Baldur’s Gate 3 Developer Thinks All Games Should Cost More at a Base Level, Says GTA 6 Might Raise Prices Over $70

We are in an era of video games where the standard price for major releases has been set at $70. This price point is already reflected in big games that are coming out on current platforms like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Even Nintendo joined this trend with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom, which also launched at this price. However, some believe a new pricing standard could be established next year with the release of Grand Theft Auto 6.

Michael Douse, a developer behind Baldur’s Gate 3, recently expressed his thoughts on this topic. Speaking on X, he criticized what he called the “artificial pricing structures” of games today.

He said:

I don’t love the artificiality of pricing structures post retail. Use the inflated base price to upsell a subscription, and use vague content promises to inflate ultimate editions to make the base price look better. It all seems a bit dangerous & disconnected from the community.

I think a game should be priced accordingly with its quality, breadth & depth. I’m not against higher prices, but this arbitrary uniformity just doesn’t make sense to me. It feels so unserious.

Almost all games should cost more at a base level because the cost of making them (inflation, for one) is outpacing pricing trends. But I don’t think we’ll get there with DLC promises so much as quality & communication. Everyone’s just waiting for GTA6 to do it lol.

Douse suggested that, due to rising development costs, many games should have higher base prices. He pointed to GTA 6 as a potential trendsetter, noting that if Rockstar Games decides to price its next blockbuster above $70 and it sells well, other companies might follow this trend.

Rockstar Games has yet to announce the price for GTA 6. However, if the game exceeds the $70 mark and succeeds, it could encourage other developers to reconsider their pricing strategies for upcoming releases.

More MP1st Reading:

• GTA 6 PC Version: Take-Two Boss Says Rockstar Will Make “More Announcements in Due Time,” Cites GTA as “#1 Entertainment Property of All-Time
• Larian Nearly Made Baldur’s Gate 4, Partially Playable but Abandoned Due to Development Time Concerns
• Baldur’s Gate 3 Dev Larian Studios Says “Marketing Is Dead” as Gamers Don’t Like Being Bamboozled Anymore

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