Overview

• Publishers including Microsoft and EA have shelved $80 launch prices, with recent AAA titles such as Borderlands 4 and Battlefield 6 debuting at $70
• Game prices now span an unprecedented spectrum from around $30 up to $80 as companies balance development budgets and game scope
• Analysts warn that the traditional uniform $60 or $70 pricing model is dead and that each title’s launch tag will be set case by case based on monetization plans, release timing and platform strategy
• Premium $80 tags remain viable chiefly for franchises with highly dedicated fan bases exhibiting low price sensitivity at launch
• Competition for new releases has shifted toward free-to-play giants like Fortnite and Roblox rather than other console or PC launch windows