What's the deal with Elite:Dangerous?

[Markbnj]

I saw a "premium beta" gameplay vid yesterday and just about crapped myself with excitement. Then I checked out the site and saw that "premium beta" was $150. Is this another one of those kickstarter early access things that is inching toward some uncertain future? The gameplay I saw looked flat-out awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cXjbq5yr6o

 

[thedosbox]

RPS have covered it a fair bit, and have tried it out - including with an Oculus Rift

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tag/elite-dangerous/

 

[flexy]

Don't get me wrong, I have high hopes for ED...but basically ANY game I look at today to me screams CASH GRAB, CASH GRAB, CASH GRAB.

It's ironic that developers who have not even finished their games, games that are in early alpha stages or beta, are ALREADY talking about expansions that you need to buy....(or in this case "potential future expansions" you're basically prepurchasing with those $150.

It's like that for game developers today the way how to monetize a game has priority over anything else.

Common sense tells me that *I* should be the one getting paid for "being on the development team"..you're playing a BETA to make the game better. Seriously the entire game industry today just pisses me off.

 

[thedosbox]

Don't get me wrong, I have high hopes for ED...but basically ANY game I look at today to me screams CASH GRAB, CASH GRAB, CASH GRAB.

It's ironic that developers who have not even finished their games, games that are in early alpha stages or beta, are ALREADY talking about expansions that you need to buy....(or in this case "potential future expansions" you're basically prepurchasing with those $150.

It's like that for game developers today the way how to monetize a game has priority over anything else.

Common sense tells me that *I* should be the one getting paid for "being on the development team"..you're playing a BETA to make the game better. Seriously the entire game industry today just pisses me off.

Complain all you want, but without the crowdfunding, the game would not exist.

And it's not like you HAVE to pay $150 for the game. Just wait until it's actually released when the price will be more sensible.

 

[Markbnj]

Don't get me wrong, I have high hopes for ED...but basically ANY game I look at today to me screams CASH GRAB, CASH GRAB, CASH GRAB.

It's ironic that developers who have not even finished their games, games that are in early alpha stages or beta, are ALREADY talking about expansions that you need to buy....(or in this case "potential future expansions" you're basically prepurchasing with those $150.

It's like that for game developers today the way how to monetize a game has priority over anything else.

Common sense tells me that *I* should be the one getting paid for "being on the development team"..you're playing a BETA to make the game better. Seriously the entire game industry today just pisses me off.

I'm wary too, but the more I look into this the more real it seems. I felt so burned over paying $59 for X-Stillbirth that I am probably a major cynic when it comes to another space game, but I just might have to support these guys.

Thanks for the link thedosbox.

 

[BrightCandle]

Crowd funding isn't the only way these games can get made, there are other ways to fund a business beyond asking for donations upfront or seeking a publisher. Its a choice to monetise in this way and its certainly not in our best interests as gamers to have DLC planned before a game even releases, sold before the game is finished let alone the DLC even started. EA is a lot better behaved than Elite dangerous has been for DLC rubbish and overcharging.

 

[Midwayman]

FWIW the reason it is so expensive it to drive off the casual players. Cheap betas attract people who don't know what a beta is and are just looking for a deal. You get lots of complaints and crap feedback.

 

[Red Storm]

FWIW the reason it is so expensive it to drive off the casual players. Cheap betas attract people who don't know what a beta is and are just looking for a deal. You get lots of complaints and crap feedback.

Let's be honest, the real reason why it's so expensive is because they know die hard space game fans will pay anything to start playing right away, even an alpha/beta. It's a cash grab.

 

[SLU Aequitas]

Let's be honest, the real reason why it's so expensive is because they know die hard space game fans will pay anything to start playing right away, even an alpha/beta. It's a cash grab.

Nope, the original reason (beyond stating they wanted to limit Alpha/Beta participation) was that that was the cost to back in order to originally get access to the Alpha/Beta. It's simply a continuance of the KS funding levels.

I was more than happy to back (I've also got roughly $250 on SC) as I love the genre, and E: D has a lot going for it. It's not a SC killer (or even contender), but the size of the universe is amazing, and the core gameplay mechanics are solid. Only thing I'm not sold on is content for the size of the universe, but that would make sense considering I've only touched the Beta.

 

[thedosbox]

Crowd funding isn't the only way these games can get made, there are other ways to fund a business beyond asking for donations upfront or seeking a publisher.

Right, because a lot of venture capital had been waiting to take a chance on genre that's almost dead.

 

[Markbnj]

Right, because a lot of venture capital had been waiting to take a chance on genre that's almost dead.

Which still amazes me in a very sad way. Not that VC won't invest in games very often, but that the genre is so wilted. If there is anything that software visualization and immersion technologies are meant to do, it is to take us places we can't go ourselves. And what alternative universe is more expansive, more awe-inspiring, and more filled with opportunities for adventure than the universe itself?

 

[Artorias]

The genre is certainly not dead. Star Citizen is closing in on 49M raised through the public alone.

If anything its publishers not thinking outside the box over the years, and they all cant seem to get past not copying and pasting the same game every year.

Give the people a space game and they will buy it.

 

[thedosbox]

The genre is certainly not dead. Star Citizen is closing in on 49M raised through the public alone.

Take away Chris Roberts name, and I'll bet the same game wouldn't come close to raising even half that amount.

However, I will agree that there's a shortage of good space games - hence "almost dead".

 

[vbuggy]

FWIW the reason it is so expensive it to drive off the casual players. Cheap betas attract people who don't know what a beta is and are just looking for a deal. You get lots of complaints and crap feedback.

Well, I get the impression that it's because they want more players but don't want to alienate the kickstarter backers. So the price brings in people who're dedicated enough to be useful alpha/beta testers I guess.

 

[rivethead]

Take away Chris Roberts name, and I'll bet the same game wouldn't come close to raising even half that amount."

I think I'll take that bet.

I had no idea who Chris Roberts was (before backing SC). I backed SC based on the concept. They could of had Snoopy do the videos that discuss the SC vision and I still would have been sold.

I think the vision and model (the modular concept) have sold themselves and increased the momentum. But I also don't discount that having the Chris Roberts name associated with this project is a benefit.

 

[Albatross]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iJJrk9wGj8

 

[smackababy]

The genre is certainly not dead. Star Citizen is closing in on 49M raised through the public alone.

If anything its publishers not thinking outside the box over the years, and they all cant seem to get past not copying and pasting the same game every year.

Give the people a space game and they will buy it.

'They' is who exactly? Star Citizen won't make half the money in it's lifetime that COD makes in a year. Let's not even mention GTA5... The "copy and paste" method works far better than the "new idea" or "old idea that likely died because the market couldn't sustain it" methods.


Back to the original question in the OP: it is a money grab, pure and simple. They are selling you "exclusive rights to test our broken shit!" for a ton of money.

 

[Red Storm]

'They' is who exactly? Star Citizen won't make half the money in it's lifetime that COD makes in a year

Really? They are no where near release and have already made $48+ million. GTA5 I can understand, but I don't think there's any doubt the game will match and exceed a year of COD sales.

 

[smackababy]

Really? They are no where near release and have already made $48+ million. GTA5 I can understand, but I don't think there's any doubt the game will match and exceed a year of COD sales.

They are going to have to multiply that by at least 10 to hit COD numbers.

 

[Midwayman]

They are going to have to multiply that by at least 10 to hit COD numbers.

More than that. 15-25 million units per COD seems normal now. Say 20 million units at $60 a pop is 25x as much.
http://www.statisticbrain.com/call-of-duty-franchise-game-sales-statistics/

 

[smackababy]

More than that. 15-25 million units per COD seems normal now. Say 20 million units at $60 a pop is 25x as much.
http://www.statisticbrain.com/call-of-duty-franchise-game-sales-statistics/

I was really just going by first day sales (and assuming that Ghosts was under the $550m that Black Ops 2 did).

 

[BrightCandle]

Starcitizen isn't quite as bad for a money grab, it is at least accessible with game price level outlays. But boy do they charge a lot for ships and other, potentially, pay to win aspects. Its also no where near a game yet unlike Elite.

I want to play them both, I was a big elite fan back in the days, but I won't pay them what they are asking for in beta and I might very well not buy it at all for their predatory sales tactics. I don't think that sort of behaviour should be encouraged.

 

[Artorias]

'They' is who exactly? Star Citizen won't make half the money in it's lifetime that COD makes in a year. Let's not even mention GTA5... The "copy and paste" method works far better than the "new idea" or "old idea that likely died because the market couldn't sustain it" methods.


Back to the original question in the OP: it is a money grab, pure and simple. They are selling you "exclusive rights to test our broken shit!" for a ton of money.

See that's the mentality I don't like, you don't need to make COD levels of money to create a worthwhile game. It seems like publishers have forgotten about the mid level AA type games that don't need AAA budgets.

Just look at the new Tomb Raider and how it barely made any money but actually sold well, of course most was pissed away on needless marketing promos.

The disappearance of mid sized budgets from publishers is why we don't see many space games, they cant get around not making mega bucks when a solid return on investment is still worthwhile today.

 

[smackababy]

See that's the mentality I don't like, you don't need to make COD levels of money to create a worthwhile game. It seems like publishers have forgotten about the mid level AA type games that don't need AAA budgets.

Just look at the new Tomb Raider and how it barely made any money but actually sold well, of course most was pissed away on needless marketing promos.

The disappearance of mid sized budgets from publishers is why we don't see many space games, they cant get around not making mega bucks when a solid return on investment is still worthwhile today.

Of course, I don't have to; but, if I am an investor in a publishing company, I am going to want them to publish games that do sell COD levels of money. The reason we don't see space games is because they don't sell enough for the risk involved in giving a company money to make them. That is why they died, and that is why after a few release with a bit of a flare up in interest, they will fail again.

 

[SLU Aequitas]

I think I'll take that bet.

I had no idea who Chris Roberts was (before backing SC). I backed SC based on the concept. They could of had Snoopy do the videos that discuss the SC vision and I still would have been sold.

I think the vision and model (the modular concept) have sold themselves and increased the momentum. But I also don't discount that having the Chris Roberts name associated with this project is a benefit.

Same. I've actually never played any of the WC games, although I did play Starlancer and Freelancer. I supported this game because I loved Freespace and Freespace 2 (and FS:SCP mods) to death, and IW & IW:2 were amazing. I'm happy to donate to support the genre's revival.

Of course, I don't have to; but, if I am an investor in a publishing company, I am going to want them to publish games that do sell COD levels of money. The reason we don't see space games is because they don't sell enough for the risk involved in giving a company money to make them. That is why they died, and that is why after a few release with a bit of a flare up in interest, they will fail again.

There's a problem with that: there are only a few companies capable of producing said blockbusters, and they have established their franchises. New companies and investors are NOT going to make a killing by trying to compete in a saturated market with an extremely high barrier to entry. This is why we've been seeing more successes in other genres.

Oh, and revenues are not the most relevant figure, your profit is far more relevant. Regardless, I'm certain SC & Elite: Dangerous will both be very successful.