Report: Modern Warfare 2 triggering UK games price hike, EA not budging
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Jul 16th 2009 at 4:00PM } 
The price hike is attributed to rising game development costs and the faltering strength of the pound -- still, compared to last holiday season, when titles like Prince of Persia and Far Cry 2 hit store shelves for around £40, it's a pretty sizable leap to make in just one year. However, not everyone is following Activision's example -- Electronic Arts responded to MCV's report, confirming that it would not increase the RRP of its holiday releases. We'll see which strategy pays off once the smoke from the holiday shopping season clears.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
whookid @ Jul 16th 2009 4:05PM
£55, and then people wonder why piracy is rising? Oh well, still buying it!
MattyG @ Jul 16th 2009 4:09PM
or why people are buying second hand games >.>
Robert @ Jul 16th 2009 4:11PM
"still buying it! " that is the reason this probably will succeed. I want COD6 MW2 a lot but decided to wait for the GOTY edition when the said they wre developing the map packs even when the game was still in development (a few months ago). It is just a game, I can wait
Paul @ Jul 16th 2009 4:17PM
*puts on his best british accent
"gutted"
whookid @ Jul 16th 2009 4:20PM
Still buying it... but on pc! Why are games on PC cheaper?
JXCgunrunna @ Jul 16th 2009 4:26PM
@Robert
They are not working on them as we speak. One of the biggest, if the the biggest, complaint was that IW did not support CoD4 enough. There are still people on IW's forums that bitch about not getting more maps for CoD4 and MW2 is right around the corner. The only reason they said they are doing maps are so people who think they are just knocking them out everyother year will know this will be worth the 60 bucks they are paying for it. Whats to say they wont be supporting the game even after the GoTY edition comes out? then u will still want to buy new maps.
I feel sorry for you guys over there.
Crazy-008 @ Jul 16th 2009 4:33PM
If you can read this... you are the resistance.
Ample Salty @ Jul 16th 2009 4:45PM
@whookid
I believe that when you make a console game, you have to pay liscence fees to Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo. Plus you might factor in the costs of dev kits or whatever. No such trouble for PC games.
punk @ Jul 16th 2009 5:12PM
Easy for you to say that... your parents wallet won't be happy about it though. ;)
SunKing @ Jul 16th 2009 4:05PM
Well, they can try.
Kevin @ Jul 16th 2009 4:06PM
I guess I'll be enjoying my night vision goggles for the same price they have to buy the game for.
Jake @ Jul 16th 2009 4:47PM
Yes this does indeed suck for us. But you can usually get it cheaper online (even if that means buying it for the usual 40, its still less than that ridiculous Activision scam).
That said I too want those goggles... Mainly because in classic Pub talk the other week, we were discussing wether we prefer to leave the lights on or turn them off in the bed room...
Then I threw Night Vision goggles in to the equation and that threw everything around!
Then this week I hear MW2 special edition includes night vision?! GET IN!!!
Alas It seems I'll be paying out my arse for this now..
MrKlorox @ Jul 16th 2009 7:48PM
No contest. Lights on until they invent color night-vision. Actually, not even then. Keep it in the sunlight. Ooooh Afternoon Delight.
Unless of course I don't wanna see what I'm doing.
MetalBLACKFOX @ Jul 16th 2009 10:44PM
hell no boycott the hell out of that...and i barely buy games new cause i cant afford it so picture now
uncle jesse @ Jul 16th 2009 4:06PM
Well kids, do you want Christmas dinner or a Christmas gift?
The Dark Wayne @ Jul 16th 2009 4:08PM
Sorry Dirty, im copping your most prized line
DEATH TO ACTIVISION!
bongoes @ Jul 16th 2009 4:18PM
DEATH TO ACTIVISION!
DEATH TO ACTIVISION!
DEATH TO ACTIVISION!
DEATH TO ACTIVISION!
Night Elve @ Jul 16th 2009 4:27PM
DEATH TO ACTIVISION!
DKiller79 @ Jul 16th 2009 4:40PM
they are hiking the prices
Kill a mans jiro @ Jul 16th 2009 4:41PM
DEATH TO UGLY CHICKS!
DEATH TO UGLY CHICKS!
DEATH TO UGLY CHICKS!
DEATH TO UGLY CHICKS!
DEATH TO UGLY CHICKS!
Wait, sorry wrong site.....
Cr4sh Dummy @ Jul 16th 2009 4:56PM
I concur! This is beyond disdainful, this is criminal!
Samael @ Jul 16th 2009 5:19PM
@ Cr4sh Dummy
ummm....which one Activision or Ugly Chicks?
Spartan @ Jul 16th 2009 6:06PM
DEATH TO ACTIVISION
ALSO TO TRAFFIC WARDENS!
Spallit @ Jul 16th 2009 4:10PM
Games are already $70! Unless their game sucks, I don't buy that the publishers are not making profit off of their game sales...
Chief Oddball @ Jul 16th 2009 4:10PM
Ironic news, given the used games debate raging over on the Crackdown article.
Is there a used games market facilitated by retailers in the UK like there is in the US? (If there isn't, there may be after these prices take effect...)
Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 16th 2009 4:11PM
My pounds to dollars conversion skills were never great.
I never realized how expensive games were over there. That really sucks.
primetime4 @ Jul 16th 2009 4:20PM
Isn't the minimum wage there like £20/hr? Obviously not that high but they definitely seem to make more than the average worker in the states. Otherwise they would all be homeless, naked, and have to walk everywhere.
typk @ Jul 16th 2009 4:32PM
minimum wage is £6.50 hour... so we are getting shafted....
requiemvalorum @ Jul 16th 2009 4:32PM
The Minimum wage here is £5.75 so this price is more than ridiculous.
Stoo @ Jul 16th 2009 4:35PM
Close but not quite...
Minimum wage in the uk is
£5.73 ($9.42) per hour for workers aged 22 years and older
A development rate of £4.77 ($7.85) per hour for workers aged 18-21 inclusive
£3.53 ($5.81) per hour for all workers under the age of 18, who are no longer of compulsory school age.
primetime4 @ Jul 16th 2009 5:44PM
Did anyone else notice 6 different minimum wages in these replies? That tells me there is some question about it probably because no one is actually making it. We all know most brits are driving Range Rover Sports.
Leobebes (BDF: Braid Defence Force) @ Jul 16th 2009 5:55PM
Yea but we have to pay $25.00-$45 everytime we have to see a doctor over the sniffles (thats if you have insurance), Brits don't. Bam! there are your savings right there
Kill a mans jiro @ Jul 16th 2009 6:18PM
primetime4 Your a A class dick, minimum wage over here is 5.73, yeah there were several diferent number varied there but notice only by pennys, and those few pence wont buy a range rover u dick head. If anything were payed less than you and dont bitch cause our health is free down here go talk to ure government about it.
Ordeith @ Jul 16th 2009 7:22PM
Oh the UK and their crazy taxes, glade we don't have a >30% sales tax invisibly added to our prices here.
Wait...How much is the US Deficit now? over $2 Trillion? in the last 7 months? compared to $160 billion in Bush's 3rd year? an all time inflation adjusted record? Fuck.
America, prepare to be shafted. That bill is gonna come due sometime. Your low tax party is ending.
Silencio @ Jul 18th 2009 12:58PM
@Leobebes
Stop seeing the doctor for sniffles, pansy.
captainprotonx @ Jul 16th 2009 4:12PM
Thank god I have no CoD addiction.
Leroy_Octopus @ Jul 16th 2009 4:15PM
I feel kinda bad for you UK gamers now. That really sucks.
Paul @ Jul 16th 2009 4:19PM
what about aussie gamers already paying $120 for every game?
WREturns @ Jul 16th 2009 4:25PM
Nah, just the UK.
Crazy-008 @ Jul 16th 2009 4:28PM
It is impossible that you are paying $120 usd for a game. I refuse to believe that.
Jake @ Jul 16th 2009 4:47PM
Aussie Dollars are worth less than USD. $50 AUD, is worth about 22 GBP, so then thats about 30 USD... roughly.. I didn't XE that lol
Sly @ Jul 16th 2009 4:44PM
nope, pretty much just the UK.
Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Jul 16th 2009 4:45PM
Well, no reason not to wait till later, M.A.G should have released now then, could have preoccupied my time until I found a copy of MW for under £40
Stteevvveee @ Jul 16th 2009 5:51PM
I remember going to the Philippines when I was younger, back when PS1 games were the thing and original/authentic copies of the games were $110 american dollars. Then you looked to the left and they had backup copies for 2 dollars. Of course I turned my attention to the copies, but I didn't have a modded PS1.
I wonder how much a PS3/Xbox 360 game is down there.
Mr_Ahh @ Jul 17th 2009 8:29AM
Where i live games retail for US $110 which is $220 local. Cheapest i can get games at is $87.50 which is $175 US. Unless i manage to get someone coming home from the US. And the used game market here is basically non existent, a gamestop here would kick serious ass.
Oh my bad here is Barbados, it's in the Caribbean.
Silencio @ Jul 18th 2009 1:02PM
@ mr_ahh
You live in Barbados. Quit complaining.
Snowblind @ Jul 16th 2009 4:16PM
Not going to pay £55 for any game. If it becomes the norm, I'll more than happily wait for them all to drop in price. But it is worth pointing out that games Modern Warfare 2 is so far the only game going for this price, and I think GAME have already lowered it to £44.
Delphionic @ Jul 16th 2009 4:16PM
If this sticks well...
Time to roll out the petitions? :P
Crimson Major @ Jul 16th 2009 4:18PM
I think most games in the UK have RRP's of £50 (at least according to Amazon and the like), but generally retail for £40 new anyway.
So it could mean we would see new games retailing for £45, but I dont think anyone would put a new game up for £55. Or, it could just be a clever way of making it seem like a better offer- Modern Warfare 2 £15 off, only £40 now!
crackp1pe @ Jul 16th 2009 4:18PM
Might as well just go to a subscription model at this point, don't you think? People would end up paying hundreds for CoD games made by Infinity Ward.
Also, no offense Activision but your CEO needs to just keep his mouth shut next time he wants to do his 'Sony needs to drop the price of the PS3' spiel. Between this and the neverending stream of games Activision sells with some peripheral for $100 or more (Guitar Hero, Ride, DJ Hero) they're just looking like greedy bastards. At least Sony is losing money on the PS3...