Rockstar Owners Say Gamers Are ‘Ready’ For $70 Video Games

Gamers are ‘ready’ to shell out $70 (£65) for a new video game, according to Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar Games’ parent company, Take-Two Interactive.

The tech honcho was asked to explain why his company had chosen to increase the price of NBA 2K21 by $10, while appearing at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference last week.

In response, Zelnick explained the $70 price tag was put in place to reflect the ‘array of extraordinary experiences’ in the game.

‘We announced a $70 price point for NBA 2K21, our view was that we’re offering an array of extraordinary experiences, lots of replay-ability, and the last time there was a frontline price increase in the US was 2005, 2006, so we think consumers were ready for it,’ he said, as per Video Games Chronicle.

When it comes to Rockstar’s other forthcoming games, Zelnick didn’t want to speculate on prices, as they’re decided on a ‘title-by-title basis’.

‘We haven’t said anything about pricing other titles so far, and we tend to make announcements on a title-by-title basis, but I think our view is that we want to always deliver more value than what we charge, make sure the consumer has the experience and […] the experience of paying for it, both are positive experiences,’ he continued.

Zelnick went on to compare overcharging for a game to overcharging in a fancy restaurant, explaining that in both instances, it can completely ruin the experience and leave you not wanting to return.

‘So, we always want to make sure that consumers feel like we deliver much more than we ask in return, and that’s true for our current consumer spending as well. We’re an entertainment company, we’re here to captivate and engage consumers, and if we do that then monetisation follows,’ he explained.

Fans of the basketball games are already looking forward to the release of NBA 2K22, which is expected to land in September, although there’s no confirmation on just how much it will cost.

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