Could you soon be paying over $200 for a single video game?

In light of CEO Bobby Kotick's recent remarks, Pushing Buttons takes a look at the slow (but steady) rise in retail prices seen by recent Activision releases.

[pure pwnage24]

Activision , killing the gaming industry, one day at a time

[qface64]

its people like bobby that are gonna screw up the industry if they had their way

geez i don't even know this guy yet i really dislike him

[ThanatosDMC]

We have the power of money. Not buying their games will make them bow down to us.

I say no one buy MW2. That outta shut em up.

[qface64]

you speak the truth but people will never realize that they will just keep buying and complaining and do nothing about it

[Venomish]

I canceled my MW2 preorder yesterday
I payed enough for World at War + all 3 map pack

[xTruthx]

I canceled my pre-order

[shingo]

fcuk activsion.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

Bobby is not killing the game industry, if anything the select few that consistently pays anything for it will.

Personally, I would never buy a game for $200 (or more) unless it is another Ninja Gaiden game made by Itagaki!

[topdawg122]

This guy truly is a douche, but I can't lie im probably gonna still get mw2. I remember games costing over 80$, but that was in the sega saturn days and look how that turned out

[IzKyD1331]

I always thought it was crazy to charge so much extra for a piece of plastic that probably cost like 6 bucks to make during production, but according to Activision, it's worth 40 bucks. Wait, whats this?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site...

a REAL electric guitar can be purchased for less than the price of Guitar Hero World Tour.....(I was being generous here, you can get an electric guitar for like 70 bucks if you know where to look)

[ultimolu]

...Just wow.

Is he serious?!

[NaiNaiNai]

Both my guitars cost me less then 300$ all together.

The black/red one is Les Paul Special II *169$ NEW

the black one is a Silverton Strat *110$ NEW

[You Already Know]

if the US has hyperinflation, then yeah....$200 a game...

[jmare]

Actually, people already have. Look at WoW. And Rockband and Guitar Hero 37. Funnily enough, all of these games are (now) from Activision.

EDIT: Can't forget WiiSports. People have been paying $250+ to play that game.

[Millah]

Well to be fair, games themselves still cost 60 bucks. And 60 bucks actually isn't that much, SNES games and N64 games both used to cost 60 bucks brand new. People seem to forget that. I know it was because of the cartridges, but still.

The thing I don't get it is how are 360/PS3 games 60 bucks yet the same game on PC will cost 50. Doesn't make sense.

But yea screw this guy!! How do these clowns become CEOs who are obviously very much out of touch with the industry they are a part of.

*edit* @jmare: well Wiisports comes with arguably the greatest bundle-in of all time, which is a Wii console LOL xD

[GameGambits]

They won't screw anything up other than their own company. I personally hate Rockband, Guitar Hero, and just about any simulation game like that when I could be doing the real thing in real life.

"I'm amazing at Guitar Hero. I spend 2093402 hours at it and kick so much butt!" People like this need to reevaluate themselves and their lives. You could've spent that time and energy into actually learning to play real guitar which impresses ALL(not most) people way more than being good at Guitar Hero.

[Sarcasm]

yeah zlatko

why play call of duty when you could join the military and shoot real life terrorists instead?

you're missing the point of guitar hero, rock band, etc..

it's a GAME.

If you hate the guys who spent 20532032402 hours mastering it, all that says is he's mastered guitar hero while you're pissing and moaning and being a little hater.

just putting things into perspective.

[tripewire]

Not bad.

I just got a Spector 4 banger for $1300. When games get that expensive im quitting gaming :D

[FFXI101]

canceled my pre-order too. Keep talking Bobby, next thing I'll do is to trade in my COD4 and WAW then stop buying games.

[Saaking]

200!?!? That's the price of 360. You could get a PS3 for the price of 2 games. That is insane and if that happens then I guess I'll stick to renting or just find another hobby.

[Venomish]

if that happens I would just go and buy an xbox and play pirated games.

[Amplitude]

Yup

[El_Colombiano]

I hope he fails so horribly with Activision they fire him. I almost hate him as much as Jacky boy.

[poindat]

"Ironically, as development costs explode for studios..."

Too bad these Activision peripherals are nothing but cheap hunks of plastic... that you have to pay out of your ass for. What a bunch of crap.

[PLAYINB3YOND]

I'm gunna shove that guitar he's holding so far up his arse he's gunna be able to play guns'n'roses on GH with his small intestine

[Sarcasm]

and when you're done with the drums. i'm gonna shove a prestige edition MW2 so far up his rear end he's going to be playing the guitar and drums with night vision

[tripewire]

so full of win

[sunil]

Look at the dirty smile on his face...

On topic... If Kotick had anything to do with it, $200 will be just the start. We might have to sell our cars to pay for his games

Remember how Fry (Furturama) sold his hands to the devil to play some instrument... ALL you people who buy MW2 at full price are signing over your lives to the devil that is Activision :)

just remember, you will NEVER get it back

[Kushan]

If your development costs are too high, maybe you should fire whoever it is that can't manage costs. Like ummm...oh I don't know, you?

I'm seriously thinking of boycotting anything from Activision. I'd happily pay full price for a second hand Activision game just to make sure they don't get a single penny of my cash. F*** you, Activision.

[xsteinbachx]

If it was 200 a game I wouldn't be buy it... So no I won't be paying 200 a game. Ever.

[San Frandisco]

Well,if this idiot fatass wants a reputation,then us gamers will give it to him.

[-Mezzo-]

Activision is screwing up this industry. what has happened to them all of a sudden 1 game sells over 10Million copies they have gone crazy after that.

[click 2 get virus]

i would NEVER PAY $200!!

[orakga]

What happens when intellectual properties are over-priced? They fuel piracy.

They can raise the price all they want, but "gamers" will play the games either way. Those gamers who HAVE the money, and feel that they can afford it will buy the games to play them. Those who don't... will resort to piracy.

Happens with every art-form.
No exception.

[Pandamobile]

I've never paid more than $50 for a game and I never will.

[Gun_Senshi]

you are definitly american.

[Gun_Senshi]

lol at diusagrees, even 2nd hand are more then 50$ in europe.

[Pandamobile]

I'm Canadian.

[Pandamobile]

No... I'm Canadian.

I do not live in the USA. Therefore, I'm not an American.

[cereal_killa]

Pandamobile maybe he ment North American fellow Canadian here FTW!!!

[Pandamobile]

But you don't call everyone in North America an American. Are Mexicans American? No. Are Canadians Americans? No.

[-MD-]

I'm already renting pretty much all of my games because they're too expensive so if they raise in price I'll just gamefly everything.

[air1]

i will never ever pay that much for a game, ever!!

i dont give a damn if the game can give me a blow job. i will quit gaming b4 i ever pay that much..

[The Killer]

how to crack COD4

1: download COD4 from torrents

2: install COD4

3: patch COD4 till patch number 1.7

4: download COD4 multiplyer crack ICON from torrents or net

5: find cracked servers

6: disable punkbuster and anable console option in the option menu

7: press the key button "~" to insert the IP address of the cracked server

8: enjoy!!

i am playing COD4 now online for $0.00, s@ck it activision

[MetalGearBear]

Bobby Kotick is evil

http://www.bingegamer.net/w...

[Gun_Senshi]

We already pay $100 for new release normal version.

[omegaortega]

I'd like to see a company 1up Call of Duty.

Thankfully there is Rock Band to 1up Guitar Hero. I wonder how is GH5 gonna turn out.

[mjolliffe]

NO I WON'T. FULL STOP. FCUCK YOU KOTICK

[kingme71]

The part that has me so ticked off on this whole MW2 price increase is the blatant price hike on a popular item. MW2 is not the most expensive development project. Give me a break. They claim the price hike is to cover the huge expense, but this game has an existing engine, experienced developers, probably reuse of existing resources. This is just an excuse to squeeze the consumer. I don't go to the movies and pay $10.00 more because it's a popular movie, nor do they say well this movie cost us more to make so you should pay me more to see it. Tough shiite! You get more consumers buying the game so you make more money. You put your big budget into games that you know will sell. That's how it works.

I hope Activision takes a big hit this year. TH Ride is risky as it is and who knows if people will fork over the money for DJ Hero, I sure hope not.

Ahhh and this idiot has the stones to say Sony should lower their prices.

[STICKzophrenic]

I haven't purchased a single music based game, and I don't intend to do so. For one, they release a new one every year, or even multiple times a year...and B, the peripherals are so overpriced it isn't even funny. I don't have room to keep all that junk.

I'll buy Modern Warfare 2 (Hardened edition) at full price because it's a game I really want. I would get the Standard edition, but I like the boxart more for the Hardened edition, and I have a thing for the steel (or tin, whatever) cases.

F*ck the NVGs though. I was going to get it at first, but then I thought about it and decided I'd rather buy another game than have something like cheap NVGs and a sculpted head.

[ZombieNinjaPanda]

If they do that I'll just have to stop buying new video games and enjoy the ones i already have.

[HDgamer]

200 for a game hmm I would pirate the hell out of each game they release for the pc and xbox 360 then.

[Argento-Nox]

If this ever becomes the case, I'll stop gaming, period. Having to pay rent, buy food etc., is already enough for most people such as myself to worry about; never mind $200 games!

I tell you what, if Activision ever made a game where we could shoot or beat the crap out of Bobby Kotick, for his lack of class every time he opens his trap, I think it'd sell a few copies, even at $200 a pop. I know I'd be in line to buy that game!

Seriously, when was the last time gamers on any side, have had to hear so much garbage coming from the mouth of one person in the game industry. Christ, a big thumbs down to this Kotick guy! ---> (-_-)p.

[Gun_Senshi]

Really? They are shooting themselfs in the foot.

Want to bet that MW2 will be one of the most pirated game ever?

Do these people have common sense?

Really, if games where $30 each people wouldn't even waste time downloading them (pirate) but the price of nowdays of course, raising price is shooting themselfs in the foot and saying "Pirate our games"

[militant07]

Not buying MW2 anymore.

[madpuppy]

for those games, talking about charging your way out of the business.

People that want to play the game and cannot afford it will just get an NZB file for that game and download it. or they just won't play it at all. or get it used.
in the long run, overcharging for a game will hurt sales. Or, if somebody really wants it, they could split the price between 3 other people and each can play the game when the next one is done with it. granted, you won't be able to play on-line with those friends. after all, it's a damn game, not medication.

[vShinobi]

Wow its amazing everyday Activision makes me hate them more and more, wonder what tomorrow's statements gonna be...

"Activision say's they're making a console priced at your soul."

"Activision creates worlds first game that needs $5.00 per minute."

"Activision confirms they are now the world leaders and order us to cut our arms so that we have to buy robotic one's to play video games, priced at $500.00 per finger."

Oh lord bring on the Activision news.

[iceice123]

Robotic arms sound pretty badass to me.

[madpuppy]

that's the ticket!

[vader1231231]

This is REALLY getting out of hand. At the rate the economy is declining we could be paying that much, but not anytime soon. But honestly though, does it really cost more than 20 dollars to manufacture a CD? I mean WTF.

200 f*cking dollars. That is just unbelievable. What the hell is wrong with activision??? Games at that price are just asking to be pirated.

-RANT OVER-

[Pl4ybwoi]

My playing days will be over and that'll be so sad.

[mirroredderorrim]

The push to eliminate the physical copy is going to be greater than ever. When I hear Bobby Kotick speak, I tend to listen and see through his words, where they aim at a more conspicuous plan, that is tangibly seen by gamers.

Sony is already pushing a UMDless PSP, MS is the biggest DLC supporter of the "big 3" and Nintendo is starting their own version of apple's "app store".

I love the fact that physical copies exist. Hell, I have been on a buying rampage, picking up a bunch of original, black label PS1 games, PS2 games, SNES GAMES! and nes games. These games will be worth tons.

I pitty da fool who don't got a backup of the greats when DLC is all there is to go by.

Personally, I could not care any less if MW2 existed. I have so many games, unopened at that, that it would just be left unopened anyway, if I did have it, because I prioritize my genres. FPS is not a priority for me to boot, but I have gaming roots that are tied to FPS, via Personal Computer.

Let's fight with our wallets, not our mouths, because the mouth can only take you so far.

[mirroredderorrim]

Why does he have love handles on his face?

[bigjclassic]

Most gamers that have a Wii or whatever dont have to worry about publishers and devs over pricing games. Since I got my PS3 at launch alot of the games ARE NOT WORTH $60 at all. But Hd gamers needed games and bought them anyways. Now that Activision knows that they have the CoD and GH players buy the throats they can charge them whatever they want to play these games.

And quite frankly, Im not going to hate on Activision at all. CoD and GH are for no0bs and if they can charge a higher fee and people still buy it then they are genius.

*Back to KZ2 and TvC*

[Captain Tuttle]

I can't help but laugh at all the rage in here.

[tdogchristy90]

Like anything else prices are going to rise over time as technology gets better. It's why we got a $10 dollar price hike for the HD generation of gaming. Increasing the prices isn't the issue, it's that they do it in a fair and justified manner. Just like with adding $10 dollars for HD there needs to be a good reason for uping the price, not just uping it just because you can.

[Dawn_Of_Ashes]

with an asshole like bobby kotic ... i will not be surprised to see in 2012 guitar hero35 or band hero21 200$

[_Q_]

if the normal prices get any higher than they are now. I love gaming but there are more rewarding hobbies than gaming at that price point.

[Neo604]

You will never get my money, I just gonna DL ur games for free.

I'll not pay more than $60.

[JD_Shadow]

Fortunately (and hopefully), it will never get this far. It will be a sad day if and when this happens.

As for Bobby, this guy really needs to be chased out of town. This guy has no respect for the game industry or the business. The sad thing is, some people will justify his ways and words somehow.

And to think that I was the first one calling for his head when he was saying that ultimatum about the PS3's price. Did I not call it or WHAT?

[Silly gameAr]

Finally, something we all can agree on as gamers. I said I wasn't going to boycott last night, but this guy is really pissing me off. No wonder he wants console prices down so the dumb ass can raise software prices.

I hope he fails. Hard.

[Man_of_the_year]

The second game costs get out of hand, that will be the moment i am welcomed to the world of piracy. Keep the games low and at a resonable price and you cut down on piracy. Piracy will always be there but atleast there won't be an excuse for it to ramp up.

[roxkis]

Bobby Kotick's a flaming thunder cunt but including guitar hero in this article to seem to be kinda unfair because its coming with more then just a disc.

Guitar Hero World Tour
3 controllers and game = $189.99

While a normal game($60) and 3 ($54 ps3)controllers = $222

Plus if you already have a guitar from a past game you don't have to buy the new controllers if you don't want to. So its not like Activision is raping people to the degree this article seems to insinuate.

[jlh808]

@roxkis

You have a good point about the fact that the guitars are backwards compatible. Yet, all the other games on that list (World Tour, Tony Hawk: Ride, DJ Hero) each come in bundles that the consumer has no choice but to buy if they want to enjoy the experience.

And that whole business of not giving people a choice other than to buy large, expensive bundles with each new franchise is what I feel like is hurting his image and the company the most.

[sunil]

$54 for a controller that works will ALL the games in the market

$40 for a controller that works only with Music games + the controller of pathetic build quality

+ not sure which institution, but some one had to interfere from these companies making controllers that worked across all music games + making it backward compatible

Activision if it had a say would have ensured that you bought a controller for EVERY game

[deshon09]

nope nope

[Memo-Xen x3100]

PS3 Only owners : MAG

360 Only owners : ODST

Don't condone wallet rape, Activision would bleed you dry if they could.

[tripewire]

listen to this man....

[Zinc]

The Neo Geo was a console that came out in the early 90's and the cartrige based games started at $200 on up. Some of them cost around 400. They were made in relatively small numbers so they go for 1000's of dollars on Ebay now. That system was not a hit, even if it looked great for its day. People can't buy something that costs a rent payment.

$200 can encompass the utilities and cable bill together for some people or 2 weeks to 1 months worth of groceries.

All business has to find an equilibrium between cost and benefit; and unless Activision is planning on only catering to a certain salary level consumer, they and other companies like them better rethink their ideas of 'cost benefit'.

Most people don't have trust funds.

Well, who cares... the last game I bought that was published by Activision was Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. (That was worth my money)

[-Mezzo-]

Stop asking me if i will pay more for games. i am already scared enough due to that 70$ rumor. i wasn't able to take 70 bucks game price rumor how do you think i would have reacted after reading this articles headline.

got a MINI HEART ATTACK.

[freddy99]

to read an article with a headline like that. Its NOT a possibility that games are gonna cost 200$ this generation, maybe in year 2100, bc of inflation. If games would cost 200$, nobody would buy, and soon noone would make games, and the industry would just die

[jlh808]

Freddy -

I wish things like this wouldn't have a shot of happening until 2100, but sad truth is that DJ Hero Renegade Edition is already set to cost $200 - and it's coming out in 2009 (reg. version set for $120).

[tripewire]

Australian here. MW2 prestige IS $200....

[monkey nuts]

I will not be purchasing mw2 for full price, I'll wait and get it second hand or just not bother with it at all, and as much as I want to punch Mr. kotick in the face, repeatedly, I cannot. The reason being he has achieved something I thought impossible here on n4g, nearly 3 pages of comments and not one fanboy quip or b!tching contest. Rejoice! And remember on this day and in this thread, for what will probably be a brief amount of time, we stood together, as gamers!

[-Mezzo-]

i would never pay that much money for a game if thats the last form of entertainment on earth.

[Funky Town_TX]

They can charge what ever they want for games. If you don't like the price then don't buy. There are games that cost $60 that are only worth $20 to me. You know what I do? I wait for a price drop. Let them release MW2 at $200 and only a few will get it. Once the are forced to lower the price then jump in. No need to get pissed about it. I did not like the first one, so I may not get this one either.

[Henry Cain]

I'll buy it used.

[Enigma_2099]

... that time would be when money grows on trees... that time hasn't come yet, so until then, Kotick should shut his trap.

[TruthbeTold]

"Well, if the games are that good I'll go ahead and bend over for it."

That's what the problem is. A business is going to make as much money as the market will allow them to. As for me personally, I'd stop buying new games altogether if games became even $100 as a standard. It would suck, but I have a crapload of games from a crapload of consoles over the years that would have to do until publishers put down the pipe. If we stand for such prices, even grudgingly so, we're only fueling their power to set them that way.

[leonardsnake]

It's easy people willjust going to have MW2 from an other publisher "dabiratebay"...so C.o.c.k.p.i.c.k. er.. i mean kotpick ultimatlty will get the message.

[kaveti6616]

Unfortunately, the rest of the public is blissfully unaware of what Activision is doing. They won't cancel their pre-orders. They won't signs boycotts and start petitions. My wish was that everyone who's planning on buying the game would just hold off for maybe a couple months. And then Kotick would understand that he can't do this. I really don't want to hurt Infinity Ward, but it must be done if necessary.