Castle Crashers priced for 1200 MS points

Only if it's 2-3 hours of gameplay.

Well Mr. Money Bags, it is a bit much when you consider that there have been more and more games on Live at this price point lately. I worry that they are going to bump $10 releases all together and have us up to 15, then 20 before we know what hit us.

@Duke: Ummm, besides Castle Crasher, Braid, and Penny Arcade, what games are over 800 MS points?

And Mr. Money Bags? Really, are you so poor that paying a whole *gasp* 5 dollars breaks the bank? Man people just want to complain about something I guess.

Penny Arcade said it best: People will pay 15 bucks for a shirt with a "clever" saying on it (more like 20), will pay 15 bucks for crappy food, but when it's 15 bucks for a quality title on XBLA it's some sort of obstacle.

I love these crack-pot conspiracy theories that this is some sort of ploy by MS to increase the sales of all games. I mean, don't take into account the long development time CC took to make or anything. It's not like time = money in the game industry or anything...

$15 for a 4 player online co-op dungeon crawler?
I say I'm sold!

Like I told you a few days ago:

Not everybody has tons of cash to throw around when gas, daycare, food & rent cost are through the fucking roof. Not to mention game prices. You must live at home or you would understand.

When someone like me who designs 3D interiors for aircraft at work, has a gf that works and we still have to worry about money lets you know why people don't like overpriced games.

When someone is complaining about the price of a game in relation to the amount they're capable of spending, Jack, then sure, that argument definitely fits. But when people are whining about the price simply because it's an XBLA title and all of the random reasons that come with that, it's a little bit different.

Learn your history. In 2005, Bankshot Billiards was released for 1200 Microsoft Points. As a result, every XBLA game that was release since then has been at least $20. The End.

@ Fatass

I agree. Some on the XBL/PSN games we are getting these days for 15 bucks are well worth it considering we were spending 50 on games with the same content or less back in the 80's & 90's.

deadjesterx, now, you are just being a dick. In fact, I have no idea who the hell you are, but you sure came out of the gates too strong.

I was joking with him with the money bag comment. Most people would see that. Otherwise, let me say that you are nobody to me and sure as hell don't sit in judgment of how I spend money or what is or is not too much to my family and I to spend on a game.
I said nothing of a conspiracy theory. So save me the bs. Three games in a short span have had an increased price, which gives the impression that prices are rising. Just because you believe otherwise it does not follow that the rest of us are nuts for seeing that and wondering what the future holds.

Now, if you want to be a prick, cool. Yet, don't expect me to not step up and say - you sir are in fact a prick (and a lemming it appears).

I never said every game was $20. WTF does BB in 2005 (a game most of us got for free in reality) have to do with it. Re-read my initial post, and don't take it to the most extreme position you can.

@Jack: So I'm assuming you never buy a brand new game for 60, right? 'Cause according to your logic if 5 dollars more for a XBLA title hurts you economically, buying a new copy of GTA4 could make you starve for a week. Must only get bargain bin games at no more than 10 dollars, right?

And you can go fuck yourself with the "you must live at home or else you wouldn't understand" comment. You're not the only one that has to pay for rent, bills, etc. Get over yourself.

You're only complaining because it's 5 dollars more for a XBLA title. If it was 10 bucks, you wouldn't be saying half the crap that you are. At least admit it rather than trying to cry victim with "the economy sucks!". Please, there are people out there who are really struggling who can't even afford video games or a PC to comment about them.

Bah, ya know, I'm not gonna argue this today. I am way too cranky - I admit it.

If you're in a dual income situation and are struggling to pay expenses due to 'too damn expensive' $15 video games, you might want rethink your money management.

@Duke: The conspiracy theory comment was more of a general statement than at your own. That wasn't ment just for you. It's just the usual argument I see for it.

You seem to be taking this way too personally. No, I don't know you, but you don't know me either. So don't attempt to judge me based on what is, basically, a meaningless forum.

I don't see three games that have come out being a little bit higher the start of some trend, unless the trend is higher quality XBLA titles, which I'd like to see.

And how am I a lemming? 'Cause I'm on the "This game is worth the price" bandwagon as opposed to the "this game is overpriced" bandwagon? Meh, call me what you want. Whatever makes you feel better.

@deadjesterx

Listen up you fool. Right now, the economy is in a downward spiral. People can't afford shit these days unless your in the upperclass tax bracket.

If prices keep rising for everything (gas, rent, food, ect) then people won't have as much spare money to buy games. Do I need to explain to you what will happen to the industry if alot of people stop buying games because they can't afford it? "Market crash" is the key word.

Well, people that live at home with their parents tend to have less responibilities than somebody that doesn't.

@ MC & deadjester

15 bucks here and there adds up pretty quickly.

The only thing that bothers me about this is that the price of games will keep going up. You guys act like you love paying more money? Whats wrong with you? Wouldn't you rather have something cheaper?

@whoever is unhappy about 1200 points...

buy the cards when they go on sale (like this week at target). Last time around, I snagged 2 1600 pts cards for b1g1f. So braid cost me 7.50, as would this game.

@Jack: Yes, you are correct about what will happen if people stop buying games. However if a game is underpriced a company can suffer just as badly as if the game did not sell well.

Truth be told I don't know your financial situation. For all I know you may be struggling really hard. However what would one be doing even thinking about buying video games if they were hurting so bad? First thing I cut when things are tight is luxury items, which include video games. And even in this situatin, a 5 dollar difference is not very much at all. If being 5 dollars more puts you over the budget, well, I'd suggest stop buying games all together until things become more stable.

And yes, living at home does make things a hell of a lot easier in terms of money. I remember those days. They were nice while they lasted.

Cheaper is always better. Just don't copy that floppy!

Gamers are some of the most cheapsake people alive. Period.

Tickets for 2 to a movie theater cost more than this. I don't see people clamoring to Hollywood websites deriding how they got "screwed" on the price of the latest James Bond flick.

@Jack

You do have a point, though the problem is most of the people complaining about the price of braid are the same people willing to drop over $500 for that special edition ps3 to buy that one game.

Hey Apples, just gotta say something on that point of yours, many people these days don't go to the movies often due to the prices. At my house we pick and choose what to see in the theater, and then opt for DVD on most films. Its something we long accepted doing since a movie in the end comes in around $50 for 2 people in chicago with snacks and parking.

I find it odd that you would use movies as an example, since people have long complained over the increased costs and switched to home entertainment instead.

To go even further off topic, I know I look to home entertainment instead of going to movies, not only because tickets are $10 a pop, but the quality of home entertainment has greatly improved. Most people with DVD players and more and more with nice HDTVs, a movie at home is getting closer to 'the real thing'.

But yea... obviously some people are still going to movies. Movies are still raking in dough at theaters. Where else can junior feel up his girlfriend in privacy?

I think it is absolutely absurd for people to complain about Castle Crashers’ $15 price tag.

These… complainers… have no grasp of what it takes run a business. You may THINK you do… but until you have bled into one yourself with your OWN interest vested into the company, you don’t. How could you understand all the little things that go into it without experiencing it? Most people work for someone else. They get their paychecks regularly scheduled… every two weeks… Paid…. Two weeks later… Paid. Not always the case when you’re running a small business. Yes, you would like that… everyone would. But you can’t pull money out of thin air. It seems to me that it’s even a great deal harder for a developer than a retailer (who has the opportunity to make money daily) because they work on a game for years. They have to pay the bills for years, before they ever get a pay out from that hard work.

The fact that everyone is aware of is that our economy IS struggling. Everything is going up.

For the developer that translates to higher overhead, which can be anything from rent and insurance to Electricity and water, Paper towels and Soap to equipment and furniture. All that Overhead is higher. Not to mention advertising and marketing. Publisher shopping takes time and money as well.
Balancing work bills and home bills...

I took this from The Behemoth’s FAQ on there website to reiterate my point:

“Q: What did you have to go through to fund the game?
We did the same things that every indie filmmaker does - mortgaged our houses, cashed in the 401k's, liquidated savings accounts, and took second jobs. It goes without saying that no one has seen a real paycheck since we started. In the end, every bit of our success is due to our wives, kids and girlfriends who believed in our crazy dream and put up with us.”

So yeah… I will gladly pay $15 for an awesome game that my friends, husband and I will have countless hours of fun with. And hopefully ensure future titles from a great indie company.

/rant

Just because someone does not want to pay $15.00 does not mean they are cheap. The point Jack is making is a very valid point. Not to mention you have to buy more virtual monies than the game cost. In actuality you have to spend $20.00 to buy a $15.00 game.

I never understand the logic of defending overpriced goods. The game will be just the same for $10.00 as the $15.00 game. The problem is the escalation of the prices. Gas, food, entertainment, medical, children, and telephone bill are not always fixed expenses. The majority of our debt that we pay to live is in constant flux.

It is not a matter of an extra $5.00 putting someone in the poor house. The point is the cost of living is rising and if you accept $15.00 as a suitable price point the next price they will try is $20.00 and up and up from there.

It is like people saying that Xbox Live is the service it is because you pay money for it. This is not the true statement. As consumers we must demand lower prices by not purchasing the items that get higher.

Sorry for long text post.

@Vegeta: "You do have a point, though the problem is most of the people complaining about the price of braid are the same people willing to drop over $500 for that special edition ps3 to buy that one game."

Please tell me how you and people like MC Double have gleaned the information on what people buy and don't buy. What brings you to the assumption that the same people who are saying they can't afford an overpriced game are also the people that spend money frivolously? How is that even a logical assumption? If people are complaining about being poor, they are the LEAST likely to be dropping money left and right.

It's the people who ARE willing to drop $15 at any time for any XBLA game that will be buying limited edition PS3s and $200 pairs of pants and spend $50 every time they go to the theater!

I can't believe people actually defend higher price points. Some games do actually need a higher price. Braid put the creator in debt, Castle Crashers has been in the works for more than two years, and Penny Arcade has a pretty big team for an arcade title. But defend too vigorously and you'll find a future without games cheaper than $20.

Psycho,

"These… complainers… have no grasp of what it takes run a business. You may THINK you do… but until you have bled into one yourself with your OWN interest vested into the company, you don’t. How could you understand all the little things that go into it without experiencing it? "

You assume way too much. I had a business for a long time before I decided to go to law school. Not a silly little one either. Don't lecture us on what we do or don't know about a business based on your assumption we are all idiots.

Braid was a brilliant game (especially the final level), and I'll pay that premium price for it for sure, just to be clear... but the difference between $10 and $15 is the difference between an impulse buy and looking at reviews to make sure it's worth it. Especially when you consider that other cool artsy games (PJ Monsters for example) have longer gameplay, co-op, and are $5-$10.

All I'm saying is that I've been very pleased with the pricing on PSN/XBLA especially compared to Wii, and I just hope that I don't have to change my feelings in that regard. Yeah, it's ONLY $5 more, but that's not the point. It's like the cost difference between a $40 game and a $60 game.

firstly, a warning:
I’m bored/tired at work which means I will probably ramble incoherently and/or redundantly. :)

…

I apologize that I came across as lecturing. Maybe I was. I know for sure I was extremely irritated when I wrote it. My goal (however carried away) was simply to point out the things that people don't think about. People see how things affect their own lives (as they should). But everyone* is in the same position. Everyone is feeling the same crunch.

You may be the exception. Admit it… the majority of people have not had the opportunity to do something like own a business. Most people don't want that life with good reason. It's tough. It’s time/money consuming. There’s not a lot of “leaving work at work”. That's just the way it is.

…

I mostly wrote it because i don't understand complaining when (IMHO) the game with the “higher” price is actually worth it. These days, there are a greater number of games that are just not worth it. I also have the nagging feeling that people would still complain if the price was $10… they would say … $10!!! I would have bought it at $5… and if it was $5.. then why isn’t it Free?!?

But $15 vs $10 for what looks to be an amazing online hack’n’slash/rpg multiplayer game that will bring hours of joy for me and my friends(out of state so we can't hang out but online). worth it for me. And Believe me… I’ve made some spotty purchases that I WISH I could take back. This won’t be one.

…

The bottom-line is I don’t want to see independent developers undercut themselves and go out of business. No one can be better off that way.

*Everyone - excludes upper-crust/uber-rich

P.S.
What would constitute a silly little business? (Serious question)

Again?! Well, hell, there goes my lunch break.

Stupid comment system. I meant to reply to you with incredulity over the points cards. Not me.

All week?

is that in store only? I don't see it online.

Yeah, the deal lasts until the 16th (this Saturday).

I hit that deal up once, I might have to go do it again fo sho. Thats like free 5 dollars for those cheap asses out there who think this game is 5 dollars too much.

Yeah I picked up a couple of these last week. And by picked up, I mean off the floor in Target. Non-related: Surprising how many Loss Prevention staff are very courteous and professional.

I will be taking up on that deal when I go get my check tomorrow.

Exactly. 3200 pts = $30 = Geometry Wars 2, Braid & Castle Crashers = 3 games averaging $10 each. Everyone's happy.

If they're sold out, Target will give you a raincheck for the cards. That's what I came away with, and damn if I'm not one happy guy.

Probably, since when most stores run these point-card sales, they're sold out within hours.

take the ad to walmart, they will pricematch!