EA Defies Trend: No Plans to Raise Video Game Prices

In a reassuring move for gamers, EA has firmly stated that it will not be following the recent trend of price hikes seen with competitors like Microsoft and Nintendo, who are now charging $80 for some of their titles. During the company's latest financial call, CEO Andrew Wilson emphasized EA's commitment to providing "incredible quality and exponential value" to its player base. He highlighted the success of their co-op adventure game Split Fiction, which has impressively sold 4 million copies, as a testament to this approach.

Wilson elaborated on the evolution of EA's business model over the past decade, noting the shift from primarily selling physical copies in retail stores to a more diversified model that now includes everything from free-to-play games to deluxe editions. "At the end of the day, whether we're doing something that costs a dollar, or we're doing something that costs $10, or we're doing something that costs $100, our objective is always to deliver incredible quality and exponential value for our playerbase," he stated. This strategy, according to Wilson, has proven to be "strong, resilient, and continues to grow" when quality and value are effectively combined.

Echoing Wilson's sentiments, CFO Stuart Canfield added that EA's current pricing strategy remains unchanged, providing further assurance to consumers about the company's approach to game pricing.

This news comes as a relief especially after Microsoft confirmed it was raising Xbox prices last week, which includes not just the consoles and accessories but also some games. While game prices will remain unchanged for the time being, Xbox is set to charge $79.99 for new, first-party games around the holiday season. This follows a broader trend in the AAA gaming industry, where prices have escalated from $60 to $70 over the past five years, and Nintendo setting a $80 price point for upcoming Switch 2 exclusive Mario Kart World and other Switch 2 Edition games. The announcement of the Switch 2 launching at $450 has sparked debate among fans, though analysts argue that such pricing is inevitable given current economic conditions.

With EA's clear stance on pricing, fans can look forward to the next iterations of EA Sports FC, Madden, and Battlefield maintaining their $70 standard edition price. However, this commitment to stable pricing comes amidst reports from IGN of EA cutting around 100 jobs at Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment, alongside broader layoffs affecting approximately 300 individuals across the organization.