Virtual Scarcity
As an avid user of nearly all things digital, virtual scarcity is something very important to me. With physical goods, there are only so many of an item that can be created, but there is no practical limit for corresponding digital goods.
How, then, do we value such an item? Directly corresponding to how much it costs to create, perhaps? Then a tiny indie game should be basically free in comparison the the multi-million dollar price of developing major AAA games. Perhaps that is inverted - should expensively created games cost hundreds of dollars?
Then, of course, there is the issue of volume. If it costs 100 million dollars to create a game, but you sell that many copies, then each should only cost a few dollars at most. How can you possibly price accurately?
Rather, the high price tag remains throughout much of the life of many games, software, movies and other digital goods.
Also to be considered is so-called "abandonware", whereby a company has ceased all production of any particular item, and so people resort to piracy as the only means to obtain it. Do original developers have the right to sit on a work forever, not letting it be sold for profit, but also not allowing anyone else to even see it?
I offer no permanent solution. Every case is tricky, unique, and may involve other factors, such as licensed code, music, or divisions between developers. Merely these are the thoughts I've had over many years as an avid Internet user.
How, then, do we value such an item? Directly corresponding to how much it costs to create, perhaps? Then a tiny indie game should be basically free in comparison the the multi-million dollar price of developing major AAA games. Perhaps that is inverted - should expensively created games cost hundreds of dollars?
Then, of course, there is the issue of volume. If it costs 100 million dollars to create a game, but you sell that many copies, then each should only cost a few dollars at most. How can you possibly price accurately?
Rather, the high price tag remains throughout much of the life of many games, software, movies and other digital goods.
Also to be considered is so-called "abandonware", whereby a company has ceased all production of any particular item, and so people resort to piracy as the only means to obtain it. Do original developers have the right to sit on a work forever, not letting it be sold for profit, but also not allowing anyone else to even see it?
I offer no permanent solution. Every case is tricky, unique, and may involve other factors, such as licensed code, music, or divisions between developers. Merely these are the thoughts I've had over many years as an avid Internet user.
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