Another "How much to charge to play" thread

OregonPacman

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Another "How much to charge to play" thread

I was thinking about the recent thread about whether to charge $.25 or $.50 to play a game. According to this inflation calculator http://www.westegg.com/inflation/ $.25 in 1981 is $.59 now. So its not out of line to charge $.50 now to play a classic game that was available in 1981. However, people playing the games wouldn't see it that way. The way things are these days, ops are probably lucky that people play games at all.
 
I would do .50 cents per play if I put something on location. Just make sure it's a game most people will actually want to play. I don't think today's teens would have much interest for most of the old classics.
 
I sold a 60-in-1 multicade to some dingbat last winter. Dude wanted me to set the coin rate to...get this...4 quarters for one play. He was putting it on route in his bar/store with a buck hunter and something else. I tried explaining 3 or 4 times to him why that was crazy. He didn't get it.
I tried telling him "Dude, if these games were still generating that kind of income, they would have never stopped making them. You'd see a Galaga on every street corner."
In the end, he wouldn't listen. He was intent on grabbing maximum amount of profit out of player's pockets.
I once again told him "If you charge that high, no one in their right mind will play them."
"I don't care, if fewer people play it, then I have to charge MORE to recoup my investment on the machine."

Ugh.

Not even 24 hours later, he's calling my cell phone. "How can I set the coin rate down to 50 cents a play."
LOL. No doubt his customers gave his dumbass a reamin'.

Moral of the story, if you had a single multi game, or newer title (buck hunter, drivers, etc) and it was on a route, I think it's totally acceptable to charge 50 cents a play. If it is an original classic like Joust, or Star Wars, or Pac-man then I'd say run it as 25 cents a play and don't be greedy. The machine has long since paid for itself. If you have to look at charging more to justify the upkeep or maintenance to the monitor repairs, then you should not keep it on route- you should just run a generic multicade instead.
 
If it is an original classic like Joust, or Star Wars, or Pac-man then I'd say run it as 25 cents a play and don't be greedy. The machine has long since paid for itself. If you have to look at charging more to justify the upkeep or maintenance to the monitor repairs, then you should not keep it on route- you should just run a generic multicade instead.

It has nothing to do with a machine being paid for or not. It's about pricing it right to maximize profits. If you are at 100 plays per month at .25 cents per play, increase it to .50 and still get 60 plays then you are still coming out ahead with less wear and tear on the machine.
 
True... I am not sure if going to $.50 will cut the traffic in half... if it does, you're breaking even but with less wear/tear.... but even if traffic is cut only by 40% you're still up 20% revenue overall.
 
It has nothing to do with a machine being paid for or not. It's about pricing it right to maximize profits. If you are at 100 plays per month at .25 cents per play, increase it to .50 and still get 60 plays then you are still coming out ahead with less wear and tear on the machine.

Maximizing profits? ...with a classic? Reality check.

I mean, dont get me wrong, if I saw a star wars in the wild, i'd drop a dollar or two into it. But I fail to see alot of classics earning much on a route.

I think the location of the classic game better dictates the asking rate than inflation factor.

EDIT: I realize a statement like I just made requires better explanation. For example, if I saw a Zaxxon at a laundramat, I'd expect to pay no more than a quarter. If I saw a Zaxxon in a retro-hip-indie bar, 50 cents a play. Wurd?
 
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I still have many different classics on route. I keep track of every game per month and location. And the only games on .50 is high end newer games, all gun games and pinballs. All classics are set to .25. The highest earner that I have is believe it or not is a Street Fighter II. I think that has a lot to do with location though.
 
Maximizing profits? ...with a classic? Reality check.

Makes no difference if it's a classic or a brand new pin. It all comes down to the math. Why charge .25 if you can charge .50 and get at least half as many plays. I agree about expectations on prices in regards to locations, but if you make the same amount of money charging .50 as you do .25 then you might as well charge the extra quarter.
 
Makes no difference if it's a classic or a brand new pin. It all comes down to the math. Why charge .25 if you can charge .50 and get at least half as many plays. I agree about expectations on prices in regards to locations, but if you make the same amount of money charging .50 as you do .25 then you might as well charge the extra quarter.

I agree 100% with your mathmatical interpretation. I only put the single quarter spin on it because of the emotional factor. We'd probably agree that most people who'd be ineterested in playing a classic on route would be someone who played the same game back in the day? Even though that person is now an adult with plenty of loose change in their pocket, the thought will burn in the back of their mind of "ah man, I remember when these things only cost a quarter, ah well, times change I guess."

The individual wants to relive the past and tap into the enjoyment of being a kid again. By altering that coin amount it subconscoiusly detracts from that level of fullfillment.

Not a huge deal. Like I said, its mostly a thought in the back of the gamer's head. The money will still come in, but the magic dies a little with each 50 cent play.
 
I guess another way to look at it is this. By spending that extra quarter, you help that operator stay in business, and help that game stay on location, and help the kids of today get a chance to experience the same great games we did :)
 
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