Subj : Sega CEO hints at raising game prices to $70 in line with other p
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Fri May 19 2023 12:30:03

Sega CEO hints at raising game prices to $70 in line with other platforms

Date:
Fri, 19 May 2023 11:17:55 +0000

Description:
Sega's CEO and CFO have alluded to increasing the baseline price of games to 
$70 to match prices across the board.

FULL STORY
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CEO of Sega, Haruki Satomi, and CFO Koichi Fukuzawa have alluded to raising 
the price of specific titles to bring them in line with other AAA titles 
published by the likes of Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo. 

"In the global marketplace, AAA game titles for console have been sold at 
$59.99 for many years, but titles sold at $69.99 have appeared in the last 
year," Satomi and Fukuzawa said in a financial earnings call . "We would like 
to review the prices of titles that we believe are commensurate with price 
increases. 

Sega is slightly late to the price-raising party as multiple publishers have 
already shifted top AAA games to the heights of $70. PlayStation first 
advertised God of War Ragnarok for $70 on the PS5 , and Xbox will also price 
Starfield at this amount for the Xbox Series X |S. It seems as if this is the 
new norm for the gaming industry. Match the market (Image credit: Sega) 

"We are currently considering increasing the prices of some titles, but no 
concrete decisions have been made at this stage," they said. The Digital 
Deluxe Edition for Sonic Frontiers already costs $70, with the Standard 
Edition going for $60. So while nothing is certain yet, its no surprise that 
this may be standard practice the next time Sega rolls out a Sonic title to 
follow Sonic Frontiers . 

While its true that development costs have increased over the last decade and 
many publishers need to reflect this in the new games prices, it doesnt make 
the news any easier to swallow. 

Many of us remember having to save up for months to split the cost of games 
with a sibling or friend even when the standard price was $40 for AAA titles. 
Having to readjust this, in a cost-of-living crunch, for $70 games is going 
to be even harder for some. 

Economies change, and standards shift, but that doesnt mean people should get 
priced out of gaming, especially younger generations wholl now have less 
access to top titles. Its admirable that Sega held out for as long as it did, 
and while any changes arent certain, it was only a matter of time before the 
tides swept Sega away with the rest of the big publishers. Sonic Frontiers 
saved the franchise - heres where it could go next



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/news/sega-ceo-hints-at-raising-game-prices-to-dollar
70-in-line-with-other-platforms


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