There is a growing trend where video games are being priced at $80, and players often react with complaints whenever a new title is announced at this cost. One of the latest examples is The Outer Worlds 2, which led many players to criticize Obsidian Entertainment.
However, as explained by game director Brandon Adler, developers are not responsible for setting game prices. He clarified that pricing decisions are made by the publisher—in this case, Microsoft—not by the development team.
Microsoft Confirms Price Increase for Some Games
After Nintendo announced an $80 price for Mario Kart World on the Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox confirmed it would raise prices for some of its games, assessing each title individually. This price increase will affect some new first-party titles and will begin around the holiday season this year. The Outer Worlds 2, which will release on October 29 for PC, Xbox Series X and S, and PlayStation 5, is the first game to officially confirm the new price.
In an interview with GamesRadar during the Summer Game Fest, Adler reiterated that it’s not up to the developers to decide the price: “We’re a game developer. We love to make games. We don’t set the prices for our games.”
He then shared his personal view on the situation: “Like, personally, as a game developer, I wish everybody could play my game, because that’s what I want out of this whole thing. But for the reasons and so like, why the $79.99 price point, you’d have to honestly talk to the Xbox folks.” He clearly stated that the responsibility for the pricing lies with Microsoft, not Obsidian.
The $80 price tag is becoming more common, and the debates are growing, like the controversy that arose when Randy Pitchford commented on the possibility that Borderlands 4 could also cost $80.
