4.0 where does the theme go from here?

@Mr. Skeleton - yes, I see the main software being download-only, no physical disc. I suppose you will always have the need for some sort of starter pack that will include the base - that's the only actual roadblock to going digital-only and still allowing new people to come on board.

As for the cost of a Starter Pack - I know it seems expensive, but let's break it down. An average videogame costs between $50 and $60, and the MSRP of a DI starter is $75. Let's be generous and say the game is $50, which leaves us with $25 to split up between the Infinity Base, three figures (in 1.0 and 2.0 Marvel) and the Playset piece.

MSRP for a figure is $14, and the Playset with two figures is $35. Therefore the value of the Playset piece is equivalent to $7.

(1 game X $50) + (3 figures X $14 = $42) + (1 playset piece X $7) = $99

Already well above the $75 MSRP of a starter set, and it doesn't account for the base, for which we have no idea of the value - let's call it $10. So that's $109 "true" value for a Starter Set, $34 loss (based on the "true" cost of the contents) - and I've never paid $75 for a Starter Set, more like $55, which is a $54 loss.

Even with the latest 3.0 starter, with two figures:

(1 game x $50) + (2 figures x $14 = $28) + (1 playset piece X $7) + (1 base x $10) = $95: a $20 loss. Find it on a good sale during the holiday season and that will be $40 loss.

Meanwhile, the download of 3.0 on Wii U and PS3/4 is $20 through the end of the year ($30 on XBox 360/One). In order to account for new players, the base still needs to be sold, but no one is going to just buy the base by itself. The 'new' starter pack, then, is the base, two figures, a playset piece, and a code good for a digital download of the game:

(1 base x $10) + (2 figures x $14 = $28) + (1 playset piece x $7) + (1 digital copy x $20) = $65. Then allow for discount of up to $20 during the holiday season for a $45 sale price, and that's a $20 loss ON THE SALE PRICE - or the cost of the download (which is all gravy anyway).

Add to that the fact that, essentially, this starter pack is almost fully platform-agnostic (aside from XBox - based on history, both 360 and One will need their own separate starter packs because the base is not back-compat). Wii U, PS3 and PS4 can all share the same starter pack. That's less package printing they have to do, reducing the over-all cost of production, as well as the cost of designing/pressing/packaging the game discs.

@MrSkeleton

I think we can all agree on that!

I would like to see a certain "Dr. Jones" series of adventures added to 4.0 in the future...

They are not taking a loss on starter packs, they are missing profits, I would assume at least a 50% mark-up for all items.

@Airborne6176: Agreed, can't wait for Indiana Jones to come to Infinity!

^ The people who are expecting the game to go digital clearly are forgetting its a kids game. So it needs to be accessible to kids, and kids don't go online to spend there pocket money.

@Mukluk4 - naturally, my calculations are based on MSRP, and the MSRP is designed to make a profit. I didn't mean to imply they were taking an actual loss, but at the very least a lessened profit if not a break-even situation on starter packs in light of the MSRP on the constituent parts.

@Pcboy99 - What pocket money is being used to buy a $65 - $75 starter pack? Parents are buying these games for their kids. Making it digital-only actually makes it more enticing to buy, since it will be a lower initial cost. Even to the point of making it closer to the pocket money realm than the current starter packs.

Most physical media is on its way out in lieu of digital downloads, and it makes sense that video games would be at the forefront of that shift. In addition, Disney is very forward-thinking in terms of digital content - take a look at all their films and programming and how it's available via multiple streaming services and/or their own apps. Disney Movies Anywhere basically collates any and all Disney movies you currently 'own' digitally and grants you access to all of them in one place. Netflix and Hulu both have a huge amount of ABC programming and Netflix also has a lot of Disney movies as well as original Marvel content. Disney is all-in for digital content in all forms.

^ you do know there is many parents who go to their local GameStops or in my case EB games and ask for Mario on Xbox, so if these parents struggle to understand what a exclusive is, how are they going to be capable to purchase a game on a online store?

@vynsane: My pocket money goes to buy a 65-75$ starter pack. My parents never bought one Infinity figures, I got all of the 30 figures I have on my own.