Microsoft explains why ReCore costs $40 USD

Recently, the marketing manager of Xbox, Aaron Greenberg, appeared in TXR Podcast on July 14, where he talked about the price of ReCore, which will be $40 instead of $60 USD, price set for AAA titles.

[SaveFerris]

Pricing it at $40 just because it is a new ip? I don't recall The Order or Quantum Break at that price upon release. If MS considers it to be AAA, why the lower price?

[Gaming_Cousin]

Complaining because a game is $20 cheaper? And then you add The Order into this when it has nothing to do with Microsoft... I am lost for words

[Nitrowolf2]

He's not complaining about the price, he's complaining about their reason behind it.

Sayings because it's a new IP doesn't fly with him because quantum break was a new iPhone also. There was clearly more to selling it at a reduced price then simply being a new IP

Though you can read between the lines by what they mean honestly, I mean they specifically say a game like "that" and then so it has no fanbase yet. That makes sense, whereas with QB people knew what they were buying because it was basically a third person shooter,l.

As for the order, idk why he brought that up that's a Sony game

[freshslicepizza]

quantum break has remedy behind it, i don't think this game is as big as that game. so let's be honest here, the budget for recore is probably much less than other new ip's like quantum break. scalebound will likely be $60 and microsoft will try and backpeddle there.

it really comes down the scale and budget of the game. something like the witness was questioned about its procing but to me that was fair. regardless, the market will speak for otself. it is why call of duty will continue to get away with half baked campaign modes because they dont have to put a huge budget in that part of the game. other games like titanfall failed commercially because people didn't think it offered enough content. so guess what? titanfall 2 will offer a campaign mode, right? then you look at evolve, it is now free to play. the market will contstantly correct itself in pricing.

[dcbronco]

All of those other new IPs didn't have huge sales numbers. Sony fans will buy a new IP because its Sony. Microsoft fans act as if they need Sony fans permission to like something. If Sony fanboys hate it Microsoft fans often shun it. The main problem being no matter what Microsoft does Sony fanboys will never give them credit.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

So you don't understand the context then, yes?

[ULTp0ltergeist]

Or that The Order isnt' worth it's price?

[Cy]

He brought it up because it was a new IP and a lot of people shit all over it as not being worth $60, and rightfully so. The Order was a DLC campaign looking for a game.

[Big_Game_Hunters]

The order sucks ass it should be 15$

[Artemidorus]

He/she isn't a gamer in my eyes

[DarXyde]

Part of me thinks this is a passive apology for Mighty No. 9.

I don't buy that it's because it's a new IP. Cheaper is cheaper though.

[coolbeans]

But it's not really Comcept's decision to make, in the end.

[DarXyde]

coolbeans,

Correct, but it's entirely possible that Microsoft is assisting Inafune in undoing some of the damage MN9 did to his clout in the industry. In other words, Microsoft is doing them a solid. It's about getting good faith with consumers as Microsoft said, but I don't buy the whole "it's because it's a new IP" explanation.

[s45gr32]

Not really, these $60.00 games gave gamers a really barebones gaming experience:

The Order 1886
Star Wars Battlefront
Evolve
Destiny
Street Fighter 5

These $60.00 games have microtransactions:

Metal Gear Solid V
Dead Space 3
Gran Turismo 5

These $20.00 games or $40.00 games have way more content and replayability value:

Dust an Elysian tale

Divinity Original Sin (launched PC version) with map editor

Trackmania franchise
The Witness
Pillars of eternity
Stellaris with mod support
Distance

The AAA industry has failed, indie games is where all the innovation, creativity, and willingness to challenge the status quo is at.

[dcbronco]

Because it's a Microsoft IP. Ten dollars of every game is usually a royalty fee that goes directly to the console manufacturer. So that makes the price of a game really $50. Add that it's a new IP that they apparently like or really dislike, more likely really like, and you use price to get it into as many hands as possible. Think of the way NFL 2K was sold for $20. Had it not been for exclusivity, madden wouldn't be on top anymore because people tried 2K.

[TheColbertinator]

I went nuts for the $20 price point on 2K05. Only football game I bought since then.

[Goldfinger0]

@SaveFerris
"If MS considers it to be AAA, why the lower price?"

Wow! are you complaining that the game is lower than the usual $60 AAA price tag?
smh

Maybe because MS has money to blow, that they can price a AAA lower than normal? just to give it the best chance to be successful. It's not out of the norm, how do you think 2K Sports managed to have a successful franchise in NBA 2K? Simply because they priced it at $19.99 while NBA Live was priced at $59.99. Now look, NBA 2K is the premier basketball game while NBA Live is toast. Same thing happened with NFL 2K (which no longer exist) while Madden was priced at $59.99. EA was so terrified, they acquired the NFL License so that 2K could no longer make a football game lol. If that didn't occur, Madden wouldn't be the only NFL football game to play 10 years later.

[2cents]

Everything's gotta be a conspiracy.

To me recore looked ok, nothing special but I could be proven wrong. Im not gonna complain about it being cheaper on release, id rather that than pay full price for a sub-par game with sliced off content behind micro-transactions.

I paid full price for Evolve = pissed
I paid full price for Destiny = pissed
Etc...

[S2Killinit]

Its not AAA, didnt you see the gameplay? It was clear in the physics of the character's jumping that it was a more layed back platformer game than a AAA per se.

[DaleCooper]

And how well did the order and quantum break sell at $60? :/

[bf000777966]

I don't see why this game should cost more than 30$, another inafune garbage.

[DivoJones]

If you'd like, I'll pick up the game for you and charge you $60 for it.

[rainslacker]

Not complaining about the costs, but the more likely scenario is that this game is on a production level about equivalent to R&C was for PS4. Not low end indie quality, not quite AAA. what we used to call mid-tier back in the old days....which later got supplanted with the terms "niche" or indie(or indie crap depending on the person).

The comparisons are undoubtedly going to be made, and the last thing MS wants is to look like they're are not conscious of certain aspects of consumer spending habits.

Plus the fact that the $40 price point really helped to sell it quicker, which means MS can have a successful IP to tout going forward.

Personally, I'm all for the cheaper mid-tier games to make a comeback to the more mainstream sectors of gaming, instead of barely getting any attention on an indie digital market or small out of the way marketing exposure. Some of my favorite games were the mid-tiers of their respective generations.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

@saveferris yes they priced QB at $60 and... it sold just OK compared to what they wanted. Introducing a game like this at $40 is a good way to introduce a title that isn't getting the buzz other established IP are getting.

[spicelicka]

It's perfectly priced. Lower price doesn't mean it's not AAA. It's priced based on the content and value, and probably budget as well. The Order was a very short game and got absolutely slammed for having little content. In fact it was a good game, but the high price really affected it's rating negatively, it should've been $40. We should be supporting this practice, not questioning it.

[Artemidorus]

Are you just trolling or being genuinely stupid?

[Bruh]

And both of those games aren't worth $60, you can platinum the Order in under 8 hours and QB is mediocre and repetitive beyond measure. If quality is to judge the price, neither of those games make a good point. I didn't see anyone complain about R&C's $40 price tag, why the sudden bitching now?

[qwerty676]

Looks like a budget title.

[robtion]

Hope not. Hopefully it's similar to Ratchet and Clank on ps4. Great AAA game, reasonable $40 price.

[Nodoze]

Something is rotten in Denmark here. Greenberg is the lowest form of bridge troll. If they were confident in the title they would be selling it for 99 bucks. Proceed with caution!

[s45gr32]

No, $60.00 does not equal quality. Street Fighter V, Star Wars battlefront and even Overwatch are using DLC as a crutch to get more content in the game. In contrast Divinity Original Sin launched PC version for $40.00 came with a map editor, single player campaign and online co-op. Proving that $60.00 does not equal quality.

[Scatpants]

It's not because it looks super crappy? That's what I figured it was.

[MasterCornholio]

Ratchett and Clank is priced at 40$ and the game is awesome.

So no, the price doesn't mean that it's crappy.

@Candy

"Yet when MS does it there has to be a conspiracy lol"

Buddy I've seen people argue that Ratchett and Clank would be a bad game due to its price tag.

Open your eyes.

@In

If I'm not mistaken Recore only has a single player campaign just like Ratchett and Clank. With that said Ratchett and Clank did very well at its price point so I'm guessing that Microsoft believes they can achieve the same with Recore.

@Shu

"Microsoft should release this particular game on Steam like Ori."

That would be great but their main objective is to push the windows store.

@Candy

" I rarely visit Sony news sections."

Ah OK. I frequent Sony news section so I can tell you there were some people who criticized the low price.

[candystop]

Yet when MS does it there has to be a conspiracy lol. They won't stop at anything to downplay anything X1 related.

Edit cornilio

"Buddy I've seen people argue that Ratchett and Clank would be a bad game due to its price tag. "

Maybe so but I don't remember it simply because I rarely visit Sony news sections.

[InTheZoneAC]

they did it to reflect the original R&C price seeing how this was a reboot.

[shuvam09]

I believe Ratchet was priced at $40 so that people would have money left for Uncharted 4, which released after Ratchet...
I can't think of any other reason..
That being said, ReCore looking like a budget title might be a reason...
Personally, I don't care how a game looks as long as it plays well...
ReCore needs to be given chance until it is released...

PS: Microsoft should release this particular game on Steam like Ori...
Seems like a perfect match...

[rainslacker]

I think given that a good portion of the R&C budget was paid through the budget of the movie, and the game could use the content that was produced there, that R&C itself was probably a fairly inexpensive title to make compared to doing it all from scratch. This means Sony could sell it at $40, and still make the same as if it had been a full production and selling it at $60.

Granted, Sony does have several games that release at the $40 price point, or has had varied pricing in the past for new releases, but not typically of a game that is of the quality of R&C was, which had exceedingly high production values.

I believe since Recore is going to be most likely compared to R&C on the PS4, MS doesn't want to get into this back and forth that R&C is a better deal because the content is equal or less, and we all know it's coming given the nature of console exclusives and the absolute law that similar titles must be compared in every way shape and form.

Recore probably had a low budget, and I wouldn't doubt that $40 was the price consideration going in regardless.

The excuse that it's a new IP is completely idiotic, because that has absolutely nothing to do with the cost to produce or distribute the game, nor it's potential to sell at a set price. Plenty of new IP's routinely sell well at $60, but from what I've seen of Recore, and despite it being one of the few games I'm actually looking forward to play, it seems like it's a lower budget game that probably warrants the $40 price tag. If something like Klank were released outside the launch window at $60, people would not be looking at it. It's not that it's a new IP, it's that the production quality, and content doesn't reflect the $60 price tag.

[Scatpants]

No I said it's $40 because it LOOKS crappy not all $40 games are crappy.
With Ratchet and Clank I assumed it was $40 because it was a remake of an old game.

Seriously, does it look like a $60 game to you? Be honest. It may very well be good but it just has B level game written all over it.

[spicelicka]

Seriously you dumbasses are what's wrong with the industry. Your attitude basically encourages companies to overcharge so they can rip off gamers. Half the games released aren't worth $60. Overwatch looks like turd and is $60.

[s45gr32]

Thank you, I bought Doom for $35.00 😀. No way I am paying $60.00. I payed $27.00 for MGS V during the Steam summer sale. Due to MGS V has microtransactions and because of that is not worth $60.00. These gamers obsessing over price are retarded. They sure as hell did not mind the lack of content in overwatch (3 game modes and 8 maps for $60.00 online only lol)

[ONESHOTV2]

it's being made by Comcept the only game on their list that wasn't a flop was soul sacrifice i do hope they learned their lesson from mighty NO 9

[Concertoine]

Also Armature who is made up of former Metroid Prime devs

[ONESHOTV2]

yeah they are a good studio

[demonddel]

Microsoft stay trying to explain itself just tell em the truth because we ri$have and it's our product and we wanna sell it for less than most games you don't have to buy it just want to show you we thank you for supporting us nothing else to it

[dparente74]

Also you have to look at other new IP Microsoft has tried. Sunset Overdrive Ryse mainly have flopped. So maybe offering a discount on a new IP to XBOX gamers who basically just want their Gears Halo and Forza each year and Bro shooting multiplats, Its a good way to maybe entice them. I hope it works Good New IPs are much needed this gen

[SpaceRanger]

I don't think anyone will be complaining about price. It'll all come down to content and replay ability. The second of which is a little less likely when you consider new IPs MS has released this gen.

I think overall you're right. It's an additional game (at a better price) that people can pick up with the bigger & known bro franchises of the holidays.

[jb227]

I think the price is nice too, but it seems to me like MS pushed this one out a bit too quick from the outset. The devs had all kinds of great ideas & lofty ambition for this title but judging by the hands on previews they didn't get the opportunity to realize it fully. The devs initially mentioned a game that was a cross between Mega Man, Metroid & Zelda....I just don't see any of that in the previews, the previews made it look like a kinda generic tps w/ added robot gameplay hooks that may or may not pan out to be integral to the game.

Podcast Unlocked covered the game this week & they said the section they previewed was just a bunch of shooting. The idea was there, but it seems like the dev time & the budget simply weren't. That's a mismanagement in my eyes, had they given the devs more time & freedom they would've possibly realized that Metroid x Zelda idea & also could've escaped the poor shadow of Mighty No. 9's release. Now most gamers are going to be leery of Inafune. Hopefully it's just a fun game first & foremost, but it seems a bit like an indie title being pushed as AAA. I was really pumped for this game, but it doesn't sound like it'll quite hit the heights set out for it. That's been the story this entire gen for the MS exclusives that interest me enough to make me wanna buy a box...they look great in pre release, then they turn out underwhelming on release, and I'm relieved I didn't pull the trigger on the console. Seems that MS are just more concerned w/ marketing than quality control. It's a miracle that games like SSOD & Ori end up as good as they did in that environment, and hopefully Recore is able to pull that off as well.

[Christopher]

But won't people expect the same price with the sequels as well?

I think the reason is poor. I think it's just that it's not a AAA title, similar to the R&C remake. It can still be a good game, just doesn't need to be AAA. Heck, I've enjoyed way more Indie titles than AAA titles this generation. It's not a negative connotation, IMHO.

[Destiny1080]

just another game being rushed out for Christmas

[OpieWinston]

It's coming out in September... Not Oct/Nov...

[InTheZoneAC]

ratchet and clank on ps4 was $39.99 and supposedly it was that price to reflect the first ratchet

[InTheZoneAC]

only trolls disagree with facts

disagrees will prove my statement

[Cohagen420]

Yea but then again most of the fools on here are just posers with nothing better to do than to argue needlessly.

[bolimekurac]

i understand their reasoning and hey, thats a plus for all of us who where going to get this game anyway and people on the fence. 40 is better then 60 anyday. cant wait

[ArnoDorian]

Who cares? $40 for a nice looking game to me seems fine to me, especially Recore, I'm glad its not $60 USD because that would be $80 CDN *Canadian Dollars* and after tax it comes to $90 :/
so $40 US to CDN would be $50 or $60 if the game guise here are greedy

anyways I'm looking forward to Recore

[Fullmetalevolust]

On the surface, it seems like a plausible explanation and you want a big attach rate to a new IP and a cheaper price point is a good place to start. But is it all there is to it?

[Jaw1love]

Yeah something is definitely fishy here. I mean $40 dollars for a new game is pretty awesome but, gotta think M$ is up to something no good. We all need to stay vigilante ok? Everyone on their toes, keep their ears to the ground and eyes peeled. We will get to the bottom of this conspiracy just yet. We certainly can't let Microsoft get away with pricing a game $20 below normal retail. The bastards

[DrumBeat]

This game doesn't exactly look promising. Time will tell.

[brewin]

What game have you been looking at? Recore looks amazing and ps4 players would be screaming from the rooftops how great it looks if it was a ps4 exclusive. Same yall do with every ps4 exclusive.

I remember this site b4 the order launched how everyone was so sure of its greatness because of how Sony made it look in previews. Then when it dropped these same people defended it even though the general consensus is that it was not great and barely even good. A 5 hour snoozefest according to many and they sold that at 60.

But these sony fans just love defending the company they spent their money on regardless of their missteps and shenanigans. Im glad i own all the systems because all of these companies are just trying to sell us something and they all make huge mistakes here and there.

But Recore looks incredible, the gameplay looks smooth and its got a nice art style. gameplay seems a bit like mega man in 3d. Its definitely on my day 1 buy list for the price theyre selling it at, just as ratchet and clank was. 40 for a brand new titls is usually my buy price. I rarely pay more than that for any title so instead of waiting for it to drop like i did with quantum break ill just get it at launch. I say this is MS learning their lesson on how to reach a larger audience at launch. New franchises can be a tough sell in the sequel generation.

[brewin]

funny how people are bagging on ms for this pricing strategy but these same people were praising Sony for putting out Ratchet and clank for 40.

[Cohagen420]

It was priced at $40 to reflect the pricing of the original game.

[thisgamer503]

Lol sure, that's the reason they gave you to eat up. Better believe that any company that believes it will sell just fine at $60 would sell it for $60. Sony is just much better at PR, evidenced by its fans

[brewin]

Wow Ok so if the original game was priced at 40 does that mean the original was somehow a gimped game as these fools are making Recore out to be?! So sony was able to sell a gimped short experience across 2 separate generations for the same price? Wow these fanboy arguments are nutso. Fact is that more people are willing to take a chance on a new franchise at 40 and theyre trying to get some market penetration from the get go. If ratchet and clank was such a good game at a great price that people were excited at that prosepct of spending less for a good game, why are these same people saying ms is releasing recore at 40 because its crap? Twisted fanboy arguments expose fanboys.

[Christopher]

They shouldn't have to explain the pricing, just prove it with the gameplay.

[MasterCornholio]

Yep that's what Insomniac did with R@C. The developers of Recore can do the same thing.

[rainslacker]

Should never have to explain a price regardless. Maybe if it's priced really high, it might be worth saying why the publisher feels it's worth that much so people will see it's worth, but cheaper games, not so much. Plenty of videos should surface going forward which will allow people to determine what they're wiling to spend on it. In the grand scheme of things, that's all that matters. What the company feels it's worth isn't always a shared ideal with the consumer.

[sampson3121]

heard it's only 5 hrs long. if true, 25$ would be a better price point.

[MasterCornholio]

If it's an amazing 5 hours than it could be worth it especially for 40$.

[Kribwalker]

The game director pinned it at 8hrs but then went on to say he is terrible at judging game times and said metroid prime was 8 hrs which was 24hrs

[tinynuggins]

I heard it was between 8-10 hours long. Where did you hear 5?

[sampson3121]

my bad, it was 8 hrs. now the dev is back peddling and saying 12. reminds me of the order, people finished that game in 6 hrs doing a speed run. wonder if recore will get shit on like the order did for being too short.
i can hear the excuses already. what ever happened to quantum break? wasn't that game 5 hrs long? maybe that's why it flopped.

[XBgamer]

That's longer than The Order which was 60 when it came out so what are you complaining about!

[sampson3121]

not complaining. the order was a masterpiece graphically. good story, and the gameplay was better than the band wagoners where crying about. the bashing it received was a product of the console war.

let's hope recore doesn't suffer the same fate.

[DFresh]

Sweet.

[meche334]

If its priced at 40 its more appealing for people to try and they still make more money than pricing it at 60 because its in more peoples hands. Or the game is lacking in a department

[ziggurcat]

i don't think they needed to explain themselves at all, but to cite "new IP" seems to me like they're sending the wrong message - they would have been better off not saying anything at all.

[IGiveHugs2NakedWomen]

It's probably an extremely short game.

[ScorpiusX]

I would of gladly paid 65.00 for it

[CaitSith]

Keiji Inafune, that's why. Oh well, better than nothing, I suppose.

[Cy]

If this isn't just because of how toxic Inafune's name is right now if the game sells well at $40 this might be the start of a new trend of publishers being more flexible with pricing. Hopefully, anyway. It's kinda funny though, because you had No Man's Sky which everyone thought would be priced like an indie game selling for $60 and ReCore which everyone thought would be priced the same as every AAA release selling for $40.

[Scatpants]

Nah, it's because it's a short B level game that isn't worth $60. It's obvious, watch the gameplay videos. This would sell like 14 copies at $60.

[thisgamer503]

Just like Ratchet and Clank

[neutralgamer1992]

not every game needs to be full price. look at ratchet and clank

i miss the AA games instead of every publisher trying for AAA

[icerob]

Lesson learned for Microsoft! Don't ever give customers extra value or try to lower prices and be more competitive because of backlash from conspiracy theorist PS4 owners commenting on N4G.

[badboyz09]

Alot of Journalist said it they didn't like it at E3 after playing it. Said it was just a lot of Shooting. I have links.

[Kingoftherodeo]

at 40 dollars for a new ip ill bite heck with bestbuy gc it will be even cheaper. i deff wont feel bad if its a bad game knowing i will be spending half of what a the game usually costs getting burned by 60 dollar game hurts a bit but a new ip for half the price yet ill take that.

[s45gr32]

This makes it easier for me to buy. There should not be a set price. Game prices need to be competitive. Enough with every game costing $60.00 . High Price does not equal quality

[angelusbrz]

Sure it's not because all the new IPs on Xbox failed at commercial standpoint... what a Joke MS PR has become over the years... Please, come back Bill Gates.