$59.99. Who determines a video game's standard price?

[VideoGameAccountant]

SKMBlake said:

Ka-pi96 said:

Too low? They make hundreds of millions in profit by selling AAA games at $60. How on earth is that too low?

Let's take a popular game: Super Mario Bros. released on the NES in 1985. In today's standard, it's an AAA game. But only 4 people were involved in its development. And still can be selled at full price.

Today, an AAA game demands hundreds of people involved in its development (and assets bought to several companies or developers) but still costs the same 60$ as the 60$ game you bought 10 years ago.

 

The same thing happened with the film industry. A 2017 blockbuster costs at least 250 millions $ so they have to hope people will eventually see their movie to make benefits.

That's a problem with budgets more than anything. These companies can make games cheaper. They can focus less on graphics which would likely save on time and money, but they refuse. The major publishers want this because it keeps competition out (since smaller firms can't make games as big and with the pretty graphics). As myself and others said, they can increase the price if they want. 

Also, the whole story of "games are too expensive" is a farce. Go look at their financials. They are raking in money. The whole "we need microtransactions because games are expensive" is putting lipstick on a pig.