmental form. But as someone else said "Democracy is the Best 'Terrible' form of government there is." (paraphrased).

 

[shortylickens]

OK, take that shit to P&N or shut up.

 

[SMOGZINN]

In reality The US dollar is FIAT currency that is worth less than nothing in fact all it represents is DEBT. Gross national debt of the USA is over 16 Trillion and counting and that's not including personal debt so in reality USA is the least wealthy and most in debt country in the world and they are only hanging on by way of Military terrorism. Can't wait for EA games to completely die off along with the USA and it's not a matter of if it's just a matter of when.

Real wealth can only be measured in the few things that actually matter, namely consumable natural resources. As far as those go, America's FIAT currency still buys the lions share of it.
American debt doesn't seem to matter all that much, as the entire world is still on their knees trying to blow America for the chance to get a little piece of what we have. So, hate America all you want, but your facts are simply wrong. American buying power is as strong as ever.

As for waiting for America to die off, I would not be so eager. Do you really think the American people are ones to go quietly into that goodnight? When America goes down we are taking the whole world with us in a fiery orgy of destruction.

 

[frowertr]

I won't buy another EA game. They have lost sight of the gaming community and the public at large who play their games.

Nope, I'm done with them.

 

[thespyder]

As for waiting for America to die off, I would not be so eager. Do you really think the American people are ones to go quietly into that goodnight? When America goes down we are taking the whole world with us in a fiery orgy of destruction.

I didn't see where he was espousing the end of EA and the US in general. LOL. That's just plain hilarious.

 

[njdevilsfan87]

EA is just jealous that Steam is 100X better.

 

[sigurros81]

This thread is getting hilarious. There's greed every where, pointing fingers at one country or another makes you look like an ignorant fuck. Try this some time, take a step back and think before you speak. Take America for example, you can say all these bad things about the country, but do you ever consider that America also gives the most money and aid than any other nation in the world? That's just one of the many things that would be considered 'good' that comes out from that country. As with just about everything in this world, nothing is ever black and white. Dumb shits.

 

[Rifter]

I've been done with EA for a while so ill just add this to the list of reasons i'll never give EA any more money, ever.

 

[Gordon Freemen]

This thread is getting hilarious. There's greed every where, pointing fingers at one country or another makes you look like an ignorant fuck. Try this some time, take a step back and think before you speak. Take America for example, you can say all these bad things about the country, but do you ever consider that America also gives the most money and aid than any other nation in the world? That's just one of the many things that would be considered 'good' that comes out from that country. As with just about everything in this world, nothing is ever black and white. Dumb shits.

Every country is working and owned by the same people think about that but that still does not make it right and justify American greed and obsession with personal property at the cost of other countries.