Cost of Going Multiple Disks

[MooMooCow]

Does anyone know the additional cost incurred by the studios when their games go beyond the first disk? Apart from licensing cost of the medium (BR, DVD) are there other costs involved?

Sorry if this isn't the right section to post this question, but I figured this would be the most relevant.

 

[bigbadgreen]

probably not much. Although there would be additional packaging needed. There would also be slight cost in programming due to using multiple discs. There would also be more cost in the actual manufacturing. I don't know actual costs but it couldn't be more than $5 more per copy sold. However when you think of several million copies selling, that can add up quick. Digital distribution would be a cheaper method as well, as there would only need to be the paid cost of servers and electricity, and withb server partners that cost would even be cheaper.

 

[JohnleMVP]

I don't think its significant with DVD since the technology is so old and so many different companies can manufacture them. With BR the cost might be a bit more, but optical media in general is dirt cheap.

If you have enough disk then you might need a special case which would cost more or just pull a lost odyssey and throw the extra disk in a paper sleeve.

 

[kelbear]

The cost is probably 15-20k all in all or so for using the multi-disc box, and setting up the machines to do a production for each disc instead of just one disc,

Spread that cost over the million or more units that you're making, and the cost is trivial on a unit basis.

 

[eloj]

What I got from the ID Rage "controversy" was that MS is (was?) punishing multi-disc releases by taking more of the cake for licensing/signing/validation/pressing.

 

[theNoid]

MS charges a hefty amount for every additional disk required for a game. This is why developers have more incentive to develop better compression tools.