The average price of videogame software jumped by 5.4 per cent, according to MCV.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the price of games has risen year-on-year since 2009. In ’09 that figure stood at £22.69, which then grew to £24.32 in 2010. Last year the average price hit £25.63 which demonstrates the 5.4 per cent year-on-year increase.
Specialist and indie retailers increased their prices the most between 2010-11, by 7.1 per cent, for an average selling price of £27.01. Online game prices were up 2.6 per cent to £25.48 and supermarket prices were up 6.4 per cent to the heights of £25.63.
MCV points to two main reasons for the rise in game prices: Q4 blockbusters such as Modern Warfare 3 and FIFA 12 weren’t as discounted as heavily as they had been in previous years and sales of budget games continued to slow.
Source: MCV
cc_star
Yep, MW3 & FIFA12 didn’t receive anywhere near as generous offers as the previous year and those two titles alone would vastly distort the whole market.
Those two titles & many others also weren’t subject to the usual post-release price drops either, where titles ‘buy’ their way up the chart with massive discounting which a) creates a buzz about the title b) when it appears in the charts the following week it’s back up in price again.
If competition reduces in future I think we can look to prices creeping up further.
KeRaSh
I think Skyrim helped too. Didn’t get any significant discounts and still sells for more than some niche games cost on release after a discount.
Joe Dart
Skyrim was actually one of big xmas releases that did get a significant price cut. GAME/Gamestation were selling it for £22.49 new for a few weeks in the run up to Christmas, that’s when I picked it up. Several other retailers followed suit with lowering the price to around that price as well.
Kaden101
Skyrim was discounted everywhere. I believe this is because it came to light how broken it was at release. It seemed to go back up in price nearly 3 months after release when they finally got round to fixing it.
Grey_Ghost13
ASDA have only just offered FIFA12 for £25 today, before that it was £47 since release!
stage1
This displeases me.
And next gen I’m pretty sure video games will be even more expensive!
gaffers101
I still think being a gamer is cheap compared to some hobbies. A night on the beer costs much more than a new copy of Mass Effect 3, and a game lasts much longer.
As long as quality reflects price I’m happy to pay for good games.
aerobes
As the price goes up and stays up, not to mention the inclusion of things like online passes, my interest and desire to play games goes down. Unfortunate.
Foxhound_Solid
HWhen i was a youngster i got street fighter 2 turbo in the tin for the snes….it was a hundred quid. Most games were 7999 when i was ickle. They are cheaper now…
Mike
£7999 seems a bit steep ;)
Foxhound_Solid
Lol
An-dz
£27 is the average! what! im paying alot more than that i think i might be getting riped off…
david24
really? i rarely pay more the £30 for a game on day 1.
Germanos
Seriously!!?? I’m from Poland and I pay £40 for new games at day 1. I hate this world…