Bandai claims N-G development costs will skyrocket

[*NormalGamer*]

www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=11640

Bandai claims next generation development costs will skyrocket

Paul Loughrey 12:03 20/09/2005

USD 9 million quoted as benchmark for new console titles

Speaking to Bloomberg at the Tokyo Games Show, managing director of Bandai, Shin Onozawa, said that development costs for next generation consoles will soar way above the costs on current generation software titles.

According to Onozawa, the investment needed to develop a title on Xbox 360 and PS3 could skyrocket to 1 billion Yen (7.3 million Euro). A figure drastically higher than the current development costs, which range between 100 million Yen (738,000 Euro) to 500 million Yen (3.6 million Euro).

Figures supplied voluntarily by publishers for a recent report by The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) appear contrary to Onozawa's statement however, with average development costs across most systems substantially below his lowest figure of 100 million Yen.

Only the 13 Xbox titles in the survey revealed an average cost of 202 million Yen (1.5 million Euro), whilst PS2 and GameCube developments costs trailed behind at an average of 96 million Yen (708,000 Euro) and 90 million Yen (660,000 Euro) respectively.

Onozawa claimed that Bandai's forthcoming merger with Namco should cut the development costs by around 20 percent, though he gave no indication as to when this might happen. Speaking to Bloomberg, Onozawa stated: "Costs will begin to fall a year or so after the consoles are released and game makers get used to the systems."

Consumers are expected to see an increase of approximately USD 10 (8 Euro) on the cost of software when the Xbox 360 is launched at the end of the year.

[Jason-RN]

Nintendo's trying pretty hard to make Revolution game development affordable for small companies. Hopefully that means it won't cost one billion Yen to make a Rev game.

[Pilgrim John]

I have read somewhere that the Revolution WILL be the most affordable console of the next gens, with PS3 being the most expensive (Go figure). This includes consoles AND games; the Rev's games will stay 50 dollars while the X360 and PS3 games will probably end up being as pricey as Superman 64 (70 dollars).
As for the downloadable games, speculations are that the prices will depend on how popular the game is. For example, the original Super Mario might go for 40 bucks, while lesser-liked NES/SNES/N64 titles, like Pinball, Popeye (Yes, Nintendo made a Popeye game), and Ice Climber might go as low as 15 bucks.
Also regarding the DGs, I hope Nintendo provides never-before translated games, like Kuru Kuru Kururin and Doshin the Giant. And if third parties would include some of their classics (Both translated and untranslated), the Rev would probably have no need for launch titles. Think of it: Capcom put Resident Evil 2 on N64, and if they decide to put their older Nintendo games up for download, we'd be playing a newer, updated edition of RE2, not to mention other classics... Castlevania 3, Bionic Commando, Metal Gear, and perhaps even the never-ever-EVER-released-in-America Japanese cult classic, Clock Tower: The First Fear (Super Famicom, 1995).
I dunno about you guys, but I can't wait.

[Jason-RN]

zer0 said:

As for the downloadable games, speculations are that the prices will depend on how popular the game is. For example, the original Super Mario might go for 40 bucks, while lesser-liked NES/SNES/N64 titles, like Pinball, Popeye (Yes, Nintendo made a Popeye game), and Ice Climber might go as low as 15 bucks.

I think those prices are way too high. Keep in mind that people will be buying an old game without a box, manual or physical cartridge/disc. So, I think we might see game prices range from $5 to $10. $40 for a copy of Super Mario Bros. (NES) is a complete rip-off.