Why are games on PC so much cheaper than the console versions

jkarateking · Oct 13, 2014

On some games there isn't much of a difference. For example assassins creed Unity will be £45 on consoles and £39 on PC.
However some games are miles cheaper on PC. For example 'The Witcher 3' will be £44 on PS4 and XBOX One but only £28 on PC.

Why are PC games so much cheaper? I am wondering this because PC games are so much better as they can have mod support and play in better graphics on high end PCs. Also why do publishers need to charge more on console versions of the game as 'The Witcher 3' is a £16 more on consoles so won't they not make as much money on the PC version?

James Mason · Oct 13, 2014

Because Console makers have licensing fees they make game manufacturers pay. As well like network service fees, game update fees, ect.

It's essentially "free" to put a game out on PC, as in there is no middle man between you and the customer unless you the developer want there to be.

littleleo · Oct 13, 2014

With console games you are limited on the titles so there is less competition and less to choose from so you'll pay more. Plus what James mentioned. Also the console specs are fixed where as PC's can vary greatly and can have much more powerful CPUs and GPUs. There are more titles available to PC users there is also steam and other options available to PC users to the DL, so games are priced more aggressively since there is more competition. On the downside some console games may not be available on PCs, and it is easier to do multilayer on a console since they can support 2-4 users where as PCs are individual. Of course your PC doesn't spy on you and record you facial expressions either. At least not yet...

James Mason · Oct 13, 2014

littleleo :

With console games you are limited on the titles so there is less competition and less to choose from so you'll pay more. Plus what James mentioned. Also the console specs are fixed where as PC's can vary greatly and can have much more powerful CPUs and GPUs. There are more titles available to PC users there is also steam and other options available to PC users to the DL, so games are priced more aggressively since there is more competition. On the downside some console games may not be available on PCs, and it is easier to do multilayer on a console since they can support 2-4 users where as PCs are individual. Of course your PC doesn't spy on you and record you facial expressions either. At least not yet...

Well if you're a woman with a webcam it might be.

littleleo · Oct 13, 2014

James Mason :

littleleo :

Well if you're a woman with a webcam it might be.

The ones I've seen aren't being spied on just teasing, or doing it for money, lol.

James Mason · Oct 13, 2014

littleleo :

There were/still are some bad guys hacking/virusing into peoples computers and turning on their webcams without them knowing (like the webcam on light didnt turn on) and then blackmailing them with nude pictures ect.

littleleo · Oct 13, 2014

Yeah I heard about that one guy was actually spying on a baby and say stuff to it. What a sick SOB, someone needs to shut those jerks down.

Frag Maniac · Oct 13, 2014

It's not just the licensing fees that make and keep console title prices high. That only accounts for $10 of the price. The price is higher and stays higher for longer because the console industry preys on those whom want cheap gaming systems. They know a lot of players can't afford or don't want the complexity of a PC. Thus they can keep title prices high because they know there's a LOT of players out there in this situation.

The bottom line is, when you have a product that's in demand, you are in the driver's seat, no matter how unethical the price of the software for it is. It's a lot like cell phones. You can get them cheap or free, but the monthly subscription prices is where they get you.

More and more console players are becoming aware of this and changing over.

junkeymonkey · Oct 13, 2014

consoles don't have a hard drive like a computer that client's like steam that need to be mandatory installed to load or play computer games can scan and retrieve your info to sell to make up the difference in price

ever wonder why you need steam or some other 3ed party like it in order to load or play???

Frag Maniac · Oct 13, 2014

junkeymonkey :

Oh yes they do, and Steam is just another game distribution/browser software. Sony and MS have their own versions of the same thing.

Steam is highly successful and Valve can offer great deals on games because it's the best software of it's kind on PC, and a LOT of people have PCs.

PSN has deals on games too, Sony is beating MS on that. On new or near new games though, console titles can garner a higher price due to the reasons I mentioned in my prior post.

junkeymonkey · Oct 13, 2014

not with as much of you personal info as would your main computer

junkeymonkey · Oct 13, 2014

junkeymonkey said:
äconsoles don't have a hard drive like a computer...

Oh yes they do, and Steam is just another game distribution/browser software. Sony and MS have their own versions of the same thing.

Steam is highly successful and Valve can offer great deals on games because it's the best software of it's kind on PC, and a LOT of people have PCs.

PSN has deals on games too, Sony is beating MS on that. On new or near new games though, console titles can garner a higher price due to the reasons I mentioned in my prior post

I see your fooled and just the kind of person they like oh yes heres my hard drive for you to do as you want

wow

Frag Maniac · Oct 13, 2014

junkeymonkey :

The only "wow" here is your not even getting that consoles have had HDDs for quite some time, and that the principles and practices of game distribution clients on the console side of the market are really no more efficient or scrupulous.

Have you forgotten the PSN fiasco where player's personal info was compromised? LOL

junkeymonkey · Oct 13, 2014

why doi need them for a game ??? never needed them in the past to load or play.. and why cant I just buy the FULL game on the disk with out going to them and down load all there content?? why do I need a internet connection if it just sp??

i'll tell yo there on your drive snooping around collecting info selling it making changes with out your approval cause in the eula look at the term ''with out limitations'' so I can limit them in any way or break the eula deal with them???

let me have access to your hard drives ''with out limitations'' and upload and download make changes -- get real

heres on for you on how you can trust it and wonder what other games this is going on with

http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/video-games/nsas-virtual-waste-time-spying-world-warcraft-harder-you-think-f2D11724106

Sony's PlayStation Network and Xbox Live and Valve's PC gaming service Steam boast tens of millions of subscribers.

ya not a wast of time just pluged in and collecting through steam

well anyway keep supporting steam and origin and such....

funny how origin need to first thing state in there eula the ''this is not spy ware '' [lol] like ya ok I believe you and go check check ''I AGREE''

Frag Maniac · Oct 13, 2014

I never said I like or "support" Origin, ASSume much?

And Steam is really pretty easy to configure to not spam you with ads or share info. Hell, you can even disable friends completely.

Maybe you should actually learn how to use well made software before you criticize it. Let's not forget you jumped in starting out insisting consoles don't have HDDs.

And that article you linked to doesn't single out PC like you are. The NSA can snoop on pretty much anyone, anywhere, ever since the internet became a common place to socialize in the US circa 1995.

The NSA don't need Steam, or PSN, or any other game client to snoop on people. They've been doing it via code in basic OS script ever since the internet, and consoles use OSes too. They don't have the time or money to snoop on everyone though. They only go by key filter words that raise red flags for things like possible terrorism.

That article is one of many that exaggerates and attempts to make controversy, which gets people to read it and boosts the site's ad space value. I can see you have a lot to learn about the world and tech industries in general.

You've yet to make a valid point really, and the more you talk the more it sounds like you're both paranoid AND naive as far as how to safely operate a PC, a bad combination. Hell, maybe you'e just paranoid about gaming in general.

gamerk316 · Oct 14, 2014

What JM doesn't get is that consoles are essentially PC's with locked HW specs and a few lower-level API calls. The XB1 runs a modified Windows kernel, the PS4 runs a modified FreeBSD. I'd argue consoles are by FAR less secure, since no one thinks they need to be. Or do you think the XB1 is getting regularlly patched to fix all the Windows based security issues that it is almost certainly open to?

littleleo · Oct 16, 2014

Don't you have to join their network to use the console and submit your personal info? If you are paranoid you could try creating a user account on your computer w/o admin privileges then install the games on it. So they (the evil game makers) couldn't make any changes w/o your knowledge or approval to your computer. I keep my personal data on another computer I don't have connected to the internet. But don't worry if they want your personal data they can get it from, Home Depot, Target, Walmart...

I think we digress from the original question of why are console games more expensive then PC games. The bottom line is they can charge you more because you are limited on options, and they know you will pay it to use your gaming system. That's it.

Does not Exist · Oct 16, 2014

On a console, you're pretty much linked to the game retailer, so unless they drop their prices, if you start dropping digital prices on your games, they're going to play hardball with you and make it hard for you to drop price without possibly losing shelf space in a retailer's store. There's a reason a lot of the industry hates companies like Gamestop. Any push in the direction of more and cheaper digital goods for consoles would probably lead to Gamestop not supplying physical copies because that is revenue they can't reap. For consoles to get away from that, it has to be an abrupt push to the digital market, but it's looking rather unlikely.

Why are games on PC so much cheaper than the console versions

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