Cashing in on the Western Audience

[Jiro]

Last month we brought you some info (http://home.eyesonff.com/content/1972-demons-score.html) on an iOS rhythm game from Square Enix and iNiS - the guys behind Elite Beat Agents. Demon's Score looks like another enjoyable rhythm based game, perhaps an attempt to revive the genre. But Square Enix also seems to be using it to screw over its Western fanbase.


http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Features/2010/03/Final Fantasy heroes/crisis_core_cg__1__tif_jpgcopy--article_image.jpg
We're shocked and disappointed too, Cloud.

While the initial $6.99 price tag for Demon's Score looks relatively affordable -- especially compared to the ~$19.99 price in Japan -- it is actually a trap. Cue Admiral Ackbar. The actual version released to western audiences is heavily scaled back, with a number of DLCs required to actually unlock the full game. Japanese customers are saved the hassle in their one-time fee, but western gamers are going to be forced to buy $2.99 and $3.99 DLCs if they want the same experience, totally somewhere around $40 for the same package.

It isn't hard to think that different cultures might react differently to various sales methods. Japanese customers might be more willing to spend $19.99 on an iOS game, or are hostile towards DLC. Western audiences, on the other hand, might prefer to get a game for cheap and only buy DLC if they're enjoying it. But at the very least Square Enix should try to balance the pricing so that we're not paying twice as much as the home-grown fans.

Source: The Escapist (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/119815-Square-Enix-Exploits-Western-Gamers-With-Crazy-DLC)

[blackmage_nuke]

Western audiences, on the other hand, might prefer to get a game for cheap and only buy DLC if they're enjoying it.

That is the biggest load of balls. I dont know anyone who likes thier game taken apart and charged for piece by piece and even if this really was the philosophy theres nothing stoping them lowering the DLC price so that the full package would match that of the Japanese price.

[Jiro]

That is the biggest load of balls. I dont know anyone who likes thier game taken apart and charged for piece by piece and even if this really was the philosophy theres nothing stoping them lowering the DLC price so that the full package would match that of the Japanese price.

Didn't say it was true, just that it could be a marketing strategy. It could just be that Western audiences are less hostile to DLC. At the very least, it seems as though Square Enix is just seeing how much extra they can charge us for the same product.

[VeloZer0]

It is a bain to those who are interested in the whole game straight up, but it is a massive boon to those who would play the first bit and get bored.

[Raistlin]

It is a bain to those who are interested in the whole game straight up, but it is a massive boon to those who would play the first bit and get bored.

Yeah, I think Squeenix was definitely thinking there would be more of the latter in the West.

Also, why are the comments on the frontsite article not appearing in the thread? :p