Are Next Generation Games Going to Cost More?

Uh-oh, prepare to dig deep if an Xbox 2 or PS3 lurks high on your shopping list – EA’s vice president Jeff Brown has warned that developing games for the new consoles could cost up to 200 percent more than current titles, something that is bound to be reflected in the retail price for individual games.

Speaking to BBC News Online, he explained: “The transition [to new consoles] is a very painful process for every game developer.” He then added in very poetic terms: “We look at the transition like a forest fire. It makes the healthy trees stronger, but burns away the weeds.”

Another concern from the rising development costs is the inevitable adverse effect on the types of games made, with companies eschewing originality in favour of lower risk franchises and licenses. A quick glance at the All-Formats Top 20 already shows that movie spin-offs and franchise sequels command the vast majority of sales, with EA undisputed kings of the crop.

However, he did explain that the high costs makes it imperative that developers make good games, so as to reduce the risk of failure. “It is good for the consumer,” he said, “as video games cost a lot of money to make and have a high price at retail. If you buy three or four games a year, you don’t want to make a mistake.”