Is $70/£70 for a video game too much?

If you haven't heard, basically the prices have been jacked up for this new generation with new AAA titles costing around 70 at launch

Is this too much for a game?
(the playstation boss doesn't seem to think so)
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/70-ps5-game-pricing-is-fair-argues-playstation-boss/

What do you think?

Reply 1

Sabertooth

20

Didn't N64 games cost £60 and that was a loooooooong time ago.

Reply 2

JoshDarnIt_

18

My wallet was already crying prior to the increase

Reply 3

ANM775

OP

20

Original post by Sabertooth

Didn't N64 games cost £60 and that was a loooooooong time ago.

I remember paying £44.99 for FFX on release day 20 yrs ago, that was on PS2

I can't remember seeing PS2 games higher than £49.99 at that point ...although I didn't own a N64 so can't remember it's prices..

Reply 4

username4986690

19

That is insane, £50 feels too expensive as it is.

Reply 5

username5600688

14

It is. 60 is already too high. 50 is reasonable.

Reply 6

ANM775

OP

20

My first reaction was that it's too high, but then I think back to the 90s where Triple A titles were at least £39.99 at launch (possibly higher) and the majority of these games could be completed start to finish in an hour or less.

Most games these days are at least like 10 hours long, with many of them coming in at 30/40+

That's a huge increase in playability, and when you consider inflation ...I think for what we are actually getting it's not a bad deal at all..

but yes, on the surface £70 for 1 game does sound like a lot..

Reply 7

Sabertooth

20

Original post by ANM775

I remember paying £44.99 for FFX on release day 20 yrs ago, that was on PS2

I can't remember seeing PS2 games higher than £49.99 at that point ...although I didn't own a N64 so can't remember it's prices..

PS2 games were cheaper than N64 because CDs are cheaper than cartridges to produce. I remember Perfect Dark was so damn expensive.

Reply 8

ANM775

OP

20

Think about it though, a game in the 90s cost £39.99

minimum wage in 1999 was £3.60

How long would it take a person on minimum wage to buy a game?, 12/13 hours work

a new game now will cost £70

Minimum wage now is £8.72

It will take someone on minimum wage 9 hours work to buy a game, and they're getting a game at least 10x as long as they were getting in the 90s , maybe even 30/40+X long

On the surface £70 per game seems bad, but when you really sit down and think about it .. it's really not......

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 9

username5252878

20

Original post by ANM775

If you haven't heard, basically the prices have been jacked up for this new generation with new AAA titles costing around 70 at launch

Is this too much for a game?
(the playstation boss doesn't seem to think so)
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/70-ps5-game-pricing-is-fair-argues-playstation-boss/

What do you think?

Yes. You can buy 55 boxes of doughnuts for £70! Bargain. 😊

Reply 10

ANM775

OP

20

Was that not the same situation when prices were £39.99 in the 90s. £39.99 in the 90s on minimum wage is gonna hurt just as bad

I think people are resistant to the change in price as game prices over the years have not increased very much. definitely less than inflation. and now that they are having a big increase people are thinking they're being short changed when in reality they're not.

It's scaled pretty well with inflation. I think some NES games were £40 which would be absolutely ludicrous inflation-adjusted. Gaming is much more accessible financially nowadays.

I wouldn't pay £70 for a game. My max is about £35. Ideally 20 something pound. I try to take advantage of sales and often buy games a year or two or more after release.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 12

ANM775

OP

20

Original post by _gcx

It's scaled pretty well with inflation. I think some NES games were £40 which would be absolutely ludicrous inflation-adjusted.

I wouldn't pay £70 for a game. My max is about £35. Ideally £2x or lower. I try to take advantage of sales and often buy games a year or two or more after release.

The most i've ever payed was £50 for Final Fantasy 7 remake

Original post by ANM775

The most i've ever payed was £50 for Final Fantasy 7 remake

When I used to get console games as xmas presents, a few probably were close to £50. (got a few collector's editions which definitely went over) But nowadays buying games by myself on steam/epic/battlenet I wouldn't ever pay full price. Most I've spent recently is about £30 on black ops cold war on a sale.

Reply 14

username5472528

16

£60/£70 is honestly too much for a videogame. The only time I would pay that much is if there is a really nice collector's edition for a gaming franchise I'm heavily invested in (Nier, Final Fantasy). Otherwise, second hand or heavily discounted is where I'm at! I don't buy my videogames higher than £20.

Nintendo will always have my wallet crying though, none of their stuff ever goes on sale :frown:

Reply 15

ANM775

OP

20

Original post by _gcx

When I used to get console games as xmas presents, a few probably were close to £50. (got a few collector's editions which definitely went over) But nowadays buying games by myself on steam/epic/battlenet I wouldn't ever pay full price. Most I've spent recently is about £30 on black ops cold war on a sale.

In 2001 I payed £44.99 for Final Fantasy X on launch day

Inflation adjusted that's probably more than £70 today lol, but like you ...I probably wouldn't drop £70 on a game today. even though, in real terms i'd be spending less because of inflation. I think on a psychological level the £70 price point just seems too high..., but on a reality level I don't think it's too high (If that makes sense)

Reply 16

ANM775

OP

20

Original post by wokirow

£60/£70 is honestly too much for a videogame. The only time I would pay that much is if there is a really nice collector's edition for a gaming franchise I'm heavily invested in (Nier, Final Fantasy). Otherwise, second hand or heavily discounted is where I'm at! I don't buy my videogames higher than £20.

Nintendo will always have my wallet crying though, none of their stuff ever goes on sale :frown:

Yes, Nintendo games unfortunately seem to permanently stay around full price.

So glad I've jailbroken my Switch :h:

Reply 17

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

20

£70 is too much imo.
I feel like £30 used to be the going rate for a highly rated game, and the last 5-10 years prices have soared.

If you do a play a game for months it might be worth it but you can never tell when you buy it. Nowadays ill often just wait a few months till the game ends up in sale. I also don’t have as much time to game as I used to, so that probably plays into it.

Reply 18

ANM775

OP

20

Yeah, that's annoying as well. games and consoles are cheaper in America than the UK when you compare exchange rates..

On the flip side though they've got no NHS, so have to shell out loads for medical insurance or pay for medical aid as and when they need it (very expensive), so I guess things like these sorta balance out in a way..