It seems that in my trading history, the trend has actually been an aggregate drop in point cost of games. I think what I'm seeing is higher costs at the upper end of the economy, like the aforementioned standard cost for new XBox 360 games being 1000. I remember more 800s and 850s in that upper range, with 1000+ being reserved for special editions and games with hardware.
It seems there has been a significant increase in demand for current gen games especially Xbox 360, driving the point cost of those games up however they also seem to settle back into their 800-900 point levels after 2-4 months. From my observations MSRP of the games seems to remain constant while this is occuring and it's primarally demand based flux. Probably owners of these new consoles and their $60 new release prices causing folks to seek out ways to stretch their gaming dollar.
I am tracking the point values of thirty randomly selected games. I will report when I have several months worth of data. From what I have so far, inflation does seem to be happening, but if I'm understanding the economy correctly, there are limits to this.
The 100 point promo could be a problem if most users just take their free game and leave, but if they stay and trade, it is increasng the size of the economy and thus printing new currency makes sense.
Ace of Sevens:The 100 point promo could be a problem if most users just take their free game and leave, but if they stay and trade, it is increasng the size of the economy and thus printing new currency makes sense.
Each of these 1000 pt. (or recently 1000 pt.) Xbox 360 games released in the last six months of 2007, making them new commodities in the Goozex economy (SP = Spent Points). I tried to pick a handful of the "AAA" titles, and put Blue Dragon in there as an example of a second-tier (AA) title.
That's 428,000 points moving around in the system from just 5 games in the past 6 months. Assassin's Creed is an example of almost 100k moving in only two months.
We are seeing a rise in demand and a subsequent rise in supply. The economy is working perfectly in my eyes (and my limited experience with Micro- and Macroeconomics at university).
Obviously, those points are always going to be a part of the system, but the influx of new games means that people are moving the points around. Another point to consider is that there is no accumulation of wealth in the Goozex economy. If someone holds onto points, they have nothing of value. If that same someone suddenly spends a ton of points and banks all the games they receive, there will still be new games coming into the system from the thousands of copies of the latest titles cumulatively.
Take myself as a personal example. I added 100 points into the economy when I joined in November. Since then, I have been involved in almost 100 trades. I have traded with over 80 different users. That's dissolution of points into the economy. The Goozex economy works as long as people are trading games, especially new ones.
In summary, there would have to be 10 new users coming in at 100 pts a piece to offset every single new $60 (1000 pt on Goozex) title that is released and subsequently traded on Goozex. This doesn't even consider all the DS, PSP, and value priced games that are released.
Goozex Forum Moderator
Blackcoyote: Point value for games on Goozex is controlled by an algorithm that takes into account the following variables:1. Current MSRP2. Date released3. Supply & Demand of games4. Other
Point value for games on Goozex is controlled by an algorithm that takes into account the following variables:
1. Current MSRP
2. Date released
3. Supply & Demand of games
4. Other
Maybe this explains why a lot of games are grossly overpriced. Taking the MSRP into effect makes no sense in my opinion because new games are not being traded. The biggest problem I see with this is, for example I just traded Kane & Lynch for PS3 and got 1000 points. Selling this game would net a max of $40 yet the person that traded 1000 points spent roughly $50.
OP - Your point of inflation makes perfect sense to me. While they may not increase the price of points, I wouldn't be surprised if they raised the price of trade credits to offset making less from declining point sales.
As most of you in this topic talk about not buying points but actually trading for points as you're all trying to save money. Well, I am one of those whom have purchased $300 dollars worth of real money in month and have no idea if I will be buying points in the future but I'm probably thinking I will! I don't believe that everyone on Goozex is here to trade only but some just like to keep their old games for the systems that they have and also get more (like me). I have noticed that I have to wait for a long time in the qeue to get the game I have been asking for... one question I do have is are the games we are buying more expensive here on Goozex or the stores????? As I read one of the last reply speaking about 100 points is worth $5.00, however, I am giving up 250 points for the game that is $4.99 in the stores.... how does that work now???? I'm kinda lost!!
Do I have to feel as though I'm being robbed from my cash money?
xoxoxoxox
Leila :OP
Xbox 360: Leila911
PS3: Leila911
Wii: 3896 5043 0243 6127
kalar14:I think people will "pay" 1000 points for Kane and Lynch over $40 simply because they have 1000 points and not $40. Once you've been here for a bit of time and made trades, you're invested in getting your games here, and it makes sense to be (to me at least). For example, I just picked up Final Fantasy XII: Reverant Wings for 800 points. On amazon they just dropped the price down to $30, and you can get it for $27 used. So yeah, I guess you could look at it as though I lost $10, but those $10 never existed in the first place (unless I went back in time and started selling all my games instead of trading them). I think you'll find that most people here get the majority of their points from trading. Goozex is built with the trader in mind. And someone who trades both ways (not just receiving). That's when you'll find its real value. Sure you could go buy that $5.00 game at the store instead of using 250 points...but how much is that $5 game worth once you're done with it? Basically nothing at Gamestop, and next to nothing on ebay, amazon, or half once you figure in the cut that they take. On goozex it is worth something. The 250 point game you get now will probably still be 250 points (or close to that amount) later once you're done playing it. And that is the beauty of Goozex.
Actually, that is not true as the game I got was a piece of card (Uno) and once you use the numbers on the back of the card ... it's all done!!! So, I pretty much wasted $12.50 of my cash money and can not use it as a trade in later!!! See what I mean??? That same card is worth $4.99 in Target. If you ask me why I got that trade, well, it's because I didn't know it was a card and Goozex did not provide that information!!! Either way, I'm not too worried about it but; it is a loss and not any gain for me, so it's possible for others to be in the same boat as me too!!
For sure, After seeding in Oblivion and a few more games early on my Goozexing has become for the most part self sustaining. I've traded and played dozens of games for next to nothing. That's the value of this community to me, the comparative value to American currency isn't of concern, as long as I can say send Ace combat 6 and get Mass effect, two games of similar value it's great for my wallet. A 1:1 ratio of $$$ to points exchange is irrelevant. While I might be able to maintain a similar ratio of expendature using services like ebay (unlikely given the phat cut they take these days) goozex takes the cake for me simply due to sheer ease of use.
LeilaHauck911:Actually, that is not true as the game I got was a piece of card (Uno) and once you use the numbers on the back of the card ... it's all done!!! So, I pretty much wasted $12.50 of my cash money and can not use it as a trade in later!!! See what I mean??? That same card is worth $4.99 in Target.
Actually, that is not true as the game I got was a piece of card (Uno) and once you use the numbers on the back of the card ... it's all done!!! So, I pretty much wasted $12.50 of my cash money and can not use it as a trade in later!!! See what I mean??? That same card is worth $4.99 in Target.
You really cannot blame Goozex for your own ignorance. There are at least a dozen forum threads in regards to XBLA games, and with each thread there is a response stating explicitly that these games are traded via a code/card and that they are single-use. When you received the card, what did you expect would happen. You then chose to input the code numbers into your machine and download the game. If you didn't use the code card, you could have traded the Uno codes again via Goozex to another user who would have better appreciated the usage of the points.
We as traders really have to aware of what we are requesting. For instance, if I do not have a 360, I cannot complain when I request Halo 3 for my PlayStation3.
Join the Folding@Home Goozex team: Team Goozex #80197 We're talking to you PS3 and PC users.
Lurknomore: LeilaHauck911:Actually, that is not true as the game I got was a piece of card (Uno) and once you use the numbers on the back of the card ... it's all done!!! So, I pretty much wasted $12.50 of my cash money and can not use it as a trade in later!!! See what I mean??? That same card is worth $4.99 in Target. You really cannot blame Goozex for your own ignorance. There are at least a dozen forum threads in regards to XBLA games, and with each thread there is a response stating explicitly that these games are traded via a code/card and that they are single-use. When you received the card, what did you expect would happen. You then chose to input the code numbers into your machine and download the game. If you didn't use the code card, you could have traded the Uno codes again via Goozex to another user who would have better appreciated the usage of the points. We as traders really have to aware of what we are requesting. For instance, if I do not have a 360, I cannot complain when I request Halo 3 for my PlayStation3.
It does bring up a good point about why they push these DRM'd digital downloads so hard, no secondary market. You can try and pry my physical media from my cold, dead hands but it's going to be tough.
That's a little unfair to say don't you? You have to undertsand that not everyone goes on the forums to read about which games are real games or cards!!! I'm not blaming Goozex for anything but I don't think then they should let us purchase points if the points aren't anything close to the dollar amount!! It's fine if you all wanna Trade but I just don;t think they should have a section for purchasing if it all a big difference in value.... At least it should give a disclaimer or something explaining to people the buy anything that you wont get what you are paying for. Either way though, as we all have noticed by now... I like shopping and I also like trading and bidding on ebay soooooo, I'm not the one to complain ... but again this didn't occur to me until now, reading this thread. Either way, I'm not leaving Goozex anytime soon!!
Great post. This point is often overlooked in the point value discussions. It's a lot like the vegas casinos using tokens rather than dollar bills. With my personal goozex economy, I'm able to "buy" games without using the money I would normally use to pay the mortage or buy groceries. Sure I could buy the game with real money for less than the point = dollar conversion currency, but I often "overspend" since it's not "real" dollar bill money. The only time I typically buy points is when I'm a 100 or so short for a 1000 pt game.
Lurk, I think you might have been a little hard on the UNO issue.
erock:It's a lot like the vegas casinos using tokens rather than dollar bills. With my personal goozex economy, I'm able to "buy" games without using the money I would normally use to pay the mortage or buy groceries.
Goozex points don't work that way. They have no cash value, as you have stated and were correct in your example about. I just don't want people getting the wrong idea about how things work in both Vegas and on Goozex.
Again, nice post. Very well written. A better example might have been, "Goozex points are like tokens at an Arcade / Chuck-e-Cheez / Train Station."
taintedzodiac: erock:It's a lot like the vegas casinos using tokens rather than dollar bills. With my personal goozex economy, I'm able to "buy" games without using the money I would normally use to pay the mortage or buy groceries. While I agree with your points, your analogy here doesn't work. Vegas casinos use a cash-value system for their chips. You can redeem those chips at any times for their value. That's why they have dollar values printed on them. If I have $50 in chips, I can get $50 for them. Goozex points don't work that way. They have no cash value, as you have stated and were correct in your example about. I just don't want people getting the wrong idea about how things work in both Vegas and on Goozex. Again, nice post. Very well written. A better example might have been, "Goozex points are like tokens at an Arcade / Chuck-e-Cheez / Train Station."
Ha, well played, you saw right through me pretending to be smarting enough to talk about economics
