can’t please everyone: amazon offers $10 casual games, game developers pissed off

February 21st, 2009 comments (1) stumble it! digg it! by: lambert v.

Amazon’s always looking to please customers. And make money. Realizing that video games are a hot commodity nowadays, the Seattle-based e-commerce company is now selling hundreds of casual games on its site. Customers can download a game at a very attractive price of $9.99, possibly less if it’s an old one. Everybody happy right? People can purchase online, developers now have a gigantic and insanely famous distributor and most of all, Amazon pleases customers. And make money. Let’s hold hands and pose for a Benetton ad!

Let’s hold our poses for now, because game developers like Popcap – makers of the neo-Tetris Bejeweled – and iWin are actually mad at Amazon because of this move. The developers are saying that while they’re okay with the idea of selling previously available games at lower prices, new releases should be worth much more than $10. But if for instance Mr. A. Mazon starts selling games at the lower price, before long customers will refuse to pay for similar games at a higher price. Mr. P. Opcap can’t raise prices for new games anymore and their profits will go down. Sadface.

To wit: on one hand, developers are demanding to have more control over pricing, which is understandable because they worked hard for their games. But on the other hand, wouldn’t having your games sold at a popular store result in more buyers? Since I’m no economist and I’m not a fan of non-free casual games, I’ll let others decide as to who’s got it right. What do you think? Oh you don’t care? Neither do I, but your mom might care, so go ask her.

[via VentureBeat]

filed under:  video games

February 21st, 2009 comments (1): stumble it! digg it! by: lambert v.