The discussion about game prices is like a never-ending boss fight - tough, frustrating and full of opinions that counter each other. With the current generation of consoles, prices for AAA games have risen to around 80 euros. And as Mario Kart World recently cracked the 90-euro markThe release of the new PlayStation was a wake-up call for many fans. But former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden, of all people, believes that this is far from enough.
Game prices soaring - and no end in sight?
In an interview with PlayerDriven Layden explained that games should have been more expensive a long time ago - and that the industry had made a mistake by not increasing the price in small steps with each console generation. If inflation is taken into account, 59.99 dollars from 1999 would be worth almost 100 dollars today. A very clear sign for Layden: "We are lagging behind in terms of price."
What sounds logical on paper is incomprehensible in reality. Because while the production costs of games are exploding - with development teams reminiscent of Hollywood film sets - many players are struggling with rising rents, the cost of living and everyday life - an aspect that a former PlayStation manager is not confronted with and shows frighteningly little intuition in this regard. The prospect of soon paying 90+ euros for a game that may be over after 15 hours is not exactly met with enthusiasm.
More money for less play?
Layden is also of the opinion that games are too long. He already wished for 2020 a return to shorter, more compact experiences. His ideal: 12 to 15 hours of playtime. Does that mean we should pay more and play less in future? Not a good sales strategy.
The market has also changed. Free-to-play games and indie hits such as It Takes Two show that quality doesn't always require a huge budget - and especially not 80 euros. The pressure on AAA studios is growing: if they want to charge more, they have to deliver more - be it innovation, stability or simply a game that is actually ready for release.
Ultimately, the market will decide. The only question is: who will have the last life in the end?
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