A Price Too Low?

[Omnius]

Interesting that PoN will be offered for $20 or 20 Euros. This looks like a big gamble and I hope that AGEOD does not get burned offering a game way too cheaply. I do remember back in the mid 80's when the Peachtree Accounting software went from $4,800 to $250 and they certainly sold a lot more units and gained more market share that way, but then they had to compete with other accounting programs that were coming out with cheap pricing.

The business problem I see as an anal beancounter is that by offering such an extensive new game like PoN for way too cheap is that AGEOD is setting a dangerous precedent. Customers will then expect all their games to come out really cheap afterwards. While AGEOD may sell more units will AGEOD actually profit from this game? Will a bunch of new customers buy PoN very early on while it is still very buggy and then get turned off by all the bugs, thus wiping out those new customer gains as they decide to not buy another AGEOD offering?

I would have been quite happy with less of a discount, like around the $40 or 40 Euro mark. I would also not quibble about paying an extra $5 for a boxed version over a mere download. The problem with cutting the price in half or more is that it will take more than double the sales to make the same net profit. One has to look at the Gross Profit, sales less direct costs of production and sales, to see how much more than double the units sold needs to be sold to reach the same Net Profit.

I'm not too sure how this vastly reduced pricing will work out for AGEOD but I hope it turns out well. At $20 I'll probably order early on just to snag that cheap, cheap pricing before the powers that be wake up to the reality of business. Then I'll shelve it for a year or two before playing after a few patches come out and the game is less buggy and frustrating to play.

I keep thinking of the Borders bookstore chain here in the USA which just filed for bankruptcy, they pretty much discounted themselves into bankruptcy by giving out way too many discount coupons. Now they've cut way back on offering discount coupons as they struggle to get out of bankruptcy and back into profitability. I hope that this greatly reduced pricing experiment doesn't blow up in AGEOD's face, only time will tell.

[Generalisimo]

Paradox France (aka AGEOD ) is the developer of the game, Paradox Interactive is the enterprise in charge of distributing and selling the game to you customers...
So, PI are the ones that put the price they think it is reasonable to recover the money they invested in the game... it is as simple as that.

[Omnius]

Generalisimo,
Actually AGEOD is not Paradox France as AGEOD came into existence before they decided to allow Paradox Interactive to market their products. If you recall AGEOD used to use Matrix as their large distributor before switching to Paradox. I just hope that PI's dubious and risky pricing strategy doesn't blow up in AGEOD's face.

A real shame that we can't find AGEOD games in stores. I happened upon BoA and AGEOD because I saw BoA in a store near me and liked what I saw about the game's features, especially the WEGO turn resolution. I can't believe that the whole computer wargame industry turned away from selling their games in stores, but then stores got greedy by selling shelf space and forcing companies to put out games way before they were ready because the game companies couldn't waste their money buying shelf space then not having their product on the shelfs when they have rented the space.

One should never underestimate the power of impulse buying and I sure wish computer wargame distributors get back to selling games the old fashoined way - in stores. I absolutely hate buying anything over the internet and I've purchased far fewer games because that's what we're forced to do now.

[Spharv2]

Generalisimo,
Actually AGEOD is not Paradox France as AGEOD came into existence before they decided to allow Paradox Interactive to market their products. If you recall AGEOD used to use Matrix as their large distributor before switching to Paradox. I just hope that PI's dubious and risky pricing strategy doesn't blow up in AGEOD's face.

Generalisimo knows what he's talking about. AGEOD IS Paradox France, and Paradox DOES set the pricing. That happened when Paradox shelled out the money to make the purchase. If you want to question the pricing structure, it should properly go on the Paradox forums where the people who deal with it can answer (Though there have already been some threads on it). Believe me, you're not the only person to question their pricing policy.

[Adlertag]

Believe me, you're not the only person to question their pricing policy.

Indeed .
Now that the price is definitely set, we hope all that they will sell a maximum of this excellent upcoming game.

[Generalisimo]

Generalisimo knows what he's talking about. AGEOD IS Paradox France, and Paradox DOES set the pricing. That happened when Paradox shelled out the money to make the purchase. If you want to question the pricing structure, it should properly go on the Paradox forums where the people who deal with it can answer (Though there have already been some threads on it). Believe me, you're not the only person to question their pricing policy.

I have nothing more to say than what Spharv2 already said...

[hgilmer]

Amazing! People complaining that the price is too low! Did you ever think to see the day that happened?

[Respenus]

Personally, I think this is just an evil ploy by Paradox. By setting the price so low, they knew that we would question it and the damage it might cause to AgeOD, so in order to compensate, we will all buy at least 2 copies, as to provide stable profit to the developers. I must say, propaganda at its finest. Those who weren't sure will buy it because of the cheap price, the rest will buy several of them. And so the money wheel turns and turns and turns...

[ashandresash]

we will all buy at least 2 copies, as to provide stable profit to the developers.

I'm pretty sure I'll gift this game to a friend. He needs to meet a better strategy he's used to (Civilization and so), and PON seems a wonderful way of getting this.

And it's already a chance of making MP easier with your regulars.

[OneArmedMexican]

Amazing! People complaining that the price is too low! Did you ever think to see the day that happened?

My thoughts exactly. It says a lot about AGEOD and the loyalty of its fans.

Another thing: I haven't seen any of those crazed posts full of exaggerated negativism that flood forums prior to the game launch of bigger franchises.

[gekkoguy82]

$20 = me buying the game when it comes out as opposed to waiting a year or more for the price to drop into my price range. I love it

[vonRocko]

$20 = me buying the game when it comes out as opposed to waiting a year or more for the price to drop into my price range

It's still a paradix game, we'll have to wait a year before it works right anyway!

[Omnius]

vonRocko,
Well said! That's why I'd opt for an early purchase of PoN but would wait a year or better two before ever bothering to play. To me the great Paradox is why Paradox is still in business as it seems to put out some real trash for games, the AGEOD games being the exception except now Paradox rushes them out the door because all it cares about is the money.

To me the worst thing to happen to the computer wargame industry has been Paradox, Matrix and the thankfully defunct Talonsoft. Too many independent computer wargame companies have sold out to these marketing monstrosities who add little but take too much for their dubious contributions.

I just hope that AGEOD survives the relationship, especially when Paradox is forcing AGEOD to sell a product way too cheaply. It's obvious that the players who comment about liking the way too low low price of PoN only care about themselves and not the financial well being of AGEOD. I love getting a good discount but I also know when a deal sounds to good to be true that it usually is. As the saying goes you get what you pay for.

[Generalisimo]

It's still a paradix game, we'll have to wait a year before it works right anyway!

As a customer, you can wait whatever you want... repeating that all around the forum will not change that.
But I supose you want to see the Phils living from charity or getting a job in Microsoft or any other software company instead of making games...

[Generalisimo]

I just hope that AGEOD survives the relationship, especially when Paradox is forcing AGEOD to sell a product way too cheaply. It's obvious that the players who comment about liking the way too low low price of PoN only care about themselves and not the financial well being of AGEOD. I love getting a good discount but I also know when a deal sounds to good to be true that it usually is. As the saying goes you get what you pay for.

You still fail to see the relation

[IRONY ON]I supose it is the same case of Magicka, a game also distributed by Paradox, that has been in the best sellers list of Steam games since its release... at just $10... they surelly want to close that Studio too!! [IRONY OFF]

[vonRocko]

As a customer, you can wait whatever you want... repeating that all around the forum will not change that.
But I supose you want to see the Phils living from charity or getting a job in Microsoft or any other software company instead of making games...

I'll comment on whatever I like Generalisimo. The "Phils" sold their souls to paradix. I wish the best for Ageod, but when they associate themselves with lieing crooks (paradix), then they just don't shine as much as they did before. I can pretty much predict the patching process of paradix releases, and I know that about a year is going to be needed before this complex game runs right. I'll bet on it! Don't worry Generalisimo, I'll be here to comment on every bug after paradix releases it half finished! By the way, I own every Ageod game, so yes I'm interested in their success.

[Adlertag]

I'll be here to comment on every bug after paradix releases it half finished! By the way, I own every Ageod game, so yes I'm interested in their success.

Sorry, I don't see the coherence in your sentence; how could you be interested in their success and at the same time take every opportunity to point out every problem or bugs you will encounter when playing their game ?

I think it's not fair to think of Paradox every time you see the word "Ageod" now.
Ageod's team don't live with Paradox guys, you know; they think by their own, make the game like they want and will do a game 100% Ageod.

[OneArmedMexican]

I can pretty much predict the patching process of paradix releases, and I know that about a year is going to be needed before this complex game runs right. I'll bet on it! Don't worry Generalisimo, I'll be here to comment on every bug after paradix releases it half finished! By the way, I own every Ageod game, so yes I'm interested in their success.

Yes, AGE games usually have hit the market with some bugs. But I have yet to encounter the AGE game that wasn't fun from the get go.

Also, AGEOD has a track record of long term customer support. They seem to really care about making their fans happy. I haven't gotten the impression that this has changed since they joined Paradox.

It's still a paradix game, we'll have to wait a year before it works right anyway!

Take a look at the latest AGE releases, RoP and RUS (which was made by an independent team): RoP has become virtually bug free very quickly, so has RUS. In both cases it didn't take a year, but rather two or three months.

[ERISS]

Ageod's team think by their own, make the game like they want and will do a game 100% Ageod.

If Paradox wants to. Already, I think Paradox' marketing changed VgoN name to PoN, maybe it has changed the price too.
As Paradox wants good selling games, it has to not infuriate its devs and let them work. So Ageod should make games 95% as they want.

[Generalisimo]

If Paradox wants to. Already, I think Paradox' marketing changed VgoN name to PoN, maybe it has changed the price too.
As Paradox wants good selling games, it has to not infuriate its devs and let them work. So Ageod should make games 95% as they want.

AGEOD/Paradox France does the game like they want, because they are the designers of the Game Core Mechanisms.
The distribution of the game, the advertisement, the name, the price, etc are part of the tasks that Paradox must do because of being the distributor/owner of the game... it is their decision to make more money out of it in the way they want.
So, complaining about their decisions without any real number to demonstrate they are wrong... it just doesn't have sense to me.
If later we see that Paradox failed to recover the money they invested in the game because of selling the game "too cheap"... we can discuss that all we want... but discussing this BEFORE it happens, without any real data that demonstrates that... I really don't understand it.

[Generalisimo]

....

You can think whatever you want, you are free to have your own opinion... but remember, this is the AGEOD/Paradox France forum, so, some rules apply in here... before you post whatever comes to your mind, think about the consequences first.

[Franciscus]

AGEOD/Paradox France does the game like they want, because they are the designers of the Game Core Mechanisms.
The distribution of the game, the advertisement, the name, the price, etc are part of the tasks that Paradox must do because of being the distributor/owner of the game...

A question, if I may: is Paradox (not Paradox France ) involved in the QA/beta testing of the game ?

[PhilThib]

The Beta testing is held on the Paradox Forum, in a private forum, with a large beta team (of which a good majority is coming from the AGEOD forum )

[thesecretary]

I have a question: Are the same people involved in PON as those who have been involved in ROP and RUS, both games I have and cannot and don't want to stop playing.

Price doesn't matter to me if it is as good, and surely if it is the same people are involved then they know what bugs to be aware of.


Guys thanks for all your hard work

[PhilThib]

Yes, we did Rise of Prussia (and all other previous games too). RUS was made by another team, but it uses the same engine as well

[thesecretary]

Thank you Phillippe, I will be buying it as soon as it comes out whatever the price . Do you have an input to the price it is sold at or is that left to sales people at paradox?

[Jayavarman]

With Vicky2 recently released, 20 is a good price point for PoN's entrance.

[gekkoguy82]

I could be wrong, but perhaps this price will be good to introduce folks to the awesomeness that is AGEOD, who otherwise may not have given a shot to the game. Frankly, I think Paradox is wise to have added such an excellent company to their stable of developers/companies, and it should serve to improve their image among the gaming community. They've clearly done their homework


Forgive me for the Charlie Sheen reference, but AGEOD = "winning"

[Pocus]

We are content with the decision anyway, seriously. Many Paradoxians forumites (I like to create words) will not hesitate to buy a game at 20 euros, whereas they would have if at a higher price. And even if labelled Ageod - Paradox France. They are very loyal to what is produced in Sweden overall (same can be said by people at Matrix who like to buy at Matrix, etc. nothing wrong here).