Ben-DutkaPrice is always a concern whenever new technologies are introduced, so game publishers are probably right to question the price tags for PlayStation Move and Kinect.
According to a recent Gamasutra interview with Activision COO Thomas Tippl, the world's biggest video game publisher is adopting a "wait-and-see" attitude for both new motion sensing technologies. Obviously, if there's a significant price barrier, any games Activision (and any other publisher) make for those fresh motion systems are susceptible to poor sales. And not surprisingly, Activision doesn't like the idea of any game selling badly. Said Tippl:
"I think as a publisher, you have to be concerned about how the price drives a lot of the outcome of how big of an install base there's going to be [for hardware]. The bigger the install base, the more likely that you can make sense out of your investment. So, the lower the price, the better. In this economic environment, it's probably more important than ever."
As of now, the PlayStation Move bundle featuring the PlayStation Eye is set at $99.99; individual Move controllers will retail for $49.99 and the Navigation controller will go for $29.99. There will be other accessories available as well, including the nifty shooting accessory that is set to retail at $19.99. Microsoft's Kinect has been recently priced at $149.99 but unlike with Move, there won't be an additional cost for more players. Either way, it's an expensive proposition for most gamers and Tippl believes that while both offer great opportunities for "certain games," they'll "have to see how much of an install base they're going to develop."
Although we aren't necessarily the biggest fans of motion sensing, we have to admit to being semi-impressed with the Move presentation at E3. Some of those experiences could be uber-fun…
Gah this whole Kinect/Move gimmick makes me want to spew in my own mouth. I mean i don't mind if consoles choose to have it. The Wii stinks of success thanks to this whole motion sensor "move & everything moves with you" debacle. It breeds success which is why M$ & $ONY are late to the Wii's party.
My one concern? Don't shower us with this in all our games. I don;t want every upcoming game becoming some platform for Move & Kinect. Lets keep things balanced otherwise i will find a new hobby if this industry relies t heavily on this ****.
If i want to move or exercise i will run outside, if i want to play games then atleast let me be a lazy sod & sit on my ass whilst doing so.
this is a surprise?
antivision dont want to put their money down on something till there sure they can make a 100M dollar profit off it!
i cant see them taking off too soon though, there just far to expensive!
both are more or less marketed at the casual market, but they slap on a core price tag.
kinects suppose to be 200 bucks, for a extra 50 bucks i can buy a wii!
move is going to be closer to 260 bucks, for 10 bucks less i can buy a wii!
thats the problem with these you need a ps3 or 360 to use them, a wii works straight out of the box.
sony and M$ are hoping to catch some of the casual market ninty have been enjoying, but thats never going to happen for 2 reasons.
1 there far too expensive!
2 there going for the wrong market.
nintendo is a family friend console, its made for kids, most of its games are for kids.
M$ and sony on the other hand are the other way around, yes most of kinects games and moves games will be kids games but that wont matter because of the already released games.
most parents buy a wii for their kids because they dont want them having access to violent games.
there are a few on the wii but there rare and far apart so most parents dont realize them, but on the other systems there everywhere, theres so many of them you would have to be blind to not see them!
i wish both would just stop wasting there time and money and put it to better use!
the money sonys spending on move they could of put towards saving their London studio, and bring back the 8 days and getaway 3.
Eight Days & The Getaway 3 were dusted under the carpet due to Eyepet & Partly, HOME. I wouldn't expect them to be revived now that Move is going to be evident in everything we play, touch & see.
The funeral is well & truly done with for those potential quality exclusives.
Where's the link? Highly doubt this comment.
Activision wants to make money? Who knew. Anyway, I don't plan on investing in the Move until I see something that truly impresses me. So far it hasn't happened, but that's not to say it won't sometime. I guess that's why I didn't really care for Sony's conference all that much because half of it focused on the Move and 3D, and all I don't really care for either of those things. The second half of the conference made up for it though.
I wonder if EA will charge more for Kinect/Move support in games like their "premium pricing" mentioned at E3 for 3D HDTV games???
Last edited by xnonsuchx on 6/24/2010 5:29:52 AM
Any time the people who fired the developers in charge of their billion dollar game start talking about business decisions…oh good grief. How's that new Tony Hawk Ride skateboard coming along?
Always nice to have a reminder to why I boycott Activision games.
I have zero Activision games in my collection…
😀
When you consider the fact that Move and Kinect already are already the next Virtual Boy/SEGA CD, I don't give Activision or any other developer any wrong for taking a wait-and-see approach as both repersent a huge financial risk for both consumers and developers.
Speaking of motion sensors gaming, some of you very young guys(pre-20's) were still just a few gleams in your daddy's eye at the time, so you've never seen some of the original motion-sensor stuff that was supposed to come out 20 years ago.
But everything shown in this article below is just a good ole trip down memory lane for the vast majority of us older gamers(30years & upward) .
See What 'E3' Was Like Twenty Years Ago
Summer CES, the "E3" of 1990 focused on motion control and teaching music through games.
http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3180068
Im impressed but at this point it seems to much for me to pay. i'll have to delay.
I have a feeling that Activision is in Microsofts camp (for now).
I also believe that Sony and EA are developing a better partnership as well.