Cosmetic Costs (auric cell only)
I think we need to find a way to lower the cost of the cosmetics. I appreciate the work of the art/design teams behind these, and know that that for the game to be sustainable money has to be made on these transactions, but the reality is, at least for me, that I just will not pay 1/3 of the price I paid for the game itself for one outfit.
At $5 I would almost certainly buy a costume. Heck, at that price I'd probably buy 10 costumes, right now. But at $10-15 each, I'm not buying any.
I think that if the costs were lowered, what you'd lose in per item profit, you'd more than make back in volume.
People aren't opposed to spending money, but there has to be a sense of fairness in the pricing. It might not even make sense on its face, but I would be willing to bet that if the cost of Auric Cells were halved, or even cut by 2/3, BHVR would see a spike in net profit on sales.
Like I said, if tomorrow Auric Cells were 2000 or 2500 for 9.99, I'd probably spend $50 immediately, and then much more frequently going forward. As is, the ONLY time I will spend actual money is on the Rift (which actually feels fair) and Killer/Survivor DLC packs. I don't think I am alone here.
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People are buying them at that price. It won't be lowered obviously.
That is unrealistic.
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Well, obviously people are buying them.
What I am saying is a lot more people would buy a lot more of them if they were cheaper, leading to increased overall profit.
This (pricing for volume sales) is not a novel economic concept, it's one that is practiced all over, and it's absolutely realistic. Especially when it comes to digital items, where there is no material cost, but only the cost of labor (essentially)
There is some risk, but I would bet it would pay off, and quickly.
I have spent a lot of money on microtransactions and DLC for countless games, but BHVRs cosmetics are top tier overpriced.
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Are you sure it would benefit them to lower the price when they are doing well enough already? Just look at all the licenses we got.
Don't get me wrong I would love prices being lower but it most likely won't happen.
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I think it's fine. They're entirely optional and unneeded and have zero effect on gameplay.
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I have no expectation it will happen, but it should, and it would ultimately make BHVR more money.
Economically speaking, when you are just making just enough of a profit on your overpriced merch to meet goals, there is a natural hesitancy to lower the price.
But I would bet an internal organ that the percentage of the player base able or willing to consistently spend at the rate BHVR charges is pretty low compared to the percentage that would spend if there was a price cut.
If you cut your asking price by 50%, you're losing the 50% on that transaction, but if three times as many people buy it, you're making more money. That is what I feel would happen.
Again, zero confidence we'll see any meaningful price reductions, but it would be a viable and likely profitable move to make.
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Obviously this is optional, really anything in entrainment is. I just think it would be nice if stuff were priced better, and think that BHVRs prices for these sorts of digital items are way out of line compared to similar content from other games, at least in my experience.
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But you are forgetting people who have a lot of money and buying these cosmetics consistently at current price.
And It all depends on how much willing would people who don't buy cosmetics that often be to buy them at lower prices.
I don't think I would do it more because I already don't purchase much. If I really like something, I do. But price wouldn't make me get more of them now. I would still only purchase what I really like because it is cosmetics.
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I am not forgetting them at all, people who will just buy regardless are a given. The crux of my argument is just that they are vastly outnumbered by those who would start buying if the prices were reasonable, more than enough to offset the price cut.
I like cosmetics, but not obsessed or anything. But I have seen many that I really liked, but when I saw the cost, was like "yeah, no." I think there are probably a ton of people like me.
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