Next-Gen Games Will Witness a Price-Jump - About Time?
Friday 10th July 2020, 16:23 | written by: Gabriel SciberrasRecently, a leaked screenshot has gotten the gaming community scratching its head over the price of videogames. Over the years, the standard price for a console title on release is roughly $60 or $40 depending on the level of content in the game. Rumours have it that games for the next-gen consoles will make the jump to $70 - our topic to discuss today - would this be justified?
Multiple opinions have surfaced over 2K's title of NBA2K21 being more expensive for PS5 compared to PS4, with the same running true for the Xbox side of things. Overall though, the consensus is that it's all very logical and I expect that 2K Games won't be the only publisher slightly raising prices.
You're probably thinking, considering how expensive the consoles already aim to be, how is a price increase for games justified?
It all comes down to the quality of the games. With the power of the next generation of consoles, developers are determined to make the most of it, but this will require new developmental technology and greater resources too. In order for this to be more feasible, a price increase is definitely a solution. However, one could easily argue that PC games have always had an increased graphical fidelity yet have been priced the same too - would that be the case there too?
Despite that argument, many also argue that 'it's about time' the prices went up a little. As a 19-year-old, I've always known that a fresh new game costs $60. As the videogame industry grows exponentially, there'll be a need for a greater influx of money to help support additional growth. I'm no wizard when it comes to economics, but it does make sense.
However, not everything on the upcoming NBA2K21 title makes sense - 2K is also charging additional costs for cross-generation support between consoles. I'm not sure if I'm on board with this one, though this is a decision which will vary depending on the publisher.
While everyone's concerned about the price of the consoles, I'd consider the games too. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!