More publishers are considering raising prices for next-gen consoles

2K Games recently announced that the NBA 2K21 version for next-gen consoles will cost $70. That is 10 dollars more than the version for current consoles and according to research firm IDG Consulting, several publishers are considering such an increase.

Yoshio Osaki, the director of IDG Consulting, tells the website GamesIndustry.biz that 2005 and 2006 were the last times there was a price increase with the release of new consoles. It was then about the Xbox 360 and the PS3, where the price then went from 50 to 60 dollars. There has been no such increase since then, even though the costs have increased significantly.

According to Osaki, the cost of producing titles for the PS5 and Xbox Series X has increased by 200 to 300 percent. He explains that the increase from $60 to $70 represents an increase of 17 percent, which is relatively low compared to price increases in other entertainment sectors and when compared with increased production and development costs.

Osaki doesn’t say any other publishers are considering making the move to asking for a higher price for the version of their games for the Xbox Series X or the PS5. He states that not every game will be in stores for a price of 70 dollars, but that this is to be expected especially with flagship titles such as those from the NBA 2K series.

Recently, 2K Games announced that NBA 2K21 will cost $60 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but that the version for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will be priced at $70. The company does state that this is a suggested retail price and that the actual price in the store may differ.