Why do video games become "extinct" quickly?

That seems like too powerful a word to use, but why is it that games only last for about a year or two before they're pulled off the shelves? I'm talking about third party naturally, where all the hidden gems are.

Heck, they don't have to be the hidden gem variety.

A game released in 2006 has no chance of appearing in stores now. A DVD of a movie like I don't know, Casablanca can be seen easily. Compare 4 years to 40 years. Goodness gracious.

I mean come on, is it really just because of extreme video game cost that titles disappear so quickly?

What if someone wanted to buy an old ps2 game? What's the point of a cheap console if it has no games? $100 isn't a steal if all the great games released between 2001-2005 aren't available.

What if someone wants to buy Xenosaga episode 3? What if someone wants to purchase Phoenix Wright for the DS, the first game in the trilogy and have a complete collection?

Now, what I'm wondering about is how gamers don't find this an issue, despite the valid reasons as to why it happens. Video games are expensive, and most gamers won't have all that money when a game releases. So... it isn't too strange to wait years on end for whatever reason.

I was thinking about going off on a tangent and talking about the benefits of digital download (where the game lasts forever) but I think I'll save that for another time so my topic doesn't get too sidetracked.

Heh, before I read your second post I was going to say that DD solves this problem, since it will be easier for a customer to sort by genre, player/critic reviews, and reccomendations. So shelf-space and visibility become non-factors.

The simple answer is that if a game doesn't sell, a store isn't going to waste shelf-space on it. And 3rd party games are especially vulnerable simply because they don't sell as well, compared to games made by the big names. And stores are always going to make room for newer games, and its the older games that will be the first to go.

One reason may be that hardware changes so much. You can go and buy/rent Casablanca because it will play in any VCR/DVD player. Can't say the same for Mega Man 3. And because games are a "right now" thing, there's no room for older stuff on shelves that may or may not sell.

But games aren't the only ones suffering from this. I still have a mini-disc player and can't discs at retail.

Yes but the PS2 is still around. I'm talking about a case of simply 10 years, not something from the days of the Atari 2600.

Although... now that I think about it video games are still relatively new, and if the big companies are to be believed, this gen is going to stick around a lot longer than usual.

It could be a simple case of the video game industry being young, and we might see changes along the way, but isn't it better to take the first step now?

The company removes the game from the market as soon as it stops making profit. If you're looking for something like xenosaga (i just did) or other old games, go to ebay.

The company removes the game from the market as soon as it stops making profit. If you're looking for something like xenosaga (i just did) or other old games, go to ebay.

Andreas2402

Isn't that kinda bad, though? Wouldn't it be nice if you could go to your local game store and buy a copy of Xenosaga without much hassle?

Half price books, a place where video games go to die. You can get plenty of new "yesterday's games" at half price books or similar stores.

Plus, your logic is kind of flawed. Casablanca is a ****c movie, how many true ****c video games are there that don't get old with time?
They still sell WOW on the shelves and that game is 6 years old.

NOTE: WTF you can't say "C L A S S I C" on this forum?????

Two reasons I can think of. One, games are currently evolving too fast. A game from 4 years ago might look, to most people "horribly outdated". Compared to a movie, or CD from about 30 years ago can be looked at by some people has the greatest film of all time. You have to remember, Video Games are still a new medium.

The other thing is the risk. Video games are expensive, and a game from a year ago is expected to be half or more off than something brand new. So if you have a game sitting on the shelves for many years, it's just going to lose money for the store. As with a movie, which seems to be less of a risk because its, brand new about 1/3rd the price of a game. And then a year later, probably just a few dollars less.

I'm guessing there's the legal aspect to it. A company could easily make a "reduced" package version of a game, but perhaps the royalties they must pay don't make it worth it. Though you'd think that, with the internet and all, that a company could press their own games and sell them at reduced cost. So yeah, it must be what sony, microsoft, and nintendo charge these companies to even let them release games on their systems, no?

You can still buy a brand new copy of Halo 2 for $20 off Amazon. Your question of "Why can I buy Casablanca right now, but not Phoenix Wright" made me literally laugh out loud. Games cost more to print than DVDs, including all factors of what it costs to keep the factory operating and etc. DVDs also produce more pure profit than video games, and are also a stronger market (Gross DVD sales in USD always trump video game sales). In the end, it boils down to demand. If not enough people want the game to make enough revenue to outweigh the cost of sale and production, why do so? The company's not going to keep a game in print at their own expense for the sake of those who haven't played it yet, in the same way that you wouldn't pay more for a game than the lowest price you found just to help out the company (if that was even an option). There's a reason Halo 2 is still in print, it still sells. It's just business.

A game makes the majority of its profits in the first months of release. After a year or so most people are buying used copies of the game which the developer sees no profit from. If the game is a big hit on the 360 or ps3 it will be made a platinum hit and a reduced price around the same as a used copy. But in general since everyone is buying used copies of games after a year of release companies don't see a great incentive to continue producing games in great supply. However if you looking for a copy of an older, hard to find game you can always go to a place like gamestop or the internet to find it.Diablo-B