This is the second increase in the price in recent years: from $ 60 to $ 70 and now to $ 80. The reason is called the growth of development costs. According to analysts, the average AAA-CRIT budget rose from $ 128 million to 440 million dollars in ten years. However, the audience did not increase during this time.
At the same time, the 2025 most estimated three games cost $ 30 to 50: Clair Obscur, Blue Prince and Split Fiction. They are all made by small teams without excessive budget and without a clear creative concept.
They are sold hundreds of thousands and millions of copies, because not because they are understandable and affordable and hundreds of millions of investments.
Increasing prices to $ 80 can make big bulletins less attractive especially compared to the background of free and indie games. The games turn into a luxury topic – and this is a dangerous way for the industry, which already suffers from stagnation and massacre.
Source: Ferra

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