As the highly anticipated multiplayer reveal for Battlefield 6 approaches on July 31, with pre-orders also rumored to open that day, many are curious whether Electronic Arts will price the game`s standard edition at $80. While no final decision has been announced, recent statements from EA CEO Andrew Wilson suggest this might not be the case.
During a recent earnings call, as reported by IGN, Wilson stated, “We`re not looking to make any changes on pricing at this stage.” He further explained that EA already employs a “fairly broad pricing scheme” across its diverse portfolio, including free-to-play titles, paid versions, and deluxe editions.
Wilson emphasized, “Our focus is always to cover the full range of pricing so that we can best serve players and offer them the most value. We will continue to explore opportunities to deliver great value to our players through various pricing models over time, but no dramatic changes are planned yet.”
These latest comments come as no surprise, as Wilson had made similar remarks regarding $80 game prices during EA`s previous earnings call three months prior.
Despite a recent European leak suggesting Battlefield 6`s standard edition could cost €80 (approximately $94 USD), Electronic Arts has yet to make any official announcements. If pre-orders indeed go live on July 31, we can expect concrete details soon.
Currently, Nintendo stands as the only major publisher to release a new game for $80, specifically Mario Kart World earlier this year. However, players could acquire it at a perceived discount through a $500 Switch 2 bundle. Microsoft had also intended to introduce $80 games later this year, starting with The Outer Worlds 2, but subsequently reversed these plans.
According to one analyst, consumers are prepared and willing to pay $80 or more for new games, and it`s anticipated that any video game publisher believing it can raise prices will eventually do so. As mentioned, this has only occurred with Mario Kart World so far, but the average selling price of new games could exceed $70 when considering factors like deluxe editions. Furthermore, games generate revenue through microtransactions, and Battlefield 6 is expected to include them.
However, not all publishers are increasing prices. For instance, 2K Games plans to launch Mafia: The Old Country in August for $50. Parent company Take-Two justified this decision by stating it aims to reach the widest possible audience, while publisher 2K added that the price reflects the game`s non-open-world nature and lower time investment requirement. “We believe there`s a large audience for compelling stories that don`t demand massive time commitments,” 2K stated.