THQ is launching an experiment with MX vs. ATV Alive, releasing the game at a $29 price point and adding onto it with micro-transaction opportunities. THQ CEO Brian Farrell ultimately believes that the future is leaning away from the $60 retail release.
“Our view is that there will be a wide range of price points for games in the future,” said Farrell. “These price points will be driven by the type and depth of the content delivered. A $60 video game now and in the future can deliver a deep experience and hours of differentiated experience through online play, as we ve just done with Homefront.”
“With MX vs. ATV Alive, we are taking this one step further by experimenting with delivering a customizable experience for the player in a brand new pricing model. Fans will soon see that the lower price does not mean a lesser product. MX vs. ATV: Alive has an extensive selection of tracks, vehicles, game modes, gear and much more to keep gamers engaged,” explained Farrell. “While MX vs. ATV Alive is only the first game we ve announced under this new pricing model which is comparable to the popular micro-transactions utilized by mobile and social games that add content based on each player s particular interests we believe this model has a future in the industry.”
“Retail titles tend to have large file sizes that are prohibitive for downloads, making augmenting disc releases with DLC more appealing. Having DLC available after the release allows the player to further customize their experience and remain engaged with the title for longer periods of time. Since the DLC ranges from free to just a few dollars, gamers won’t have to break the bank to enhance their experience,” the CEO said. “We also think purchasing and playing add-on DLC provides the consumer with a deeper engagement with the product and provides an incentive not to invest time and money in another game.”
“There is definitely a place in console games for the micro-transaction model. For example, the Motoclub shop in MX vs. ATV: Alive the in-game store will allow players to purchase content from inside the game rather than having to purchase it through the Xbox Live marketplace. I think it is a great example of how a triple-A console game can participate in the micro-transaction model,” said Farrell.
Source: Forbes
