OK, I know there is lots of discussion regarding pricing of games abstractly.

Instead of me trying to come up with an arbitrary price point on my own, how about you (the reader) help me decide?

Please download my game (PC demo) from here  and try it out, and reply to this post with an answer: 

How much should I price Biology Battle for on XBLCG?  200,  400,  or 800 points?

While I have invested a lot of time/money into the game, I dont think i should price based on that.  Price should be based on the value to the consumer.

Edit:  Since this is a "demo", pretend you play the game on xbox, and ask the question: "how much would i buy this game for?"

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

-Jason

 

PS:  biology battle feature discussion is here.

I love this game, its highly addictive, awesome graphics and sounds. I would be more than happy to pay 800 points for biology battle. This game is alot nicer than 99% of the XBLA games out there for sure.

 

 

I dont see any reason for this game to be cheaper than GeometryWars. Not having "real" achievments or highscores is not a reason. Its a great game!

To be honest, I don't think it's on the same level of fun and style as Geometry Wars or Everyday Shooter, so I wouldn't pay 800 points, but 200 seems too low, so I'd say 400.

Novaleaf Software:

OK, I know there is lots of discussion regarding pricing of games abstractly.

How much should I price Biology Battle for on XBLCG? 200, 400, or 800 points?

Aren't there prices in between? I would say 500points for myself, 800 slightly on the high (might still buy it) but 400 seems a bit low.

How big is it? If it's over 50MB you can't charge 200 for it in any case. I would say 400. There will probably be few games that I'd pay 800 for.

 How much your game is worth is completely up to you. I would just set the lowest price possible so that more people could play it.

Zack Nelson:

I would just set the lowest price possible so that more people could play it.

I would say "buy it" instead of "play it" since you can allow them to play the game before they buy it.

After you have calculated how much your work is worth (cost), then it's a trade off between price and quantity in order to get to the target level of gains you 're going after. And that's usually the tricky part. If you believe your game is catchy enough to price it 800 points, go for it (why not?), but if you believe the price may discourage a great amount of potential buyers and by setting a price of 400 points you also believe you would get more money than with 800 points, then offer it for 400 points. You may use a similar rationale for 200 points.

Just remember: no matter the price you choose, there will be always people claiming that the price is too high, that for that money they could buy this and that, and bla, bla, bla. So if it's worth it, don't be afraid to go for 400/800 points.

I'd go for 400. Then maybe add DLC later. nice work.

Thanks for all the replies people.  It sounds like the general concensous is the 400 price point, so unless people say otherwise, that'll be the price point.

Jim Perry:

How big is it? If it's over 50MB you can't charge 200 for it in any case. I would say 400. There will probably be few games that I'd pay 800 for.

The game weighs in at about 30mb right now, which makes any price point work.

I was actually (seriously) considering the 200 price, because I would love for the game to be played by the most number of people.  However, this game cost something in the area of $100k USD to make (and the money comming from my own pocket) so yeah, i think i'm a bit influenced by the need to recoup costs, so i can make more awesome games in the future :)

oh, and yeah this BB game, come nov 19th, will represent the work of about 5 people working full time for 1 full year on it. 

 

Trying to recoup 100k on XBCG is probably going to be rough, no matter what. Sure, there are millions of online gamers, but what are you doing to make sure that they will find, download, try, and finally purchase your game? That's the conundrum.

Novaleaf Software:

 However, this game cost something in the area of $100k USD to make ........ will represent the work of about 5 people working full time for 1 full year on it. 

 

Jason - that is a great fact and something a lot of folk in this forum need to hear. There's a reason I've never seen BB crash no matter how often I played it even on the early builds - becuase of all the effort (and time and money) you put into it. And for those who do have $100k - you will need to move outside the US to hire 5 people for a year ;-)

 

 

The ZMan:

Novaleaf Software:

 However, this game cost something in the area of $100k USD to make ........ will represent the work of about 5 people working full time for 1 full year on it. 

 

Jason - that is a great fact and something a lot of folk in this forum need to hear. There's a reason I've never seen BB crash no matter how often I played it even on the early builds - becuase of all the effort (and time and money) you put into it. And for those who do have $100k - you will need to move outside the US to hire 5 people for a year ;-)

 

 

 I agree. I have read the Wish List forum on the Xbox website along with the blogs of machinima producers and I see people asking, "make this now" or "do this" like they want it now. People need to understand that games take time and effort (imagine Halo 3 made in 24 hours...dosent look good thinking about it). I even had a friend who was making a human 3D model, took him 6 months to perfect the face by himself (we were in middle school back then). And people need to understand that not everything is possible.

I can't see your recouping 100k on XBLCG at all. If you do, great job; but...wow.

The reason being is that Geo Wars' selling point is leaderboards and competition. Without that, a single screen shooter that plays similar won't do half as well, and it's on a less pushed service, at that. I hope it works out for you - but recouping those costs - wow! It would do much better on XBLA (since 95% of what's on there are lazy ports and unoriginal casual games), but I'm guessing that's not an option for you?

I would charge it at 400 points. You'll probably make more from less sales with 400 than the difference in sales if you put it at 200. And you have what is possibly the most polished game that I've played on CG, so people wouldn't complain about the price in comparison.

arrogancy:

I can't see your recouping 100k on XBLCG at all. If you do, great job; but...wow.

to recoup 100k I'd have to sell aprox 40k units over the game's lifetime.   Not an insurmountable feat I think, assuming the game meets consumer expectations and we get enough publicity

 

arrogancy:

The reason being is that Geo Wars' selling point is leaderboards and competition. Without that, a single screen shooter that plays similar won't do half as well, and it's on a less pushed service, at that. I hope it works out for you - but recouping those costs - wow! It would do much better on XBLA (since 95% of what's on there are lazy ports and unoriginal casual games), but I'm guessing that's not an option for you?

Actually if the leaderboard / competition is the only differential between 40k and 1,000k sales,  then i'll be doing great :)   I'm not really worried about that, I'm honestly worried about the publicity and exposure, and having to compete for attention with loads of "junk" titles people crank out...   so I hope there is a ratings system that will help us out....

I pitched the game to XBLA last year, but after going a little distance in the process it was rejected for a variety of reasons.  I will be resubmitting the game to xbla after dbp winners get announced (i'm hoping Biology Battle is in the top 10), as we have made considerable gameplay and graphical improvements since we submitted last time.

 

Anyone else have pricing suggestions?   play the game, and please let me know what you think.  right now 400 points seems to be where people think the game goes.

 

Could you charge 800? Perhaps. However, I just took a look at XBLA, and Duke Nukem 3D sells for 800 points. Sure, it's an old game, but it has a story, it has 3D FPS shooting action (including the awesome RPG weapon), and it even has strippers if I remember right! However, if people really like 2D shooters, they might buy your game for 800. And if they don't really like 2D shooters, they might not buy it at any price.

The leaderboard/competition isn't the only difference, of course, but it was part of the reason Geo Wars 1 took off as well as it did. That and being one of the first games on there - and then being on there for a long time when there was nothing else worth buying (besides ports and really casual games). It had a good combination.

I agree with your misgivings - the amount of bad games and probable lack of press coverage is what scares me off from investing another 3 months or so into my game without the added push that being top 10 would give me.

100 K...DANG!!!!!!

And there I was being worried about recouping my 1 K budget. ( Not counting my own time in budget )

I'm thinking about charging 800 and seeing what happens.  I'm going on the premise that people who want to buy my game will buy at that price, and the others that criticize that price will probably have only bought at a free price.

Also, I think people may search for the 800 range price to see what is the best...and I want my game to be regarded as one of the best.

Just my 2 cents.

First of all, hi every one again! My last post here was about 2 months ago, as I moved from Spain to the UK and I hadn't got an Internet connection till some days ago. Unfortunately, I haven’t got so much time to post in these forums now, but... here it is my little contribution…

I’d pay 400 MS points for this game, as has some similarities with Geometry Wars and that game costs 800, as far as I know. By the way, I’m one of those who don’t bother about leaderships and achievements. Indeed, I have my Xbox 360 since it was launched and my gamer score has not so many G’s...

Have you considered trying to get Biology Battle onto the XBLA service and reserve XBLCG for a back-up option? 100k sounds like XBLA to me...

MrLeebo:

Have you considered trying to get Biology Battle onto the XBLA service and reserve XBLCG for a back-up option? 100k sounds like XBLA to me...

He already addressed this (not more than 10 posts above yours):

Novaleaf Software:

I pitched the game to XBLA last year, but after going a little distance in the process it was rejected for a variety of reasons.  I will be resubmitting the game to xbla after dbp winners get announced (i'm hoping Biology Battle is in the top 10), as we have made considerable gameplay and graphical improvements since we submitted last time.

i think,  what will mostly determine the success of my (or anyones) game will be the PR and marketing behind it.

 

Re: Price,  it still sounds like the 400 point is what people are suggesting...    it'd be interesting to know if going a "braid" approach of maximizing price would be a better strategy...       maybe if we got crazy press before launch i think.    but baring, that, probably not that great of a choice is what i'd guess.

Novaleaf Software:

it'd be interesting to know if going a "braid" approach of maximizing price would be a better strategy...      

I personally thought Braid was overpriced for the type of gameplay and that was why I didn't buy it. If it had been cheaper I'd have considered it.

Jim Perry:

I personally thought Braid was overpriced for the type of gameplay and that was why I didn't buy it. If it had been cheaper I'd have considered it.

And I would have paid even more for it.  To each their own.

I plan to spend 400 points on BB.  It's alot of fun, and I can't wait to play without the demo time limit cutting me off.  I don't know if I'd spend 800, though.  There are lots of good dual stick shooters available.  (While there are very few good platformers, by comparison.)

I would have paid more for Braid as well. I feel that quality of gameplay is the most important thing and not length of gameplay. Length is normally padding - how long it takes to get from gameplay point A to gameplay point B, or how long it takes to scroll through menus, or organize items, etc. Braid is basically pure gameplay, and it's gameplay that has your brain working all of the time instead of the boring button mashing that most games devolve into.

Kind of a derail, I guess. But Braid was priced correctly in my opinion, not just due to my personal taste, but that he made more from all of the people who thought it was quality and bought it as opposed to those that said "if only it was 5 dollars cheaper."

I wouldn't spend more than 400 on BB. It seemed pretty good; but what makes me always come back to Geo Wars and perfect my skills is the constant competition on my leaderboards. It's like many old school arcade games; I'm protecting my high scores, so I keep coming back to them. Without that driving force, I'd relatively quickly lose interest in playing, which would probably happen with BB.