[News] 2K publishing NBA 2K21 for next-gen systems at $70, other publishers considering following suit

[pkmin3033]

The $60 base line has been a thing since 2005. However, 2K are looking to change this with NBA 2K21, which will have an RRP of $69.99/£64.99 when it releases for next gen consoles. According to IDG Consulting CEO Yoshio Osaki, more publishers are also considering adopting this price model. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz after this announcement, he had this to offer:

"IDG works with all major game publishers, and our channel checks indicate that other publishers are also exploring moving their next-gen pricing up on certain franchises," he said.

"Not every game should garner the $69.99 price point on next-gen, but flagship AAAs such as NBA 2K merit this pricing more than others."

Source

This echoes Shawn Layden's comments last month, where he begged for price elasticity to keep up with the running costs of making video games. And, whilst this represents only a 17% increase - far lower than other industries - it also ignores the profit generated from exploitative practices such microtransactions and lootboxes, and the money that can (and often is) made from DLC and season passes, which have been circumventing the $60 price tag since it came into effect. Practices that will in no way cease once prices go up, especially with AAA titles.

Let's discuss! Is a price hike something you're prepared to put up with? Is it even deserved? What does "value" look like with a $70 price tag attached to it? Will this be a new norm for games pricing, or will it regress back to the $60 price tag after a few publishers try it and ultimately fail to garner expected sales figures?

 

[Nah]

I'd rather not see $70 pricing become the norm

 

[pkmin3033]

Honestly, I don't think it will become the new norm. Publishers keep trying to push beyond the standard price tag at the start of each new generation, and it never sticks.

As the most recent example I can think of, Breath of the Wild will set you back £59.99 if you buy it digitally and at launch it was around £55 at the cheapest if you shopped online, but physically it's dropped down to around £45 now (and this is Nintendo, whose games NEVER drop in value unless they themselves lower the price) and none of Nintendo's other core IPs - not even Pokemon - has retailed at £59.99 since then. There's always a price disparity between games as some will try and push their luck and others don't, and whilst I think we might see a small increase, $10/£10 (because hey, exchange rates don't exist!) is going to be pushing it.

I'd say this is an anchoring price at the absolute worst. Get people used to the idea they might be paying $70, have a few games at the start of the generation at that price, then drop the price to $65 and hold it there. Doesn't that seem so much more reasonable now? What great value! They can also use this in the future to increase prices of earlier titles by dropping the price to have them match later titles.

I wonder how much 2K had to pay Osaki to get him to say that their next NBA title - which will probably have some sort of freemium economy and also will not offer smart delivery - merits a $10 price increase, though. xD

 

[Smormad]

That is a little bit too much, but the real fans won't care much.

 

[Zeostar]

I don't like this at all. Especially with 2K where they price a game for $70 and will inevitably still lock so many things behind pay walls.

 

[Caite-chan]

They'll keep uping the price because they know people will pay that no matter what. It's true for any game. We keep throwing money and they'll slowly keep rising and then make us pay for extras.