EA Defies Trend: No Plans to Raise Video Game Prices

In a reassuring move for gamers, EA has announced that it will not be following the recent trend of price increases set by competitors like Microsoft and Nintendo. During the company's latest financial call, CEO Andrew Wilson emphasized EA's commitment to providing "incredible quality and exponential value" to its playerbase, citing the success of their co-op adventure game Split Fiction, which has sold an impressive 4 million copies.

Wilson highlighted the evolution of EA's business model over the past decade. "In a world where everything we did 10 years ago was about selling shiny discs in plastic boxes on retail shelves — well, that’s still a part of our business, but it’s a significantly smaller part," he noted. Today, EA's pricing strategy spans a wide range, from free-to-play offerings to deluxe editions, reflecting a diversified approach to game distribution and monetization.

"At the end of the day, whether we're doing something that costs a dollar, or we're doing something that costs $10, or we're doing something that costs $100, our objective is always to deliver incredible quality and exponential value for our playerbase," Wilson stated. He emphasized that when EA successfully combines quality with value, the company's business remains strong, resilient, and poised for growth.

CFO Stuart Canfield reinforced this stance, stating, "From a guidance perspective [...] we have reflected no changes in our current [pricing] strategy at this point." This commitment to maintaining current prices will likely be welcomed by gamers, especially in light of recent announcements from competitors.

Just last week, Microsoft confirmed it was raising Xbox prices, including the cost of controllers, headsets, and some games. While the price increase for consoles and accessories has already taken effect, game prices are expected to rise to $79.99 for new, first-party titles around the holiday season.

This follows a broader trend in AAA gaming, where prices have jumped from $60 to $70 over the last five years. Nintendo has also announced $80 pricing for upcoming Switch 2 exclusives like Mario Kart World and other Switch 2 Edition games. The Switch 2 itself is set to launch at $450, a decision that has drawn criticism from fans, though analysts argue that such pricing is inevitable amid current economic conditions.

Given EA's stance, fans can anticipate that the next EA Sports FC, Madden, and Battlefield titles will maintain the standard edition pricing of $70.

In related news, EA cut around 100 jobs at Apex Legend developer Respawn Entertainment last week, alongside wider cuts affecting approximately 300 individuals across the organization.