Heatblur responds to community on F-14B(U) pricing, provides more details
Quick summary· AI-generated
Heatblur's IronMike provides a detailed response to community backlash over the $49.99 USD pricing of the DCS: F-14B(U) upgrade. The article breaks down the math: existing owners pay $130 total ($80 base + $50 upgrade), while new players get an Ultimate Edition bundle at $98.99. Heatblur defends the pricing strategy as necessary to grow the community through discounts and bundles for newcomers, rejecting criticism that new-player pricing undercuts existing customers. The response touches on DCS pricing philosophy and market strategy for sustaining the product line.
Excerpt from Stormbirds
The latest discussion around the DCS World community right now is focused primarily on the pricing of Heatblur’s now up for pre-order DCS: F-14B(U). The module release is an upgrade available for the previously released DCS: F-14 Tomcat (featuring the F-14A and B) and Heatblur are asking $49.99 USD for the update. Following last Friday’s announcement, discussions in the community have been ongoing on the price and value of the upgrade and Heatblur has responded to some of the discussion with a lengthy thread. Let’s have a look at the issue.
On pricing, value, and features
DCS: F-14B(U) has certainly stirred up a lot of community commentary and I’ve seen many comments on Facebook, Reddit, and here on the blog with varying viewpoints on the upgrade and on the pricing.
On Saturday, IronMike from the Heatblur team posted a rather lengthy response to a lot of community commentary. The response goes through some of the key points that have come up in discussion with response on nearly a point by point basis.
IronMike had a lot to say but I do want to zoom in one two aspects of the discussion because I think they are likely at the core of the various discussions. Value and price.
DCS: F-14 Tomcat featuring two (and soon to be three) variants of the F-14A and one of the F-14B as well as campaigns, an aircraft carrier, a soundtrack and some other items are currently on at a regular price of $79.99 USD. If you take that and add up the $49.99 USD and you get $129.99 USD. So assuming you bought the F-14 at full price and then the upgrade you’re paying $130. If you get the ultimate edition bundle which includes both the F-14A/B and the new B(U)… you pay $98.99. Obviously that’s $30 cheaper for new players coming in.
IronMike responded on that point with the following.
So you will have to please forgive us, if we search for ways to put older products on sale or into bundles to incentivize new folks joining the community and also expanding the market. Only a growing community is a stable community. I find it extremely selfish and bewildering when some ask that the Ultimate Edition price should have been higher, to even out what they paid. De facto complaining that others pay less. Showing so little solidarity to folks new to the community (or a specific product line), really makes me sad, guys. We always tried to treat you the same way, when you were new. This is why we kept offering sales and bundles, like the triumvirate bundle, etc., repeatedly, (and adding…
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