Video games have been priced at $60 for as long as we can remember with it officially becoming the standard charge around the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 era. Now, we might see that shift once again, as one of the first next-gen titles has received a price that is more expensive than many are used to.
Today, NBA 2K21's pre-order page opened up, and although the current-gen edition is aptly priced at a familiar $59.99, the standard edition for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X is priced at $69.99. This could mean that a handful (if not all) of next-generation games will be priced similarly, meaning a shift in game pricing might come sooner than expected.
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It's hard to imagine how the gaming world might react to this shift, as there's an overwhelming narrative that suggests video games are already far too expensive. It's hard to believe opposition will change much, however, as we've already seen how little internet backlash has impacted the sales of something like Pokémon Sword and Shield.
It's easy to see how this generation might prove challenging to those with tight budgets. We already have reason to believe that the PlayStation 5 won't be cheap, so if video games also begin to cost so much more, many gamers might begin to ease up on their spending habits.
Hope isn't completely lost, though, as NBA 2K21 isn't actually the first next-gen game to receive some sort of price tag. About a month ago, Scarlet Nexus became the first PlayStation 5 game you could pre-order, and it's priced at a standard $59.99.
This doesn't mean the familiar $60 price tag will be standard in the next-generation, but Scarlet Nexus is a glimmering ray of hope in a future possibly overwhelmed with games priced at $10 more than the usual.
