Crispy Gamer's David Thomas went searching for who decided on the $60 standard and more or less found no one in the industry specifically responsible. Which defies logic, as someone or some thing had to be the first. But when the decision was made, it wasn't tackled from the front - i.e., Company X made Y game, its production and marketing costs were Z, and profit A on top of that gives us price B. Publishers pick a price point and then work backward to justify a game, and the $10 allows them to justify more.

But the influx of downloadable games at much lower price points raises a new question: Are video games on the whole overpriced? Or are they underpriced? And if no one forced the $60 question, why do gamers accept it? You may not like the answers.

The 60-Buck Dilemma [Crispy Gamer, Sept. 23, 2009.]

The same argument could be applied to the movies: Movie tickets have increased because special effects cost more and Brad Pitt earns more and, gee, those nice seats at the theaters cost more. Of course, the price tag reflects a focus on the kind of fun big budgets deliver; and bigger-is-better dominates the public imagination.

"Ultimately, what we collectively found was that we've modeled a hits-driven business, not unlike film; and the massive downside to that structure is that it marginalizes the art-house products — the more risky or out-of-the-box games," [says the Entertainment Consumer Association president Hal Halpin.] "But that's also our roots, where we've come from. Really compelling, fun and great games that didn't cost an arm and a leg to produce, or to buy."

In other words, Brad Pitt and Michael Bay sell tickets. Hollywood is about stars and explosions, and the economics of box-office ticket sales tend to revolve around those needs. In games, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves costs $60 because it cost millions to make. So Braid either needs to make the $60 argument or pick up and move into the Xbox Live Marketplace.

To [analyst Jesse] Divnich , videogame math means something a little different.

"Either one is overpriced or the other is underpriced — and because games that only offer 20 to 30 hours of gameplay still sell incredibly well, I'd argue the latter. Some games offer such a value that they are clearly underpriced."

"I've always felt that pricing in our industry was completely arbitrary. Since few have challenged these price points, they've become cemented as a standard in consumers' minds; and deviating from the standard can be met with serious recourse," says Divnich.

Drop the price on a game below $59.99 and it must mean the game's no good, or it's old, or it's on some second-rate system. Perrier doesn't cost more than gasoline per gallon because it springs from some fairy well, and BMW doesn't charge a premium over a similar Lexus model because of some alien tech discovered during the war. Both bottled water and premium sports cars cost a lot in part because the people that buy them expect them to cost a lot.

Translated into the game world, fans have pretty much drunk the pricing Kool-Aid and figure games cost what they cost.

"Because consumers are cemented on the $60 price point," says Divnich, "The only way publishers can deviate from the standard pricing is by offering peripheral-based products and over-the-top special editions (e.g., Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, Rock Band). Which, I may add, have been tremendously successful."

That's right, Joe Gamer, it's entirely possible that games cost $60 because some executive, at some point, thought it would be funny to raise the average price of a game by $10 and no one complained. And we kept lining up at the game store with three twenties and a sock of loose change for sales tax.

- David Thomas

Weekend Reader is Kotaku's look at the critical thinking in, and of video games. It appears Saturdays at noon. Please take the time to read the full article cited before getting involved in the debate here.

Yesterday we reported that some content on the Xbox 360 Video Marketplace was priced in a way that seemed like it could have been a typo. High-def videos for some HD Net pro wrestling and MMA series are labeled at 720 Microsoft Points ($9). Standard-def was selling for 480 points.

"The specific videos you're highlighting are download-to-own, and are priced based on our agreement with the partner," a Microsoft spokesperson told us through e-mail today. (All TV shows on the Xbox 360 video marketplace are download-to-own).

We had asked if pricing was standardized on the service — many SD/HD TV episodes sell for 160/240 MS Points ($2/$3) — and who sets the prices. The prices for these Ring of Honor wrestling and M-1 Challenge mixed martial arts episodes were 480/720 ($6/$9).

"You'll notice that there is a common pricing structure," the spokseperson said. "But ultimately pricing is determined with the partner and varies depending on the content that is being offered."

HD Net has not returned Kotaku's requests for comment for the original report.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (Or 'SSF2THDR' - a rare case where the abbreviation could do with its own abbreviation) has been priced at 1200 Microsoft points on Xbox Live Marketplace and $14.99 on the Playstation Network.

Actually, we only sort of knew when - the actual release dates are November 25th for PSN, with Xbox owners getting a dose of SSF2THDR (no, still too long) on the 26th.

SSF2 Turbo HD Remix Pricing - Official! [Capcom Unity]

After a series of UK price cuts - the most recent of which has left the Arcade model a shade cheaper than the Wii at £129.99 (approx $208 at current rates) - Microsoft UK's head of gaming and entertainment, Stephen McGill, says that the price will be fixed for some time to come.

"We're a great price now," said McGill, "I'm not dropping the price for many many years in the future I would suspect."

MS: No UK 360 price drop for many years in the future

Rather than just a normal and a collectors edition, shouldn't we go further? The idea of being able to pay for gameplay advantage in an online game is hideous, but some Asian MMOs have done very well by charging players for cosmetic improvements. The idea of 'free game, charge people for hats' is much talked about in industry circles. There’s no reason why this can't be extended in a different way.

Take a game like Call of Duty 4. I loved it, and enjoyed it online and off. I'd have happily paid £50 rather than £30 for it. But some people ONLY wanted it for online play. Some of them might have used voice chat (I don't bother) and maybe some of them could only run it on low-resolution or detail. Why do we all pay the same price? Conversely I hate paying for the campaigns in Company of Heroes. I never play them, just skirmish and online.

I've found a lot of people to be suspicious of the microtransaction model in games, mostly for fear of poorer service and/or nickel and diming to death. I think the ability to pay for just what you want is nice — there are plenty of games floating around on my shelves with functionality I never use (or have used maybe once). It's an interesting article on potentials for more modular games in the future.

The Economy of Happiness [bit-tech.net via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

While that still leaves Castle Crashers at a price point higher than your average XBLA title, it's a great deal less than the original listing, which had the game going for 1800 points, or $22.50. Behemoth would also like to remind you that they'll be on hand at both PAX this month and the Tokyo Game Show in October, so stop by and give them hugs. The sweatier the better.

1200 Points, Behemoth Forums, PAX, and TGS [Castle Crashers Dev Blog]

The questions then become, are these two versions identical and will the game support Remote Play? And if so, just how much is it worth to have a UMD? UPDATE: Siliconera updated their post, pointing out that PSP Echochrome has twice the levels. I guess that explains the price difference.

PS3 Echochrome costs 50% less than PSP Echochrome [Siliconera via OpposableThumbs]

Additional songs/videos will cost £0.99/€1.49 and will start flowing from the SingStore on December 17. Or 17 December, if that's your thing. Not an unreasonable price, I would think, as it's about $2 per a la carte track against the pathetic US Dollar. I might also think that many publishers would be wise to start thinking about lowering the prices of their downloadable content in the face of Rock Band's arrival, as my personal earmarking of DLC funds is tilting favorably in its direction.

"We are pleased to offer the cool Halo 3 Special Edition console for the huge Halo fan community," said Stephen McGill, Microsoft's Head of Gaming and Entertainment. "It's a great way for Halo fans to show their allegiance to one of the most popular and successful entertainment franchises ever."

Halo® 3 Special Edition Xbox 360TM Console Priced, Dated For Europe

Limited Edition Xbox 360 Will Have Estimated Retail Price of £279.99, Available From 26th September

LONDON — 23rd August 2007: Microsoft® today announced estimated retail pricing and availability for the Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition Console, launched in anticipation of this year's largest blockbuster gamer launch, Halo 3.

The Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition console, with an authentic Spartan green and gold finish, will carry an estimated retail price of £279.99 when it comes to retail on 26th September. The Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition console comes with the following features:

· Halo 3 Special Edition Wireless Controller

· Halo 3 Special Edition 20GB Hard Drive

· Halo 3 Special Edition Wired Headset

· Halo 3 Special Edition Gamer Pics and Theme (Exclusive download via Xbox LIVE®)

· Component HD AV Cable

· Ethernet Cable

· HDMI Port

· Play & Charge Kit

· Xbox LIVE Silver Membership

· One-month Xbox LIVE Gold Membership

"We are pleased to offer the cool Halo 3 Special Edition console for the huge Halo fan community," said Stephen McGill, Microsoft's Head of Gaming and Entertainment. "It's a great way for Halo fans to show their allegiance to one of the most popular and successful entertainment franchises ever. Halo 3 is just one of the amazing games coming to Xbox 360 this Christmas. Combine the best games lineup of any console ever, including the universally acclaimed Bioshock launching this week, with today's new affordable estimated retail pricing that makes it easier for more people to enter the world of Xbox 360, and it's clear there has never been a better time to be a gamer."

Their conclusions:

1. Prior to 2007, the average prices for the top 20 games was around $40-$43.
2. During the first half of 2007, prices for the top 20 games has been around $46-$49, without including Guitar Hero II. With Guitar Hero II, included prices are measurably above $50.
3. As the Xbox 360 library expands, it will claim more and more high-priced games in the top 20 list.
4. As Wii games replace PlayStation 2 games in the charts, it will keep the floor of console game prices right at $50.
5. The last two points will together force the average price of top selling games well above $50 in the near future.
6. The only downward pressure on average game prices is coming from the Nintendo DS.

In the past few months, just the top 10 titles have represented around 30% of all software sales. So in other words, every $60 game in the top 10 has a massive impact on averages—with the only effective counterbalance being $35 titles from the DS.

How Game Prices Are Shooting Higher [nextgeneration]

Advance registration:
Thursday/Friday = $45
Saturday/Sunday = $65
4-day Pass = $90

On-site registration
Thursday/Friday = $50
Saturday/Sunday = $75
4-day Pass = $110

So you're looking at $90 for the whole shebang unless you want to wait until you get there, in which case you pay the $20 waiting fee. Not too bad, considering in the past you had to pay $325 or so just to get onto the E3 show floor for three days, nevermind this year's 'you can't go' policy. All this E isn't going to pay for itself you know. Michael Fahey

E For All Fact Sheet [E For All Expo, via GameSpot]

Microsoft just unveiled the final pricing for their three versions of Halo 3.

The Legendary Edition will clock in at a whopping $130 but does include an (unwearable) Spartan helmet case and two bonus disks. One of the disks has the normal special edition jetsam but also includes an audio-visual calibration tool designed to enhance your high-def, big-screen, surround-sound experience with the game. The other disc will have completely remastered cinematic material from the first and second Halo as well as some other behind the scenes documentary stuff and some machinima content. Finally, the game pack will include a collection of Halo 3 storyboard art. Neat collection of stuff, but what the hell, wasn't it just a few months back that GameStop was listing it at just under $100?

The Limited Edition will cost a more palatable $70 and will include the first bonus disc as well as a Halo fiction and art book.

The standard, no frills, edition comes with the game and will cost you the standard $60. Brian Crecente

Gosh, could you guys in other countries just stop translating Yen or Euros to dollars to extrapolate your prices already? That's just not the way pricing works. You guys can be confident that the only people in the world who will be paying $84 bucks per PS3 game will be the Europeans... if they're lucky. Florian Eckhardt

Sonystyle PS3 Games Pricing [Official Site]

Price? 1,800 Krona or about 2,300 Krona after Value Added Tax. That basically translates to €250, minus a euro or two.

So it looks like all signs right now point to a release not too far out of line from America or Japan's... but, like usual, Europeans will pay about 25% more than anyone else. Florian Eckhardt

PC Foralla's Wii Article... in Swedish! (Thanks, Fjolle!)

Atari's Test Drive Unlimited is going to be selling for the distinctly un-Xbox 360 price of $40 when it hits stores.

The company also plans to release monthly car packs starting six weeks after the launch of the game. The car packs will come loaded with free genre-specific radio stations as well.

It looks like Atari might be playing around with a PC pricing model here. Instead of making all of their money up from with the initial software, they want to get in the door and then make money through periodic low-cost expansion packs.

I'd love to see a free Xbox 360 game hit with micro-transactions. You know it's only a matter of time. Brian Crecente

An ironically funny article on the PS3's high price over at Fortune (geddit?) ponders whether consumers are actually willing to pony up the cash for the new console. With the total estimated bill of goods for each PlayStation 3 hovering above sticker price, Sony could lose $1 billion on just hardware this year. The pay-off, of course, comes in spades with Blu-Ray—the company's next generation DVD format. Fortune then dragged out some chestnuts from the Kutaragi quote book, including my favorite: The PlayStation 3 is a "machine with supercomputer calculation capabilities for home entertainment." Gotta love that Kutaragi's rapier wit. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Fortune]

Speaking to Eurogamer TV in an exclusive interview to be broadcast in the next few days, Maguire said: "I don't think it's an expensive machine; I think actually, it's probably a cheap machine.

"If you think a Blu-Ray player by itself might be 600-700, and we're coming in at just 425 - it's a bargain."

God, fuck off, Sony. The difference is that I actually want a PS3 where as I don't want a Blu-Ray player. You're trying to force me to pay more money because you want me to have one, though. Which is pretty much why I won't buy one at all at launch. - Florian Eckhardt

PlayStation 3 to cost 425 [Eurogamer]

Why specifically was Chris so fired up? That he's being forced — yes, forced! — to assume ownership of a Blu-ray player, which he doesn't even want! Grrrr!

I'm with Chris. The $599 price point is just too hard to swallow, especially considering the lack of must-have software shown on the floor and my total lack of interest in re-buying my favorite movies on a new platform. I'm off to the screenprinter to show my dissatisfaction.

Update: GameDaily Biz Editor in Chief James Brightman that they had a quick chat with the folks at PSM about their story on the PS3's price. Apparently, the article was just quoting the oft cited cost of the PS3 and didn't offer any new insight. Back to worrying over the price.

New Playstation 3 Details Emerge [TeamXbox]

There is a certain allure to getting your hands on something luxurious, expensive. And $400 isn't that much money to a decent enough sized portion of the early adopter gaming crowd. Supply issues are getting better, but I still can't go to BestBuy.com and buy one. Many online retailers are still forcing bundles because the demand is that strong.

The LongShot column points out that electronics and video game spending is a serious source of spending for people at all income levels. I make a pretty decent wage, and I too initially balked at the $400 price tag, but if the PlayStation 3 launched at $500, I'd be sure to own it on day one. The value is there for people like us, as our entertainment dollar goes a long way when you're talking about a DVD (or Blu-ray) player, a game console, an internet enabled device with massive storage. We're getting hundreds of hours of entertainment for a $400 buy-in, not a bad deal for tech junkies.

While I welcome the possibility of a lower priced Revolution, I'm willing to make the investment on my next-gen consoles. What do you think? How much is too much?

How Much Is Too Much? [GamerDad]