The topic has been a hot topic since the announcement of Mario Kart World. Paying 80 euros for a game remains very expensive, and some players can unfortunately no longer afford this luxury. But for this major studio, it's the price to pay if you're "a true fan."
Gamers face the trend of 80 euro games
The announcement shocked the majority of Nintendo players: Mario Kart World announced at 80 euros for digital and 90 euros for physical versions. Accustomed to launching titles at reasonable prices where Sony and Microsoft have already increased their prices for their PS5 and Xbox Series, the Kyoto firm is suddenly increasing the price of its games. The price to pay to benefit from the performance of the future Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo justified itself the day after its shock announcement.
For their part, the Switch 2 versions of old titles like Kirby and the Forgotten World, Super Mario Party Jamboree, as well as both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel Tears of the Kingdom are also available between 70 and 80 euros. A heresy for many players who will have to break the bank for games that they consider to be labeled as more family-friendly than the biggest titles from Sony or Microsoft, and whose price seems less justifiable to them than the biggest PS5 titles. This is in any case the trend that emerged on the networks following Nintendo's announcement concerning Mario Kart World and its launch pack with the Switch 2
The lunar words of this big studio, the fans are disillusioned
But a true fan is ready to align with the prices imposed by their favorite manufacturer. That's what Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox Software, the studio behind the Borderlands franchise, believes. In response to a user who asked him about the release of Borderlands 4 on Switch 2, hoping the game wouldn't cost 80 euros, Pitcford replied: If you're a true fan, you'll find a way to make it happen. My local store had Starflight for the Sega Genesis for 80 euros in 1991, when I was fresh out of high school and working minimum wage at an ice cream shop. I managed to get hold of it."
In response to these comments, several Internet users took to the streets, believing that the CEO was "totally out of touch with the current economy" or that he "didn't understand the economic concept of inflation."
The cost of living has certainly increased for many people, who often have to tighten their belts on the budget allocated to their leisure activities to be able to cover their monthly expenses. The inflation felt in recent years has considerably weakened millions of households economically.
Unfortunately, paying at least 80 euros for a game is becoming the norm. The increase in development budgets and the number of developers working on a game has led publishers to raise their prices. For Rhys Elliott, head of market analysis at Alinea Analytics, gamers will be willing to take the plunge. An accepted norm that will lead gamers to be more patient but who - in the end - will pay for their favorite game. He cited the example a few days ago of those who are willing to pay 100 euros for a game in early access for a few days.
For Shuhei Yoshida, the former president of Sony, the increase was inevitable. Paying 70 or 80 euros for an excellent game is even "a good deal". He reported a few months ago that "as long as people choose carefully how they spend their money, I don't think they should complain." Buy less, But better?
What will happen to GTA 6 a year from now? Will it, in turn, cause another price increase, making access to video game entertainment a privileged affair?
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