Analyst: 'Vibes pricing' explains indie and AAA game price shifts

Peak co-developer Aggro Crab's Nick Kaman suggested "eight bucks is still five bucks" on indie pricing, and Circana analyst Mat Piscatella says the idea reflects a wider reality amid large price fluctuations in games.

Peak, an $8 game that wanted to present as a $5 game, is an example Piscatella points to while noting a widening range of prices: single-digit titles moving millions of copies, AAA games pushing $70 and $80, and AA titles often at $40 or $50.

Piscatella calls "vibes pricing" a genuine "behind the curtain" view of how prices are chosen, saying there's "a lot of art with the science" and offering the moment of candid decision-making: "70 bucks seems right. All right, we'll try that." He adds PC gamers and Steam customers are a bright spot as the industry struggles with pricing and sustainability.

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