A hot potato: It looks as if the consumer pushback against $80 becoming the new standard price for video games is having an effect. After Microsoft backtracked on plans to charge this amount for The Outer Worlds 2 and other new titles, EA has now said it won't be introducing the new baseline for AAA titles – at least "not at this stage." It means that the upcoming Battlefield 6 will be priced at the usual $70.
Speaking during a Q1 earnings call (via IGN), EA CEO Andrew Wilson responded to an investor question about game pricing.
"We're not looking to make any changes on pricing at this stage," Wilson said.
The exec added that EA already offers "a fairly broad pricing scheme across our various products."
"We'll continue to look at opportunities to deliver great value to our players through various pricing schemes over the course of time, but no dramatic changes planned yet."
Sources say that the recently revealed Battlefield 6 has seen its development budget soar to a Hollywood-blockbuster-sized $400 million. EA could have used that astronomical amount as justification for slapping an $80 price tag on the game, but the company is aiming to attract an ambitious 100 million players, which is more than three times the number of players Battlefield 1 – the most successful game in the series – managed at its peak. EA likely knows that adding another ten bucks to the standard $70 price is going to hamper that lofty goal.
Another big influence for EA will be the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which is also sticking to a $70 price tag. The franchises have long been major rivals, and the two titles are expected to launch close together, so EA doesn't want the next CoD to have the advantage of a cheaper base game.
Last week brought news that Microsoft was backing away from its plans to charge $80 for first-party Xbox games. The Outer Worlds 2, set to be the first of the more expensive titles, was reduced to the usual $70 – anyone who'd pre-ordered the RPG at $80 is being refunded. An Xbox spokesperson confirmed that all full-priced holiday releases will now cost $70, "in line with current market conditions."
With Borderlands 4 also costing $70 instead of $80, it appears gamers' outrage over the price hikes is being noticed. But one company that isn't paying attention is Nintendo. First-party Switch 2 releases such as Mario Kart World are $80.