How long have AAA games been $60?

AAA games have been $60 since the start of the Xbox 360 / PS3 generation in 2005, with Activision championing the new price point for the launch of its big headline franchises on the then-new consoles, although the price had been $50 since the 80’s and would be $120 at launch today if it had kept up with inflation. The $60 price point has been the standard for AAA games for over a decade, with some games now being priced at $70 due to increasing development costs and marketing expenses.

History of AAA Game Pricing

The history of AAA game pricing is complex, with various factors contributing to the current price point.

FAQs

General FAQs

1. What is the current price of AAA games?: The current price of AAA games is $60, although some games are now being priced at $70.
2. When did games start being $60?: Games started being $60 around 2006, with Activision championing the new price point for the launch of its big headline franchises on the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles.
3. Why are AAA games $60?: AAA games are $60 because the price had been $50 since the 80’s and would be $120 at launch today if it had kept up with inflation, but people are number sensitive so they stayed at $50 with a boost to $60 around the X360/PS3 launch.
4. How much should a AAA game cost?: AAA games cost several million dollars to develop and can exceed tens of millions of dollars, so their price should reflect the development costs and marketing expenses.

AAA Game Development

5. Why have video games always been $60?: AAA games cost $60 because that is typically how much it costs to produce a cartridge and make money off of it for a AAA game.
6. How many GB is a AAA game?: Most new AAA games are somewhere between 50 and 150 gigabytes.
7. What makes a game AAA?: The term “AAA Games” is a classification used within the video gaming industry to signify high-budget, high-profile games that are typically produced and distributed by large, well-known publishers.

Gaming Industry

8. Is FIFA a AAA game?: Examples of AAA games are the Assassin’s Creed series, FIFA titles, and Final Fantasy games.
9. Who started $70 games?: Take-Two’s NBA 2K21 was announced as the first current-gen game to be priced at $70 in August 2020.
10. Why are Triple A games $70 dollars?: Games are $70 because they cost more to make and market than they used to, with development costs and marketing expenses increasing over time.

Gaming Hardware

11. How much RAM do I need for AAA games?: For most gamers and most games today, 16GB is plenty of RAM for smooth performance, although some games may require more.
12. How much RAM is good for AAA games?: For gaming, 8GB is considered the baseline for AAA titles, although RAM demands are increasing.

Gaming Market

13. Is PUBG a AAA game?: PUBG: Battlegrounds is considered a double-A title, with Devolver Digital, Warhorse Studios, Obsidian Entertainment, Hazelight Studios, and PlatinumGames being examples of AA game publishers and studios.
14. How many AAA games make a profit?: Only a minority of games (10%-30%) actually make a profit, with earnings for AAA games varying greatly from under $1M for a miss to over $1B for a mega hit.
15. How long does it take to make a AAA game?: Developing a AAA game can take anywhere from two to five years, depending on the complexity of the game, the size of the team, and the available resources.