Analyst warns that we're in the 'Wild West' of game prices - 'people still buy these games at these high price points'

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The age of the $60 game is over

Mario Kart World
(Image credit: Nintendo)
  • It seems as though game prices will remain variable going forward
  • Analyst Matt Piscatella described the market as the 'Wild West' in a recent interview
  • 'Publishers and developers are trying to find the sweet spot for their pricing,' he explained

Don't expect uniform game prices any time soon, a prominent industry analyst has warned.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Circana executive director of games Mat Piscatella said that prices are "a little Wild West right now."

"We have more variability in launch pricing and strategies than we've ever had. We have a lot of titles trying to kind of nibble at the high end of that market, and we have many more that are launching at lower prices," he continued.

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It's not difficult to find examples of the irregularity in game prices these days. A physical copy of Mario Kart World launched at $79.99 / £74.99, while the recent Donkey Kong Bananza was a lower $69.99 / £64.99.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach retailed for $69.99 / £69.99, while a massive role-playing game (RPG) like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, in contrast, cost just $49.99 / £49.99.

"Ultimately, publishers and developers are trying to find the sweet spot for their pricing strategy," Piscatella explained.

"If you look at the games that are pushing that higher end of that price envelope, those are games that have super dedicated fan bases in general, where price sensitivity, particularly at launch, is very low, meaning that people want to play this game no matter what it costs," he added.

"I know a lot of people don't like it, but people still buy these games at these high price points, so they're going to keep getting made at high price points for the right game that can do that."

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Dashiell Wood
Dashiell Wood
Gaming Editor

Dash is an experienced tech journalist who specializes in video games, electronic entertainment products, and the wider industry that surrounds them. He currently serves as the Gaming Editor at TechRadar, leading our review, preview, feature, and news coverage of the latest and greatest releases.

Before joining the team, he was Contributing Writer at PLAY (formerly Official PlayStation Magazine UK) and has written articles for many of the UK's other biggest gaming magazines including the likes of Edge, PC Gamer, and SFX.

Now, when he's not getting his greasy little mitts on the newest hardware or gaming gadget, he can be found listening to J-pop or feverishly devouring the latest Nintendo Switch otome.

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