A few weeks ago, we learned that next-gen versions of NBA 2K21 will retail for $70 apiece, leading fans and analysts to wonder whether console games were about to experience a long-feared price hike.
While next-gen games may eventually hit $70, Ubisoft isn’t ready to jack the price just yet, though. All of the company’s PS5 and Xbox Series X games that come out in 2020 will remain at $60 apiece.
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Information comes from an Ubisoft earnings call, which Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier discussed on Twitter.
Big news: Ubisoft said on today's earnings call that their next-gen games this fall will be the same price as current-gen games ($60). Take-Two had announced that NBA 2K21 will be $70 on PS5 and Xbox Series X.July 22, 2020
He also followed up with another tweet to clarify Ubisoft’s future plans, writing, “Ubisoft wouldn’t answer when asked about next-gen pricing after this fall.”
There are two main points here. The first is that Ubisoft has no immediate plans to raise game prices. The second, however, is that the company reserves the right to do so in the future.
Ubisoft has two major releases planned for late 2020: Watch Dogs: Legion and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Both games will be available on current- and next-gen platforms, and Xbox players will be able to upgrade for free thanks to Microsoft’s Smart Delivery system. Watch Dogs: Legion is slated for release on October 29, while Valhalla will come out on November 17.
The subtext here is easy enough to read. Ubisoft wants to leave the door open to raise prices in the future, but isn’t ready to commit to a $10 bump just yet. Likewise, the company won’t go broke by selling next-gen games at $60 for the moment, so it doesn’t want to add additional confusion during a next-gen console launch — particularly since said consoles will launch around the same time as two of its biggest games this year.
As to whether Ubisoft would raise prices in the future, that’s probably dependent on what other companies do. 2K, at least, seems willing to raise prices by $10 right away. If other companies follow suit, Ubisoft will probably be one of the first to adopt the new pricing structure. After all, it’s a huge company that puts out very expensive games, and its franchises have huge, dedicated fan bases. For those gamers who want the next Assassin’s Creed or Watch Dogs entry, another $10 might not be much of a deterrent.
For now, expect to pay $60 for Ubisoft games in 2020, regardless of platform. What happens next year, though, is anyone’s guess.
