There’s something that’s always bothered me about gamers, and even though I’m probably not going to be very popular after saying this, I think we all need to have a little discussion; It’s time that we all stop complaining about the price of video games.
Sure, $60 might be a little speedy if you don’t have a job, or plan to purchase every single title on the market, but the cost-benefit ratio is pretty spectacular when you consider how many hours you’ll probably spend behind the control pad. Obviously, not every game has the same replay value that Black Ops 2 and Skyrim possess, so you may have to do a little research before breaking out your credit card. But that doesn’t mean that you’re getting ripped off.
The reason that I’m bothered so much by this particular gamer complaint has to do with the precarious nature of the industry. Running a development studio is a risky business, because the initial investment is significant and there’s no promise that a title will be successful. Unless your name is Activision and you’re releasing a Call of Duty title.
In 2012, nearly 30 studios either declared bankruptcy or closed their doors. So, for these companies, complaints about price were probably a little disparaging. Even the success of THQ’s Humble Bundle couldn’t save the company from bankruptcy, and they’ve historically been one of the more successful developers on earth.
Here’s a list of developers, just in case you want to dramatically spend a moment in silence for each of them:
4mm Games
38 Studios
BigBig Studios
Big Huge Games
Black Hole Entertainment
Bright Light
Dark Energy Digital
EA Bright Light
Fliptrack
Fundex
Game Group
HB Studios Halifax
Hogrocket
Hudson Soft
ImaginEngine
Legends of Pegasus: Novacore Studios
Monumental Games
Multiverse Network
OnLive
Paragon
Rockstar Vancouver
Sony Liverpool
Spellbound Entertainment
THQ
THQ San Diego
Ubisoft Vancouver
Zipper Interactive
The saddest part about this list is that I’m sure it’s incomplete. Many smaller studios come and go with very little fanfare. These are just the studios that made their way into the news.
 | By Josh Engen News Director Date: January 11, 2013 |