Whereas online game costs might not all hit the $80 mark like Nintendo’s Mario Kart World did this yr, Circana analyst Mat Piscatella believes that we’ll be seeing video games getting costly sooner moderately than later. In an interview with GamesRadar, Piscatella referred to 2025 as “a bit Wild West” on the subject of sport pricing, since the most well-liked video games of the yr have lined quite a lot of worth factors. Finally, he notes that it comes all the way down to the viewers a sport’s writer would possibly wish to goal, stating that they should determine if they need fewer consumers by making their video games dearer.
“I believe it’s a bit Wild West proper now,” stated Piscatella. “Now we have extra variability in launch pricing and methods than we’ve ever had. Now we have plenty of titles making an attempt to type of nibble on the excessive finish of that market, and we now have many extra which might be launching at decrease costs, and the dimensions of the sport and every thing else [affects that] as effectively. However finally, publishers and builders are looking for the candy spot for his or her pricing technique. And typically you assume, ‘Okay, we go for the next worth. We might not get as many individuals, however we all know that those we get shall be very enthusiastic and devoted.’ Or, ‘Possibly we have to come out at a cheaper price and solid a wider web.’”
Piscatella additionally notes that even high-quality AAA video games nonetheless must finally compete with titles from throughout the pricing spectrum, citing the insanely fashionable and free-to-play titles Fortnite and Roblox.
“I believe everybody’s simply making an attempt to determine issues out in a market surroundings the place the most important competitor to any new sport isn’t the opposite new video games launching within the launch window prefer it was once. It’s Fortnite and Roblox and making an attempt to drag folks out of these, as a result of that’s the first competitors now, getting these 35% of lively gamers on console that play Fortnite each week. How do you get them to not try this and as a substitute go purchase a unique sport?”
As for present market realities, Piscatella believes that we’re drifting additional and additional away from video games having a “normal” worth level, no matter whether or not it’s $60, $70, or $80. How some video games deal with post-launch monetisation additionally performs into this, since multiplayer video games particularly are inclined to function further issues gamers can spend cash on, like battle passes and cosmetics. Finally, he thinks that “each sport goes to be a bit bit totally different” on the subject of publishers determining their pricing methods.
“Actually, it’s going to be totally different for each sport,” he defined. “And you already know, issues like post-launch monetization methods will come into play, even the discharge timing of the sport might come into play, or the platforms it’s on. I simply assume there’s so many choices obtainable now. It was once, this sport goes to be $60 as a result of each sport is $60, that’s fantastic. That’s simply not the place we’re anymore. These days are lengthy gone. So, yeah, I don’t assume there’s a normal or a candy spot typically. I believe each sport goes to be a bit bit totally different.”
Whereas some video games, like for instance Mario Kart World, have been in a position to hit the $80 price ticket with out seeing an issue in gross sales, Piscatella notes that, owing to those video games already having devoted fan bases, “worth sensitivity, notably at launch, could be very low, that means that individuals wish to play this sport it doesn’t matter what it prices.”
“So it’s type of ticking that up a bit bit. And I do know lots of people don’t prefer it, however folks nonetheless purchase these video games at these excessive worth factors, so that they’re going to maintain getting made at excessive worth factors for the correct sport that may try this. The market is what it’s, and you may all the time drop the worth of the sport, however you’ll be able to’t actually increase it. So we’ll see what occurs over time.”
Grand Theft Auto 6’s launch on Might 26, 2026 can also be anticipated to have fairly a profound impact in the marketplace. Whereas analysts imagine that Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive would possibly go for a lot greater worth tags, Piscatella notes that every one eyes are on the sport at this level.
“There’s going to be billions of eyes taking a look at every thing Grand Theft Auto does subsequent yr, it doesn’t matter what it’s. So let’s throw that on the pile.”
