Fiscal responsibility!
It’s no secret that game publishers hate using all that expensive paper and ink to makevideogame manuals. Manuals lost their color, reduced the page count, and eventually started disappearing altogether, leaving only the health & safety info as an insert. Now, eventhoseinserts are being cut down.
Microsoft sent along bothFable: The JourneyandForza Horizonrecently, and I noticed that the traditional safety info — mandatory in games since creation began — is no longer provided as a separate sheet, but printed on the flip side of the game covers. In order to read it, you’re now advised to pull the cover out of the packaging.
WhileForzacame with a little insert advertising some stuff,The Journey‘s box was completely empty outside of the disc. THINK O’ DA SAVINGS!
You may have seen this already, but it’s new to me, and I figured I’d share for those who have not. Hardly a big deal, but it’s interesting to see the ways in which companies shave pennies off the packaging costs — fromremoving manualstocutting out half the plastic. Of course, they always claim it’s to be eco-friendly, but I think “economics-friendly” is closer to the truth.
