Should Video Games Cost More? Baldur’s Gate 3 Developer Thinks So

Should video games cost more than they do currently? A senior Baldur’s Gate 3 developer thinks so.

According to the developer, “almost all games” cost less these days than they should. He believes Rockstar Games’ upcoming GTA 6 will change how games are priced when it launches.

This perspective comes from Michael Douse, known as Cromwelp on X/Twitter, who serves as the director of publishing at Larian Studios. The conversation began in a Twitter thread where Douse argued that games should charge customers more “at a base level” due to rising development costs.

He added that video games should be priced according to their “quality, breadth, and depth,” and that squeezing every game into certain price brackets doesn’t make sense to him.

The reason for this discussion was the base $70 price tag of Star Wars: Outlaws, which has a $130 asking price for its Ultimate Edition. Douse maintained that such high prices are often justified by companies with vague promises about content, making the $70 price tag seem more reasonable.

The Video Game Pricing Dilemma

Douse went further, suggesting that Rockstar Games’ GTA 6, one of the most anticipated games of our time, will have a major impact on how video games are priced when it finally releases.

Due to the enormous hype surrounding it, GTA 6 could very well become the best-selling entertainment product of all time. Given Rockstar Games’ track record and the quality their products typically offer, many are likely willing to pay a premium.

But this could set a dangerous precedent for the industry. If the base game is priced at an exorbitant amount, as many expect, it might force other developers to follow suit.

However, gamers are not easily fooled. If they don’t believe a game is worth the asking price, they won’t buy it. Even the now-standard $70 price tag remains a contentious issue for many gamers today. Add to that the frustration over microtransactions and live-service models, and it’s clear the gaming community is fed up with increasing costs.

The gaming community often resists companies’ attempts to raise prices for their games or services. It remains to be seen how the industry will react to GTA 6’s pricing and what it might mean for the future of video game pricing.