It’s looking increasingly like the $70 price tag for next-generation games will become the norm. Spotted on 2K’s NBA 2K21, the CEO of Take-Two (parent company to 2K) Strauss Zelnick recently stated that he believes Take-Two’s games can justify a higher upfront cost because of the “quality of the experience.”
Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Zelnick said, “There hasn’t been a price increase for frontline titles for a really long time, despite the fact that it costs a great deal more to make those titles. And we think with the value we offer consumers…and the kind of experience you can really only have on these next-generation consoles, that the price is justified. But it’s easy to say that when you’re delivering extraordinary quality, and that’s what our company prides itself on doing.”
When asked about what Zelnick feels about Ubisoft’s recent comments, he stated, “We just speak for ourselves. Obviously, we don’t speak for the industry and the industry naturally does not coordinate on these matters, to say the very least. The pricing has to reflect the quality of the experience, and we aim to provide the best experiences in the business.”
Let’s put aside how that’s a total crock of nonsense (WWE 2K was so “quality” that 2K had to cancel this year’s iteration after the last few were rightly derided by fans and critics) and focus more on how that price won’t change anything. Despite upping the cost to $70, NBA 2K and even Rockstar’s titles -which Take-Two also owns- will still be cramming in microtransactions and DLC out the wazoo. There’s no need to increase when that crap exists.
It’s absolutely true that the cost of developing games has increased, but a lot of that cost is down to stuff most people don’t care about. No one needs ultra-realistic and high-quality graphics to enjoy a game. Many indie titles come out with decidedly antiquated visual designs and are hailed as masterpieces. There’s even the “Double-A” tier of games where graphics are solid enough, but not cutting edge. Those games are managing just fine.
Zelnick is firmly entrenched in the idea that his companies need to be producing top-quality stuff because all he cares about is selling things. It, apparently, works too. Grand Theft Auto V is one of the best selling games of all time and the NBA 2K series routinely does well despite being terrible. People just love their gaming comfort foods.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
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