Tag Archives: pricing

Geoffrey Tim

PlayStation 4 pricing to be “appealing”

April 16, 2013 at 12:00 pm | 37 Comments

When the PlayStation 3 was first released, it launched at a ludicrous $599 (R6499 when it hit local stores) – quite a lot of money for something that plays games. Selling a single piece of entertainment-focused electronic equipment at that price is no easy feat, made all the worse by then-PlayStation Boss Ken Kutaragi’s suggestion that you get a second job to afford one. It’s a mistake Sony has no intention of repeating.


Geoffrey Tim

No next-gen game price increase

February 25, 2013 at 2:00 pm | 14 Comments

While some developers believe that the development costs of “next gen” games are going to skyrocket, others don’t believe there’ll be a significant increase in costs. Still, there’s a pervasive fear that increased development costs will lead to an increase in the cost of games, with the $60 standard price going up – possibly to $70. In South Africa, we already pay higher prices for games, and that could see us paying up to R750 for console games. Thankfully, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.


Geoffrey Tim

Nintendo defends Wii U Pricing

November 15, 2012 at 3:00 pm | 19 Comments

The Wii U’s out in the US this week, and will soon be on our own shores. Since we’ve found out about its pricing though, many of you have sworn off, believing it to be too damned expensive. Nintendo’s here to justify the cost.


Geoffrey Tim

Has the Wii U’s release date and price been revealed?

September 4, 2012 at 2:30 pm | 12 Comments

As we edge on ever closer to the release of Nintendo’s new HD console, we’re still in the dark as to when its actual release, or pricing will be. Nintendo’s said it wants to release before this year’s holiday season, so it’s probable that the information will be released soon; quite probably at this year’s Tokyo Game Show. Amazon’s hardware supplier, Video Product Distributors (who also supplies Blockbuster) might have just let the cat out of the bag a little early.


Gavin Mannion

Australian gamers seethe over BF3 pricing

June 11, 2012 at 7:45 am | 36 Comments

We’ve covered the excessive price of games in Australia a few times in the past, mainly because I like making fun of Australia and this is an easier and safer dig than poking at their cricket or rugby teams.


Darryn Bonthuys

You’re going to pay thhiiiiisss much for a PS Vita

December 13, 2011 at 2:30 pm | 40 Comments

[UPDATE: Memory Card prices have been located and added]

So, who’s ready to part with their cash? If you’re fanatical about your gaming, then you have no doubt set your eyes on the latest handheld console from Sony, the PS Vita, which hits our shores next year in March.

Early reports on the device seem positive, and with two flavours, one in Wi-Fi and the other in 3G, you can bet that there is some serious hardware underneath the hood of that console. But how much will it cost you?

Here’s a round up on prices revealed so far through local channels.


Gavin Mannion

PS Vita games to be full priced, is this fair?

October 12, 2011 at 1:00 pm | 19 Comments

The release of our healthy cracker entitled handheld is just around the corner and while we’re all really excited to see just how awesome the PS Vita turns out to be it is a little surprising to learn this morning that the PS Vita games are going to be sold at a premium.


Gavin Mannion

Sony overcharging on Vita memory cards

September 19, 2011 at 10:15 am | 16 Comments

Well that’s a headline that we all saw coming isn’t it.

Instead of using an industry standard memory card for the upcoming PlayStation Vita Sony decided to implement their own proprietary version and obviously that comes with extra costs.

Sony: “People are used to spending several hundred dollars to get a portable device”

Miklós Szecsei

Sony: “People are used to spending several hundred dollars to get a portable device”

April 6, 2011 at 11:45 am | 19 Comments

In an interview with Fast Company, Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton spoke about pricing for portable devices. There has been much speculation about the price of the upcoming (now possibly delayed) NGP handheld from the Japanese manufacturer. While Tretton doesn’t mention the NGP at all, he does make comments about pricing of mobile gaming units. His statement that people are used to spending “several hundred dollars” doesn’t exactly sit comfortably with the speculated price for the NGP, which most are pegging at around $250.

Nick de Bruyne

Nintendo 3DS: South African Launch Price And Details

March 4, 2011 at 6:00 am | 22 Comments

The official launch price of the Nintendo 3DS was announced at a press-event last night at Monte Casino in Johannesburg.

Rumours had already been floating around that the incredible little glasses-less 3D handheld system was going to retail in South Africa for as much as R3500.

Can you believe that when the official price was announced, it was way different to what we were expecting?


Gavin Mannion

Nintendo 3DS pricing revealed… for Australia

February 9, 2011 at 10:00 am | 4 Comments

Nintendo Australia have started shipping 3DS demo units to the stores and more interestingly they have also announced the pricing of the upcoming mega handheld. If you want to get your hands on a Nintendo 3DS in Australia at launch it is going to cost you AUD$349.95 or in real terms R2 564.

Miklós Szecsei

Nintendo: “disposable” games are damaging the industry

February 7, 2011 at 2:00 pm | 3 Comments

Head of Nintendo US, Reggie Fils-Aime, is not a fan of your typical App Store downloadable games. This isn’t because he thinks they’re rubbish, it’s because he thinks they’re too cheap. More importantly, he thinks the price tag is setting a precedent and that the target market for future Nintendo 3DS games is going to be tougher to crack. Of course, he wasn’t that candid, but you can totally get that that’s what he’s trying to say, he just words it differently to make sure he doesn’t sound miffed by this cheaper competition. He was recently asked whether he thought the $35 to $45 price tag for 3DS games represented value for money when compared with the $1 App Store games.

Miklós Szecsei

3DS dated for Europe and USA – pricing set for both regions

January 20, 2011 at 8:00 am | 5 Comments

Last night Nintendo held a preview event for the 3DS in Holland. It was hosted by Jonathan Ross (yeah, that talk-show host comedian guy from England) and the entire 80 minutes of awkward announcements loaded with broken English, French accents and Ross’s lisp can be seen here if you absolutely have to. If you couldn’t really give a rat’s left testicle about Jonathan Ross proclaiming himself the new head of Nintendo for Europe (jump to about 70:30 in the video – it’s pretty funny) then you can just read the important bits with us.

Miklós Szecsei

Local pricing comparison: PlayStation Network vs Xbox Live

November 5, 2010 at 12:45 pm | 22 Comments

By now you should all be well aware that Microsoft is finally bringing Xbox Live to South Africa. Next week Wednesday (November 10th) will see the official launch of the Xbox 360 online service in our country. The announcement was met with vociferous approval by our local Xbox 360 scene. But naturally, because most gamers seem to be shackled to entitlement complexes, that heartfelt joy gave way to mixed responses, which in turn gave way to moaning and bitching after the local pricing was announced. Many (in fact, I’m willing to bet that most) local Xbox 360 users already have Xbox Live accounts thanks to fake US or UK addresses and some underhanded trickery. This in turn created a market for local suppliers to provide Xbox Live subscription codes and Microsoft Points to South African gamers. Evopoints.co.za, ZapsOnline.com and MSpoints.co.za are perhaps the most widely used online shops providing the much sought-after Gold subscriptions and MS currency. With the impending release of local Xbox Live and its heavy pricing structure, online retailers like those mentioned above will probably experience a surge in business. All of this is well and good, but local Xbox Live brings with it another topic for discussion: which local digital distribution channel is cheaper, Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network?

Geoffrey Tim

Kinect and Move Local Pricing Comparison [Updated]

August 20, 2010 at 1:00 pm | 9 Comments

It’s almost time for the HD motion-controller “revolution.” Both the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 will be getting their waggle on soon. The Playstation 3 will be receiving the decidedly Wii-like Playstation Move next month, while the Xbox 360 will receive full-body controllerless motion control via Kinect in November. If the new wave of waggle has your interest piqued, take a look after the jump for a few local retailer comparisons – so you can see which one will get you game for the least.
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