Red Dead Redemption port to PS4 and Switch price “fair” despite lack of “remaster”
Red Dead Redemption for Switch and PlayStation 4 sparks debate over its $50 price point, with many expressing disappointment that the Rockstar adventure isn’t a remaster or remake, but a straightforward port. In many cases, the common refrain is that the old game should be cheaper, considering the availability and low cost of the original versions. However, others defend the price, stating that it’s fair for a game that required effort to port, and that people will still buy it – even at $50.
The removal of multiplayer features in the port is seen as a negative by some, while others insist it’s a positive since they never played the original anyway. Some users express frustration with Rockstar for the pricing decision, while others shift the blame to Take-Two.
The debate over terminology, such as remaster and port, arises, with users arguing for the correct usage (I personally favour the term remaster, since it implies a bit more effort than port). A humorous comment about porting Tears of the Kingdom to PC using an emulator adds a lighthearted touch.
The ratio of likes to dislikes on the release trailer (at the time of this writing) is mentioned as an indication of dissatisfaction with the pricing decision. Some users argue that the dislike button isn’t meant for disliking a game – it’s for disliking a decision by the company.
Others discuss the importance of forming your own opinion rather than being swayed by Reddit’s “circle jerk,” or the “echo chamber” as it’s sometimes called.
The anti-consumer nature of the $50 price point is emphasized by some, with comparisons to other games that have been heavily criticized for their pricing (e.g. a decades-old Pokémon game being sold at full price). The argument that Nintendo games tend to be more expensive is brought up, and leads to a discussion on the criticism of Nintendo’s pricing.
“Yeah but Rockstar would price the game based on what people are willing to pay,” one user responds. Another adds, “Nintendo games are expensive but they are different because they are new games, not ports.”
That’s debatable, and it depends on whether you consider Red Dead Redemption to be a new game or a port, but it’s clear that Rockstar is charging what it thinks people will pay. The fact that the company would price a decades-old game at full price if it could is also brought up, with a reference to the recent price hike of Pokémon Crystal.
“Rockstar is a company and they are going to price the game based on what they think people will pay,” another user responds. “If they thought they could get $100 for the game they would.”
“It’s just a fair price for a lot of people,” another says, as others chime in with similar sentiments, arguing that it’s fair because of the effort put into the original game and porting. They also state that people will buy the game at $50, even if they don’t like it.
“Personally I don’t think it’s fair,” another user replies, “but I get that people will buy it anyway.”
Regardless of the pricing, the removal of multiplayer features is seen as a negative by some (“They could have at least left the gang hideouts,” one user says).
“I’m not a fan of the pricing,” another says, “but I’ll probably play it if I can squeeze some time.”
