The price we pay for modern games remains a hot topic and constantly shifting ground. Shawn Layden recently argued that game prices should have risen gradually with each console generation, while analyst Michael Pachter predicted a $100 price tag for next year's juggernaut Grand Theft Auto VI.
Upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 may be included with Xbox Game Pass on day one, but for those who want to own it, well-known leaker billbil-kun has reportedly obtained details on the different editions' prices. $70 for the Standard Edition and $99 for the pricier Vault Edition. Exactly what the Vault Edition includes is still unclear, but speculation points toward access to upcoming DLC and exclusive skins. Expect more details at Gamescom this week.
Microsoft already faced backlash earlier this year when The Outer Worlds 2 was announced as the company's first title to carry a recommended $80 price tag. They quickly walked that back. The pricing details for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 have therefore sparked theories that Microsoft doesn't want to repeat that controversy and has settled for something slightly safer.
Where's your pain threshold when buying games?
<social>https://x.com/billbil_kun/status/1957017550044168449</social>