Aaron ThomasWe’re always quick to jump down the throats of publishers who raise software prices, so it’s only fair that we tell you when a company decides to cut prices. Electronic Arts has adopted a new pricing strategy for all new releases on current-gen consoles. The MSRP for new releases, such as the upcoming games Black and The Godfather will now be $39.95, a savings of 20%.
Of course, EA isn’t doing this just to be nice – it’s all part of the market’s transition from one generation to the next. "$39 is resonating with consumers given the transition. There are indications that $39 is a solid and sustainable price point." Jeff Brown, from EA’s communication office, explained to Reuters.
If the move results in strong sales for the company’s PS2 software, expect to see other publishers follow suit. It should be noted that this practice does not extend to the PSP, where the games routinely cost $10 more, nor does it apply to Xbox 360 games, which retail for $59.99.