Game Pricing
Ongoing coverage on Game Pricing.
Latest coverage
From Starfield to Fallout: Devs Want More Than Just 'Po... | TAG
In a refreshing move for the industry, Atlus is raising salaries and reducing fixed overtime, bucking the trend of layoffs and crunch. Meanwhile, reviews are out for the Pulsar X3 CrazyLight Mini mouse, and Amy Madigan's Oscar win for 'Weapons' is being compared to Heath Ledger's Joker. The article also touches on the risks of $70 games on Steam, player expectations for Grand Theft Auto 6's multiplayer, upcoming challenges in Marathon, a new Fallout Chicago mod, a guide to finding an item in Pokémon Pokopia, and composer Inon Zur's belief that Starfield will become legendary. News also includes layoffs at Warner Bros. Games Montréal, new codes for Animal Training, and the announcement of a Firefly animated series.
If all video games were free what would people really play? - Reader’s Feature
This reader's feature explores what video game consumption would look like if all games were free and microtransactions were eliminated. It argues that despite the removal of financial barriers, player behavior would likely remain similar, with a continued focus on popular, easily accessible online multiplayer titles like Fortnite and Rocket League, rather than a significant shift towards niche genres.
Games Inbox: Who will win out of PS6 vs. Project Helix?
Readers discuss the potential competition between the upcoming PlayStation 6 and Microsoft's Project Helix (likely the next Xbox console), with concerns raised about pricing, naming conventions, and the potential impact of simultaneous releases. Other topics include the effectiveness of game age ratings, the future of the Battlefield franchise, and the perceived arrogance of Microsoft's console strategy.
Business and Finance
Chris Charla, head of ID@Xbox, discusses the challenges indie developers face with game pricing. He suggests that developers often undervalue their own work when setting prices for their titles.
"I think people undervalue their own work" – ID@Xbox head Chris Charla on the tricky problem of indie game pricing
ID@Xbox head Chris Charla discussed the challenges of indie game pricing, encouraging developers to value their work and avoid imposter syndrome. He also touched on discoverability issues on the Xbox store and the success of Game Pass for developers.
Games Inbox: Should Capcom remake Resident Evil 6?
This collection of reader letters discusses various gaming topics, including the potential for a Resident Evil 6 remake, the rising cost of amiibo figures, and the future of Xbox's hardware strategy. Other points of discussion include the design of Nintendo's Virtual Boy games, the marketing of Fortnite, and the perceived lack of major releases from Naughty Dog this generation.
New Pokemon Snap- Still good in 2026?
This article discusses the potential for a Nintendo Selects-style budget re-release program for the Nintendo Switch, especially as the console enters its later years. It focuses on games that may have fallen short of their full potential and could benefit from a second chance at an affordable price, using New Pokemon Snap as a hypothetical example.
Multi-millionaire streamer xQc thinks Grand Theft Auto 6 should be $800
Streamer Felix Lengyel, also known as xQc, believes Grand Theft Auto 6 should be priced at $800 due to its extensive content and quality, arguing that current game prices are too low for the value offered. He cited Resident Evil 4's shorter playtime and higher cost as a comparison point. While acknowledging the logic behind valuing content hours, the article suggests that game pricing should not be based solely on playtime or replayability, and discourages encouraging higher prices.
Xbox Game Pass in 2026: every tier, price, and change explained
Microsoft significantly restructured Xbox Game Pass on October 1, 2025, introducing new tiers, bundling additional services, and increasing prices, with Ultimate jumping 50% to $29.99 per month. The service now offers Essential ($9.99), Premium ($14.99), PC Game Pass ($16.49), and Ultimate ($29.99), with day-one access to first-party titles like Call of Duty restricted to Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The changes reposition Game Pass as a premium entertainment bundle, omitting a family plan and annual subscription options.
Mass pre-order cancellations have gamers wondering: Is Marathon the next Concord?
Marathon is experiencing a significant player drop following its Server Slam event, with player counts falling drastically from a peak of 144,000 to around 60,000. This decline, coupled with criticism of its UI, art style, and gameplay, has led to pre-order cancellations and demands for a price reduction. The game's struggles are contrasted with ARC Raiders, which maintains a much higher player count, raising concerns about Marathon's future in the extraction shooter genre.
PlayStation gamers get bad news as Sony makes huge cuts to PS Plus
Sony is significantly altering its PlayStation Plus service by phasing out free monthly games for PlayStation 4 owners starting March 2025. The company is shifting its strategy to focus exclusively on PlayStation 5 content for new monthly game additions, though existing PS4 titles will remain in the library. This move aims to encourage upgrades to the newer console generation and marks a shift in Sony's subscription service strategy.
