The CEO of Saber Interactive believes that the current pricing of video games at $70 may not be a sustainable model
In recent times, the gaming industry has witnessed the introduction of triple-A titles priced at a hefty $70 USD. Even Nintendo, known for its affordability, has joined the trend with their latest installment in the Legend of Zelda series, titled Tears of the Kingdom.
In the eyes of Saber Interactive’s CEO, Matthew Karch, this new price point appears to be a long-term fixture. However, Karch holds the belief that this model is not viable in the long run and predicts its eventual demise. In a recent interview with IGN, he discussed his belief that game companies may eventually discover methods to reduce development costs.
“I think that as games become more expensive to make, the $70 title is going to go the way of the dodo [bird]. I do. I just don’t think it’s sustainable…
I think the market is going to shift to development which is not necessarily lower quality, but there’s going to be an emphasis on trying to find ways to reduce costs.”
This being said, Saber’s newest release, Space Marine 2, costs this much because the company is reportedly afraid that people will think of anything cheaper as “poor quality.” Karch does say that he would love to follow in the footsteps of successful games like Helldivers 2, which is an example of a “middle market game” that did very well.
This comes after Ubisoft’s CEO defended Skull and Bones’ $70 price tag by calling it a “quadruple-A game.”
Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America, has also defended the price of Tears of the Kingdom, saying that it was fair for the “type of experience that fans can expect.” This price model, on the other hand, is said to be case-by-case.
Categories: NEWS, Nintendo Switch
Tags: featured, Saber Interactive, Ubisoft