Digital games more expensive than physical games?!?

It is truly bizarre when the option to purchase a game is more expensive when the delivery is through download versus having the physical disk shipped to your door. Just thinking about it logically really baffles me. Physical copies not only has a material
cost to it, but, the cost of shipping is added as well. So tell me, how is it beneficial to anyone (other than the distributor) that digital games, purchased from the Xbox One console itself, or, through the Microsoft store, is more expensive?

Case in point. I've been waiting for the Lego Marvel Avengers game for Xbox One to go down in price for me to purchase it digitally. I choose to buy my games this generation as digital purchases for several reasons, but those reasons aren't the focus of
this post. If I go to Amazon.com, the game is now $40, available to be shipped to my house at that price, but Amazon doesn't have a download delivery option, so its not something I want to purchase. Visiting the Microsoft store today, I see the game listed
for $50. Not as cheap as Amazon, but it does say that I can purchase the game, with a download delivery, for $49.99, so that is something I want to take advantage of. When I go to purchase the game from the Microsoft store (again, listed as $49.99), it redirects
me to the Xbox store, where the price is now $59.99. I obviously do not want to purchase it for that price, especially when specifically told that its $49.99 on the Microsoft store I was just on. Not only that, it just seems dishonest, at least, to tell your
customers its $50, and then force them to have to buy it for $10 more somewhere else.

I've had at least 4 chat sessions with the Microsoft store where all they are telling me is that they can't do anything about it. I called Microsoft store support, and they offered to ship the physical game for the listed price of $49.99, with free overnight shipping
(which I was told would save me $17 on shipping costs), but that's not even what I'm asking for. Especially since Amazon.com is offering the same game for $10 cheaper. Besides the fact that there is obvious miscommunications between the xbox store and the
Microsoft store, and putting aside their inability to fix the price change in the system, why can't I get $10 credited to my Xbox account so I can get the listed / advertised price on the Microsoft store? They're always offering a $10 gift card with new Xbox
One game purchases, so there's no reason why they can't offer that to me for something that was falsely listed.

The bigger issue is this. Microsoft has been spreading this message of "digital is the future", basically telling us all that we should be moving to a disk-less gaming system. I'm on board with that. I fully intend to only purchase digital copies of games
this generation because it fits well with my lifestyle. However, this message that Microsoft is spreading is counter to what they're actually encouraging. Its a no-brainer that digital copies of games are a lot cheaper than physical copies of those same games.
And given how adamant Microsoft was in going completely digital for the Xbox One, they're actually implementing a system that makes people want to go away from digital. This is something I can't understand at all and would hope someone could explain.

It makes it hard to justify Microsoft and the Xbox One system to the friends that have jumped ship from the Xbox 360 to the Playstation 4. The message they are seeing is "Microsoft is cramming digital down our throats, and those that are doing it are getting
***." I'm going completely digital this generation, it's not an option for me to do otherwise, and I plan to continue purchasing certain games on day one digitally, but for games such as the Lego series, I can wait till they go down in price before digitally
buying them for Xbox One. However, based on the price models for digital purchases, I will probably never buy these games, and that's money that Microsoft, and Lego, will not be getting.

:)

 

going digital will it be the same

@Spuds I'm in the same situation in Ireland too, fairly same level of VAT and digital games are more expensive than physical games. There's digital games on the XBL market that are a year or two old that are more expensive than brand new releases.

 

We all know that microsoft

Digital is more expensive than physical, console is always more expensive than PC. It's just the way of the world... haha

 

yeah , they need to make more and better discounts for digital games

 

It's environmentally irresponsible as well. I was initially offended by the obvious gouging of the customer for the convenience of digital download, but that's been compounded by my realization of just how wasteful this practice is. The only logic that
supports this pricing scheme is that they find they will make more money by charging premiums for convenience. It's honestly sickening. If companies had a conscience...

Sad thing is, they don't need the money that bad. Apparently greed trumps good at Microsoft. I challenge anyone of consequence employed by Microsoft to provide a reason this practice isn't motivated purely as advantageous and blatant thirst for profit.

It's a shameless middle-finger to not only the customer, but to our responsibility as stewards of this planet.

We're all waiting.

 

This is actually why I haven't purchased any games. Was kind of hoping they do more digital like Steam does...cause honestly, I'm just lazy, I have absolutely no desire to have to get up and change discs to play something different...just wanted a digital
library so I can switch between games fast. Ah well, I got a PS4 alongside it. Whoever ends up better will get the majority of my purchases.

 

I agree. The games are to damn high. What do you mean, I have to pay sever tens of bucks for Angry Birds that is 99 cents on other platforms?

 

Digital distribution can cost way more than discs and packaging, bandwidth costs a fortune and with games coming in at approx 40GB and those downloaded by thousands = a lot of bandwidth costs. Digital does have the convenience also.

 

Stores sell them cheaper and have to pay rates, electric, gas, water, staff and have the tangible copy, yet they make money. Subtract all of those expenses and how much is actually being paid for the game. Assuming the store has a 30% mark-up, my guess for
a digital AAA copy should cost no-more than £35/$50.

Moreover; you can't trade it in, lend to a friend, and on top of all that, you have to wait for upto 2 hours for the game to be downloaded.

 

eh. who gives a crap. either pay or don't. vote with your wallet and all that nonsense.

prices will eventually come down someday.... but don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen

 

Who gives a crap? Well, if we don't voice our opinions to Microsoft and only let the numbers decide, such as number of units sold in stores versus number of units sold online, then what they'll see from a data analysis point of view would be, "Gamers prefer
to buy their video games in physical form over buying them from a virtual store." Is this true? What we're trying to tell them is that we're buying that which is more cost effective and not truly going with our preference due to difference in cost.

You are right, costs will come down someday. However, I notice that costs associated with physical copies depreciate quicker than costs with digital copies. Thus, the physical copy will typically be the most cost effective solution within the lifetime of
the video game or console.

 

[quote user="IronFistXII"]

Who gives a crap? Well, if we don't voice our opinions to Microsoft and only let the numbers decide,

[/quote]

does ms read these forums?

 

I don't accept that digital distribution is as costly as manufacturing (inc. labour), packaging (inc. cover design, jewel case, documentation), and shipping... of a physical product.

I think server and bandwidth costs is what some greb conjured up when caught in the unfortunate position of defending over-priced digital content in the face of somebody (everybody with a working brain) questioning the disparity in pricing and lack of incentive
to favour digital over physical as a consumer. lol

 

These companies are just greedy. And it's not just video games, look at digital books they expect you to pay the same amount for a digital download as for a new copy of the book in paperback when the price should be at least half the cost what with no material,
fabrication, shipping, storage, etc costs.

 

I have boycotted the idea of further purchasing any more games online and videos since I have transferred from the 360 to the box1. Reason being , previous arcade games for the 360 I am unable to transfer over to the box1. downloadable content from ghosts
on the 360 does not transfer over such as skin packs, voice packs or extended weapons pack. Now if u have a season pass for the map packs or have purchased map packs those do transfer over.

I have been a long time supporter of Xbox (10+ yrs) ever since the original to the 360 I have seen awesome advances to the menu guide, products, and news / info but MS seems to have splurged a bit prematurely on the release date for the one. I have
contemplated on trying the ps4 but undecided hopefully MS is on top of this (but highly doubt it , since they wanna double dip for the cod micro content) and will permanently attach all future downloads with the associated accounts no matter if another
console is set to release. My question to MS is this your intention to continue to double dip peoples pockets each time a new console comes out? if so it seams that I must move on to apple products and sony.