atisusanti
What can you tell about a video game from its price tag? In the UK, £70 may not guarantee quality, but it typically signifies a blockbuster or "AAA" title – a large-budget game developed by a substantial team, featuring cutting-edge graphics, expansive worlds, and dozens of hours of gameplay. In 2025, Nintendo set a new benchmark for game prices, listing major Switch titles such as Mario Kart World at a staggering £74.99 (launching in the US at $79.99). However, a select few recent games, lauded by critics and gamers alike for their AAA-like quality – including ARC Raiders, Split Fiction, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – have been offered at more modest price points of £30-£40.
Clair Obscur, a game that has garnered an astonishing 436 Game of the Year awards, more than any other title, was deliberately priced below the typical blockbuster norm, according to Alexis Garavaryan, the head of its publisher, Kepler Interactive. "Ultimately, we’ve seen a number of larger companies increase prices quite regularly. And we’ve kind of taken the opposite action," Garavaryan explained to the BBC. "We try to think, ‘What do we think the price should be?’ And then we price it lower."
Garavaryan posits that a significant shift in player preferences is underway, moving away from the traditional expectations of big AAA studios, which often centre on high-fidelity graphics and extensive gameplay hours. He contends that players are now more captivated by the uniqueness and novelty of an experience. If visual spectacle is no longer the sole deciding factor, then the justification for a blockbuster price tag becomes increasingly challenging.
This sentiment is echoed by market trends. A recent consumer study revealed that a majority of gamers are reducing their spending on new games. In the US, only 4% of video game players purchase a new game more often than once a month, and a considerable third of players are not buying any games at all. While Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar, the publisher and developer of the highly anticipated GTA 6, have not yet confirmed the game’s pricing, many anticipate it will exceed the current benchmark, especially considering the extensive development team and the game’s already twice-delayed release. The economic climate further exacerbates concerns for gamers; the price of RAM, a crucial component powering much of our technology, has more than doubled since October 2025, intensifying cost pressures.
Garavaryan elaborated that Kepler’s strategy of deviating from the blockbuster pricing model is intended to make players feel they are receiving "a bargain." He stated, "We want them to feel like we are respectful of their money, respectful of their time, and that fundamentally, every time they buy a game from us, they’re getting a great deal. And we’re excited for players to be able to play five, six different experiences with the same amount of money than a traditional AAA game would bring them."
Kepler Interactive itself is not a small indie outfit but rather a collective comprising several independent studios. Rebekah Valentine, a senior reporter at IGN, suggests that Clair Obscur’s success might not signal a complete departure from AAA expectations. She pointed out that persistent AAA games, like Fortnite and Call of Duty, which players can enjoy with friends and which receive frequent updates, consistently attract the largest player bases month after month. "There are dozens, hundreds of really unique, interesting games published every week, month, and year – most of which do not sell well nor do they gain this level of attention," Valentine added.
Christopher Dring, editor-in-chief and co-founder of The Game Business, concurred that while smaller-budget games can achieve significant success, it’s important to remember that blockbuster titles such as Resident Evil Requiem and GTA 6 remain the two most-anticipated games of the year. He frames the competition for a game’s success as being more about capturing attention than directly competing on price. "In a challenged attention economy, where consumers are awash with choice, doing something interesting is key," Dring commented.
Garavaryan is confident that Kepler Interactive’s approach will capture attention. The company is even working on producing a physical magazine, a deliberate analogue step for a predominantly digital enterprise. "I think as people move away from the more physical, the more human touch, we want to find that as a place where we find a lot of comfort," he said. "It may not be for everybody, but we know that there’s an audience that’s going to care about well-crafted, human-crafted products." This focus on tangible, thoughtfully produced experiences aims to resonate with a segment of the market seeking a more personal connection with their entertainment, differentiating Kepler’s offerings in an increasingly saturated digital landscape. The strategy reflects a broader industry conversation about value, player perception, and the evolving definition of a successful game in a dynamic market.
Nakalama John
George Anjay
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Roy Suryo