Is $29 For 'Final Fantasy Dimensions' Insane, or Exactly What The Mobile Market Needs?

Publisher Square Enix gave fans a case of sticker shock last week when they announced the price of their original, episodic Final Fantasy RPG for iOS and Android. At $28.99, it’s the most expensive game in the publisher’s mobile catalog. Yes, Final Fantasy Dimensions is a nostalgia-tinged 16-bit entry in an insanely popular franchise, and hardcore fans are going to buy it regardless of price. Yes, each episode (or chapter) will only cost $1.99, and it likely won’t be a short experience. However, it’s not the quality or length of the game that merits debate. It’s that $29 asking price.

[Tigerfist]

It's okay. I'll keep paying them less and less while writing more and more...

[Godmars290]

No really, that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Unless you're paying Square to write articles for them?

As to topic, if people want to pay for it is one thing. Its another if it gets a discount shortly after release, and then Square talks up sales. Use that as the basis for rising their iOS prices from then on.

Edit:
And I know my direct comment to the subject at hand may sound confusing, but that the problem: the corporate mindset is very confused at the moment. To the degree its counter-productive to what used to be called common sense.

[Tigerfist]

It does make sense, I suppose you missed my point. In other words, I'll buy less of their products while further vocalising my discontentment for their quality.

Voting with my wallet, feedbacking with my voice.

[Godmars290]

Part of the thing is your point of voting with your wallet is rendered moot if Square makes the initial price announcement, then gets your sale to show to stockholders. Insanely the new higher price point will become the norm regardless. That just seems to be how things work now.

The other part is that it takes two to three reads of your comment to understand it. No offense, just a criticism meant to improve your writing and ability to communicate. Hopefully.

[Tigerfist]

By "voting with my wallet" I mean that I am not buying anything at all. So no, they won't get my "sale".

And honestly, I'm not sure if my writing is the issue here. I'm inclined to say that your reading comprehension was a bit weak there.

Say, out of curiosity, how would you write my comment? It's just that many people have actually told me that I am quite articulate with my writing.

[Godmars290]

"That's okay, so long as the actual quality of their games continues to drop, they remain fixated on graphics, they wont be getting any of my money.

I sure as hell wont pay extra."

Don't really see a point in mentioning writing comments in forums and the like, since they aren't paying any attention.

[hellvaguy]

Gunna have to side with Godmars. They way Godmars re-wrote it was far less confusing. Tiger the use of the word "paying" makes it seem like they are an employee of yours or some other weird setup. You usually BUY products and you PAY your employees. Well anyways back to playing GW2.

[Burning_Finger]

You deserve to be rip off if you're that stupid. People lack common sense now a days.

[kcuthbertson]

Yes...it's insane. If you are stupid enough to pay $30 for a mobile phone game, then I truly feel bad for you.

As the current technology stands, mobile phone gaming is better left to small, inexpensive games that entertain for little bits at a time.

There is a chance for that market to expand, but not until a GOOD universal controller with ACTUAL buttons is produced and used as a standard for game creation.

[JBSleek]

The current technology is either on par or better than the Vita which is the most powerful dedicated mobile device.

You really only need buttons for games such as FPS or that other than that other genre of games can touch screen and as it goes to show mobile gaming is the fastest growing market of gaming besides F2P and social.

$30 for an addictive game that you play countless and countless hours is fine. I call people who play $60 and over priced DLC stupid but they are supposedly "hardcore"

[Zechs34]

Mobile technology may be on par or even more advanced than the Vita but the quality of games, hardcore or not, can almost never match up. Yes, my iPhone has 20 gigs of games on it (downloading TWEWY now!!!) but I will take a game like Sound Shapes or even Escape Plan (the latter of which can be easily ported as a touch game on android and iOS) over minimally designed games made for the casual market.

I used Escape Plan as an example because the following:

It would seem easy to port it over and make a quick buck. Why haven't they? Because they don't want to be overshadowed by lower quality games at a much lower price made to strive off In-app purchasing.

I have every FF game offered on the App Store and will probably end up getting this, but the old FF games there are easily available on my PSP, PSN, or Vita for a fraction of the cost, look better, sound better, and more importantly, play better.

Hardcore doesn't necessarily mean having 2 sticks and buttons for my games, it can just mean gaming as it was intended and not this crap we are going to with cheap apps and in-app ripping off.

[Lol_Lmao]

Yes, let the rich buy the game and the poor suffer from jealousy and envy.

[STK026]

I don't know about this particular game, as I haven't played it, but in my opinion, there's no reason why iOS and Android games can't be priced like regular games. Of course, they also need to be comparable to games found on other systems. If a games has plenty of depth, good graphics, good controls (which quite frankly should be easily achieved in a turn-based RPG) and good gameplay, I don't see why it can't be priced accordingly. Would I pay 10$+ for Angry Birds? No. Would I pay 10$+ for a deep, well-made SRPG? Yes I would.

The main issue with mobile gaming is that developers either try to create small casual experiences that are barely worth more than a buck, while others are trying to create games that simply don't play too well on a touch screen. The amount of FPS games on iOS still amazes me, mostly since I haven't played one that I found enjoyable. On the other hands, turn based games can easily be playe on touch screens, yet we barely see any of these.

[Captain Qwark 9]

you nailed it on the head there. the biggest problem and one that i dont see being fixed for a long time is the controls. touch controls are terrible, motion controls are terrible. neither are precise enough for most genres of games. puzzle games work well on phones becuase they dont require precision control, most other genres just cant be done or at least done well.

until that issue is fixed no publisher with half a brain is gonna fund a game beyond some stupid 10min time killer. when a mobile game is comparable to a console game or even ds game in terms of graphics, sounds, depth, audio, control, etc then price them accordingly. until then, no.

all that said, a turn based rpg could work

[Hicken]

Well said. If the quality and depth of a $30 game is there, why NOT charge $30 for it?

And to top it off, IT'S EPISODIC! The grand total may be $29, but they're not forcing you to pay all that up front. Buy a chapter or two; if you like it, you can buy more. If not, you're only out of pocket a few bucks.

[Soldierone]

I think its stupid for Square to do, but I've seen it before. There were a couple RPG's that people ported over from PSP and they were listed (and still listed I think?) for 15 and 20 dollars.

I'm sorry but I can't just push myself to spend more than 10 dollars for phone games. Gameloft BARELY got me to spend 6 dollars on Spider-Man.....

Plus whats the one thing phone/tablet "gamers" complain about with Vita and 3DS? "Its too expensive-ahh!!!!!!" Doesn't matter the quality, the phone market is the most casual market there is (besides Facebook) and attempting to raise prices like this will just help actual handhelds more than anything.

[ReDDeaDDan]

Is mobile gaming going to destroy hardcore gaming by sucking the developers into easier money? Could it perhaps enforce hardcore gaming by adding to the money pot for console and PC development? Discuss....

[Bimkoblerutso]

In all honesty, I think if the price structure for "mobile" gaming becomes similar to that of dedicated gaming systems, the market will stagnate pretty damn fast.

Whether I think a well made Final Fantasy game is worth $30 or not, gaming on ipod and android devices is EXPLICITLY dependent on ease of entry, both from a gameplay and monetary perspective.

[Smokingunz]

I'm sick and tired of these stupid articles. Tablets/mobiles arnt affecting the 3ds sales, maybe the vita's though. I admit that cell phones has come a long way but I have yet to see a game on these tablets and phones that can match the 3ds games,gameplay,fun factor,controlls. 1st party games and realistic 3d that draws u in the game. Oh and did I mention the 3ds should be passing 20 million by now! Shut up with these article already. While I can admit the tablets/cell phone gfx are better than the 3ds's and that's about as a leverage they got.

[Chrono]

You don't have to buy all the episodes. You can play the prologue for free. The first episode is only $3.