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When did computer game boxes get small???
- Thread starter LordJezo
- Start date
PsychoAndy
Lifer
That's what i said! I haven't been in best buy in months, and kaboom, they got these tiny boxes. I don't have a problem with them, because gamemakers waste enough cardboard and air to package a jewel case, usually with nothing else, but when did it start happening?
element2k5
Senior member
yea tell me about it... i was looking at some new games... and boom they were all really small... i think its one of those new regulations that is being phased in... anyways... i just think its another way to sell more product... the smaller it is.. the more they can fit in a box, the more they can fit on the shelf, the more they can sell
<< i just think its another way to sell more product... the smaller it is.. the more they can fit in a box, the more they can fit on the shelf, the more they can sell >>
Yeah, it's about time they wised up. The only reason they were the previous size was to take up shelf space so that there would be less for competitors. And those funky trapezoidal Eidos boxes were just to get attention. Well, the ones that didn't have Lara Croft on the front anyway. 😀
Software publishers aren't the only guilty ones when it comes to oversized boxes though. How about those boxes of mac & cheese that are only 1/3 full? 😉
Walmart has been carying them like that for a bit now. I say, It's about time. It's been a chicken and egg scenario for many years-- no developer wanted to start selling in a smaller box while everyone else had big boxes which gathered more consumer attention. I don't know what finally shifted the tide to smaller boxes, but, I'd assume many retailers were fed up and putting pressure on. By limiting shelf space for their products they were forced to economize their packaging.
thawolfman
Lifer
First one I saw was mohaa but I'm not sure if that was thee first to come out w/ the smaller box...
PsychoAndy
Lifer
I don't mind it at all. I think it's good...before, it was big box, jewel case, manual (if any), and a bunch of cardboard. It was the biggest freaking waste. I just want to know when they started this.
BrunoPuntzJones
Lifer
The Industry (IE: The big guys) set the new standard about a month ago at some conference. EA was the first (hence seeing MOH, etc. as the firsts) and then rereleased some older games in the small boxes (like B&W). All new games from the big guys should be coming out in those small boxes now. I'm sure the smaller companies will follow suit as stores may refuse to carry odd sized boxes now.
IDSA(the equivalent of the MPAA or RIAA to the gaming industry) came up with a standard sized box at GDC 2001 I believe, might have been later, but it was with in the last year. As for the use of DVD cases, its not likely to happen unless retailers lock up PC games too, they already do that for PS2, Xbox and GC games.
The move to smaller boxes, saves money. Not in materials, its the same amount of money as before, but they can now fit more units in the shelf space they paid for. 50%-100% more units for the same amount of money as before.
The move to smaller boxes, saves money. Not in materials, its the same amount of money as before, but they can now fit more units in the shelf space they paid for. 50%-100% more units for the same amount of money as before.
BrunoPuntzJones
Lifer
LH, that was the group I was thinking of, the ISDA
And I was incorrect in stating that they decided on it a month ago, I should have said that that was when the new box styles kicked in (IIRC)
And I was incorrect in stating that they decided on it a month ago, I should have said that that was when the new box styles kicked in (IIRC)
Gather 'round the fire friends and I'll tell ya a little story. A long time ago, before most of you were born, games came in Big Boxes. You see back then games were actually fairly complicated and developers shipped them with neat items called "manuals".
These "manuals" were found inside the Big Boxes (which really didn't seem big at the time). They included instructions and strategies for playing the game. You see PC memory and processing power was limited and things like in-game help, tutorials, instructional levels and the like weren't possible.
And the boxes had to be big by necessity. You see before CDs we had "floppy disks". Often games would ship with a dozen of these unreliable, costly-to-manufacture disks and you needed a lot of box space for them. When CDs first appeared publishers jumped on them because they saved a ton of money.
Anyway, all was well. The games were good and took time to master. No worries, though, as we had "manuals". The Big Boxes also had reference cards, maps and sometimes even secret decoder rings (well, actually not).
Jump forward 10 years. Games began devolving into something that would appeal to the lucrative "mass market" audience. No longer were games made complicated or deep because publishers wanted to appeal to a broader consumer base. TO make more money of course. Yeah, you know where I'm going but here's something you didn't know:
A publisher named Sierra, now no more, had the great idea that manuals were no longer needed and they could save a lot of money by simply not bothering with them. They first did this with a few simulation games. People were outraged of course but that wouldn't be enough to stop other companies from following evil Sierra's lead.
Jump forward another 5 years. All the big publishers have either greatly stripped down game manuals or just haven't bothered with them at all. You're lucky to get a brief booklet and all that does is tell you how to install the game and maybe point out a few keyboard commands.
At about this time publishers became even more greedy. Not only would they refuse to include an adequate manual with your game but they had the nerve to charge you for what was called "Official Strategy Guides". These were really the old manuals in disguise. Their content used to be in the manual but now you had to shell out for them.
Ironically, these didn't make publishers the Big Money they sought. You see, when they dumbed down games to the point where any Jack Whack could play them, they took away the challenge and thus need for extra help. Why buy a strategy guide when all you do is shoot everything that moves, find the keycard and hump the nearest door?
Enter the frickin' Europeans. Some bright marketing mind, probably a game retailer exec. in France, decided they could offer more titles if all the boxes were a lot smaller. Hey, the games no longer had manuals, maps, reference cards, strategy guides or a ton of discs so why have large boxes?
Thus they told the publishers, "no soup for you unless it's in little elf bowls". Or something. Publishers didn't have a choice but really didn't mind as it cut their production costs even more. It also gave them another excuse to use when the ever-shrinking "where's my forking manual?!" mob occassionally tried to voice their needs.
Jump forward to today. US retailers are following the evil ones in Europe. Walk into a software store and you'll see more and more tiny little boxes. Tiny little boxes that still can't be returned if the games suck, another perk the publishers and retailers forced down our throats at some point in the past to save money.
Will PC game boxes get even smaller? Not anytime soon. Marketers still realize many consumers make impulse purchases based on box art and screenshots. If you reduce the size any further you reduce impulse sales.
Anyway, sorry for the book. Just reminiscing. 🙂
These "manuals" were found inside the Big Boxes (which really didn't seem big at the time). They included instructions and strategies for playing the game. You see PC memory and processing power was limited and things like in-game help, tutorials, instructional levels and the like weren't possible.
And the boxes had to be big by necessity. You see before CDs we had "floppy disks". Often games would ship with a dozen of these unreliable, costly-to-manufacture disks and you needed a lot of box space for them. When CDs first appeared publishers jumped on them because they saved a ton of money.
Anyway, all was well. The games were good and took time to master. No worries, though, as we had "manuals". The Big Boxes also had reference cards, maps and sometimes even secret decoder rings (well, actually not).
Jump forward 10 years. Games began devolving into something that would appeal to the lucrative "mass market" audience. No longer were games made complicated or deep because publishers wanted to appeal to a broader consumer base. TO make more money of course. Yeah, you know where I'm going but here's something you didn't know:
A publisher named Sierra, now no more, had the great idea that manuals were no longer needed and they could save a lot of money by simply not bothering with them. They first did this with a few simulation games. People were outraged of course but that wouldn't be enough to stop other companies from following evil Sierra's lead.
Jump forward another 5 years. All the big publishers have either greatly stripped down game manuals or just haven't bothered with them at all. You're lucky to get a brief booklet and all that does is tell you how to install the game and maybe point out a few keyboard commands.
At about this time publishers became even more greedy. Not only would they refuse to include an adequate manual with your game but they had the nerve to charge you for what was called "Official Strategy Guides". These were really the old manuals in disguise. Their content used to be in the manual but now you had to shell out for them.
Ironically, these didn't make publishers the Big Money they sought. You see, when they dumbed down games to the point where any Jack Whack could play them, they took away the challenge and thus need for extra help. Why buy a strategy guide when all you do is shoot everything that moves, find the keycard and hump the nearest door?
Enter the frickin' Europeans. Some bright marketing mind, probably a game retailer exec. in France, decided they could offer more titles if all the boxes were a lot smaller. Hey, the games no longer had manuals, maps, reference cards, strategy guides or a ton of discs so why have large boxes?
Thus they told the publishers, "no soup for you unless it's in little elf bowls". Or something. Publishers didn't have a choice but really didn't mind as it cut their production costs even more. It also gave them another excuse to use when the ever-shrinking "where's my forking manual?!" mob occassionally tried to voice their needs.
Jump forward to today. US retailers are following the evil ones in Europe. Walk into a software store and you'll see more and more tiny little boxes. Tiny little boxes that still can't be returned if the games suck, another perk the publishers and retailers forced down our throats at some point in the past to save money.
Will PC game boxes get even smaller? Not anytime soon. Marketers still realize many consumers make impulse purchases based on box art and screenshots. If you reduce the size any further you reduce impulse sales.
Anyway, sorry for the book. Just reminiscing. 🙂
Here in europe they've been using dvd-cases for most (pc-)games for over a year. Practically all new games come in dvd-cases. At first I thought it looked weird, there was no easy way to see if it was a ps2 game or a pc game just by size of the box, but now I've gotten used to it I think it's better. The games take up less shelf-space this way = space for more games on your shelf!
Sigh. 🙁 You realize the smaller these cases get the more limited game developers are in how much game they can give you. If a jewel case can only fit once disc, then one disc of game is all you'll get.
Nobody seems to care games are getting shorter and shorter either. You're all sheep I'm afraid.
Nobody seems to care games are getting shorter and shorter either. You're all sheep I'm afraid.
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