Alrighty then. *pop knuckles* This is getting good. I'm a sucker for a debate, but I just wanted to throw out a disclaimer now in saying that my opinions are just that, and are not to be misconstrued as me thinking of them as Bible truths. I'm not out to "prove anybody wrong" or "make people look stupid". Okay, now let the games begin...
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">"Most" people who have regular jobs, families and responsibilities, could not have afforded to spend $200+ on Neo games in the early 90s when they were coming out at an average rate of about two titles a month.
Good point, but also keep in mind that SNK wasn't releasing games at the feverish pace Sega and Nintendo were. When you figure the price of four Genesis or Super Nintendo games could've got you a real arcade game on the Neo Geo, it makes reasonable sense that if you wanted the Neo Geo games, you'd prioritize. The other consoles were aimed at the mass market obviously, so why did they release so many games a month? By your logic, if you owned the system, you'd have to buy every single game. That translates to upwards of $500 a month for the other systems, while Neo Geo was still sitting at $400, providing you had the need to buy every game released that month (all two of them). Hmmm, in that perspective, it would almost seem like Genesis and Super Nintendo should've been the systems of choice for the "executive class".
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">SNK came out with a specific business strategy meant to influence the serious arcade gamer looking for gaming experience of far higher quality than afforded by the market at the time. Whatever SNK's idea behind the system was, the collective gamers' opinions deemed the system a luxury gaming item. SNK released the CD system with the hope of profitability as well as the hope of market share infiltration.
Another interesting point, and it makes sense. If you'll notice, you and I both are saying this exact same thing. It's the
collective gamers (i.e. collecters) that have made the games so outrageously high today. Whereas you're saying it's cool, I'm saying it's ridiculous. Unless I'm mistaken, the Neo Geo was originally planned as a rental only system. When this idea fell apart, SNK marketed it for sale. However, and again, if I'm wrong, please say so, SNK did a helluva lot to fight the prices back down to a reasonable figure. They released the systems at a 50% price drop for a while, and kept the meg count of the games relatively low (especially by today's 700+ meg standards), thus keeping the system and games within reach of the working class, those blue collar types like me who sit in a lower to middle class tax bracket. SNK shot for quality first, and it's obvious. Unfortunately, people generally want quantity, so they fell behind.
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">And why not? Who better to appreciate the true arcade experience at home than the people willing to invest the money?
Again, good point, and I agree with you on that. However, when the prices go to astronomical levels and the people who would appreciate the games themselves and not use them as bragging rights to their friends get left out in the cold, that's where the problem occurs. I've worked creativly a time or two, and I can ask myself (A)"Would I want people buying my comics to store away and hope to turn a profit on them later?" or (B)"Will I want people buying my comics to appreciate the work put into the art and story?" I'll take B everytime. Why? Well, either way, I get paid, but to know that all my extra effort and sleepless nights are appreciated by people who actually read the book, that makes it worth it. SNK still gets paid either way when they sell their games at $200-$350 a pop. But why do you think they go to all the extra trouble in graphical detail and game-play? It's so people will appreciate the hard work and loving care put into their products. If it was meant to be "expensive toys only a few people can afford", then why would they go to the trouble of making the games with such a wide appeal? Or why are they sweating the quality so much? Hell, to make it cut and dry, they could make nothing but Legend of Success Joe's for the next few years and slap a ridiculous price on them if they weren't wanting to appeal to a large number of people.
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">The exclusivity issue is not based on the price. There is no $50,000 country club fee to join the Neo community. Instead, you have to show your passion for the games and patience and dedication to finding the titles you want for the price you are willing to pay.
Amen brother. But wouldn't you agree that more people would be buying games and not relying sometimes solely on emulators if the price was a little more realistic? Sure, you can buy Magician Lord for $20 or less now, but who wants to seek out 10 year old games when you got the likes of MOTW and Kizuna Encounter just aching to be played? I'm not saying hand the games out for free, if you appreciate them, pay for them. I'm just saying that the path this hobby has taken is sad because potential fans are being lost to the likes of those anti-2D capitalists at Sony.
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">In the end, the prices will fall, the bandwagon hoppers will drop out, and the ones remaining will be those who appreciate the art and craftsmanship (along with a group or rich people who like to stare at colorful stripes on their shelf).
True, but that's a sad way of viewing it. Why does it have to come to an end so people can get a chance at it? Why can't they enjoy it now with everybody else? I know I'm sounding like some candy-assed white liberal by saying that, but I'm trying to be realistic and fair here. Yeah, I know bitching about cart prices ain't going to do shit, but bitching about the attitudes might. This ain't no clique, no exclusive club, or anything, just games that SNK believed in. I think if we all started appreciating the products instead of sometimes just trying to turn profits off of them, it would be a lot better experience for everybody. Maybe SNK's vision of people wanting quality over quantity could come to be a reality after all.
*stepping down from the soap box*
Thanks,
-Lou-
