EA drops current-gen prices on new releases
02-22-06, 11:52 AM
#1
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Glendale, next to L.A.
Posts: 18,484
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
EA drops current-gen prices on new releases
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=14898
Rob Fahey 16:24 22/02/2006
Black, The Godfather and Fight Night Round 3 all to come in $10 cheaper
Top publisher Electronic Arts has announced that its future releases on the current generation consoles will be priced at $39.95, representing a 20 per cent price cut which the company says is necessary due to the transition period.
The move will see key titles including The Godfather and Black coming in at the new price point, as will the current generation (PS2 and Xbox) versions of EA Sports title Fight Night Round 3, whose Xbox 360 version will continue to be priced at $59.95.
It's not the first time that EA has cut prices on major current-generation products - at the end of January, it dropped Need for Speed Most Wanted to $39.95 as well in a move designed to improve slowing sales - but it's the first clear indication that the publishing giant sees $39.95 as the new standard price point for the formats.
"$39 is resonating with consumers given the transition," the company's communications boss Jeff Brown told Reuters. "There are indications that $39 is a solid and sustainable price point."
While consumers will undoubtedly be happy to see prices falling on current generation titles, it will make the price contrast with next generation software even more stark. Games for the Xbox 360, currently the only next-gen console on the market and likely to remain so in North America until next Autumn, will now sit at a price point $20 above everything else on the shelves.
Chris
Rob Fahey 16:24 22/02/2006
Black, The Godfather and Fight Night Round 3 all to come in $10 cheaper
Top publisher Electronic Arts has announced that its future releases on the current generation consoles will be priced at $39.95, representing a 20 per cent price cut which the company says is necessary due to the transition period.
The move will see key titles including The Godfather and Black coming in at the new price point, as will the current generation (PS2 and Xbox) versions of EA Sports title Fight Night Round 3, whose Xbox 360 version will continue to be priced at $59.95.
It's not the first time that EA has cut prices on major current-generation products - at the end of January, it dropped Need for Speed Most Wanted to $39.95 as well in a move designed to improve slowing sales - but it's the first clear indication that the publishing giant sees $39.95 as the new standard price point for the formats.
"$39 is resonating with consumers given the transition," the company's communications boss Jeff Brown told Reuters. "There are indications that $39 is a solid and sustainable price point."
While consumers will undoubtedly be happy to see prices falling on current generation titles, it will make the price contrast with next generation software even more stark. Games for the Xbox 360, currently the only next-gen console on the market and likely to remain so in North America until next Autumn, will now sit at a price point $20 above everything else on the shelves.
Chris
02-22-06, 12:17 PM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Maybe slowing sales are because most of their games are just slight updates of the previous year's versions? People are finally catching on? Well, probably not.. but it's pretty good to hear that and with Sony already pricing a lot of their output at $40 this is nothing but good for gamers (if only Nintendo would follow suite!).
I don't expect next-gen stuff to stay at $60 for long. Once Xbox 360 isn't the only kid on the block they'll have to price competitively. Development costs of the current batch of 360 titles are nowhere near the added $10/$20 per game they're pushing.
I don't expect next-gen stuff to stay at $60 for long. Once Xbox 360 isn't the only kid on the block they'll have to price competitively. Development costs of the current batch of 360 titles are nowhere near the added $10/$20 per game they're pushing.
