Bioware thinks I'm a Punk

So, Bioware just announced today that they are going to have an Ultimate Edition of Dragon Age Origins that includes Origins, Awakenings, and all the DLC. Now normally I would be all okay with this because companies do something similar all the time. See GOTY editions. What I'm concerned about is a feeling that Bioware is screwing over their fans. They are basically selling for $50 what the fans that were ecstatic day one spent roughly $150 or more on. The costs are higher if you are playing on console. I love Bioware to death but they've made me realize that its not worth it to buy games day one anymore. As much as I love playing the current and new stuff if the companies don't care about their true fans that fork out the big bucks, I wont worry about their games so much. 

So, Bioware just announced today that they are going to have an Ultimate Edition of Dragon Age Origins that includes Origins, Awakenings, and all the DLC. Now normally I would be all okay with this because companies do something similar all the time. See GOTY editions. What I'm concerned about is a feeling that Bioware is screwing over their fans. They are basically selling for $50 what the fans that were ecstatic day one spent roughly $150 or more on. The costs are higher if you are playing on console. I love Bioware to death but they've made me realize that its not worth it to buy games day one anymore. As much as I love playing the current and new stuff if the companies don't care about their true fans that fork out the big bucks, I wont worry about their games so much. 

So games cost less if you don't get them day one?
 
PREPOSTEROUS

What, so games should be really cheap for early adopters and then get more expensive as some sort of bullshit 'reward'? Any model except the existing one would be silly. The idea is that the value of the game depreciates over time, and so they have to lower the price and bundle in extra stuff to boost the perceived value.

" So, Bioware just announced today that they are going to have an Ultimate Edition of Dragon Age Origins that includes Origins, Awakenings, and all the DLC. Now normally I would be all okay with this because companies do something similar all the time. See GOTY editions. What I'm concerned about is a feeling that Bioware is screwing over their fans. They are basically selling for $50 what the fans that were ecstatic day one spent roughly $150 or more on. The costs are higher if you are playing on console. I love Bioware to death but they've made me realize that its not worth it to buy games day one anymore. As much as I love playing the current and new stuff if the companies don't care about their true fans that fork out the big bucks, I wont worry about their games so much.  "

This kind of specifically engineered price drop has happened plenty of times before with all sorts of goods and services, not just games. You kind of have to accept when you buy something immediately after it becomes available that there may be a considerable drop in price in the future, I don't think Bioware should be criticised for making Dragon Age and all its DLC more accessible to people.

I completely agree with you. If you can hold off the purchase, it will only do you benefit. (not like pre-order bonusses are worth a damn, yay a new skin for my gun! >.>) "

I kinda sympathize which your frustration but that trend has been going on for quite a while and it won't be stopping any time soon. The purpose of those GOTY/Deluxe editions is to bring new people to the franchise that would otherwise be uninterested in the game. I agree with you that buying games on day one is becoming less less...ummm...worthwhile but I guess it's the price you pay for being an early adopter. Ultimately it's up to you to decide whether you will buy the game on day one or not. What developers can do is somehow show their thanks for the gamers that did buy the game when it came out and therefore made it a success. With the way EA  are handling new copies and the new way they implemented in dealing with DLC it's more within their power to somehow give something back to the gamers but as before it's up to them not us. 

" @TaliciaDragonsong said:

I completely agree with you. If you can hold off the purchase, it will only do you benefit. (not like pre-order bonusses are worth a damn, yay a new skin for my gun! >.>) "

You seem to forget that if you buy it earlier you get to play it earlier.  I mean, the smart thing to do would be to not spend any money on games at all. Doesn't mean you should do it. "

Bioware also thinks that you're an imbecile. Hence the Wheel Dialog System.

"You're understanding me wrong. Like I said "If you can hold off the purchase'" then in terms of money (like the OP was talking about, full price games and goty versions and all that) you'd get an advantage. Games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect however, I cannot wait to play and I've gotta play them as soon as possible. Doesn't mean I don't feel cheated when they bundle up everything again for 1/3rd of the total price! "

ohmygoodgod
 
 
 
shocking.

Well... if you like the developer, are excited enough for the game, etc... you'd probably get it day one.
If you don't... if you can wait... you'll probably wait for a price drop, or a goty edition.
Fallout 3 had tons of DLC, if you added up individual prices it would have been well over the price of the goty edition when it released.
Same with Borderlands.

 I think what I'm really getting at is that many times what the game sells when it first comes out is the determining factor on if another one gets made. I know that things depreciate with time but dang has it been a year since Awakenings yet? I'm all for GOTY editions I get them, I guess my head just exploded when I saw what you get for the price considering what I paid for the exact same thing. (I guess minus the spoilers) 

Shame that 80% of the DLC was also terrible.

" @TaliciaDragonsong said:

"You're understanding me wrong. Like I said "If you can hold off the purchase'" then in terms of money (like the OP was talking about, full price games and goty versions and all that) you'd get an advantage. Games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect however, I cannot wait to play and I've gotta play them as soon as possible. Doesn't mean I don't feel cheated when they bundle up everything again for 1/3rd of the total price! "

No, I understood what you meant.   However my point was that having the game early has it's own value, is it comparable to what you lose money-wise for not waiting? That's up to you to decide. Therefore you don't really have any reason to feel cheated especially since it's common knowledge that games get cheaper, it's how the system works. "

But you've gotta admit... getting cheating into spending more money than some people will down the road hurts... regardless of awesome it is to play something as soon as the market will allow us. "

It's all about smart shopping. If you're capable of waiting on a game that you know will have DLC, then wait for the GotY edition. I've done that with a couple of games so far. Now I'm going to do that with the rest. If, after a year or two, I don't notice a GotY edition, then I'll just buy the regular game. By that time the game would have dropped in price significantly. Unless you're Activision, then somehow the game will never drop in price.

" @TaliciaDragonsong said:

"You're understanding me wrong. Like I said "If you can hold off the purchase'" then in terms of money (like the OP was talking about, full price games and goty versions and all that) you'd get an advantage. Games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect however, I cannot wait to play and I've gotta play them as soon as possible. Doesn't mean I don't feel cheated when they bundle up everything again for 1/3rd of the total price! "

No, I understood what you meant.   However my point was that having the game early has it's own value, is it comparable to what you lose money-wise for not waiting? That's up to you to decide. Therefore you don't really have any reason to feel cheated especially since it's common knowledge that games get cheaper, it's how the system works. "

I once bought this video card for $300. 
A year later people were buying it for $200. 
YO WTF?!

There was one time when I came across a game I had already played selling cheaper than I got it for, and I thought "Damn. Maybe I should have waited, so I could get it cheaper." But then I realized, "I already played and beat this game. If I hadn't bought it previously I wouldn't have done that yet." So really, you have to consider, do you really want it now? If so, go ahead and buy it now. If not, you can wait for the price to drop.

I think you are being a bit too harsh... this is how the world works.
 
I wouldn't take it as them not being loyal... what do you want them to do? Put their games at 30$ when they come out when everyone else has their games at 70$? They are still an industry and the world revolves around money and that's what they are interested. Now I still believe they care about their fans. You have to be a bit logical... this is how things work.
 
Things always come out less expensive when you buy them in bunches so basically that is what's happening here. Wait, buy everything together = cheaper. Simple as that... so don't be hating on Bioware. This is just life.

That's why I always wait for GOTY deals and such. I don't have time to keep up with all the new releases anyway so I might as well wait and pick them up when they're cheap (and bundled together with expansions/DLC/stuff).