Nintendo Raised Prices, Microsoft Backed Off — Is GTA 6 About to Make $80 the New Standard?
Earlier this year Nintendo priced its Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World at $79.99, and many in the industry expected other publishers to follow. However, several big companies have paused or rolled back price increases for their fall releases, and analysts say the wider shift to $80 games hasn’t arrived yet.
- Nintendo set a new $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.
- Microsoft briefly listed some first‑party games at $79.99, then adjusted back to $69.99 for this season.
- Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds 2 was cut from $80 to $70 after fan reaction; Xbox commented on pricing to Windows Central.
- An X post from a reliable leaker suggested Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will be $69.99.
- Ampere Analysis analyst Louise Wooldridge says the current climate isn’t right for wider price rises, and points to upcoming GTA 6 as the most likely candidate to push higher prices later.
What happened after Nintendo raised the price
Nintendo priced Mario Kart World at $79.99 for the base edition, breaking from the long-standing $59.99 / $69.99 era. Nintendo executive Bill Trinen explained the decision by referencing inflation and long-term price stability: “We’re unfortunately living in an era where I think inflation is affecting everything,” Trinen said. “The price of video games has been very stable for a very long time.”
Following Nintendo’s move, Microsoft initially said it would “adjust the pricing of some of our new first‑party games starting this holiday season to $79.99.” Shortly after, though, Microsoft appears to have backtracked and said it would keep its “full priced holiday releases” at $69.99 “in line with current market conditions,” according to an Xbox spokesperson who told Windows Central.
Examples of reversals and reactions
Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds 2 was initially listed at $79.99 and later reduced to $69.99 after fans pushed back. Microsoft’s flagship fall release, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, appears to be priced at $69.99 based on a leak from a reliable source.
⚠️ UPDATE ⚠️
Price in USD & Vault Edition Pricing added
🔹 COD BO7 Standard Edition: 69.99 USD / 79,99 €
🔸 COD BO7 Vault Edition: 99.99 USD / 109,99 € pic.twitter.com/4l2APsUaPt— billbil-kun (@billbil_kun) August 17, 2025
Why analysts say $80 isn’t inevitable yet
Ampere Analysis industry analyst Louise Wooldridge told Polygon that “It is just not the right climate to increase prices at the moment.” She cited several concrete reasons for the pause.
- Consumers are more price-sensitive in a tough economic environment, and average spend per gamer is down year‑on‑year.
- Lower‑priced indie and AA hits this year—such as Schedule I, REPO, Peak, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33—show players are seeking value.
- Subscription services like Microsoft’s Game Pass can blunt premium release sales, making price hikes riskier.
Who can raise prices now?
Wooldridge noted that only a few brands can realistically test higher prices immediately. She said, “The reason Nintendo has been able to get away with it is because they know people will still buy the games, no matter what — the brand is so strong and the perceived quality is so high that players are willing to pay.”
Which game might be next at $80 (or higher)
Analysts and industry watchers point to Grand Theft Auto 6 as the most likely title to push the wider market higher because of its anticipated scope and long-term sales profile. Wooldridge said, “I do think a move to $80 is inevitable,” and added that “GTA 6 will be at least $80.” However, she stopped short of saying it would reach $100.
There’s also a key difference in publisher strategy: Nintendo and Rockstar can set higher prices for games they expect to sell over many years, while annualized franchises (like FIFA/EA FC or Call of Duty) may choose to hold prices back and reassess next year.
Bottom line
So far, Mario Kart World has not triggered an immediate industry-wide shift to $80 base editions. Several big publishers have paused or reversed price increases for this fall, and analysts point to consumer price sensitivity, subscription competition, and recent success for lower‑priced titles as reasons for caution. Still, major long‑selling releases such as GTA 6 are widely seen as the likeliest candidates to reset expectations in the future.
