Why is $60 the full price and not $50, as was the standard for AAA titles before that?
When accounting for inflation, both a $60 game purchased in 2021 (just 5 years ago, when that was still the norm for AAA games) and a $50 game purchased in 2001 are more expensive than buying a $70 AAA game in 2026. Meanwhile, AAA game budgets have exploded.
Another way to look at it: Galactic Racer in 2026, at $60, would be $49 in 2021 or $32 in 2001 when accounting for inflation.
Galactic Racer feels like a AA game, and has a modern AA price, both relative to new AAA game prices for the last few years and relative to prices in the past when accounting for inflation. It is fair to not like that or feel it is overpriced, but it does line up.
Why is $60 the full price and not $50, as was the standard for AAA titles before that?
When accounting for inflation, both a $60 game purchased in 2021 (just 5 years ago, when that was still the norm for AAA games) and a $50 game purchased in 2001 are more expensive than buying a $70 AAA game in 2026. Meanwhile, AAA game budgets have exploded.
Another way to look at it: Galactic Racer in 2026, at $60, would be $49 in 2021 or $32 in 2001 when accounting for inflation.
Galactic Racer feels like a AA game, and has a modern AA price, both relative to new AAA game prices for the last few years and relative to prices in the past when accounting for inflation. It is fair to not like that or feel it is overpriced, but it does line up.