The latest gaming generation has introduced a number of features, but with all the new and shiny things comes a higher price tag. Some AAA game publishers have used this new generation as a springboard to increase the prices of games from $60 to $70. One of the companies leading the charge is Take-Two, who released NBA 2K21 for $70 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. During a conference call that took place earlier this week, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick reiterated the point of the price increase for major games going forward, saying, "our review was that we're offering an array of extraordinary experiences, lots of replayability, and the last time there was a frontline price increase in the US was 2005/2006, so we think consumers were ready for it."

While Take-Two seems to think that players are ready to accept the new MSRP for games, he also mentioned that the $70 price point won't apply to all future games published by the studio, as they plan to, "make announcements on a title-by-title basis" and that they "want to always deliver more value than what [they] charge."

Source: Morgan Stanley Technology Media & Telecom Conference (transcribed by VGC)

 

[SG854]

Not so sure about that. I don't think retailers would be allocating shelf space to games if physical didn't sell fairly well

Plus any household with multiple consoles for their family, inherently knows what a DRM headache it is

One physical copy to go around, as needed, is a much more practical solution for these situations.

It's in the developers interest to push digital downloads because it's cheaper for them and they'll make more money that way. Physical is going to be phased out and we are in the early stages right now with digital only consoles like the ps5 discless version.

 

[playstays_shun]

It's in the developers interest to push digital downloads because it's cheaper for them and they'll make more money that way. Physical is going to be phased out and we are in the early stages right now with digital only consoles like the ps5 discless version.

that may be so , but sometimes the company's interests clash with that of the consumer.

There is a reason they don't just offer the digital version of ps5. I for one would not get one if there wasn't a physical version and I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking like this

Sometimes games suck, and I want to be able to re-coup the cost and have an escape plan. Or I'm just done with them and don't feel the need to have them around anymore. And you save on disk space (at least in case of Switch, not the others)... and I just like collecting?

Digital has its place, but I don't think there should be exclusively one option.

 

[ov3rkill]

$10 is the best I could offer. Take it or leave it.

 

[MarkDarkness]

They mean "ready for piracy", I suppose.

 

[DinohScene]

70 quid for a good game, sure.
70 quid for a fucking sports game that doesn't change, get fucked.

 

[Matt696969]

I mean, as long as it doesn't effect their bottom line, they're gonna keep selling copies

 

[tfocosta]

If that's the price for the games on Xbox Series X/S and PS5, just imagine the price of the game cartridges for the Switch, that are already more expensive than anything else!

We are doomed!

 

[Matt696969]

If that's the price for the games on Xbox Series X/S and PS5, just imagine the price of the game cartridges for the Switch, that are already more expensive than anything else!

We are doomed!

Old games FTW

 

[Joom]

The $60 price tag for AAA titles was introduced in 2006

I don't believe this is true. I bought Pokémon Stadium 2 for $60 (I think) at a Walmart when it released. I also seem to remember Melee costing $60, but a lot of retailers at the time were also running a promotion that allowed you to trade in your N64 and 'x' amount of games for a $99 GCN/Melee bundle. I could be wrong, and their price may have been $50, but I definitely know that they were the first games I spent over $40 on.

 

[Clydefrosch]

what do you even care?
people are somehow still buying the yearly sports remake, so they clearly dont care about money to begin with.

 

[Jokey_Carrot]

Not paying more than $30 for a game.

 

[J-Machine]

I must not be a gamer lol. I'm not spending 104CAD for a new game

 

[Cyberfalcon]

lol I don't buy Full Price game anymore unless is something I really really want and that hasn't happened since MGSV. Now I wait for games to be $10 or less It doesn't matter how much time I have to wait.

 

[Goku1992A]

Okay here me out... I spent $50 on Mario All Stars , Odyssey , and Animal Crossing at Walmart so I paid the full price so all together I spent $150. If people are spending $500 on a game console they can spend $70 on a game.
Would I normally spend full price games no but only because it was my birthday I had "splurged" on myself and I even bought a pro controller for $60... The bottom line some people will not have any problem paying full price and most people would rather wait on a sale. Most gamers that do buy games at launch will not notice the increase and if you are in America Walmart sells the game for $50 anyway.

I still have no idea what I'm doing in Animal Crossing I'm not too sure if that game was worth $50... but I try to give back to the devs considering I do have 1TB of pirated games on my switch so I did invested $500 in switch games... I normally wait for black friday to buy games since they are cheap or just go to gamestop. I just bought immortals fenyx rising yesterday for $30 on the switch. I been had the bootleg copy but I will always prefer a real game over a pirated game.

 

[raxadian]

Buying small games digitally is easy and fast but big games? That's a headache unless your Internet is fast.

 

[JaapDaniels]

70 quid for a good game, sure.
70 quid for a fucking sports game that doesn't change, get fucked.

no a good game maybe 50,- never a penny more. and it better be a complete game.

 

[HarveyHouston]

I see plenty of people cussing at Take-Two's decision on $70 sports games. I don't blame any of you; the steep price is ridiculous. It's bad enough that several first-party and second-party games are $59.99.

 

[Goku1992A]

I see plenty of people cussing at Take-Two's decision on $70 sports games. I don't blame any of you; the steep price is ridiculous. It's bad enough that several first-party and second-party games are $59.99.

TBH I don't think the problem is the $59.99 price tag the main problem is they sell you half of a game and then try to get you on DLC... Which is why most people would wait later take MK 11 for example that game was DLC infested. Just to turn around and sell you the "complete game" for the same asking price when the game came out on launch.

 

[HarveyHouston]

TBH I don't think the problem is the $59.99 price tag the main problem is they sell you half of a game and then try to get you on DLC... Which is why most people would wait later take MK 11 for example that game was DLC infested. Just to turn around and sell you the "complete game" for the same asking price when the game came out on launch.

Granted; DLC can end up costing you more than the initial game price. It's even worse if the game is $59.99 AND has DLC you can buy!

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]