Let me begin this post about video games by not talking about video games.
I like beer. I like it a lot. I drink it, brew it (soon commercially) and write about it. And while it’d be nice to believe that I would never let the packaging of a beer sway my purchasing habits, I’m also honest enough with myself to know that’s not the case. It doesn’t have to be flashy or colorful, necessarily (though Ralph Steadman does have a way of catching the eye), but it has to appeal to me. I have bought — and not bought — beer based solely on my whims and the design on the six pack holder.
Now back to games. I do not, and have never, bought games based on the design on the box.
I like the art, and bought the game, but the two aren't related
It’s okay if you took a minute to let that sink in. It’s really not contradictory at all, though. A third thing to know about me, in addition to the love of beer and willingness to buy it based on packaging, is that I’m cheap. Oh so goddamned cheap. You could call me ‘frugal,’ and I wouldn’t stop you, but while very nice it would also be a lie. A combination of obsessive ‘price per pound’ comparisons and a wife less willing to be okay with the costs associated with my hobbies* means that it takes plenty of careful consideration before I pull the trigger on a game. If you only knew how much I went back and forth on Blur vs Red Dead (I went with the latter and, so far, am regretting my choice).
So then, the difference: I can buy six kinds of beer (assuming $10 for a six pack, growler or 22oz bottle**) for the cost of a game. We can debate actual vs perceived worth, and I’m all for it in the comments because I’d like to get the kind of traffic Dave got for his Onlive article, or how it’s easier to spend smaller amounts of money more often, and yeah, sure: that’s true. But the why doesn’t matter so much as the end result, which is that I am infinitely more likely to walk into the Village Beer Merchant unsure of what I’m walking out with than I am Gamestop.
The difference is infinite because I will not buy a game, ever, without having done research. It may not be enough to guarantee I’ll love the game (goddamn Scribblenauts), but I am going to know about the game, what kind of game it is, and quite probably who made it and what the media they’ve released leading up to its release are. Games aren’t impulse purchases for me, and the only time they have been was in the days of the Game Gear, where I can clearly recall wandering around Zappers with my grandfather, trying to choose a game for myself for Christmas (it being a Game Gear game, I sadly was in a no-win situation).
It may be expensive, and French Canadian, but damn it's tasty
So while game boxes can certainly be nice to look at — we’re in discussions here about some way to display the ones we use in our reviews on the site — and I appreciate them when they’re done well, no. Cover art does not influence my opinion at all. Even if Trois Pistoles looks like it could be promo art for Darksiders.
This post was part of Gamer Banter, a monthly video game discussion coordinated by Terry at Game Couch. If you’re interested in being part of this, please email him for details. Other takes:
Silvercublogger: Don’t Cover The Art, Unless…
The Average Gamer: Cover Art
Aim for the Head: Browsing the Aisles
SnipingMizzy: In the eye of the beholder
Extra Guy: On Books and Covers
Zath: How Important Is A Game’s Cover Art?
carocat.co.uk: Cover art? No, thanks!
Pioneer Project: The game box’s big moment
Man Fat: How Important Is A Game’s Cover Art?
* The exception to this is my Xbox Live Gold account, which she insists we keep because while we can watch Netflix on the PS3, Wii or Boxee PC hooked up to the TV, the user interface and speed on the 360 really is second to none
** ‘Buy PBR lol’ is not an acceptable response, and only makes you look like a hipster douche
While I was completely lost on the beer analogy (I know absolutely NOTHING about booze), it seems everyone’s post is similar in that research is the main key to buying a game, and not what’s just pretty on the outside.
Well, the beer is an example of an uninformed purchase. Well, not always uninformed, but there are many more brands than, say, cookies. Chances are I’m getting something with an elf on the cover, there, or made by the company that puts elves on other boxes.
And yeah, games are just too damned expensive, and there are too many bad games to walk in blind. It’s like the giant TV section at Best Buy: who walks in and spends two grand without knowing if the TV is good? (actually, I bet many people do, which is… bah)
I love going to our local big box liquor store and picking out microbrews based soley on their labels — especially getting thematically appropriate ones for parties. Ah . . . beer
[insert commment about video games] [go back to thinking about beer]
Great post, I smiled all the way through, although I no longer drink I can only relate to the analogy. I’m not sure anyone buys games based on the look of the box, it is however sometimes quite a nice compliment to an already lovely experience.
Yup, games are definitely a research buy. As you say, WAY too expensive for impulse purchasing. The only times box art encourages me to buy a game is when I’m browsing second-hand game stores and they’re so cheap that I just can’t be bothered to go home and look them up (obviously I read the back first). Out of 5 impulse purchases, I got 2 regrets, 2 awesomes and a “meh”.