Video game prices are likely to keep rising, despite player backlash.
The price of video games has been a hotly debated topic in recent years. In the early 2000s, the average price of a new console game was around $50 / €50. By 2023, that price had risen to $70 / €80, and some publishers are even considering raising it further.
Capcom president Haruhiro Tsujimoto has said that he believes video game prices are too low, pointing to the massive increase in development costs and how game prices have not kept pace. He suggested that raising game prices would be a “healthy option” for the industry.
Tsujimoto’s comments come as more and more publishers have raised the price of their games to $70 in recent years. Capcom is one of the few publishers that has not yet raised prices, but Tsujimoto’s comments suggest that this may change in the future.
It is likely that video game prices will continue to rise in the coming years, even if gamers don’t like it. As games get bigger and more complex, the cost of developing them also increases. Publishers need to make a profit in order to continue developing games, so it is likely that they will continue to raise prices in order to do so.
The rise in video game prices has been met with backlash from some gamers. Some gamers argue that games are already too expensive and that raising prices will make them even more inaccessible. Others argue that the increasing cost of games is due to greed on the part of publishers and that there are other ways to address the issue.
It remains to be seen whether the rise in video game prices will be sustainable. If prices continue to rise, it is possible that gamers will become less likely to buy games, as several studies have shown, or that they will turn to subscription services, such as Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, which allow gamers to play a large library of games for a monthly fee.
Here are some possible outcomes of the rise in video game prices:
- Gamers become less likely to buy games. If games become too expensive, gamers may choose to buy fewer games or even stop buying games altogether. This could lead to a decline in the video game industry.
- Gamers turn to subscription services. Subscription services, such as Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, offer gamers access to a large library of games for a monthly fee. These services are becoming increasingly popular, and they could become even more popular if video game prices continue to rise.
- Publishers continue to raise prices. If gamers continue to buy games at higher prices, publishers may see no reason to lower prices. This could lead to a situation where video games become increasingly expensive.
It is too early to say what the long-term impact of the rise in video game prices will be. However, it is clear that this is a significant issue that is likely to have a major impact on the video game industry. Only time will tell whether the rising cost of video games is sustainable. However, it is clear that the issue is likely to continue to be a source of debate for gamers and publishers alike.
