In this generation, most gaming companies raised the prices of their games from $60 to $70, and in some stores the price reached $80. But this is only the beginning, because we are set for an increase in price increases over the next decade.
In the hack that the team was exposed to Insomniac Games It resulted in the leaking of many of the studio’s plans. We also obtained some files containing internal Sony meetings, one of which was talking about raising the price of the company’s games from 80-100 US dollars during the next five years. For more details here.
This news made the gamer community very angry, but in reality it is a reality that we will have to live with for several reasons that we will mention below.
Reasons why companies may raise game prices in the future
There are many reasons for companies to raise the prices of games in general. Most of them are due to the global economic situation, which gets worse as we advance in the years, and other reasons, including:
1- High game development costs
In Insomniac Games team leaks, it turns out that the game Marvel’s Spider-Man The second one, which was released this year as an example, cost approximately $315 million to develop. While the development cost of Marvel’s upcoming Wolverine is approximately $305 million.
As an irony and a comparison at the same time, the cost of developing the open-world game GTA V, which was released in 2013, was $5 million, including marketing costs. This comparison shows that the costs of developing AAA games have skyrocketed over 10 years, of course. The reason is the use of new technologies that contribute to increasing realism, improving graphics, etc.
2-Economic inflation
Let’s be a little realistic here, the economy in general is the main reason for the increase in the prices of every commodity in the world. You can imagine that if a game was released in 1999 at a price of $40, if it were released today, its price would now be approximately $202. The reason is the change and decline of the currency, its influence between countries and other factors.
In the past we used to live a simple life and go spend a whole day in the best places for a cheap price. Now, in order to spend the same days in the same places, you will need hundreds of dollars and perhaps thousands of dollars. This is what our ancestors called the simple “good generation.” However, with the progress of the years, the development of technology, and the emergence of many capitalists and businesses that influence the world, these days have faded.
Possible solutions that companies may follow to avoid raising game prices in the future
There are some solutions that can save companies and players from the principle of raising game prices, but it is also possible to save the gaming industry in general, which are:
1- Launching digital home appliances only
One solution that home appliance manufacturers like Microsoft and Sony might pursue is to launch digital-only devices. This may prompt it to completely dispense with physical devices that operate with tape.
Stopping the manufacture of physical devices will not contribute to reducing costs and limiting the increase in game prices. Rather, eliminating Blue Ray discs and covers are the factors that may help cancel the idea of raising game prices. When companies launch their games on digital stores, the cost will be much lower than making physical copies, accompanied by manufacturing, shipping, and other costs.
2-Sustainability of internal purchasing systems in games (microtransactions).
As an alternative solution to avoid raising game prices, some companies may permanently maintain the internal purchasing system Microtransactions in their games.
For example, you attach additional costumes at nominal prices in the games. Or even affordable add-ons to offset the high cost of developing a game. This system exists in most games currently, but it is optional, and if resorted to in the future, it will only be permanent and mandatory.
Conclusion
There is no clear escape from the fate of raising game prices, whether within 5 years or even 10 years, as the Insomniac Games leaks played a role in highlighting Sony’s innovative ideas and projects in reaping the price increase indirectly by dividing its AAA games into AA to reduce the cost and increase sales. This is another solution.
But the gaming industry and its future in the face of price increases remain unknown, especially with Sony’s policy.
