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[DryvBy]

We've already bashed Nintendo to death over this. MKW shouldn't cost them $80 lol only a fool and his money think that's a good thing. But from Microsoft, this is really rich.

- Microsoft has spent close to $100 billion dollars in acquisitions with Activision and Bethesda in the past 5 years.
- They practically don't even bother with physical games, which saves them money.
- They run lean for projects. Even games they claim are a success (Hi-Fi Rush), they shut down the studios for who knows why.
- Half of the reason their studios make it more expensive to make games is because almost every project they do that's big goes through a dev hell process. Fable, Perfect Dark, etc.
- Halo Infinite cost them some ridiculous amount of money and produced nothing on value. Another forgettable Halo game.
- They've wasted countless amounts of money on goofy things no one cares about.

This sounds like some kind of greedy way to get people on Game Pass. I'm waiting for the "Pay $80 or just get gamepass, bruh" nonsense. But even with Game Pass, they suck at it too by having $1 promotions all the time and blowing smoke about how many users they have. The best thing they've done in the past few years has been shut Phil Spencer up and then put their games on PS5. But that's it.



We need another one of these in this industry:

If Sony does this and Steam too, then I'll follow up with more bashing. But MS is extra silly given their recent history of why they're games would cost more.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Sony does this and Steam

Neither of those decide the price of the games sold on their stores, that's up to publishers.

Steam already has some 80 buckos games, like the new DOOM. Guess it's the same at the PStore.

 

[adamsapple]

Not sure why you singled out Microsoft here, they're not the only ones, let alone the first ones, to announce $80 games.

 

[DryvBy]

Not sure why you singled out Microsoft here, they're not the only ones, let alone the first ones, to announce $80 games.

My post explains it using fancy bullet points.

 

[adamsapple]

My post explains it using fancy bullet points.

"I didn't like Halo Infinite so why will MS charge $80 for games" is some argument, I suppose.

 

[SJRB]

Fuck Microsoft, nothing but L's for those fucking losers.

And FUCK NINTENDO, THOSE STUPID FUCKS for setting the bar with their early PS4 looking dogshit games going for 80 bucks, greedy cunts.

 

[EverydayBeast]

New $80 games lead to $50 used games, the written law doesn't say you have to buy games new, probably many buy used.

 

[BigLee74]

My post explains it using fancy bullet points.

A dash is not a fancy bullet point. Put some effort into it man!

 

[nial]

I honestly think gamers are kind of jumping the gun with this shit. The way Microsoft worded it, it really seemed to me that they're just going to charge $80 for the newest Call of Duty and that's it.
I'm not expecting anything this year to be $80 other than Mario Kart, Call of Duty and GTA.

 

[Hollowpoint5557]

I refuse to buy $80 games and further fund the psycho liberal blue hair racism studios. You can all rot in piss, high seas for me.

 

[DryvBy]

Neither of those decide the price of the games sold on their stores, that's up to publishers.

Steam already has some 80 buckos games, like the new DOOM. Guess it's the same at the PStore.

 

[QLQ]

Keep buying digital and enjoy getting fucked. You brought this on yourselves because "conveniece" and "but but but cheap key sites"

 

[TintoConCasera]

I honestly think gamers are kind of jumping the gun with this shit. The way Microsoft worded it, it really seemed to me that they're just going to charge $80 for the newest Call of Duty and that's it.
I'm not expecting anything this year to be $80 other than Mario Kart, Call of Duty and GTA.

DOOM: The Dark Ages

Un shooter oscuro de ciencia ficción para un jugador con el motor de idTech.

store.playstation.com

edit: DryvBy lol wtf, it says 80€ for me.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Sounds like a dastardly way to funnel people into their stagnant service

 

[DryvBy]

"I didn't like Halo Infinite so why will MS charge $80 for games" is some argument, I suppose.

I take it those balls are on your eyes now too? Lol

The entire post was how they waste money. They're also going to be using AI for multiple things. This isn't saving them money? Digital only isn't saving them money? Game Pass isn't making those fat stacks like people claimed for years? Either they're lying now or they were lying with how well they were doing before. Which is it?

 

[Laptop1991]

We are not buying games anymore to own anyway according to them now, a license is a rental to them, and yeah i agree it's to push people on to game pass for Microsoft by monetary means as the games are not increasing subscribers on their own, but it won't work with me as i like to have access to my files on PC and i've already stopped buying new games, even on Steam due to the higher prices, i can easily wait for new games to become cheaper or given away free with Prime etc, i don't think it's going to work for MS personally.

 

[nial]

DOOM: The Dark Ages

Un shooter oscuro de ciencia ficción para un jugador con el motor de idTech.

store.playstation.com

edit: DryvBy lol wtf, it says 80€ for me.

Because you're from Spain and that's where it redirects you.
I guess you have been aware of games costing €80 for a while there, Mario Kart World is €90 in comparison.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Because you're from Spain and that's where it redirects you.
I guess you have been aware of games costing €80 for a while there, Mario Kart World is €90 in comparison.

Yeah, but I though it would also be 80$. I don't play all the new games so the new DOOM is the first one I notice being 80€. Indiana Jones for example is 70€.

 

[adamsapple]

I honestly think gamers are kind of jumping the gun with this shit. The way Microsoft worded it, it really seemed to me that they're just going to charge $80 for the newest Call of Duty and that's it.
I'm not expecting anything this year to be $80 other than Mario Kart, Call of Duty and GTA.

Yes, the official statement is 'some' of the games, which probably means "premium" shit like CoD.

I take it those balls are on your eyes now too? Lol

The entire post was how they waste money. They're also going to be using AI for multiple things. This isn't saving them money? Digital only isn't saving them money? Game Pass isn't making those fat stacks like people claimed for years? Either they're lying now or they were lying with how well they were doing before. Which is it?

er .. you're making some really amateur, uninformed, kind of arguments here. When has something like that ever prevented inevitable price increases?

Switch was Nintendo ungodly amounts of money, they still felt the need to increase the price. Netflix raised prices this year despite reporting biggest ever subscriber and profit jumps. Sony raised PS5 prices across the globe despite selling as many units as it has.

They increase price because they know people will cough it up.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

the marker will decide.

they better make AAAA games from now on

 

[MSduderino]

Yes, the official statement is 'some' of the games, which probably means "premium" shit like CoD.

er .. you're making some really amateur, uninformed, kind of arguments here. When has something like that ever prevented inevitable price increases?

Switch was Nintendo ungodly amounts of money, they still felt the need to increase the price. Netflix raised prices this year despite reporting biggest ever subscriber and profit jumps. Sony raised PS5 prices across the globe despite selling as many units as it has.

They increase price because they know people will cough it up.

I think what DryvBy is trying to point out is for Nintendo game dev costs are rising dramatically with the fidelity they have to provide now on their new powered system. Microsoft's game dev costs are actually going down by contrast.

 

[DryvBy]

If GTA 6 is $70, I'm going to fall over dead from laughter. Thankfully T2 owns them so I'll probably still be alive

 

[Schmendrick]

well, they can demand whatever they want...It`s not like we have to buy the stuff.
Not an issue.

 

[Mattyp]

If GTA 6 is $70, I'm going to fall over dead from laughter. Thankfully T2 owns them so I'll probably still be alive

$90 point incoming. Probably the only company that could get away with it and people will eat it up.

PS5 games are already $125 here.

 

[Azelover]

It's the currency, It's inflation. The prices are going up across the board. It's not just games. Only a miracle will prevent Sony from following suit. They would have to burn money, and for what.. calm down people. This is bigger than you think.

 

[Mortisfacio]

When I think of spending $80 for a game, I think of only games I've spent 40+ hours in and have enjoyed my time and will replay as I absolutely loved them. I think of games like BG3, Expedition 33 and Elden Ring. Some others as well, but those are top of mind in regards to what I'd be willing to spend more due to quality, enjoyment and replayability.

Sony
Microsoft
Nintendo

I can't think of a single game from any of these that have come out the last 10 years I'd pay $80 for. All my favorite games are 3rd party. With any luck, these 3rd parties hold off on the price hikes, like Expedition 33 being $50

 

[Hollowpoint5557]

1 day ago. Keep forking over your money sheep.

 

[Pop]

Neither of those decide the price of the games sold on their stores, that's up to publishers.

Steam already has some 80 buckos games, like the new DOOM. Guess it's the same at the PStore.

Not 80. Besides PC games are much cheaper at launch and especially a month or so after a release

 

[IDKFA]

It's the currency, It's inflation. The prices are going up across the board. It's not just games. Only a miracle will prevent Sony from following suit. They would have to burn money, and for what.. calm down people. This is bigger than you think.

So true.

How will multi billion/trillion dollar companies keep making record profits and paying CEOs eight figure sum bonus' without bleeding more money from their customers?

We must bend over and take it for the greater good.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Not 80. Besides PC games are much cheaper at launch and especially a month or so after a release

80€ in europe. I wonder if they are testing the waters with this one.

 

[adamsapple]

I think what DryvBy is trying to point out is for Nintendo game dev costs are rising dramatically with the fidelity they have to provide now on their new powered system. Microsoft's game dev costs are actually going down by contrast.

Eh.

Dev costs and time have gone up across the board. Nintendo is now in the era the others were at almost a decade ago so you can imagine how much the average AAA game with 4k authored assets would cost.

Some of us knew this was inevitable the day Nintendo announced $80.

 

[xrnzaaas]

I honestly think gamers are kind of jumping the gun with this shit. The way Microsoft worded it, it really seemed to me that they're just going to charge $80 for the newest Call of Duty and that's it.
I'm not expecting anything this year to be $80 other than Mario Kart, Call of Duty and GTA.

I think all of their bigger releases will be priced like that. Wouldn't be surprised if Gears of War E-Day and Forza Horizon 6 were 80 bucks. What worries me is if they'll keep the 80€ price in Europe or raise it by another 10. And when is another big price bump for Game Pass.

 

[Topher]

This is all opportunistic bullshit. Using current events to justify price hikes for stuff that has nothing to do with any tariffs or political nonsense. Applies to any of these corporations raising prices on games.

Record profits incoming

 

[Humdinger]

I expect Sony will follow. Games do cost more to make. Just about everything costs more to make. We can get angry about it, but it won't change. The fact that MS has tossed away tons of money is true, but it doesn't obviate their need to turn a profit (indeed, it probably amplifies it). These days, that generally means raising prices.

 

[th4tguy]

Time to go back to my no new games rule.
I don't buy games at full price. I won't buy anything until I've beaten at least one thing in my backlog (1 out/ 1 in).
I have a switch 2 on preorder (mk bundle). That combined with my ps backlog, I'm good.

Am a bit bummed about the Xbox system prices. Was wanting to get a series x at some point to play some of the old Xbox games with better res and performance. (Blue dragon and lost odyssey)

 

[Kenneth Haight]

Not sure why you singled out Microsoft here, they're not the only ones, let alone the first ones, to announce $80 games.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Eh.

Dev costs and time have gone up across the board. Nintendo is now in the era the others were at almost a decade ago so you can imagine how much the average AAA game with 4k authored assets would cost.

Some of us knew this was inevitable the day Nintendo announced $80.

Yup. I think in most cases when it comes to game prices, some companies wait for others to make the first move. As soon as they do, they observe, and then likely follow suit. Because money.

 

[adamsapple]

 

[Sebastian1295]

I think what DryvBy is trying to point out is for Nintendo game dev costs are rising dramatically with the fidelity they have to provide now on their new powered system. Microsoft's game dev costs are actually going down by contrast.

Let's be completely honest and say that mario kart world didn't look like an 80 dollar game. It looked like any other mario kart game except now you're driving around a big world with nothing to do nor see because there's no adventure mode/story mode. Nintendo games also pay next to nothing for voice actors because there's like 0 voice acting in any of there games, the animations r barebones, and the switch 2 games just look a lil better than ps4 games at best in all honesty. I don't see anything remotely justifying the price increase on there games.

 

[JayK47]

Honestly? Let the market decide. I already have reduced my buying habits. Go right the hell ahead and raise the price of games. AA games will be all the more worthwhile. I have so many free games on Epic. Clair Obscur is $50. They are pricing themselves out of the market.

 

[simpatico]

Take every game purchase as a value prop in a vacuum. I can see some titles being worth $80. I had no hesitation to buy Forza Horizon 5 Ultimate Edition once the preview embargo lifted and I confirmed they didn't fuck it up. I'll pay $120 for FH6 if the previews are the same. Add Elden Ring 2 and Gran Turismo 7 Steam Edition to that list.

Steam's 2 hour return window is probably the most killer app of any gaming platform of all time when you really think about it. It makes me actually spend waaaay more on games because the wallet opens more easily when you know you can cash out if it doesn't click.

 

[OuterLimits]

Not sure why people care that Microsoft charges $80 at launch. They will probably be heavily discounted within months. Nintendo games rarely drop in price because they sell well for years.

 

[Kenneth Haight]

Me too, I'm just messing I don't like things costing more money either.

I am working my way through a ridiculous backlog right now having spent hundreds on games the last few years. I'm not buying any new games unless they are ridiculous value like 70%+ off and have held out this year. Have spent probably £20 in the first 3rd of the year. Really trying to be more disciplined in spending.

 

[Last Hearth]

Nintendo cartridges for the NES cost 29.99 in 1987, $30 in 1987 adjusted for inflation is $84.45 today.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

the market will decide.

Tariffs don't care about the free market. The reality is that we are going back to the bad old days and you should get used to it. Free trade existed for a reason, and now it is dead. Have fun.

 

[Danjin44]

they better make AAAA games from now on

That's means nothing to me, we just got fantastic game like Clair Obscur with cheaper price and yet one of the best games I played this year.

The AAA doesn't mean quality, it just means big budget for marketing.

 

[Sooner]

New $80 games lead to $50 used games, the written law doesn't say you have to buy games new, probably many buy used.

It will when there is no longer such a thing as physical games.

In other words, very soon.

 

[DryvBy]

This is all opportunistic bullshit. Using current events to justify price hikes for stuff that has nothing to do with any tariffs or political nonsense. Applies to any of these corporations raising prices on games.

Record profits incoming

This, this 100%. People are missing that there's plenty of areas they're saving money everywhere around every corner while they announce they're making billions over billions. So either you're actually nothing making billions in profits like people have been claiming, or you're lying now and just want to make more money using greedflation.

Dr. Dre, a man who is worth $20m under a billion, claimed music downloads were hurting him and taking food out of his kid's mouth. This is that statement but a giant corporation is claiming it.

And if someone's confused why I'm calling out MS, I couldn't care less who does it. I'll update this with Sony and Steam if their first party does this too. Or EA. All of these companies have been saying quarter over quarter, they're up 5+%. Every single one. MS just did this and we saw how they were doing. They're not about to go under. They're doing fine on the gaming side (hardware is a joke, but that'll take care of itself later lol). And even if they weren't doing fine, I called out how they blow their money and have dev hell issues. Phil Spencer shouldn't have ever had a job after a few years, but they're still paying him well. They blew threw $100,000,000,000 on franchises and if anything, that's why they're raising prices.

Claiming COD is a premium game that they'll need to do this for ignores that COD is a service store that already costs hundreds to their hardcore fans. Season pass, battle pass, celebrity skins, iconic skins, gun skins, knife skins, and that's yearly. They also invoke a lot of FOMO. When I was playing a lot, I bought a skin and it was the only time I bought one. $20 for a John McClain skin. I'm so glad I bought a skin that I can't even use on games. I have to go play previous versions of the game, and since this game is yearly, you're just in a cycle of spending money. They even have music in their fomo battle pass and it takes almost hundreds of hours to get to it, or you can just quickly buy skip packs to bypass all of that to get your skin.

Nevermind that MS (along with others) now charge to get a game a week early by calling it "early access". So for those people, games already cost over $100.

Sorry to the fans who take this personal, but I'm going to call out $10. I'm tired of everything in life ripping me off here and there.

 

[diffusionx]

This is literally the definition of inflation. Costs of everything has gone up 25% at least since 2021.

 

[IntentionalPun]

Most of your bullet points are about how expensive it is to make games lol

When costs go up companies don't go "hey I guess we'll make less profit", that's just not how it works.