- The Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 studio believes more expensive games will create an opportunity for smaller teams.
- Games priced at $40 and $50 will stand out if they can rival AAA productions in quality.
- More titles following in the studio’s footsteps would be a game-changer for the AA industry.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has stood out in the industry for many reasons. Besides the incredible visuals, gameplay, soundtrack, and narrative, the game has become a testament to how affordable AA experiences in the industry can rival the most expensive AAA productions of today.
In fact, with the industry rapidly moving toward more and more expensive games, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has become somewhat of an inspiration for smaller teams. According to publisher Kepler Interactive, a potential price hike to $80-100 will create even more opportunities for smaller games to stand out.
Why it matters: Xbox and Nintendo recently confirmed the shift to $80 games, and prices are only expected to rise from here.
Speaking to Gamesindustry, Kepler Interactive’s portfolio director discussed the decision to launch Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for just $50.
Matthew Handrahan described that the $50 price point initially drew some criticism from players who thought the game would be too short or feel cheap. However, because the final experience exceeded expectations, the price point was a major win for the studio.
As that AAA price goes up, I think it creates more of an opportunity to be launching more sensibly scoped games.
According to the portfolio director, as AAA games become more expensive, smaller games will have a greater opportunity to stand out.
He believes that the industry can also change player perception about cheaper games by continuing to offer quality on par with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with future $40-50 releases.
Matthew Handrahan’s perspective is so intriguing since balancing budgets, player expectations, and game pricing is a major problem for the industry at the moment.
With major gaming giants seemingly set on pricing games as high as $80, and GTA 6 rumored to cost as much as $100, AA titles appear to have a golden opportunity on their hands.
What are your thoughts on the portfolio director’s comments? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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