In a recent interview with FandomWire, Gary Kusin, co-founder of GameStop, talked about the entire current state of the industry. One of the questions was about his thoughts on the current game prices, which range from $60 to $70. Kusin knows that not all the games can justify the high price.
The players are willing to pay these prices all the time, so the current business model is not that profitable. Kusin also mentioned how using games is a very good investment; many players are willing to wait to pay for the game.
Former GameStop President Gary Kusin Discusses Current Game Prices
There was not an increase in game prices for a long time, but with the new console generation, PlayStation began to sell all the AAA exclusive titles for $70.
After this, other companies, like 2K, started to do the same, making the average price for a new game with a large budget the same as for big developers. Players are getting used to it, but there are still many big studios that choose not to make this the default price for their titles.
The former president and co-founder of GameStop, Gary Kusin, talked about the current prices in an interview with FandomWire. This retail chain was once one of the country’s biggest gaming stores.
Kusin also mentioned how the prices were before; he said, “We have been arguing about that point for 40 years! When we started Babbage’s, video games were $49.99. Adjusted for today, that is around $70-80.” This proves that the prices are a little inflated.
The Industry Is Not in a Good Place to Justify These Prices
Kusin continued saying that only a few titles can really justify this price, especially the multiplayer games that offer continuous content with every new season. He said, “For me, the market nowadays suggests that is too high. Some publishers may be able to justify it if they are shipping massive multiplayer games that are incredibly complex pieces of software.” The current model lacks logic; the game should determine the value.
With GameStop, players can also purchase used games at an affordable price and justify the expense of a relatively new game. Kusin said,
That’s where GameStop came in though. The resale business was such a huge pillar of our business and is something that will continue for a long time. There are people out there from different economic backgrounds who can’t afford top tier bandwidth and hardware, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still have a very full gaming experience through the pre-used market.
The market is so big right now that players have various places to choose from. The digital market is still at the top, but there are also a lot of players who buy used games for a good price. The industry should really pay attention to what players want; the live-service model is very difficult to succeed. A new segment of the industry should concentrate on games that are more affordable and easier to sell.
What are your thoughts about Kusin’s declarations? Let us know in the comments!
