Pachter: Modern Warfare 2 UK pricing is 'a test'

Posted Jul 22, 2009 at 11:13PM by Mabie A. Listed in: Xbox 360, PS3, PC Gaming Tags: Activision, Michael Pachter, UK
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So a spate of chain reactions have come out, thanks to the announcement of Modern Warfare 2's (Xbox 360, PS3, and PC) pricing details in UK. Let's just say it's by no means cheap, especially with the current economic situation the world has. Kinda insensitive is how Activision can be described probably at this point.

But hold off on that sentiment first. Michael Pachter's got another of his two cents to shed light on the matter, and for him, it's a test. So far they're getting pretty low marks from consumers, I reckon.

Anyway, according to Pachter, the UK£ 54.99 (almost US$ 90) price tag that they clipped to Modern Warfare 2 is "a one-time test for Activision." Said Pachter, "Activision knows it's a 'hot' game, knows that the market will pay an additional 10 per cent, and has decided to increase price accordingly."

Modern Warfare 2: Prestige Edition - Image 1

Are you kidding me? Of course you'll buy.


Of course, if Activision does pass the test, that can only be interpreted that the consumers are indeed suckers willing to spend for a good quality game. As a result, you can expect this trend to spread like wildfire, thereby jacking up the prices for other games.

Unless of course a boycott of sorts happen, thereby giving Activision a big F mark for fail. But I doubt that's gonna happen. The boycott, I mean. What, with the night vision goggles? Come on, am sure you've pre-ordered that already.



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Via Joystiq

 
 
 

Comments

by trey4li4e17 - 2009-07-23 01:13:17
.

A test... I'm really disgusted at Activision who the heck do they think they are! Becoming too *****y of themselves since they overtook EA, threatning not to make games for PS3, overpricing and using the customers as guinnea pigs. Although all the same I will be a sucker and still buy modern warfare 2 *sigh*
by kraft - 2009-07-23 01:36:33
Pathetic

Will definitley buy second hand.
by papajag - 2009-07-23 01:45:25
Dude...

If you have a 360 get it modded and download their game. That'll show them to f-ing raise the price as a test. 90 bucks is enough to get your 360 modded and buy dual layer dvds.
by HIDEO KOJIMA - 2009-07-23 02:03:30
!

Higher prices = more pirated games
by jomacho0 - 2009-07-23 05:57:34
Greedy Bastards

Don't forget to add $10 for each DLC. This game can leech you about $120. Almost the price of a console.
by Sublime85 - 2009-07-23 06:42:56
papajag

it's people like you who have caused games to be as expensive as they are. you steal it for free, and upstanding citizens have to pay for your game. idiot.
by Matt-N - 2009-07-23 07:04:28
!

@ Sublime85 What are you going on about? Video games have always been expensive. I paid £65 for SF2 for my SNES around 1991/92 (sometime around then anyway), and there was no modding going on back then. If there was, it was extreeeeeeemely rare. PC games are the easiest to copy, yet they're the cheapest to buy.
by kon_e3 - 2009-07-23 07:06:54
Don't worry pirated or not

It would still be same priced, in fact if u know microeconomics they would be higher than $60 if more are sold. As quantity supply increases price increases.
by hypercoyote360 - 2009-07-23 08:04:06
How quickly people forget.....

Yeah, because NO ONE else has done this yet. No sir, Grand Theft Auto IV's special set wasn't $90, The new Batman set isn't $100, Halo 3's Legendary set wasn't $120!!!! Why is everyone gunning for activision when so many others have already done this? Or is the picture above not a reference as to what you get in that $90?
by hypercoyote360 - 2009-07-23 08:06:26
And again......

First of all, what console are you buying for $120 that isn't a handheld, I want one! Second, every game has DLC these days. I hate it too, but if you're gonna call Activision leeches, you gotta call them all leeches (which I would NOT disagree with you on).
by victorinox - 2009-07-23 08:28:01
come on

read the article +P " Activision's war title from the popular Call of Duty franchise is pegged at UK£ 54.99. Converted to US dollars, that's almost a crazy US$ 90. And that's just for the regular copy, no fancy schmancy bundles yet." from the quickjump article linked on the page, so yeah... its not the fancy 150 usd one shown above, its the normal one +\ *might as well import it really XD* --------------------------------------- @ Sublime85 A lot of games/systems get steam from piracy, its very helpful for game companies... it might sound stupid but ill give you an example. 1 year ago, around april, i was at my school and they were playing a pirated EU mario kart *MKW us came out the next day* with a chipped wii, i had so much fun, for my birthday i bought myself mario kart wii/Super Smash bros, and a Wii... all because the guy pirated 1 game. Piracy also gets factored into price, like everything else, go to the movies, and ask them... you do pay a set ammount decided by the film industry, and then you pay a little more for maint/sneak ins... Another reason why piracy helps them is, you get word of mouth... I didnt plan to play the Conduit, but i did via a backup, i told people it was a horrid game, but on the flip side, i played house of the dead overkill and said it was amazing! along with other things, like when i was doing a business report on Piracy, I figured that the actual ammount of WII HACKERS, didnt even make up a percent... so can you say that 0.6 or so of the total market stealing the same exact title justifies charging 10+ usd more? my final and prob best point is, as far as anyone is concern the PS3 isnt hacked, and there is no piracy *gametrading isnt wrong, so dont bring that up!* it might exist somewhere *doubt it* but as far as the other 99.9% of the market is concern you cant pirate a ps3 title... now if they can justify charging more for piracy, then they should give a price break for the ps3 *i know it sounds stupid, but thats because its not over piracy*... times dont really change +\ 1995 Sega Nomad: 180 usd 2009 PSP Go: 250 usd they charge the same ammount really, by slowing adding to it from time to time, and people just blame something when thats all they want you to do +\
by haru3173 - 2009-07-23 08:44:43
pirated?

pirated means there's a chance to get banned from live right? I'm all about the multiplayer. Anyways, its patcher. That guy is always wrong.
by Flamesack112 - 2009-07-23 09:47:20
I'm disgusted

People in the UK pay out the ass for video games in general and even then it usually comes with censorship and long winded delays. I can't believe that Activision wants UK gamers to spend 90 bucks for the same game US gamers will 60. 60 dollars these days isn't cheap, as it is piracy/renting is on the rise people just don't have 90 bucks to blow on one game, not to mention then pay for their DLC that they charge you ten bucks for when it should be free. I urge UK gamers to not stand for this. Call Activision and ***** to them. Boycott the game. Pirate it for the campaign.
by hypercoyote360 - 2009-07-23 10:02:08
Oops

Wow, yeah, if that is for the regular edition, that is a bit much. I know that SNES games cost $70 when they came out, but that's not the standard today. The standard is $60 for next-gen games, not $90. That is an absolute rip-off. BTW, why does QJ have a picture of the premium set with this article if its not talking about the premium set? QJ - you guys should really look into hiring an editor for your stuff.
by papajag - 2009-07-23 10:27:12
@Sublime85

It"s not like I want him to pirate every game. I'm actually getting this game for the PS3 because I don't have XBL Gold and I live in the U.S. so it's $60 here. I'm just saying that they should boycott the game; doesn't matter how. Because if a lot of people buy this game at a high price what's gonna stop Activision from doing it again. Dude the Prestige or whatever version is going to be worth $190 over there.
by danielakadanny - 2009-07-23 12:30:25
WTF...

ever since they joined with blizzard they went ego crazy and have actually grew balls to do things...blizzard go screw yourselvs
by Pinski - 2009-07-23 12:54:41
....

the people who buy this game for this price should stop complaining about the price of the ps3 then.
by vizard00 - 2009-07-23 15:13:06
ok

90 $ oh my god , iw wana play the big card , and now comercials from IW test our reaction or inteligence by posting a price then said its a test , no problem since its not coming designers of the game . the game should cost 70$ on release then down to 30$ 90 days later . also if IW release COD mw2 with sush a price the sales will lakes and then corumpt all their Ad compains : MGS 4 5years devs = price on release 60$ XBOX arcade = 136$ = 2 CODMW2 HALO 3 4years dev = price on release 70$ so IW wana sell COD MW2 90$ is it bcz they have fans and we post good review about their works . hope they consider repricing the DVD + case and BD + case
by - 2009-07-23 17:52:17
@ hypercoyote

the prestige edition image was used because activision is saying that you'll get your money's worth when you buy the game. images are used to supplement the idea. they're not meant to be always literal.
by Creature - 2009-07-23 22:50:02
Don't buy this game

I don't know who Activision thinks they are trying to sell this game for $90. And to make it worse is their reason for making it $90. As a "test". AS A "TEST". So those people who support their game and their company have to suffer because Activision wants to see how far they can push people before they finally say "no"... Are they TRYING to lose customers. I'm sure the people who they DEPEND ON to buy their games don't like being treated as guinea pigs in their little experiments. I hope this game bombs, just so Activision will get the message that people won't take their crap.
by braindead - 2009-07-24 05:44:23
activision are hoping some people have more money than sense

you have to take this "test" claim with a pinch of salt, but we're all living in harder times currently and activision might end up shooting themselves in the foot if they price it too high. That said if you watch a game of football or go out on the lash for the weekend you'll spend more than the price of a game, I'm always shocked when I see a second hand copy of a game on monday which only came out on the friday, some people are quite happy to spend 40 50 quid on a game send all weekend completing it and trade it in on monday !!! more good condition used games for the rest of us
by ElfyEikkal - 2009-07-24 07:50:34
1st there was.

Activision's bold prediction on how MW2 would be the most successful game out there. http://www.qj.net/Modern-Warfare-2-good-enough-to-compete-with-entertainment-industry-aims-to-be-biggest-selling-game-of-all-time/pg/49/aid/130086 that is EGO. well. i didn't mind that. cause its practically impossible to be the Biggest Selling Game of all time. i mean. the rest of the Call of Duty series didn't even come close to POKEMON's numbers. so that was fine. then there's this. well. looks to me like Activision is becoming a BAD GUY. very Bad guy. i agree to boycott Activision. and yes i will buy the game. but not at that price. ever.
by vizard00 - 2009-07-24 17:05:37
ok

activision wana sell sell the name " CALL OF DUTY" and want make big profits from it no mather if the game is bad or good , they know it will sell hard on release and want sell expens so why !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . 1 - The return of COD prefix 2 - The big ad compaing 3 - The statement that COD mw2 is not a simulation 3 - the story wich is not in midel east !!!!!! do they made a big big mistake and wana sell it to us 90$ on release !!!!??? . the Demo will answer all this quastions . and as i know COD players are most hardcore gamers , so if the game is a joke like COD5 we will simply play COD4 for another year .

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