Microsoft defends Pac-Man CE price
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Jun 12th 2007 at 5:25PM }
Microsoft exec. Aaron Greenberg defends the 800 MS point ($10) cost of Pac-Man Championship Edition saying that it isn't really a retro title. Although we've certainly sung the praises of this new Pac-Man with the stupid name, we are also fence sitters on this 800 price point. Greenberg said to Gamerscore blog, "Namco came to us with what they thought the content price should be and I do not disagree with it costing 800 points. There's actually a lot of work from a lot of people to bring it all together." Yeah, but it would be nice if people actually played, as Greenberg puts it, "Toru Iwatani's gift to the world," right?The price point is really the most controversial thing about Pac-Man Championship Edition. At 800 MS points it's a good game, some people might see the logic, but most will just see *snore* Pac-Man. For 400 MS points ($5), there's no reason why everyone shouldn't get this game. At $5, it's completely worth it. So, Microsoft's gotta ask itself, does it feel lucky? Will they make more money keeping the game at the questionable 800 point mark, or could they make more at 400 points? Ah, the mysteries of the marketplace.
Gallery: Pac-Man Championship Edition (XBLA)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MosquitoControl @ Jun 12th 2007 5:28PM
Like many, I downloaded this to see how terrible and boring it was. I haven't enjoyed Pac-Man since my Atari 2600 (maybe that's why my memories aren't fond.)
Excellent game. Quick, strategic, and somehow they've made the control a joy. I never would have thought an analog stick would be perfect Pac-Man control, but his movements are so crisp!
That said, I get enough pleasure from the demo to not purchase. $10 is simply too much for me, given what the demo offers.
Crono @ Jun 12th 2007 5:33PM
I have this game too. I love it. Very Addictive, lots of new elements, and alot of crazy stuff goes on.
But the controlls is the one thing I will complain about. I can't tell you how many times I've been killed by a ghost because the damn pac-man didn't turn right when I told him to. Or turned right when I wanted straight.
The D-pad doesn't make it any better, either.
fragglefart @ Jun 12th 2007 5:35PM
Love the game, but was nearly put off by the price.
So glad I bought it, though.
bootsielon @ Jun 12th 2007 5:39PM
Shouldn't some arcade games price drop already? They've been out for so long.
Rob Accomando @ Jun 12th 2007 5:40PM
There's alot of crap games on the internet that sell for alot more than $10. Pacman CE, while the price seemed high at first, is totally worth it.
okenny @ Jun 12th 2007 5:45PM
To be honest with you, I'm put off by anything that cost money. At least with stuff that I get in the stores, it comes in a nice package. Isn't Xbox Live technically part of the internet? If so, then it should be free. Why do I have to pay money for something I might not like. I swear micro$oft is killing gaming and this is why I hate the fact that their on console and hope they fail. If it wasn't for them, we would be all enjoying free content on the cosole with everything we want to play!!!111
magicchicken @ Jun 12th 2007 5:47PM
I feel that the D-Pad for the xbox is this game's worst enemy, not the price point.
Pac-Man CE has everything a sequel to a video game should have. Eating the pac dots to spawn fruit, which alters the board as you play, pulls together everything from the original game into an extremely challenging and fast-paced re-invention. Competing against a timer with no level transitions ups the stakes even more since you never stop moving.
It's nice to play a game again that's all about score. If only the d-pad was as good as the playstation controller.
FrankTheCrank @ Jun 12th 2007 5:48PM
Micro$oft? Greedy? Huh???
$10 is generous if you ask me. I would easily pay $20 for this title.
It's not like their putting a gun to your head.
Whatever....fanboy!
Joe Smith @ Jun 12th 2007 5:51PM
I find the price resistance on this site perverse. Somehow, $10 is too expensive for a game that would have cost you $30-50 just a few years ago (not counting inflation). It seems like because they are cheaper, you look at them harder. It's pretty weird -- especially when no one is forcing you to buy sight unseen since every single XBLA game has a free trial.
Skip acouple of lattes this week and buy this game. You won't regret it.
Jonathan Tran @ Jun 12th 2007 5:52PM
They should definitely keep it at 800.
I mean look, it's working for Sony, AMIRITE?
Yuccadude @ Jun 12th 2007 5:52PM
Don't you guys know how many deaths are attributed to fence-sitting per year alone? It's over 250! You should also see your doctor if you have been involved with any strange fences lately.
CJJB @ Jun 12th 2007 6:05PM
I would definateley take the risk of purchasing this game if it were 5 quid instead of 10.Or maybe if the trial version of the game had given you more to do.
Either way microsoft should seriously consider dropping the price on this baby as it can do waaaaay better.
dvnt @ Jun 12th 2007 5:54PM
The price is fine because the quality is there. In both gameplay and aesthetics. I bought it and have no regrets about it. I just need a good arcade stick already! Damn Msoft and their 3rd party bullsh!t.
What I have beef with is their movie downloads. I bought Best In Show on a whim but had to stop watching. When I started watching again the next day it stopped halfway through because the license expired. Upon reading the "usage rights" it says you can rent the movie for 14 days or, and here's the kicker, 24hrs from it's initial play. Now ain't that some sh!t? Never downloading a movie off LIVE again.
mccomber @ Jun 12th 2007 5:55PM
I guess the hypothetical question they asked was "would at least twice as many people buy it at $5 as opposed to $10?"
And I guess the hypothetical answer to that was "no".
Lucky @ Jun 12th 2007 6:03PM
@okenny-
I have no clue if your trying to be sarcastic or what. All I know is I downloaded a demo today and loved it. I'm going to but it as soon as I get some point cards.
okenny @ Jun 12th 2007 6:01PM
You guys don't understand. They only make shitty demos available and then they make you play it so you can get hooked and then they slap you across the face with that outrageous price. It's like a drug dealer pulling a knife out on you in an ally and forcing you to eat cocaine so they can get you addicted and making you pay for the product. Micro$oft is doing the same exact thing to innocent people and its not fair. If you love your child, would you sell them to to their future bride or groom? NO! You FREE them!! get that F.R.E.E. So why is it that micro$oft speaks of this game with so much love and then sell it? IT SHOULD BE FREE since it's a gift from the creator himself. This is the whole gears of war story over again!!! Innocent creators want to give content to loving gamers and this satanic company wholes sole purpose is making money is just getting in the way.
Game Artist @ Jun 12th 2007 6:13PM
Why does it have to be in 400pts increments anyways? Why not a 600pt price or something?
okenny @ Jun 12th 2007 6:15PM
@Lucky
Sorry, I've been beating the whole let the market decide bit far too long. People in this new-gen have this strong aversion to paying for stuff. I've been in the shareware seen for a long time and the more recent downloadable content era and I can't remember ever bitching once about the price of something; If my like can over come the price and I have the money... I buy it. The market is deciding the PS3s future at the moment as well as the Wii. I can't remember the last time someone was bitching about HDTV prices and writing sony or panasonic and telling them to go to hell. No. Rational people just don't buy what they don't feel is value.
The opinions in the previous post are not my own but rather what I've been hearing from people colored with my own sense of humor.
I play this game and I love it... come pay day, I'll own it too.
Jigsaw hc @ Jun 12th 2007 6:22PM
I agree many of the others here. The demo was fun, but I'll not play this enough to be worth $10.
SuperMario21 @ Jun 12th 2007 6:24PM
Man, I'm glad to see that everyone is happy that this company is selling PAC-MAN for $10. I better not see any of you guys saying crap about the Wii's Vitual Console. There has been God knows how many versions of pac man created and all of the sudden since the game is in HD its the greatest thing. I don't believe it.
jsn @ Jun 12th 2007 6:30PM
People pay $40-$50 for this crap that Nintendo is cobbling together and throwing out there as innovative mini-games, yet people are going to bitch about paying $10 for a good good that happens to be based off an old idea? Give me a break. It just goes to shows that people will bitch about anything. If it were $5, there would still be people complaining that it wasn't $3.
okenny @ Jun 12th 2007 6:33PM
@SuperMario21
Actually, I see more people bitching more about XBLA's retro titles with updated graphics, online multi-player modes, leader boards, and usually seen remix modes than I see them bitching about Virtual Consoles straight ports with no added functionality.
I guess the reasoning as to why this is is two-fold. The first being that most Xbox gamers are PC gamers and the PC comes from a long tradition of free (...and bitching). The second is more of the Nintendo Fanboys. Nintendo can charge 30 dollars for a game as far as those guys are concerned. I'd personally love to see the data behind VC sales. I'd bet it'd make for get thunder-mug reading.
SuperWiitard2.0 @ Jun 12th 2007 6:36PM
How about if you don't like the price you don't buy it?
I know it sounds drastic but try it out and maybe people won't be so compelled to tell other people what to do with their own money.
Paulish @ Jun 12th 2007 6:48PM
I didn't like the price at first but after reading some reviews, I dropped the 800 MS points and gave it a go. I haven't been disappointed. It's a fantastic update to the original. It's quite challenging and a lot of fun to play. Definitely worth it if you're a Pac-Man fan.
Kendrick @ Jun 12th 2007 6:53PM
I'll happily pay up to $20 for Pac Man Championship Edition if it's released on traditional disc media. Given the spotty record of Xbox 360 hardware reliability, I don't trust that my purchase will be honored if I have to replace my hardware. Better to have the game in hand.
Dirk Dorkelson @ Jun 12th 2007 7:03PM
"I've been in the shareware seen..."
Apparently not so much in the grammar scene, though.
Anyhow, presumably they have to pay someone to create games. Why would they give them away for free?
Pac-Man CE does seem a bit overpriced at 800 points. Yeah, it's a great game and it's original, but I don't see myself playing it as often as Castlevania: SOTN, Catan, Worms or other games I've spent 800 points on. On the other hand, 400 is too cheap, which raises this question: Why 400 or 800? Why aren't there any 500-, 600- or 700-point games?
Mr BoomStick XL @ Jun 12th 2007 7:05PM
Well if I could step in here and make a comment! Though I will admit that I was a little taken back when this was the "World changing announcement" that MS talked about. I also will admit that the game looks amazing, with that said though I have to wonder if they were over charging because they made a BIG deal over the announcement!!
If you remember, RARE released Jet Pack: RE and that game is AWESOME and it was redone that same way Pac-Man CE is.......it was only 400 MS points!! Just some food for thought!!
Dr. able @ Jun 12th 2007 7:17PM
I just cannot buy any game that is best played with 360 D-pad. The D-pad embeded on the 360 controller is the worst D-pad I've worked with and it's ironic that it crowns the otherwise ingenious design of the 360 controller. I too tried the Pac-Man demo and kept running straight into a ghost's arms quite a few times thanks to that stuuuupid D-pad. Is the MS gaming division ever going to upgrade that crappy D-pad with a high quality D-pad?...Major Nelson?, Resident Hipster?, anyone?..
Dirk Dorkelson @ Jun 12th 2007 7:16PM
Oh, in case it's not clear from my post, I did buy this game and really like it. But I can see why someone might think 800 points is too high.
Ocho @ Jun 12th 2007 7:31PM
I can understand the hesitation at the price, but this is the best XBLA game I've played since Geometry Wars. They build off of the original mechanics to the point where this game makes the first Pac-Man look like a rough draft.
funkonaut @ Jun 12th 2007 7:35PM
I bought the full version, but last night I became shocked at just how short it is. Geometry Wars is worth the $10 way more than Pac-Man CE.
funkonaut @ Jun 12th 2007 7:37PM
@okenny
That's because the games on Nintendo's Virtual Console are games like Actraiser, not games like Root Beer Tapper.
okenny @ Jun 12th 2007 7:51PM
@funkonaut
Nice... nothing shuts a person down like a nice balanced comparison. Good job!
juciebytim @ Jun 12th 2007 8:01PM
Last week I thought this game looked stupid, and that it was just an updated version of Pac-Man, which I have been sick of for the past 10 years. The name was part of the reason for my negative feelings, but so was the price. The demo was pretty terrible as well, since it cuts you off at the best part of the standard five minute challenge mode, when things speed up and get intense.
After hearing such positive feedback from many people, I decided to purchase the game. Hell, there is a lot of other crap I have bought for $10. I pay $10 for three gallons of gas that gets me 70 miles for crying out loud! After 10 minutes I was hooked. I honestly began work an hour and a half late because I kept trying to beat my high score in five minute challenge mode.
If people give it a chance (which they will) this game has legs... Geometry Wars type legs. High scores, hard to get achievements, solid controls, and endless strategies are just a few of the reasons this game should have been called Pac-Man 2. Because if it were named as a direct sequel, nobody would be complaining about the price.
Keef @ Jun 12th 2007 8:11PM
Anyone who paid money for this game, of any amount, is a sucker. It's Pac-Man. Worse, it's a modded version of Pac-Man. It's as if those warez guys who code animated Welcome messages tied to key generators (you know the ones, that look as though they were coded in assembly coupled with .mod music) settled out of court with Microsoft and paid restitution via coding an epileptic's nightmare version of Pac-Man. Seriously. Worst.
Thomas @ Jun 12th 2007 8:18PM
I was very skeptical when the game came out, but it is *definitely* worth the 800 points. I would never have believed anyone could make a Pac-Man game that was fresh, original, and fun, and yet it's all of those. Great game and well worth the price.
Mike @ Jun 12th 2007 8:34PM
At $5 they would make a whole lot more money then at $10 because everyone would go ahead and get it at $5.
The new Prince game coming tomorrow warrants the $10 price due to the amount of work that went into improving the graphics. PacMan just doesn't.
jmcdougall @ Jun 12th 2007 8:47PM
If I had a 360 I'd gladly pay double the price. I don't give a crap about Halo or Gears but I'd LOVE to play me some PAC-MANs.. I read about the new version and it's sound fantastic.
The Street Fighter II HD version sounds amazing too.
Tim @ Jun 12th 2007 9:13PM
Thank you Keef for informing me that I'm a sucker. I had no idea. I shall now go forth and only make wise purchases from now on.
I had no idea all the quarters spent in my youthful enjoyment of the original were misspent folly.
Neither did I realize I really didn't enjoy this Championship Edition. I feel so...violated.
Thank God for you Keef. Thank God for you...
lifecurbed @ Jun 12th 2007 9:06PM
As for the dpad being this game's worst enemy comment - use the analog stick, it's really not bad in this game(though it is in so many other pacman games).
I really think no xbl "Arcade" style game should be over $5. It'd be different if they grouped the games differently, so "made for xbox live" games could be grouped separately from the the arcade style games...but to say this game costs as much as Castlevania SOTN is ridiculous. All arcade style games - $5. Who's with me?!
serotoninzero @ Jun 12th 2007 9:17PM
I just played it and surprisingly I had a lot of fun with the demo. Considering purchase...
The analog stick actually turned out to work very well. I didn't have any control issues.
konajinx @ Jun 12th 2007 9:46PM
@34,
"Hard to get achievements"? Seriously? These had to be some of the easiest acievements I ever breezed through on any XBLA game, which made me happy. It is indeed a great game, though.
Retrofied @ Jun 13th 2007 12:17AM
@#20
I can't believe you just said that. Are you basing the gameplay off the screenshots? It's not the arcade Pac-Man in HD. This game feels and plays great like a real retro predecessor. Don't talk out of your ass.
happy shmappy @ Jun 13th 2007 12:32AM
I've played the demo, and can't wait to buy it when the price drops to 400. If it does not drop, then I'll spend my points on more worthwile games.
Watership @ Jun 13th 2007 12:38AM
Anyone who just blurts out, "It's pac-man, why waste your money" deserve to pay 60 dollars for games like Spider-man 3. Its not a hack of Pac-man, it's the first game from the creator of pac-man, since.. PAC-MAN. It's simply one of the better games on XBLA and that's saying something.
Play it and understand why people think it's good.
Grey Fox @ Jun 13th 2007 1:01AM
Love the new PacMan but I really wish it didn't set me back $15 :(
polly @ Jun 13th 2007 1:52AM
I caved after going through the demo countless times. Throw in VS. play and an untimed mode and it would be a no brainer. As it is, it's still worth it, but just a harder sell.
Best Pac-Man game to ever hit a console? Yes.
Ramsey @ Jun 13th 2007 2:42AM
Worth. Every. Penny.
History making? Turns out, yes!
Kyouryuu @ Jun 13th 2007 3:53AM
The thing you hear from almost everyone who bought this game? No regrets.
I too have no regrets. Yeah, 800 points seems a little steep. But there's a surprising amount of meat to this game and I can see myself (and do) playing it again and again like Geometry Wars or Lumines. It really is a solid, addictive new take on classic gameplay.
I only wish it had a multiplayer component, such as one player versus player-controlled ghosts.
GamerG @ Jun 13th 2007 9:10AM
I wonder what reaction this game would get if it was a full blown Wii or DS title?
It seems to me that because its MS everyone assumed they are out to rip you off....