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Ubisoft Blatantly Charges More For Digital Games Than Physical Games

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Ubisoft digital games more expensive than physical Assassin's Creed Unity

Ubisoft is one of those companies that inexplicably charges more for the digital copies of their games long after the physical price has dropped. While the physical and digital copies are usually the same on release, games sold at retail will often see their prices drop significantly over the next few months while the digital copies will remain at their original $50-$60 price. A couple of Ubisoft execs have explained the logic behind that system, and it’s basically “screw you, we want your money.”

A perfect example of this price difference is Assassin’s Creed Unity. While it’s still at full price on the Playstation Store at $60 in America (and a whopping $99 in Australia), I was easily able to find the PS4 game on Amazon for a mere $20. During a Q&A at a post-earnings conference for investors, Ubisoft was asked about this price discrepancy.

“Digital is more reactive than what we put in stores, but at the same time, it doesn’t react as fast on consoles than it does on PC,” CEO Yves Guillemot said. “What we can say is that when games are older than one year, digital is a lot more dynamic on console because there are less units in stores. It’s a new business, a new trend, and we think all this will get more in line with time, but for sure, at the moment you see all sorts of prices depending on who is doing a promotion for that specific week.”

Once you cut through the business-speech, Guillemot is basically saying that, unlike retail stores, a digital store doesn’t need to move units to clear shelf space. Which means they can charge whatever outrageous prices they like. And when he’s speaking about it as a trend, he’s basically saying that Ubisoft is waiting for physical retail to die so people have no choice but to pay Ubisoft’s asking price.

CFO Alain Martinez also chimed in. “On digital we will not sell for a lower price compared to physical. After a few weeks or few months things can change, and as Yves has been saying, sometimes you might have a promotion on Amazon [but] not on GameStop, but we can also react on the digital side.

“We are actually more aggressive on the PC side where digital is very, very strong. We tend to be more conservative on the digital side for more console and more flexible on PC.”

While that might all sound bad (and it does), Ubisoft is hardly the only company to do this. Nintendo may be the worst. They charge ridiculously high prices for their digital games on the eShop not just because they want the immediate profit, but also because they want to avoid lowering the value of their games in the eyes of consumers.

The lesson here is to never buy directly from a publisher’s store. Go through a third party retailer to avoid being ripped off.

Thanks, Gamestop.

Rhiannon likes video games and she likes writing, so she decided to combine them. As well as writing about video games, she also belts out the occasional science fiction or fantasy story, edits videos, and eats strawberry oreos. In that order.

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Sony is reportedly engaged in discussions to form a partnership for a potential bid on Paramount

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There hasn’t been much buzz lately about any new acquisitions in the world of video game intellectual property. According to a recent report, Sony is currently engaged in discussions with a well-funded partner to potentially acquire the renowned film studio Paramount, along with all the exciting possibilities that come with such a merger.

As reported in the New York Times (thanks, ResetEra), Sony Picture Entertainment is reportedly in discussions with Apollo Global Management, an investment firm, as per two sources familiar with the matter. In the past, Apollo had made an offer to acquire Paramount for a minimum of $26 billion, but their bid was ultimately turned down.

The terms of the joint bid are currently under discussion, and there is a chance that the two parties may decide against making a formal offer. Unnamed sources have revealed that Paramount is currently in exclusive discussions with Skydance, preventing any official offer from being made at this time. Investor opposition to the recent deal that Skydance brought seems to have been significant.

The potential impact of such an acquisition is immense. First and foremost, it would introduce adaptations of Sonic and Halo into the expanding media empire of the PlayStation platform holder. Following the announcement, Paramount’s stock experienced a significant 11% surge in after-hours trading.

What are your thoughts on the news? Is there a possibility of Sony acquiring Paramount? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Helldivers 2 Players Face Overwhelming Hordes of Factory Striders

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In the ongoing conflict against the Automaton invasion fleet, the Helldivers 2 players have successfully halted their advance. However, the situation has now reached a tiresome stalemate. Yet again, the machines refuse to take a break from their relentless pursuit of progress, with reports emerging of the Factory Striders being deployed in record-breaking quantities.

There have been reports of alleged machines that were supposedly encountered during Operation Swift Disassembly, which was just the beginning of a larger campaign. However, these accounts should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are unverified and seem to be more on the imaginative side. Factory Striders have gained a reputation as formidable weapons platforms that can produce more Automatons while enduring significant damage. If the machines are able to withstand such a relentless assault, it will be necessary to develop innovative strategies.

Have you come across groups of Factory Striders in Helldivers 2? Which strategies are proving to be the most effective in taking down these armored brutes? The Orbital Railcannon Strike will prove to be a valuable asset in the comments section below.

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Todd Howard affirms that the timeline of the Fallout series is coherent and well-constructed

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The recent release of Amazon’s adaptation of Fallout has ignited a renewed interest in the series and brought attention to the captivating alternate history that forms its foundation. Fans have expressed concern that the TV show’s events might be at odds with the plot of the Obsidian Entertainment video game New Vegas. Warning: Spoilers ahead for New Vegas and Amazon’s show!

Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard and Fallout TV executive producer Jonathan Nolan recently sat down with IGN to discuss the timeline. Howard was taken aback when showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet presented him with the surprising concept of obliterating Shady Sands, the bustling capital of the New California Republic, in the aftermath of the events in New Vegas. Howard eventually warmed up to the idea: “After discussing it, we realized that this could be a significant story moment that many things hinge upon.”

It seems that they had to make some tough decisions to ensure everything fell into place, but Howard emphasizes the importance of preserving the integrity of the Fallout timeline: “We take great care with the timeline. There seems to be some confusion in certain areas. However, all the events from the previous games, including New Vegas, did occur. We take great caution in that matter. We’re really pushing the limits here, but the explosions occur right after the events of New Vegas.

What are your thoughts on this? Is it up to par? Even though it may not have a significant impact on the overall quality of the games or show, it is comforting to know that those in charge are paying attention. We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

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