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ORIGINAL: JeanUSARMYGUARD

What Ive come to see from Matrix games titles is that they produce quality titles with great product support. In fact I continually see Matrix producing patches for titles that may be years old. Other developers / publishers would not devote company resources for a year old title.

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ORIGINAL: JeanUSARMYGUARD

Hey guys I didnt want to create a such a argument over price. Matrix Games are worth the $50 , 60 dollars they charge for... since their titles have depth, historical accuracy, and replayability.

I posted this topic... so when i purchased Matrix games for $40 / 50 dollars and the wife comes with the bill I can blame it on the sale ... lol.

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ORIGINAL: Prince of Eckmühl
I'm certainly sympathetic to the plight of developer and publisher as the market for these products continually contracts because of an aging fan-base. I do have to add, however, that a lot of folks, youngsters and the less affluent can't afford much or most of the Matrix line as currently priced. I'd also point out to the marketing department that I purchased a game during the last "winter-holiday" sale, Battles in Italy, that I wouldn't have had it not been reduced in price. At some point, you'd think that everyone with a financial stake in the endeavor would benefit from pricing schemes that allow for the purging of the inventory.

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ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Just a quick comment on this - have a look at the price of your typical console title, which is aimed squarely at a younger age group, they generally are _more_ expensive than our games. Your average new console title costs $59.99.

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ORIGINAL: Prince of Eckmühl

I'm certainly sympathetic to the plight of developer and publisher as the market for these products continually contracts because of an aging fan-base. I do have to add, however, that a lot of folks, youngsters and the less affluent can't afford much or most of the Matrix line as currently priced.

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Sounds great, maybe I'll try some titles outside CC series if they are so good...

As for prices in general. Personally, I wish more Matrix games (i.e. CC ones) were published by a local distributor in Poland as its prices are more in touch with local realities.

I live in Poland, which means that I earn 4 times less than people on the West and I have much less money for anything.

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ORIGINAL: Prince of Eckmühl

I'm certainly sympathetic to the plight of developer and publisher as the market for these products continually contracts because of an aging fan-base. I do have to add, however, that a lot of folks, youngsters and the less affluent can't afford much or most of the Matrix line as currently priced. I'd also point out to the marketing department that I purchased a game during the last "winter-holiday" sale, Battles in Italy, that I wouldn't have had it not been reduced in price. At some point, you'd think that everyone with a financial stake in the endeavor would benefit from pricing schemes that allow for the purging of the inventory.

PoE (aka ivannmoe)

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ORIGINAL: Marc Schwanebeck

I still remember paying 89 Deutsch Marks (would more or less directly translate to 89 EUR currently) for the first Close Combat. On top of that 1400 DM for the new computer I needed in order to actually play it [;)]

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ORIGINAL: Doggie

Filthy capitalists.

Don't you guys know you should be working for the betterment of mankind instead of lining your pockets?  Rutkins needs to sell his porche and start riding the subway with the rest of the proletariat. 

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ORIGINAL: Marc von Martial

I still remember paying 89 Deutsch Marks (would more or less directly translate to 89 EUR currently) for the first Close Combat. On top of that 1400 DM for the new computer I needed in order to actually play it [;)]

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ORIGINAL: pasternakski

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ORIGINAL: noxious

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ORIGINAL: sterckxe

In the famous words of MajorH, developer of TacOps : "If you can't afford the occasional $50 to buy yourself a new wargame, get yourself another hobby"

But sir, it's not a hobby, it's a way of life !!!! ;)

Well implied, noxious. Eddie ... you mean we shouldn't be hopeless, derelict addicts, willing to spend our last shekel on what gives us the feeling we crave and can't do without?

Yeah, I guess maybe you're right. Oh, well ... [opens another bottle of Vodka, fires up the crack pipe, breaks out the Bunsen burner, syringe, spoon, and tourniquet]

It's a delicate balance companies like Matrix have to strike. You have to price your products high enough that you can make a profit, but, if your customer base won't pay that price, you go broke anyway. Very few have made a success of pandering to us wargamers, who are notoriously short of disposable cash.

I have studied the rise and fall of companies like SPI and Avalon Hill, and two things are clear: when you try to mainstream yourself, you never win. Also, when you become a marketing conduit for other publishers, you pay the price - maybe the worst being that you lose your original identity and start becoming a stranger to the customer base that kept you going in those lean, early years when your titles were self-developed and always critically acclaimed.

You were the new kid in town, and everybody loved you. "They will never forget you 'til somebody new comes along."

I can only say that, as a wargamer/consumer of more than 45 years standing, I hope that Matrix stays in business. I don't buy all their titles (and have been notoriously cranky about some that I have bought), but very few other companies would even think about creating games that satisfy my particular - and peculiar - tastes. I will pay the price asked for products I desire, no questions asked. If I think it's too much, I will just say (as my girlfriend has said when coming back from a shopping trip where she didn't buy much of anything - and THAT doesn't happen very often), "I didn't see anything I couldn't live without."

So, join up, sign up, and re-enlist today! Throw some of that hard-earned cash Matrix's way! Keep 'em alive! I need a fix - err, I mean - I am ready to buy a new game as soon as I see one that I want!

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ORIGINAL: Joram




I know this is straying considerably from the original topic of the thread but since you bring it up:

I would disagree that you are underpricing but you can always try to raise costs and see what happens!

The thing you can't forget though is that if I have $50 to spend on a game, it's not just this one genre I look at. So you are still competing for my funds with sports games, FPS, RTS and all those other acronyms! :) I really do enjoy wargames but if prices go up, I certainly would be buying less of them. In fact, there are several games here I haven't bought that I may enjoy simply because it is overpriced to me.

I respect and understand your argument of the resources and development time and it's a bit of a catch-22 but I think you have to be very careful, which I'm sure you are, about where you set your price levels.