With the dust having settled on the Xbox One used-games policy that marred the announcement of the Redmond console, gamers can finally get down to looking forward to the great titles set to grace the forthcoming console. Microsoft has already confirmed that first-party games will cost the consumer $60 before tax, and since value added tax is regular throughout the UK, this equates to around £50 for British gamers.
The Microsoft UK Web store has already listed the likes of Forza 5 and Dead Rising 3 for this magic figure, so while the price points aren’t particularly high compared with the previous generation Xbox 360 RRPs, it will still make for rather disappointing reading. In this Digital Age where the various online stores have driven down prices (see App Store, Google Play, Steam and others), it seems a bit rich, if you’ll excuse the pun, that gamers are still forced to pay such a high price.
Sure, it’s a pretty tentative subject, and one which has threatened to turn ugly in the past with developers quick to point out just how much time and work goes into the creation of a title. But with many titles said to be downloadable on the Xbox One and thus a decent amount of money saved from packaging, distribution and the retailer’s cut, one would have hoped prices could be pushed downwards to reflect this.
PlayStation 4 games will likely retail at a comparable price in the battle of the next-gen titans, and although the Sony-made rival of the Redmond’s forthcoming machine will be somewhat lower in price, the inclusion of the Kinect 2 peripheral will be a major potential swinging factor. The first Kinect sensor shifted untold numbers with its introduction over halfway through the Xbox 360’s lifespan, and with many improvements having been made in the next-generation offering, it could be the key to the Xbox brand’s continued dominance in the console market.
So, gamers, what do you make of the whole pricing situation; is $60 + tax / £50 a reasonable asking price in this day and age? Or were you hoping the ease in which games can be downloaded would perhaps drive prices down a tad? Be sure to leave your comments below, we love to hear from you!
(Source: Microsoft)
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