With the launch of NBA 2K21, the games on the next generation consoles could see a price increase. In a press release this morning, Take-Two Interactive announced NBA 2K21 on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, as well as their counterparts in the current generation. Remarkably, the next-generation standard versions of the game came with a suggested retail price of $ 69.99, a jump of $ 10 from the $ 59.99 standard for most AAA games.
Even though some games have already been confirmed as next-gen or near-launch launch titles, they’re not yet available for pre-order, leaving their price as nebulous as the prices of the consoles that will run them. When you try to preorder 2K21 of the game website, lists the game as the standard price of $ 60. Even with next-gen consoles that push the boundaries of technology with “3D audio” and 8K graphics support, it makes sense that game prices may rise to offset the increasing cost of development in said hardware.
Gambling is fast becoming a prohibitively expensive hobby. A $ 10 boost may not seem like much, but with the overwhelming cost of the new consoles and the price of online subscriptions for multiplayer capabilities, working-class families might already be priced out of fun. And, with record unemployment figures due to the coronavirus, fewer people than ever could have the money to pay for a new console or a $ 70 game anyway.
A Take-Two public relations spokesperson said Kotaku, “We believe that our suggested retail price for NBA 2K21 on next-generation platforms it fairly represents the value of what is on offer: power, speed and technology that is only possible in new hardware. “ It is worth noting the nice The $ 69 number is the “suggested” price, meaning that retailers like Gamestop and Wal-Mart could sell them for more or for the $ 60 standard. There’s really no reason why we pay $ 59.99 for new standard game releases, it’s just what consumers have come to expect. And, as with video game prices rising to the current $ 60 standard 15 years before, that expectation can be changed. Take-Two’s new pricing strategy could be the benchmark for a new era of consumer price expectations.
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