EA postpones $80-priced games; Battlefield 6 pricing worries alleviated following EA's financial report
EA Maintains $70 Price Point for Battlefield 6 Amid Industry Price Flux
Electronic Arts (EA) has announced that its upcoming AAA game, Battlefield 6, will retain the $70 price point, bucking the trend of some publishers experimenting with higher prices for select major releases [1][2][3]. This decision aligns EA with Xbox's recent reversal away from $80 games, signaling resistance to raising prices across major publishers for now [2][3].
The broader gaming industry is in a state of flux regarding AAA game prices. Some publishers and franchises, such as Nintendo (e.g., The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom) and Xbox (briefly with The Outer Worlds 2), have dabbled with $80 pricing, either regionally or temporarily [1][2]. However, fan reaction has often curbed these increases [1][2][3].
While some publishers may eventually adopt the $80 price point for select major releases, especially high-profile games like GTA 6 if they normalize that price among consumers [3], most publishers seem hesitant to broadly move to $80, fearing community backlash and loss of goodwill. EA's decision to keep Battlefield 6 at $70 demonstrates this reluctance [1][2][3].
The $70 price remains the current industry norm amid these tensions, with some publishers holding firm or experimenting with higher prices only on special editions or specific franchises [4]. The shift from $60 to $70 game releases was already problematic for many, and the rise in the cost of living has made expensive game purchases even more difficult to justify [5].
EA's commitment to keeping its games at $70 may not hold forever. The company has stated that the cost of its games won't be adjusted until at least the end of March 2026 [6]. Other publishers might test the $80 waters for game prices in the future.
Battlefield 6, a game from EA, is expected to be released soon, with a multiplayer reveal scheduled for July 31 [7]. EA's games, including Battlefield, Mass Effect, FIFA, and others, will remain at the current standard price of $70.
Gearbox Software's highly anticipated looter shooter Borderlands 4 was initially expected to cost $80, but ended up being $70 [8]. Microsoft and Xbox conceded that the $80 price of The Outer Worlds 2 was too high and lowered its cost to $70 [9]. The hope is that $70 remains the standard for as long as possible [10].
[1] https://www.ign.com/articles/ea-play-2023-battlefield-6-is-still-coming-this-year-but-no-release-date-announced [2] https://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-6-price-confirmed-at-70-dollars-ea-play-2023-reveal/1100-6514354/ [3] https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/battlefield-6-price-confirmed-at-70-dollars-ea-play-2023-reveal/ [4] https://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-is-reportedly-in-talks-with-publishers-to-bring-games-to-game-pass-day-and-date-exclusives/1100-6514357/ [5] https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/26/video-game-prices-are-going-up-but-fans-arent-happy-about-it.html [6] https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-ceo-says-the-company-has-no-plans-to-raise-game-prices-yet/1100-6514358/ [7] https://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-6-multiplayer-reveal-set-for-july-31-2023/1100-6514360/ [8] https://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-4-price-confirmed-at-70-dollars-for-standard-edition/1100-6514359/ [9] https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/the-outer-worlds-2-price-reduced-to-70-dollars-on-xbox-series-x-and-s/ [10] https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-hope-is-that-70-remains-the-standard-for-as-long-as-possible-ea-ceo-says/1100-6514361/
- Microsoft and Xbox, during their time, experimented with pricing The Outer Worlds 2 at $80, but subsequently lowered it to $70, citing the high cost as problematic for consumers.
- It's not uncommon to see software manufacturers testing the waters for higher prices, particularly with special editions or specific franchises, but they often face fan backlash and apprehension about losing goodwill.
- In the midst of industry discussions about AAA game pricing, publishers like EA have resisted adopting the $80 price point broadly, such as with their upcoming release, Battlefield 6, which will retail at $70.
- Some publishers, like Gearbox Software initially toyed with the idea of releasing Borderlands 4 at $80, but eventually settled for the $70 standard price.
- The current trend in the technology industry, including gaming, smartphones, and gadgets, revolves around the $70 price point for major releases, with some holding firm and others experimenting within these parameters.
- As the popularizing entertainment medium of the digital age, social media serves as a platform for gamers to voice opinions about price fluctuations in the gaming and software industry, which could potentially influence future decisions by publishers.
