Topic: Epic: 99-Cent Apps Are 'Killing Us'

[idolminds]

The sky is falling.

“We have not been this uncertain about what's coming next in the games industry since Epic's been around for 20 years. We're at such an inflection point. Will there be physical distribution in 10 years or even five? Will anyone care about the next console generation? What's going on in PC? Can you make money on PC if it's not a connected game? What's going on in mobile?

"Tons of really scary things... It used to be, 'Well, of course PlayStation 3 will be successful because PS2 was amazingly successful.' But can you say for sure that you know everyone's going to jump to the next generation? I sure hope so – I'm going to try to make some great tech that will make everyone want to. But it's scary," Capps told us.

While Epic has been a huge supporter of the iPhone and iPad with Infinity Blade (and an SDK for iOS), Capps does see the wave of 99-cent apps as a major threat.

"If there's anything that's killing us [in the traditional games business] it's dollar apps," he lamented. "How do you sell someone a $60 game that's really worth it ... They're used to 99 cents. As I said, it's an uncertain time in the industry. But it's an exciting time for whoever picks the right path and wins." 

Epic has complained about piracy, used games, and now dollar apps. What do these things have in common?

Price.

Maybe $60 across the board for videogames was a bad idea, hmm?

[Cobra951]

I know that $60 games are out of the question for me at the moment.  The price point looks worse to me now than it ever has, and I doubt that a sudden improvement to cash flow would change my mind on that.  There's just too much goodness to be had at less than half of it.

The next gen of consoles is actually a good conversation subject in and of itself.  Neither Microsoft nor Sony are in any hurry to bring it on, but Nintendo may have other plans.  Because we're at such a diminishing-returns point, and because of the enormous cash cow already set up in the forms of XBL and PSN, I have this feeling that the next PS and Xbox are going to be more akin to upgrades than entirely new animals.  I think it's key that there not be a complete disconnect with current functionality.  I don't really know of course, and things may change drastically over the next 3 years (if it's true that the next batch of MS & Sony consoles won't come out until 2014).

[iPPi]

I didn't originally care much about the $60 price point because I could offset it through the use of gift cards (from reward miles).  However, I've had a use for the reward miles for travel at this point and I can no longer justify paying $60 for a game; it would have to be something truly unique for me to consider paying $60 at this point.

For example, I think the only game this year which I will buy at full price is probably LA Noire.

[MysterD]

You know what's also killing Epic?
NOT releasing another UT game for the PC.
NO Gears of War 2 or 3 on the PC.

Seriously, can't they find a way to bring this to the PC and make some sales? Even if it's just only digital sales?

C'mon...EA and Valve seem to have FIGURED-out PC gaming...why can't Epic?

Also - why can't Epic go ahead and make a 90 cent app?
Maybe bring some of their old-school pinball games to the IPhone and PC digital distributors like GOG?