MAMEWorld Forums - News - Re: Bang Bang Busters AES release

> I understand why NeoGeo cartridges were expensive back then, but with all our
> technology advancements, why do they still have to be? (marketing purposes aside)
>
> Are EPROMs not easily replacable even today?

Just marketing, and the fact it's going to be a rare game in 5 years time.

Marketing is the reason why everyone pays what they do for even the simplest items. For example, gambling machines can cost up to (and over?) US$2000, even for crappy old 8-bit hardware controlling mechanical reels.

Why do the official Sony PS2 memory cards, offering eight megabytes of storage, cost nearly 40 Australian dollars in EB Games or wherever when eight gigabyte USB sticks (including Sony branded ones) cost half or even a quarter of that? A 50-pack spool of 4.7GB DVD-Rs is even cheaper than that, lying in between A$10 and $20.

KFC Australia charges nearly four dollars for what they call a 'large' Pepsi (between stores, it is either a standard 600mL bottle or a 400mL cup filled with ice and the two-part drink mix; a $1 Pepsi can from the supermarket fills the same cup). In contrast, Pizza Hut is much cheaper for the exact same Pepsi drinks, despite being under the exact same Yum! Brands corporation.

If something is a ripoff, it will always remain one unless a class-action lawsuit takes place (I'm not talking about one-off/special items like this game). If nothing is done, corporations will remain the same and charge top dollar for anything they can.