EA Defies Trend: No Plans to Raise Game Prices

In a recent financial call with investors, EA CEO Andrew Wilson has made it clear that the company has no intention of following the likes of Microsoft and Nintendo in increasing game prices to $80. Instead, EA's strategy remains focused on delivering "incredible quality and exponential value" to its playerbase, as demonstrated by the success of their co-op adventure game Split Fiction, which has sold an impressive 4 million copies.

Wilson elaborated on the evolution of EA's business model over the past decade, noting a shift from primarily selling physical copies of games to a more diverse pricing strategy that ranges from free-to-play to deluxe editions. "In a world where everything we did 10 years ago was about selling shiny discs in plastic boxes on retail shelves — well, that’s still a part of our business, it’s a significantly smaller part of our business," Wilson stated. He emphasized that EA's goal is to provide exceptional quality and value, regardless of the price point, whether it's $1, $10, or $100.

EA's CFO, Stuart Canfield, reinforced this stance by stating that the company's current pricing strategy will remain unchanged, as reflected in their guidance to investors.

This news comes as a relief to gamers, especially in light of Microsoft's recent announcement of price hikes for Xbox consoles, accessories, and upcoming first-party games, which are set to cost $79.99 around the holiday season. The gaming industry has seen a general trend of increasing prices, with AAA titles jumping from $60 to $70 over the past five years, and Nintendo setting a $80 price tag for upcoming Switch 2 exclusives like Mario Kart World. The Switch 2 itself is slated to launch at $450, a decision that has stirred debate among fans and analysts who argue that such pricing is inevitable given current economic conditions.

Given EA's commitment to maintaining their current pricing, fans can expect the next iterations of EA Sports FC, Madden, and Battlefield to adhere to the $70 standard edition price.

However, it's not all smooth sailing for EA, as recent reports from IGN revealed that the company made significant job cuts, including around 100 positions at Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment, and a total of approximately 300 jobs across the organization.