Posted May 07, 2015
highsis: Does anyone have constructive insight as to why the price was determined as such, and if this is more profitable in marketing standpoint why other companies won't employ the same strategy, other than "cuz CDprojekt is awesome and EA is evil!" ?
Randalator: Because EA first and foremost has to satisfy its shareholders, while CD Projekt first and foremost has to satisfy its customers. EA operates as much (if not more) through stock market revenue/net worth as it operates through actual game sales revenue. For shareholders selling cheaper, being less restrictive, being more open to community demands is riskier than taking the safe route of just publishing Call of Duty 17 at 60$ and DRM-ing the hell out of it. Unnecessary risk gets punished, lower revenue predictions (which they'd initially have to make) without "legitimate" reasons (like new studio acquisitions) get punished, especially with two equally big publishers just waiting to leave them in the dust. That's just how the market works.
GOG/CD Projekt due to its size and structure isn't as bound by shareholder opinion. It almost exclusively operates through sales revenue, and is thus able to take more supposed risks, be more creative, be more open to the community and less restrictive with its licenses. It actually has to be in order to be successful.
tl;dr
EA = managers for shareholders
GOG = gamers for gamers
I think being 'gamer friendly' is a mask(not in a negative sense) used by CDprojekt to bolster their PR and in turn, sale. Software piracy is rampant in Eastern Europe and if you can't stop piracy, lay a strong guilt trip on pirates by showing example that stands out among greedy game companies; regardless of intentions, this is great for both gamers and CDprojekt until other companies follow suit.
That said, I'm still dubious if the lower price will booster their revenue. As I've pointed out, TW3 has narrower target market compared to some of other AAA RPGs, a great number of loyal fans, and it already has extensive publicity. I'm pretty sure many of you would have bought the game even if it were priced at the same price as Skyrim or Dragon Age Inquisition at their release because I believe TW3 will be greater than either of those games and I definitely would. This must also involve a decision regarding company's PR, and I'm curious as to how much weighing was done between profitability and future sales boost and other intangible profits.
I'm no expert on the subject and I just found their price policy refreshing, if not worrisome as I hope CDprojekt fares well in the future.
Post edited May 07, 2015 by highsis