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[Spyxos]

The game trade fair "Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2023" opened on the 21st. On the 23rd, Haruhiro Tsujimoto (President of Capcom), chairman of the computer entertainment association (CESA), the game industry organization that sponsors the event, expressed his reaction, saying, ``Japanese games are being reconsidered.'' Regarding the increase in development costs, he raised the issue that ``the price of the game is too low.''

Translated with machine learning

ゲーム団体CESA会長｢ソフトは安すぎ｣　開発費増に懸念 - 日本経済新聞

21日に開幕したゲーム見本市「東京ゲームショウ（TGS）2023」。主催するゲームの業界団体コンピュータエンターテインメント協会（CESA）の辻本春弘会長（カプコン社長）は23日、「日本のゲームが見直されている」と手応えを話した。開発費の増大に対しては「ゲームの価格は安すぎるのではないか」と問題提起した。主なやりとりは以下の通り。――幕張メッセでの全面開催は4年ぶりです。「TGSをアジアで一

www.nikkei.com

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Sounds like prices are fine to me.

Dont fall for PR aimed at the public and suppliers (game studios). Just go by their earnings reports to see what they really feel and are performing. It's like grocery stores saying costs are going up and getting grilled by suppliers. Yet they are making record profits and margin.

Capcom Achieves Record-High Net Sales and Sixth Consecutive Year of Record-High Profits Driven by Digital Contents Business in Consolidated Results for the Year Ended March 2023– Achieves 10 consecutive fiscal years of operating profit growth and 41.

Capcom Co., Ltd. today announced that in its consolidated business results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, net sales were 125,930 million yen (up 14.4 % from the previous fiscal year), operating income was 50,812 million yen (up 18.4 % from the previous fiscal year), ordinary income...

www.capcom.co.jp

 

[The Cockatrice]

Capcom has been giving us quality for the past years but all good things must/will end eventually, again.

 

[Salty Popsicle]

Sounds like prices are fine to me.

Dont fall for PR aimed at the public and suppliers (game studios). Just go by their earnings reports to see what they really feel and are performing. It's like grocery stores saying costs are going up and getting grilled by suppliers. Yet they are making record profits and margin.

Capcom Achieves Record-High Net Sales and Sixth Consecutive Year of Record-High Profits Driven by Digital Contents Business in Consolidated Results for the Year Ended March 2023– Achieves 10 consecutive fiscal years of operating profit growth and 41.

Capcom Co., Ltd. today announced that in its consolidated business results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, net sales were 125,930 million yen (up 14.4 % from the previous fiscal year), operating income was 50,812 million yen (up 18.4 % from the previous fiscal year), ordinary income...

www.capcom.co.jp

Once these companies get a taste of success, greed kicks in and they figure the only way to squeeze more out of their customers is by gaslighting them into thinking that us purchasing games for ONLY $70 each is a generous deal.

 

[MidGenRefresh]

Something, something corporate greed.

 

[STARSBarry]

Yes development costs are going up, but the consumer base who is able to purchase has never been larger.

Like if costs have gone up x10 to produce but you are selling to x50 more people then you cant fucking claim your not making enough money, well you can but its a fucking scummy and dishonest thing to do, because that's literally what capcom are doing.

Bet this is the dude who pushed for exo primal.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Time to put your games on iPhone!

 

[TGO]

Capcom don't actually charge Nextgen tax so...

 

[kvltus lvlzvs]

he must have read that live thread from last week

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Once these companies get a taste of success, greed kicks in and they figure the only way to squeeze more out of their customers is by gaslighting them into thinking that us purchasing games for ONLY $70 each is a generous deal.

Yes development costs are going up, but the consumer base who is able to purchase has never been larger.

Like if costs have gone up x10 to produce but you are selling to x50 more people then you cant fucking claim your not making enough money, well you can but its a fucking scummy and dishonest thing to do, because that's literally what capcom are doing.

Bet this is the dude who pushed for exo primal.

Exactly.

And shitloads of mtx too.

The digital world on consoles made it so they can be similar to PC gamers downloading games since Steam got up and running. Backlog syndrome. I do it too. See a good deal, but it for $10 and never get around to playing it. Console backlogging is much harder to do during the cartridge and disc era because not everyone wants bookshelves of games lying around and you had to get off your ass to go buy instead clicking an e-store buy button. That's a ton of free revenue game companies make simply because it's a dowwnload.

 

[STARSBarry]

Capcom don't actually charge Nextgen tax so...

Meanwhile in every fucking Capcom game

 

[winjer]

The gaming industry is following the cinema industry, with more and more megalomaniac projects, that costs hundreds of millions to make.
They spend so many resources on pointless cutscenes and action set pieces. And hiring expensive Hollywood actors.
These companies let game production get out of control, then complain games are expensive to make.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Meanwhile in every fucking Capcom game

One of the pricing managers at Capcom was feeling generous one day. Made a call to give gamers a handful of free hairdos. Woopie!

 

[GymWolf]

Fuck off capcom, most of your games today are remakes or the same brand re-hashed to infinitum.

Don't give jimbo any idea.

 

[Zuzu]

Ah no, the prices of games are fine. Remember that many games are now also releasing with deluxe editions, premium editions and traditional collector’s editions that often go well above the $70US price tag. And many games have added in microtransactions. That’s enough income streams for your games.

Developers are gonna have to work out a way to reduce development costs, not raise prices.

 

[MagnesD3]

Make smaller games bring back AA.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Ah no, the prices of games are fine. Remember that many games are now also releasing with deluxe editions, premium editions and traditional collector’s editions that often go well above the $70US price tag. And many games have added in microtransactions. That’s enough income streams for your games.

Developers are gonna have to work out a way to reduce development costs, not raise prices.

And to top it off, when the game sales and user base dry up.....

- Knock knock

- Who's there?

- Capcom

- Hey what's up?

- Interested in paying us some money to put our game on your sub plan? Were looking for some last licks moolah

 

[ProtoByte]

The gaming industry is following the cinema industry, with more and more megalomaniac projects, that costs hundreds of millions to make.
They spend so many resources on pointless cutscenes and action set pieces. And hiring expensive Hollywood actors.
These companies let game production get out of control, then complain games are expensive to make.

None of this applies to Capcom.

Once these companies get a taste of success, greed kicks in and they figure the only way to squeeze more out of their customers is by gaslighting them into thinking that us purchasing games for ONLY $70 each is a generous deal.

Capcom's games as of now are still a max of 60 dollars for standard editions - including on PS5. Probably changes when they go next gen only. But even the "gains" of that price increase have already been wiped out by inflation.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

 

[STARSBarry]

To be fair he's probably just wanting to force the financial failure and missed assumed profits of.

Onto the people who took one look at this garbage and noped out.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Go ahead Haruhiro-san, raise prices and see where that gets ya. Maybe keep those budgets in check instead?

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Why don't they develop 2-D games with the feeling of the 90s, that would make games better, more memorable, more economical and will expand experimental project.

 

[Robb]

If you think your product is worth more go for it, you can set whatever price you want Capcom.

 

[analog_future]

I mean Capcom is still charging $60 for their games right now.

This type of comment just sounds like the move to $70 is imminent. Which was expected anyway.

 

[Mister Wolf]

They are making more money than ever. Don't fall for it.

 

[Spyxos]

To be fair he's probably just wanting to force the financial failure and missed assumed profits of.

Onto the people who took one look at this garbage and noped out.

Uff it flopped hard, but it is actually not that bad.

 

[Shubh_C63]

The thing is even if they increased the cost to 80$, it will still not stop them from making predatory monetisation tricks. Huge ass banner of their store at the front etc. He is saying the truth but no way people should give a free hand to giant corporations especially Gaming which is the closest entertainment to Gambling.

It's a Lose Lose situation. We won't pay high cost, they will circumvent it by making microtransactions etc, and we will bitch about how games aren't immersive but chores.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

They should be and are almost definitely reutilizing assets across these RE remakes that are selling like hotcakes.

It's up to them to be efficient where they can or charge more where they think they can charge more for.

Think it's a little rich coming from them. They don't have really any new IP or original blockbuster games that are coming from them. I don't think Street Fighter 6 cost as much as FF16 and if it did, they have other problems.

 

[Wildebeest]

Publishers deliberately make games so expensive to produce to squeeze out the competition. Smallest violin playing for them if they find it hard to make money this way.

 

[Madserb2023]

This is definitely Capcom laying the groundwork for $70. Not ideal but I can't blame them if their competitors are doing it. They are hardly the greediest company out there. Just released perhaps the best DLC I have played in years for next to nothing.

 

[Represent.]

He's right.

But the solution is simple. its not rocket science. However, it would require gamers to stop being fucking babies and complaining about game length. Or thinking length = value. Or length = quality.

MAKE SHORTER GAMES. Shorter games = Less time making game = Lower development costs = lower game prices.

So I will say it again: Not every game needs to be 30+ hours. That is utterly ridiculous

The industry should really try its take on 2-3 hour AAA games that are of supreme quality.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Prices need to be $100 minimum.

Too many peasants playing games nowadays. This is supposed to be an entertainment for the privileged.

 

[supernova8]

Sounds like prices are fine to me.

Dont fall for PR aimed at the public and suppliers (game studios). Just go by their earnings reports to see what they really feel and are performing. It's like grocery stores saying costs are going up and getting grilled by suppliers. Yet they are making record profits and margin.

Capcom Achieves Record-High Net Sales and Sixth Consecutive Year of Record-High Profits Driven by Digital Contents Business in Consolidated Results for the Year Ended March 2023– Achieves 10 consecutive fiscal years of operating profit growth and 41.

Capcom Co., Ltd. today announced that in its consolidated business results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, net sales were 125,930 million yen (up 14.4 % from the previous fiscal year), operating income was 50,812 million yen (up 18.4 % from the previous fiscal year), ordinary income...

www.capcom.co.jp

Yeah this is really about Capcom doing extra well partly due to the pandemic and yet wanting to find a way to do even better going forward (read: probably already telling investors/shareholders it will do even better going forward) as if the pandemic year(s) when people were holed up in the rooms and had more disposable income than usual to sink into games were not irregular blips.

 

[Roman Empire]

 

[StreetsofBeige]

To be fair he's probably just wanting to force the financial failure and missed assumed profits of.

Onto the people who took one look at this garbage and noped out.

On the plus side more people are playing Exoprimal than Kiwi Clicker. But looks like thy are in a tough fight tied with blockbusters like IO Soccer, Easy Pose, and the Henry Stikman Collection.

 

[Neff]

Resident Evil 4 + DLC was worth more than I paid for it.

MAKE SHORTER GAMES. Shorter games = Less time making game = Lower development costs = lower game prices.

A lengthy game is not inherently expensive to make. Content is. And I like content. RE4 is good because it's long. The DLC is good because it's long. All content, no filler.

 

[[Sigma]]

Sounds like they are about to move up to $70.

 

[Walter Matthau]

These guys are aware that there's already a giant supply of great games at bargain bin prices, right?

They can charge whatever they want.. just don't act surprised when no-one buys your games at launch anymore.

 

[Represent.]

Resident Evil 4 + DLC was worth more than I paid for it.



A lengthy game is not inherently expensive to make. Content is. And I like content. RE4 is good because it's long. The DLC is good because it's long. All content, no filler.

RE4 is from an era where 8-10 hour AAA games was the norm. Now, literally, if you clock in under 30 you are ridiculed. Studios made more games per gen, and everyone was happy. Games now take at minimum 5 years to make, and many studios can only release 1 game a gen.

 

[Fabieter]

Yes development costs are going up, but the consumer base who is able to purchase has never been larger.

Like if costs have gone up x10 to produce but you are selling to x50 more people then you cant fucking claim your not making enough money, well you can but its a fucking scummy and dishonest thing to do, because that's literally what capcom are doing.

Bet this is the dude who pushed for exo primal.

RE 2 sold like 5m on psx alone. Where do they have alot more people to sell to. Most franchises dont sell like they should compared to their budget increasing with every entry.

 

[Robins]

I think as a leader you are identifying development costs are going up, maybe focus on bringing them down rather than complain or pass on costs to the customer.

Insomniac seem to be pumping out AAA games at speed with a moderately sized team.

 

[Fabieter]

I think as a leader you are identifying development costs are going up, maybe focus on bringing them down rather than complain or pass on costs to the customer.

Insomniac seem to be pumping out AAA games at speed with a moderately sized team.

Every aaa studio is outsourcing shit like crazy. This means nothing.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I think as a leader you are identifying development costs are going up, maybe focus on bringing them down rather than complain or pass on costs to the customer.

Insomniac seem to be pumping out AAA games at speed with a moderately sized team.

Problem is video game companies always have to make their games bigger and bigger. It's probably one of the only industries that rely on size = best ever benefit. Or they focus on GAAS hoping their shooter becomes the next COD or Fortnite. Nobody out there cares about playing a mech warrior shooting dinosaurs. Somehow people at Capcom head office felt otherwise. And going by Steam user count, nobody except 100 people care either.

Just about every other industry faced with cost/price issues will scale back a product if it's that bad or getting out of budget. But in reality Capcom isn't even in that situation. They are at 6 years in a row of record profits.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

Yeah how bout lowering the cost of development you f

 

[Hudo]

As long as the industry reports profits after profits (and all big-ass publishers do, Capcom included), they can shut the fuck up. Propaganda bullshit.

 

[Robins]

Problem is video game companies always have to make their games bigger and bigger. It's probably one of the only industries that rely on size = best ever benefit. Or they focus on GAAS hoping their shooter becomes the next COD or Fortnite. Nobody out there cares about playing a mech warrior shooting dinosaurs. Somehow people at Capcom head office felt otherwise. And going by Steam user count, nobody except 100 people care either.

Just about every other industry faced with cost/price issues will scale back a product if it's that bad or getting out of budget. But in reality Capcom isn't even in that situation. They are at 6 years in a row of record profits.

Very true

I hate the growth of bigger is better. I have so little time for gaming these days I actually get put off if a game is too big.

 

[Holammer]

Why don't they develop 2-D games with the feeling of the 90s, that would make games better, more memorable, more economical and will expand experimental project.

Capcom was the king of NES and Arcade back then so there's plenty of unexplored IPs to work with. Just farm out the work to smaller devs like Inti Creates.
Imagine Gun Smoke with roguelike mechanics? The potential returns nostalgia offers with small investments are pretty damn good.

 

[Alebrije]

Meanwhile in every fucking Capcom game

But you get 3 free hairstyles.
from good guy capcom, those are gamechangers.

 

[Dacvak]

Don't tell videogames, but I agree that they're pretty cheap compared to other types of entertainment and hobbies.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

To be fair he's probably just wanting to force the financial failure and missed assumed profits of.

Onto the people who took one look at this garbage and noped out.

Exactly, many companies complain about budgets, so they should do studies focusing on games like the 90s or 2000s, I say... Even Ubisoft did some awesome work with Ubiart.

What would it cost them to make those Arcade and Snes type games, they are already simpler and cheaper. And it would even be a good path to the industry.