As Game Prices Climb to £100, Sony Legend Says 'Stop Complaining: 'It's Worth It'

As the price tags on new video games creep towards the £100 mark, a prominent figure from Sony has sparked debate by suggesting players should cease their objections, arguing that the immersive experiences justify the expense.

Sony executive and gaming industry veteran Shuhei Yoshida has spoken in favour of increasing video game prices, indicating his support for flexible costs.

Amidst the uproar concerning Nintendo's £74.99 cost for Mario Kart World and higher expenses for Xbox titles, it's apparent that game prices will remain a significant point of discussion in the coming months.

GTA 6 will likely become a central point in this discussion, as experts foresee a potential price exceeding £100 when it becomes available on 26 May 2026.

While Rockstar has not yet confirmed the cost, Take-Two's Chief Executive Officer, Strauss Zelnick, recently highlighted their dedication to adaptable pricing, noting that Mafia: The Old Country will launch at £44.99 later in the year.

Yoshida Defends Premium Pricing Amidst Player Concerns

In a recent discussion, former PlayStation leader Shuhei Yoshida, who not long ago shared his dissatisfaction with the Switch 2, spoke about the worries surrounding increasing game costs—and he doesn't view them negatively.

In his conversation with Critical Hits, first reported by GamesRadar+, Yoshida backed varied pricing models, stating, 'I don't believe every game has to be priced the same. Each game provides a different value or the size of budget.'

'I totally believe it is up to the publishers – or developers self-publishing – decision to price their product to the value that they believe they are bringing in,' the top executive added.

Is The Cost of Gaming Becoming Too High?

While he thinks a fixed price for all games isn't necessary, Yoshida points out that even the priciest games—currently around $70 or $80 (with UK costs likely to be about £80, judging by past exchanges)—still offer great value when you consider other ways people spend their leisure time.

'In terms of actual price of $70 or $80, for really great games, I think it will still be a steal in terms of the amount of entertainment that top games, top quality games bring to people compared to other form of entertainment,' Yoshida said.

'As long as people choose carefully how they spend their money, I don't think they should be complaining about [it].' Although judging a game's value solely by its playtime can be complicated if you consider these metrics, many games offer significantly more entertainment per pound than movies or TV shows.

Will Price Hikes Impact Sales?

Take Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, for instance, which comes in at a reasonable £50 and offers roughly 30 to 40 hours of gameplay to complete. When you stack that up against the typical £15 cost of a two-hour movie ticket, the difference in entertainment time for your money is quite clear.

Considering franchises like Mario Kart, which get new games very infrequently, the £74.99 price for Mario Kart World seems justifiable, given its high quality and lasting appeal as a multiplayer game. This is particularly true when you compare it to £70 titles such as EA Sports FC and Call Of Duty, which are released yearly.

However, getting used to these higher prices has become tougher because of the surge in free-to-play games. When you can access titles like Fortnite or Apex Legends at no cost, the thought of shelling out £80 for a game suddenly seems like an old-fashioned and unattractive option.

Whether these higher prices will truly impact sales is still an open question. Still, Yoshida's perspective is understandable – even if it's not one that the average gamer is likely to embrace with much excitement.