FS-X Acceleration and the price of add-ons

[boshar 6]

With the following content being in FS-X acceleration:3 new aircraft- F/A-18A Hornet- P-51D Mustang- Agusta Westland EH101 (helicopter)3 new/updated scenery locations- Istanbul- Longleat- Tempelhof3 new features:- Carrier operations- Multiplayer racing- Helicopter hoist/slingload systemand20 new missionsFor just $30,- this is when compared to our normal add-on market unbelievably cheap. What does that tell us about the price we normaly pay for our add-ons. Is there any way for add-on makers to match this price and still make some money? What do you think? Will Acceleration cause add-on prices to drop and will that be a good thing?PS I know Acceleration doesn't compete feature wise with PMDG and Level-D type of add-ons I'm thinking about the 'light' add-on market here.

[victorwest2 0]

If the other add on companies could sell in the millions that MS does then, yes, perhaps they could offer their products at similar prices.

[Pete S 7]

How can you expect a small FS addon producer compete with MS?It's like comparing peas and watermelons!I doubt if the volume sold by the biggest 3rd party addon publisher is anywhere in the vicinity of MS.Pete S.

[boshar 6]

Sure MS sells more of them but they also have to invest more in advertising and sell the add-on through retail chains, on cd in a box so they make a lot more costs then you average 3rd party download add-on.

[victorwest2 0]

>Sure MS sells more of them but they also have to invest more>in advertising and sell the add-on through retail chains, on>cd in a box so they make a lot more costs then you average 3rd>party download add-on.Economies of scale.

[boshar 6]

MS releases a product that does appeal to the normal add-on buyer market so FS addon producer have no choice FS is now a competitor in their market.In my opinion its hard to justify selling your own single aircraft add-on for $25,- if a competing product with 3 aircraft off rougly the same quality costs only $ 30,- (especially if you have to explain it to your spouse).In real world examples:Abacus flight Deck 4http://www.abacuspub.com/catalog/s638.htmCosts $30,-Acceleration gives you the working carrier (probabely beter integrated because its done in FS-X itself), 1 carrier aircraft (more detailed then the 7 Abacus aircraft) and then lots of other features.Costs $30,-Abacus will lose customers to Acceleration. Thats for sure.

[DadJokeCinema 145]

Microsoft isn't basing pricing off of the add-on market, they are basing it on the PC game expansion pack market, and $30 is the norm.The add-on market is a different beast and it's prices adjust to what gets bought and how the content changes. But the only thing regulating the market is your wallets.

[mgh 89]

"But the only thing regulating the market is your wallets."Exactly! The developer sets a price and we (the consumers) decide whether or not we're prepared to pay that price. If enough of us are then the product will sell and the developer will make a profit: if not the product won't sell and the developer will make a loss.Individual developers' cost of production only enters into the profit and loss equation. It doesn't enter into the sales equation.

[Guest]

I was thinking this yesterday myself as I paid $30 for the Alphasim Apache. Fun little machine to fly and very twitchy which I love but no way worth $30. No clickable VC buttons, questionable flight model, only a single livery, etc. I have always thought they were way too expensive but never bought any of their aircraft before. I figured I would give them a try. Love the apache but in no way was it worth $30. $15-20 maybe. I will probably not buy any more of their aircraft again based on the price alone and the lack of complexity to the model that I bought. The acceleration addon is a steal imo and I can't wait for it to hit the stores.________________________________________________________________________________________________Intel D975XBX2 'Bad Axe 2' | Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 @ 3.20Ghz | 2 GB Super Talent DDR2 800 | Big Typhoon VX | eVGA 8800GTS @ 565/900 | Seagate 2x320GB SATA RAID-0 | OCZ GameXStream 700W | Creative X-Fi | Silverstone TJ-09BW | Matrox Triplehead Setup

[slashed2 53]

I'm curious on how many people prior to the specs list and screenshots were not going to buy Acceleration and have since changed there minds?I know I was on the fence leaning towards buying it, now, I've knocked down the fence and have driven in to town.

[Emile 28]

Hello,$30 in US and 44 Euro in Europe ..... no commentsI DO NOT buy.

[victorwest2 0]

>Hello,>$30 in US and 44 Euro in Europe ..... no comments>I DO NOT buy.And

[Guest jbrians]

It's actually 4 scenery areas - Edwards Airforce Base is in there too. :)We probably did end up doing more than was necessary. We wanted to make sure there was something that would appeal to everyone in the package.As others have mentioned, we are targetting a much larger market than a traditional FS add-on, so the expectation is we can sell enough copies to cover the investment. Honestly I think we should have charged more, though. ;)

[DadJokeCinema 145]

>>Hello,>>$30 in US and 44 Euro in Europe ..... no comments>>I DO NOT buy.>>And

[boshar 6]

Edwards to? Thats great I had a hard time finding out which sceneries where included. Even the dedicated FS-X Acceleration site isn't conclusive (and it uses flash which performs horrible on the Citrix client I used (lunchbreak/work)). I never saw Edwards Airforcebase mentioned.But realy for 3 different aircraft, 4 sceneries, 20 missions and the extra's its incredible value compared to the standard add-on pricing scheme.Last packages I saw that had a similar large feature good value for money where the The Eurowings 2004 package from Aerosoft and the Wings of Power: WWII Heavy Bombers and Jets from Shockwave Productions.I could get used to this kind of value for money ;-)But seriously I feel like overpaying for the standard add-on packages if I see such good deals. Alas they appear very seldom.