Origin boss: Steam sales 'cheapen intellectual property'

The head of EA's digital distribution platform Origin has spoken against offering big discounts, as Steam does, because it "cheapens your intellectual property."

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You and I may get very excited about the big sales frequently run by Steam and many other PC digital distributors, but the chap behind Origin at Electronic Arts is not convinced such huge discounts are good. Interviewed at E3, EA's senior VP of global ecommerce David DeMartini opined that offering big discounts on Steam "cheapens your intellectual property."

"Obviously they think it's the right thing to do after a certain amount of time," DeMartini said of Steam to GamesIndustry International. "I just think it cheapens your intellectual property."

"We're trying to give you a fair price point, and occasionally there will be things that are on sale you could look for a discount, just don't look for 75%-off going-out-of-business sales," he explained. That "certainly works for Valve," he thinks, but "I don't know if it works as well for the publishing partners who take on the majority of that haircut."

"If you want to sell a whole bunch of units, that is certainly a way to do that, to sell a whole bunch of stuff at a low price. The gamemakers work incredibly hard to make this intellectual property, and we're not trying to be Target. We're trying to be Nordstrom."

It's a curious comparison to draw, as Steam beats Origin by far on both pricing and client experience. However, plans are supposedly afoot to win customer's hearts and minds in a way other than cutting prices, to "form a longer-term relationship with them and draw them in that way." What exactly this will entail is under wraps for now. Ponies, maybe.

He's not the only one to have criticised Steam for this, mind. In April, GOG commented that huge Steam discounts damage the "long-term value of your brand because people will just wait for the next insane sale."

That said, Steam discounts have certainly been a huge success for some developers who don't mind making less money per sale if the volume increases massively. Darwinia creator Introversion has credited a Steam promotion with saving the studio from closure.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    June 6, 2012 11:40 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, Origin boss: Steam sales 'cheapen intellectual property'.

    The head of EA's digital distribution platform Origin has spoken against offering big discounts, as Steam does, because it "cheapens your intellectual property."

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:40 AM

      HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHSULIFHYALFYLJKASHFJKASHFIUAHSF

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:42 AM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:42 AM

      EA is pretty much willing to say anything at this point. They're on the level of bigoted 85iq Baptists at this point.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:42 AM

      [deleted]

      • reply
        June 6, 2012 11:44 AM

        No, whatever WE do is alright, whatever THEY do is harming X as it pertains to Y, but Z.

      • reply
        June 6, 2012 1:22 PM

        Your 50% sales go too far!

        Your 50% sales don't go too far enough!

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:43 AM

      Grown up with job and real life to deal with Ryuuseki commented by saying "I don't have enough time to be spending $60 on every game I want to play. In fact, I probably wouldn't buy half the games I do if it weren't for steam sales. I feel guilty about dropping $60 on something I may not even get a chance to play fully."

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      June 6, 2012 11:43 AM

      They can say what they want, Valve clearly has data that shows it works.

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        June 6, 2012 12:45 PM

        Yeah, and the sales generate more revenue than keeping prices high. Not just more unit sales, but more revenue. DeMartini should be fired for not wanting more revenue, and something that also makes consumers happy.

        EA can try as many loyalty programs or paid premium services as they want, but we'll still be chasing after Steam sales, and those publishers and developers will enjoy the revenue boost. EA can join in the fun as soon as they stop worrying about devaluing bits and bytes.

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          June 6, 2012 3:16 PM

          Furthermore, his comment is nonsensical in AFAIK the publisher authorizes the sale & price. Valve doesn't just go around randomly offering 75% off everything and anything.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:43 AM

      Yet Origin just had a 50% everything sale...??

      Nice try, EA.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:44 AM

      hah

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:45 AM

      Umm, yeah, so, nickel and dime'ing your customers on DLC at Day 1 doesn't?

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:45 AM

      sounds like they are doing everything they can to draw people from steam over to origin, perhaps for exclusives

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      June 6, 2012 11:45 AM

      While I'm glad to have DD competition, I disagree completely. I also find it odd that GOG.com feels the same way.

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        June 8, 2012 7:30 PM

        GoG, lives from really old games, and from more recent games that have been in the market for some time, like witcher 1, or now 2, so, for them the less the game is sold at a low price, the more they can sell them at a higher price.

        And thats a flaw in their bussiness model, not steams' fault.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:45 AM

      [deleted]

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      June 6, 2012 11:51 AM

      One fact that is completely left out, the developers/publishers have to opt-in and set the sale prices. If they don't want to do a 25-75% sale they don't have to and no one is forcing their hand. The sales do help some companies get a foot in the door and build fan base for their products which can extend to future more expensive projects.

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      June 6, 2012 11:58 AM

      Good.

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      June 6, 2012 11:58 AM

      Good luck with that EA.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 12:01 PM

      Haha, wow. I bet he burns his old suits rather than give them to charity too.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 12:01 PM

      Developers also work hard so that people appreciate and enjoy their product. I've played and enjoyed a LOT of games that I wouldn't have if it weren't for Steam sales. EA completely misses again.

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      June 6, 2012 12:03 PM

      It's just a low-blow method of a big company trying to hurt another big company's sales. Steam's sales are awesome and help boost sales if anything, because think of it this way: either you can have people buy your game at a reduced price, or people don't buy them at all.

      On top of that, if Steam sets the sale price it doesn't mean the original company loses on any money, they still get the same amount. Steam is taking the hit on it but is just making more money in other areas.

      On top of that, sales of that magnitude attract massive amounts of new customers who normally wouldn't buy the game at it's standard market price, but can now afford it because someone has made it available.

      EA needs to nut up and realize people can't spend huge amounts of money nowadays. It's just good that at least one company is making gaming affordable and their huge seasonal sales only come around every few months so it gives time for people to buy up a bunch of games, play them to their hearts content, and pad their wallet for the next time a sale comes in.

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      June 6, 2012 12:04 PM

      Grasping for bad things to say about Steam because he can't find anything about their service to criticize. How classically EA!

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      June 6, 2012 12:05 PM

      ...we're not trying to be Target. We're trying to be Nordstrom."

      What's Nordstrom?

      • reply
        June 6, 2012 12:07 PM

        A clothing store for people who have money and like to wear clothes that look good.

      • reply
        June 6, 2012 12:07 PM

        $250 pair of jeans. $25 pair of socks....

        • reply
          June 6, 2012 10:17 PM

          I can't stomach a pair of jeans that don't cost at least $300.

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            June 7, 2012 5:47 AM

            They must also be pre-worn. Can't look too new.

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        June 6, 2012 12:26 PM

        if EA were a clothing store, they'd sell tank-tops and shorts as shirts and pants, and when you complained they'd say the sleeves and pant legs will cost you extra.

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        June 6, 2012 12:43 PM

        a place where 1%ers shoppe.

      • reply
        June 6, 2012 3:49 PM

        a department store that frequently has some guy playing a grand piano

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          June 6, 2012 11:25 PM

          holy shit i totally forgot about that - i remember that as a kid, they dont still do that do they?

      • reply
        June 7, 2012 8:19 AM

        I wonder if he knows some of the reasons Nordstrom is so famously good? Things like some of the most insanely good service there is. Also they have trust in their customers (return policies so nice that there are stories of a guy returning some tires to the place because the store that was in the space *before* Nordstrom sold them to him - they took them back).

        Somehow I feel like all EA sees is exclusivity and high price tags missing why those things can even exist. (which would be insane considering Nordstrom is a huge case study in business and marketing programs).

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      June 6, 2012 12:06 PM

      I would much rather go food shopping at a supermarket that never puts anything on sale.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 12:06 PM

      What in the fuck

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      June 6, 2012 12:07 PM

      I've got 30+ games in my steam library which I've played less than 10 minutes or not at all. I would never have bought those games had they not been for a significant discount. I don't see how companies lose in my situation. Had there never been big sales, I would never have dropped any money on those 30+ games. I think most PC-shackers are in the same scenario as I am, either by a lesser or greater degree.

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        June 6, 2012 12:16 PM

        absolutely, and sometimes the sales get me to be a fan of the series as a whole. I would have never found fallout 3 if not for a sale, and that in turned resulted in me purchasing DLC and New Vegas. I'm not just "waiting for the next sale" There are plenty of games I just wouldnt buy if they werent discounted.

        This also helps with the used market no? Instead of waiting for someone to put up a used copy cheap I'll get it from steam and some money goes back to the developers....

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        June 6, 2012 12:18 PM

        companies that have multi-million dollar budgets lose because there is a portion of people out there that won't buy the game at release when the game is at its highest cost to consumers and where companies usually make their biggest units sold numbers to try and get a profit over all that money they spent making it. if people just wait for it, they don't make as much and making the game for that platform may be considered as not worth it.

        for instance, my personal anecdote is that I never buy Valve games for the full price because they have HUGE sales on their games after only a week or 2 of it being released. why bother paying for a game when it's half off 2-3 weeks later?

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          June 6, 2012 12:26 PM

          I generally pay full-price for games that
          * I want to see more of
          * I want to support the developer of

          And wait for discounts on games that

          * I may not enjoy
          * I dislike the developer of

          So far this has worked out pretty well for me.

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          June 6, 2012 5:04 PM

          You're part of a pretty small minority though. Tons of people still get Valve games on release date and their sales probably get more impulse sales from people that decide to buy the games before they go back to full price than people that just waited for a sale.

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        June 6, 2012 12:19 PM

        I'm in the same boat as you. I have dozen games I bought impulsively because they were on sale that I've never even installed. I would of never bought them otherwise.

      • reply
        June 6, 2012 12:36 PM

        Indeed.

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      June 6, 2012 12:09 PM

      When I play ME3 I always think about how Origin is the Nordstrom of gaming. Shift + F1 to see what time it is? oh, no clock, JUST like a fancy store. I feel so special each time I sign in.

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      June 6, 2012 12:17 PM

      Screw you boss of Origin, whoever you are.

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      June 6, 2012 12:23 PM

      Customers want subscription-based FPS games and day 1 DLC. Sales are stupid /EA

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 12:32 PM

      He wants to be greatful, if this was consoles, all the people who buy in the steam sales would just buy pre-owned games. Atleast they see some revenue. Now EA STFU

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      June 6, 2012 12:32 PM

      "form a longer-term relationship with them and draw them in that way."
      I've been using Steam for 9 years, fat chance I'll just get up and move to origin especially with EA's BF3 premium bullshit they're pulling.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 12:42 PM

      What makes them think $60-70 is a fair price for the games in the first place? More often than not lately I feel ripped off when buying at full.

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        June 6, 2012 12:46 PM

        the last game I bought at full price was Skyrim. before that it was Brink. ya one of them left me feeling ripped off. NO PRE-ORDERS EVER

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          June 6, 2012 1:26 PM

          You shut your whore mouth Brink was awesome.

          • reply
            June 6, 2012 1:27 PM

            LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

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            June 6, 2012 2:52 PM

            No, it wasn't. Splash Damage broke more promises than EA released DLCs for Mass Effect 3. And that's A LOT, not even counting the one that supposedly will fix the travesty at the end (yeah, sure).

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        June 6, 2012 12:58 PM

        yeah I think the sales model is a good compromise. Clearly some people are willing to pay 60 bucks or more out the gate, and other people are willing to pay less down the line. Seems like a win-win.

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        June 6, 2012 11:18 PM

        How is it not fair? Seems like if you break it down per hour of entertainment it is economical when compared with other things. I mean if you don't want to pay $60 or more that is your business or if you have so many free to $5 games to play and you don't have any reason to buy more expensive games that is one thing, but I wouldn't say $60 is unfair when you actually try and measure it objectively with things like inflation, dev cost, and actual dollar per hour of entertainment.

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      June 6, 2012 12:42 PM

      Does Valve even have anything to do with sale pricing on steam for non-valve games? I always figured it was the Publisher and/or Developers who set the sale dates and prices. I'm sure Valve has a team that organizes the big sales, but again, I'm sure they aren't setting the prices...

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      June 6, 2012 12:50 PM

      EA has such a fucking weird relationship with their IP in general, I'll never understand it. Like, why did they let so many of their older beloved PC game IPs just totally languish for no fucking reason at all, even though it costs them hardly any money to maintain it?

      Paul Barnett's story on the bombcast pre-E3 podcast ( http://www.giantbomb.com/podcast/?podcast_id=312 @ 30:20 ) about his quest to get old EA IPs on GOG made me totally confused and angry. How can a fucking corporation built around games treat its games that way? It's fucking mind-boggling and range inducing (Barnett's a fucking saint for being a fucking mensch and getting that shit done, btw... also holy shit he was gonna get the legend of grimrock guys to do another ultima underworld)

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:00 PM

      yes a sale makes things cheaper, what a brilliant deduction this guy made.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:02 PM

      Everytime someone mentions Origin I cringe a little remembering what EA did to Ultima and Origin Systems.

      • reply
        June 6, 2012 1:04 PM

        I feel the same thing,

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        June 6, 2012 2:08 PM

        Hear hear. Brings a tear to my eye.

      • reply
        June 6, 2012 8:34 PM

        And I always remember the JOY of Archon, Pinball Construction Set, Seven Cities Of Gold, Mail Order Monsters, and Racing Destruction Set; back when they gave a flying fuck.

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          June 6, 2012 8:35 PM

          You know, back when they put PICTURES OF THE PROGRAMMERS ON THE BOX. Now they don't even know who the programmers are. And if they do, they've been there too long and it's time to fire them.

          • reply
            June 6, 2012 8:50 PM

            I've heard stories about them fucking over programmers back then too. Trip Hawkins was always kind of an ass. But yeah, at least they mentioned the lead designer on the box.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:03 PM

      [deleted]

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      June 6, 2012 1:09 PM

      Tell him to STFU. Steam sales are like the opposite to piracy in the gaming market. Instead of playing games I didn't pay for... I have paid for games I haven't played. They got my money and I ha

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:13 PM

      Yes, this is why Gabe Newell is so poor.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:16 PM

      I do recall EA products going on pretty intense sales after a short amount of time recently...

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:31 PM

      Kind of funny...coming from the most disliked and hated publisher in the world.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:33 PM

      if sales cheapen your ip then what the fuck was that abortion Dragon Age 2?

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:34 PM

      But it is also what has gotten me to buy alot of games on Steam. Money spent on Steam: too much. Money spent on Origin: 0.

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        June 6, 2012 1:40 PM

        BF3 got me :(

        • reply
          June 6, 2012 1:48 PM

          but at least I purchased it through Amazon (for $40 week before release), so not only did I save money, EA didn't get all of my money).

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:37 PM

      Every time steam has a sale, I get very excited and involved in all the little side quests to earn entries to their grand prize. I pickup games that I would've have bought otherwise. Valve gets gamers and knows how to reward developers and consumers alike. Origin is all about profit and could care less about creating a community.

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      June 6, 2012 1:40 PM

      I've bought DOZENS of games that were on sale thinking I'd go through them on a backlog rampage but haven't. I'm certaonly not the only one that has done this. ANY publisher or distribution platforms would love to have people buy a ton of games even if they don't plan on playing them.

      EA's Origin is just sour grapes not wanting to join the party and whining about their service not being as good.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:41 PM

      [deleted]

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      June 6, 2012 1:46 PM

      To be honest I have to agree with EA atleast on some level. I've avoided buying Trine 2(among other games) because I'm waiting for Steam's winter and summer sales. Sorry, but I don't have endless stores of cash to draw upon!

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        June 7, 2012 9:17 AM

        But EA's point is you buy the same amount of games you buy with the Steam sales.. but just pay more money for them. But as you say, no one has unlimited funds and also not every game is worth the same price to every player. We all have different tastes.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:49 PM

      But PC piracy results in higher prices!

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      June 6, 2012 1:55 PM

      what an idiot. they make it up in volume.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:58 PM

      Fuck me, I still own EA stock.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 1:58 PM

      This is why my Steam library is monstrous and my Origin library consists of three games, only there because I was given no other option to purchase them.

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      June 6, 2012 2:04 PM

      Isn't the only reason they started Origin was because Steam wanted them to release DLC in a non-exclusive (not to mention stupid and buggy) fashion?

      Besides, people will buy when the price is right. Sorry if I can't afford every $60 game at release. Not to mention the level of polish (that is to say, poor) of most games at release time, pretty much guarantees I won't buy a game until after the patches and reviews are still out.

      Plus I don't like buying games in pieces, so again, waiting til the GoTY version is out is standard practice as well.

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        June 6, 2012 2:07 PM

        They could have easily worked with Valve on making Steam work for them, but they straight up shut their doors on the idea, and went for their own approach that gives them full control to screw gamers. There is no doubt in my mind that they just used the DLC thing as an excuse so they didn't look like money grubbing bastards.

        Too bad the truth has finally come out.

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        June 6, 2012 2:09 PM

        Buggy and stupid? Who do you think was responsible for that part?

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 2:05 PM

      And the truth comes out. All the people who thought a major gaming company like EA building an exclusive digital distro system would lead to anything but monopolistic practices is insane.

      People criticized Valve for the same thing when they originally launched Steam, then they set the standard for openly advancing digital distribution on the PC platform and giving a free market for developers to compete on pricing and all sorts of things.

      Fuck EA, Fuck Origin.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 2:07 PM

      It's like Chevy getting angry when Honda does a year end clearance. Every year. Over and over again. Damn those bastards at Honda for for ruining the auto business!

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 2:09 PM

      just another in the long line of 'EA wankers', yes its now a phrase, I just made it one :)

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      June 6, 2012 2:13 PM

      "Hey ladies although you gave a thing for extremely well endowed african gentlemen that give insane pleasure happy time they also give you AIDS. You don't want AIDS do you slut? You should hump with our virginal offering! Although certainly not hung and virtually guaranteed to dissatisfy, it won't make you feel like the cheap bang bus whore we all know you are."

      Stay classy EA.

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      June 6, 2012 2:17 PM

      Thankfully, EA had nothing that interest me in the medium term. Mass Effect has been closed (3 was disappointing after the excellent first 2), Crysis 2 sucked and 3 will.

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      June 6, 2012 2:24 PM

      I kind of see what he is saying. I never buy Valve games unless they are on sale for 20 dollars or so, not because they are not worth more, but because I know they can be had on sale after a short time.

      I will buy a Blizzard game at release because I know I will have to wait years just to save a couple of bucks.

      However, I have also bought a lot of games on steam I wouldn't have otherwise, because they were so cheap.

      • reply
        June 6, 2012 2:32 PM

        How old are you? How many games have you pirated in your life? How much time to you devote to playing the games that you purchase? Do you complete every game that you purchase?

        • reply
          June 6, 2012 3:25 PM

          I agree with gibolas.

          19, maybe 1? Quite a bit. I do.

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          June 7, 2012 10:51 AM

          29, haven't pirated a game in 10 years, depends on the game, most of the games I have purchased I don't complete.

          I don't feel the need to have something right away. I have plenty of games to play and not enough free time.

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        June 6, 2012 3:46 PM

        I think I've pre-ordered and pre-loaded every Valve game since HL2. Most of the time they have sales on those too, I think every one was $45 pre-order on Steam rather than what's now the standard $60 for most publishers. Definitely been worth that and more.

        If more AAA games were priced as such, I wouldn't be waiting to pick them up.

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          June 6, 2012 3:54 PM

          The L4D games also had further pre-launch discounts by way of 4-packs bundles too.

          Anyway, I'll still pay $60 for a game I really want on PC at launch, but after being burned by that in the past I've become quite a bit more discerning towards grabbing all these expensive new games, especially ones without demos. It's hard to know what's wrong with some of them until they are out there. Mouse input, fov, DRM, keybind and performance and save game issues, flat out bugs, etc. Often it's better to wait for some patches when a lot of these games are rushed to a deadline demanded by publishers like EA. It's a bonus if that happens to coincide with a sale.

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      June 6, 2012 2:33 PM

      lol

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      June 6, 2012 2:51 PM

      Yes, EA, yes. You are a bunch of douchebags, and Origin is a POS.

      WE KNOW. You can stop now. Please.

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      June 6, 2012 3:17 PM

      Haha, how does it feel to be the laughing stock of the industry with that comment?

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      June 6, 2012 3:21 PM

      yeah, fuck the 1400% leap in sales, overall making a lot more money, right?

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      June 6, 2012 3:30 PM

      RPS's Alec Meer has a good opinion piece up on this:

      http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/06/06/hmm-ea-on-steamorigin-mega-sales/

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      June 6, 2012 3:32 PM

      Nonsense. So many games I would never buy without steam sales. EA love keeping AAA prices high as some sort of commercial victory, but honestly they're losing out on sales from people like me. By the time they do drop prices people have moved on. Valve have the right idea.

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      June 6, 2012 3:35 PM

      ooooh... he really had the claws out on Gabe with that, didnt he !!!
      i wonder if EA realise that a successful business needs loyal customers, and a huge base of them too.. as far as developers are concerned, they'd rather their game was sold fora discount than be pirated... i know i would... and in my opinion, cheaper pricing, gamer-friendly service is the better way to combat piracy than ridiculous DRM measures that EA have employed and lately Ubi and Blizzard are contemplating.

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      June 6, 2012 3:51 PM

      Son of a bitch. These fuckers just don't get it do they?

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      June 6, 2012 3:54 PM

      we're not trying to be Target. We're trying to be Nordstrom." So...overpriced, pretentious fuckwads. Good to know.

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      June 6, 2012 5:29 PM

      Yeah, well, that capitalism EA. Don't like it? Go back to China you communist fucks.

      People will buy what is cheap.

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      June 6, 2012 5:36 PM

      Translation: Steam will have awesome deals this thanksgiving, we will not.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 5:38 PM

      Only one thing to do.

      Hey shut da fuck up origin boss.

      And yes I spelled it out.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 6:01 PM

      Damn. I just bought Back to Karkand at 50% off. I feel so guilty now, perhaps I should ask for refund. However, I'm not gonna pay full price for it.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 6:03 PM

      Trolls, simple as that.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 6:16 PM

      He should put his money where his mouth is and only offer all of their titles on Origin and never put them on sale. We'll see how fast his tune changes.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 6:18 PM

      i definately disagree with this. when those sales come around i end up buying copies (lots of copies sometimes) just so my friends can enjoy a game that they may not otherwise purchase or experience. he has a slightly valid point, but i think word of mouth from these sales is clearly the larger outcome of these sales then the actual units sold during the sales. i've convinced several people to make purchases after the sales are over.... oh well, everyones view is going to be different i guess...

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      June 6, 2012 8:01 PM

      There was mention of ponies ?

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 8:30 PM

      But I NEVER shop at Nordstrom! I'm a regular at Target though!

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 8:39 PM

      First they ignore Steam, then they laugh at Steam, then they fight Steam, then Steam wins.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 9:11 PM

      Fuck Origin. To this day I've never installed it and I refuse to on principle. Fuck EA too. Fuck their boss while we're at it.

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        June 6, 2012 9:45 PM

        i thought they were turning it around back around Mirror's Edge. Nope! No Origin for me either

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 9:26 PM

      In other news EA execs still trying to figure out where they put that clue.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 9:49 PM

      Hahahaha, sounds like EA is just pissed Steam is doing so much better than their service.

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 10:20 PM

      Don't take my money then you dumb fucker

    • reply
      June 6, 2012 11:25 PM

      Istn't it a staple of economics that every budget needs to meet up with a price? (Don't know the excat expression). If I offer a game for USD 60 only, then I cutout all the people who would buy it for USD 59 and less. This is why Steam auctions are so good, you have price variety.

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      June 7, 2012 12:23 AM

      Origin Boss: "Waah-Waah-Waah Steam has consumer contact level we will never approach Waah-Waah PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE PRESS STATEMENT".

      Origin trashtalks like little bitches.

    • reply
      June 7, 2012 12:33 AM

      Haha wow, EA you're really trying to endear the gaming populace.

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      June 7, 2012 1:47 AM

      what does "form a longer-term relationship with them and draw them in that way" mean? To a business, the "relationship" begins and ends with dollars leaving my pocket and entering theirs.
      What better relationship than I get the game I want for the cheap price I want.
      I then walk away from the transaction and play my fucking game.
      How does EA plan to thrust itself onto me further and form the relationship when I just want to play my game now?

      Do they come between me and the game in the form of DRM or some other intrusion into my gameplay? Do they attempt to turn their entire catalogue into a full frontal assault of microtransactions and subscription based gaming?

      Business make more money by cutting costs at their end or learning clever new ways to lift the customer upside down and shake out their pockets. And I have a sneaking suspicion which one this is going to end up being.

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      June 7, 2012 7:11 AM

      It may not be a popular opinion, but I thought he hit a good point. Maybe a consumer will not worry about it, but the less an ip can generate the less an ip holder will be wiling to put into the next game.

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      June 7, 2012 9:25 AM

      EA needs to face the facts. Gamers value all games differently. To one, Game A is worth $60 at release to another they will wait a year for Game A to become $20. If it never does then they will never play it. If David DeMartini only wants Nordstrom customers then he needs to expect a smaller customer base. That is something EA's shareholders will not be too keen on hearing.

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      June 7, 2012 11:59 AM

      Is that guy delusional? He thinks EA can "win customer's hearts and minds"? Perhaps before Westwood, Bullfrog, and any number of other companies and game series were completely demolished and defaced, but not after.

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      June 8, 2012 2:30 PM

      I would never consider shopping at Nordstrom. Congratulations EA, you are meeting your goal.

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      June 12, 2012 10:10 PM

      I won't lie, I'm cheap. Outside of a Bethseda Elder Scrolls game (I buy those as collector editions!) you'll never catch me pay full price for squat. It doesn't bother me in the least to wait a few months or even a year or two to buy a game.
      I find it amazing that devs would rather gripe that their games are going on sale and still making money, giving the frugal buyer a chance to legally own the game.
      Guess they'd rather have the $60 price tag forever and more users turn to piracy, because you know, having a million people "steal" your game 4 year old game at $60 a pop makes you sooo much more money than a million people buying it at $20 a pop.
      Yup, smart guys.

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      June 12, 2012 10:18 PM

      Dear EA, Steam isn't cheapening your intellectual property, the overwhelming flood of buggy shit games and endless retreads did that long ago......

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      June 13, 2012 2:16 AM

      OMG you fucking imbeciles, they are right.Stop assuming everything EA says is BS and that their intellect is on high school level.You are all morons.This time they actually do have a point although in the end what actually matters IS the price.What can Origin possibly offer I wonder ? Just to be clear EVERYONE, WHO HAS SENSE IN THE THEM WAITS FOR DISCOUNTS ON STEAM.THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM .

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      July 5, 2012 11:07 AM

      This is a month ago I know, but today EA have a Midweek madness sale on where Red Alert 3 is like £3.50.

      HIPOCRACY

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