The waiting game

[andrewducker]

I just bought Portal 2 - for £15.

Considering it was released less than three months ago for over double
that, I feel that I got a very good deal by waiting for a bit.

I remember the days when I had to have computer games on the day of
release. Nowadays, particularly with things like Steam sales, I have waaay
more games than I have time to play them.

Life is pretty awesome.

(Well, it would be, if I had more game-playing time. The job keeps getting
in the way.)

Comments

[birguslatro]

If people can get paid well for playing stupid games like soccer, you ought to be able to get paid real well for playing awesome video games!

[bracknellexile.livejournal.com]

I see you have Prototype on your "want" list too - it's down to £7.49 until 8pm today.

[bracknellexile.livejournal.com]

Sorry, meant 6pm.

[andrewducker]

Cheers, might pick it up.

On the other hand, what are the chances of it not coming down in price again between now and me finishing MW2, Dragon Age, Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age 2, Magicka, Bayonetta, and no doubt a couple of other things?

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

It's interesting. I considered buying Portal 2 on launch weekend -- especially after I heard Charlie Brooker being interviewed 'how are you planning to spend the long Royal Wedding weekend?' 'I'm going to play Portal 2', but concluded that the price would drop rapidly and I could get it when it did.

Meanwhile, I bought 3d Ocarina of Time on launch day because history suggests that Nintendo will carry on selling it, at more or less the same price, indefinitely.

[andrewducker]

Yes - I've noticed that Console stuff doesn't tend to drop nearly as much.

Which is, presumably, why they loathe the second-hand market so much.

[spacelem.livejournal.com]

Which reminds me of this comic strip.

[ajr.livejournal.com]

Console stuff on CD/DVD eventually drops to very cheap prices, depending on (a) how long it takes for interest to drop off, and (b) how much the market is flooded. Some 360 (and PS3?) games have near-zero second-hand value thanks to single-use codes for certain features of the game.

Nintendo stuff tends to hold its value because Nintendo are usually quite good at not over-producing their games. I understand that in the case of DS games it's because cartridges are physically more expensive to make, so they have to be sure that what they do make sells (as opposed to CD/DVD games, where you can run off an extra several thousand for comparatively little). The downside to the Nintendo effect is when they get the balance wrong (or a game ages unexpectedly well), resulting in demand being far greater than supply and keeping the second-hand price rather high. Certainly it's been rare for me to pick up a DS game at what I've thought was a bargain price - I wait for the "well, I suppose that's as cheap as it'll ever get" price instead. :)

I did once sell a copy of Secret of Mana on the SNES for over £100, so I can't complain too much, really.

[despotliz.livejournal.com]

I bought it for £15 a month ago. PC games really don't stay full price for long any more (and the last time I bought a game on release day it was only £25, anyway).

[spacelem.livejournal.com]

I bought Portal 2 via Steam on Monday (wasn't feeling well, wanted cheering up), and it cost me £20. Oh well £5 more isn't too bad.

As for the game... brilliant. Ignoring the gameplay (I love imaginative puzzles, and some were incredibly rewarding), the setting and background was amazing and peaked around chapters 4-6, although it got a bit samey after that (I preferred the appearance in Portal 1, where it all seemed slightly better grounded).

Don't worry about not having much game-playing time spare, it was very short. I want more! Moooooore!

[henriksdal.livejournal.com]

where is it for £15? I can see it on Steam for £20

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

http://www.zavvi.com/games/platforms/pc/portal-2-pc/mac/10215567.html

[henriksdal.livejournal.com]

ta!

[andrewducker]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portal-2-PC-Mac-DVD/dp/B004IEA4PU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1310057673&sr=8-2

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

Places sold Portal 2 for full price at launch? None of the places I saw did - everywhere had it discounted.

Prototype is awesome but if you want an open world game suited for casual play, there are better ones, much as I love it.

[andrewducker]

Nowhere had it discounted to £15 though.

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

I got it for £20 at release. Since it's one of the best games ever made, I didn't mind paying that much.

[momentsmusicaux.livejournal.com]

Want to play coop sometime?

[andrewducker]

I'm already booked in with Ed to play the Co-Op campaign, but once I've gone through (which apparently shouldn't take more than a few evenings) I'll be very happy to play with you too!