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GameSpot Video Games, PC, Wii, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PSP, DS, GBA, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

EA cuts current-gen prices

Publisher knocks ducats off several console titles including NBA Live, Madden, Need for Speed, Medal of Honor, Harry Potter.
By Tim Surette, GameSpot
Posted Jan 20, 2006 3:00 pm PT

With the transition period between current-generation and next-generation consoles currently under way, several anaysts have prognosticated that games for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube could see a price drop. Today, the world's biggest game publisher, Electronic Arts, proved industry experts correct.

The prices of several of the company's current-generation games have been reduced in an attempt to get the most out of its current crop of titles. Madden NFL 06, NBA Live 06, FIFA 06, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire all seem to have benefited from the price drop, as their Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and PC versions are all now available for $29.99.

Other games affected by the price slashing include Need for Speed Most Wanted (now $39.99) and Medal of Honor: European Assault (now $19.99).

The price tags of EA's Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, and Sony PSP games remain unchanged.

EA isn't the first publisher to cut back on the price of some of its biggest games. Take-Two Interactive recently knocked the cost of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for the PC, Xbox, and PS2 down to $19.99.

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59 Comments

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RX-78GP02A

nas6192003..your a tool. Instead of being a hypocrite and basing another guy for "not knowing about prices in gaming history" why don't you stfu cuz obviously you don't know either. I remember some N64 games being 70 dollars and I mention one in particular named Donkey Kong 64 when that came out. Even some SNES games were more than 50 dollars when they came out. The PS2/GC/XB generation must be the first generation of games you played tool. Don't make fun of other people unless you know what your talking about. As for this topic..any prices drop is good for the consumer so stop complaining..if you people don't want the games..don't buy em its that simple.

Posted Jan 24, 2006 12:45 pm PT
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buccaneers445

u cant even buy San Andreas, it's AO. What are they talking about, a price drop?

Posted Jan 23, 2006 4:23 pm PT
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MadGamer132

dropping prices is good. at least with gap

Posted Jan 23, 2006 2:15 pm PT
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countrypuppyguy

Not to be mean, but do you guys realize how much it costs to make the 360 games? the realy good ones look almost real. Think about how much it cost to get the graphics like that. Some games are looking better than CG movies now. The technology has gotten to advanced to make cheap games any more.

Posted Jan 23, 2006 10:53 am PT
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deleteuser

thats good news.......

Posted Jan 23, 2006 5:32 am PT
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chrisdojo

don't you just love price cuts??!!!

Posted Jan 23, 2006 4:18 am PT
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wattsu42

Well, it was bound to happen eventually - game prices always drop when the current console generation's on its way out.

Heck, I remember being able to buy all sorts of great PS1 games for under twenty dollars. Most of them were under ten.

Five dollars for Parappa the Rapper? Aw yeah.

Posted Jan 23, 2006 3:35 am PT
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MeTaL-HeaD

YaY

Posted Jan 23, 2006 3:11 am PT
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ashb85

Nice & wise step I think

Posted Jan 23, 2006 1:34 am PT
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lilweightlifter

360 games definitely need to be cheaper!

Posted Jan 22, 2006 7:14 pm PT
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owner211

oh joy, try doing that to the xbox 360 and its 60 dollar games!!!!!!!!!

Posted Jan 22, 2006 4:54 pm PT
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pcmacro

I guess the next gen world is now moving along nicely. I get the feeling the announcement for the ps3 release date will come within a month to 2 max.

Posted Jan 22, 2006 1:57 pm PT
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nas6192003

Some moron said all next games have always been more expensive then current gen. May I ask how long have you been playing games because I simply don't remember $60 games for Nintendo, Snes, Genesis, PS, N64, Dreamcast, Gamecube, or PS2. So maybe you should learn a thing or two ABOUT GAMING.
Games that were over $50 usually came with lightguns or things of that nature so shut up. As long as I can remember buying games back to Mario Bros., $50 was the standard.

Posted Jan 22, 2006 1:46 pm PT
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darkfox101

to bad they dont do taht to next-gen ones.. I can barely afford one game..

Posted Jan 22, 2006 11:07 am PT
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Atarii

The only game I would think to get after the price cut is FIFA 06.... naa, I'll wait for Winning Eleven 9 for my PSP

Posted Jan 22, 2006 7:33 am PT
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pugstar

EA hater, STFU. I'm getting tired of people bashing their games illigitimately. Downplay their games on actual reasons why they're bad, not because they're made by EA. Just because they figured out a way to streamline games and sell em good enough for total profit most of the time does not mean that they're games are all bad.

Posted Jan 21, 2006 5:56 pm PT
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XlpranksterlX

Thats nice, its just that im still waiting for specific games to go on sale. Like Indigo prophecy.

Posted Jan 21, 2006 2:44 pm PT
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bizsumpark182

I wouldn't buy any of the above titles unless I could get them for $10. And even then I would just get Need For Speed.

Posted Jan 21, 2006 2:43 pm PT
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Greatgone12

Either way, most of EA's games are crappy, so they should start them out in the 20$ price range anyways. They'd make a lot of money either way...

Posted Jan 21, 2006 1:39 pm PT
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onimushaiw

that's nice in the US, but over here in EU specially in Hungary where the Premium Pack of x360 $550 and a game starts from $80 , for Condemned you have to pay $90, so just stfu at the other side of the ocean : D

Posted Jan 21, 2006 1:27 pm PT
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BounceDK

EA.. Drop dead

Posted Jan 21, 2006 12:48 pm PT
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joeamis

There will still be tens of millions playing the current gen consoles, even 6 months after the PS3 and REV launch. Mainstream America will be playing the older consoles and looking for cheaper games. It's smart business sense to cut current gen games for mainstream America, while keeping next gen games at high prices... Other publishers have always done this before EA did, except maybe for PC. God I wish people on here knew a thing or two about this stuff...

Posted Jan 21, 2006 12:43 pm PT
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PS3_vs_X360

Wow an Anti-American American...

Posted Jan 21, 2006 11:20 am PT
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mardigrasmorgan

EA sucks and everyone knows.... only wannabe games buy their games...

look at all the top selling games, annual rehashes of the same crap....

We Americans are getting more stupid every year....

We even reelected an idiot to the white house.....

Posted Jan 21, 2006 10:25 am PT
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xAlphaZerox

EA should cut the prices on the 360 games to about 19.99, since they positively limped into the next generation with the most half assed sports line-up they've ever assembled.

Posted Jan 21, 2006 9:30 am PT
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Viquist

This happens between every generation... I'm just surprised they're doing it now instead of waiting for EXACT release dates for the next PS3 and REV. .....Unless, they know something we don't......

Posted Jan 21, 2006 7:27 am PT
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wokisan

I don't think I have ever paid more than $30 for any PC version of NFS or FIFA in years past. I just searched around for deals (ebay, etc) so I'm not really excited about this but I'm sure it helps some of the console peeps out. Now if the next gen prices were cut to $50......(heh heh). At least they aren't as bad as some of the crazy SNES prices before the N64 came out. As far as collector's edition goes it depends. HL2 collector's edition was worth it (although the manual was a little light) and I think Oblivion will definitely be worth it.

Posted Jan 21, 2006 7:04 am PT
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SavoyPrime

That's cool, but can we get a price reduction for the X360 games?!

Posted Jan 21, 2006 6:47 am PT
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BadMunky

Most of the games i dont care about. and even with the price drop i wont buy them. im trying to save up for the next-gen

Posted Jan 21, 2006 6:05 am PT
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jakeboudville

now i have to save less money

Posted Jan 21, 2006 4:43 am PT
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nas6192003

EA are a bunch of rip-off artists, there is no need for $60 games. It didn't happen when games went fully 3-D and its nuts now considering the amount of ad placement happening in games. EA is simply trying to divert attention away from their and other publishers greed.

Posted Jan 21, 2006 12:02 am PT
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forever_blank

I Like That... MMMM NFSMW

Posted Jan 20, 2006 10:38 pm PT
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kropking

I guess that makes all of you who thought EA was greedy feel stupid now.

Posted Jan 20, 2006 10:19 pm PT
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NERDSFOREVER

great more money to spend

Posted Jan 20, 2006 9:22 pm PT
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hilmihamidi

I hope other companies will follow EA's step.

Posted Jan 20, 2006 9:22 pm PT
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Killzone_Master

yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted Jan 20, 2006 9:06 pm PT
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abdu4

Doesnt matter if they cut this gen b/c ppl will be playing next gen so that is where the cuts are needed

Posted Jan 20, 2006 8:24 pm PT
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Sinister904

might pick up a game

Posted Jan 20, 2006 7:43 pm PT
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xitwound117

I still won't buy European Assault. I don't care how cheap it is. They need to stop making Medal of Honor games. They just suck.

Brothers in Arms was good. And from the looks of Medal of Honor: Airborne, EA looks to copy the formula.

Posted Jan 20, 2006 7:17 pm PT
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SLAYERPSP

Medal of Honor: European Assault has been 20 for at least two weeks now i bought it at frys for 19.99 if you have a 360 it runs on it in 720p ws looks great

Posted Jan 20, 2006 6:12 pm PT
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bennybunny

Man I wish games were that cheap where I live we pay the equivilant of $100US for games in New Zealand

Posted Jan 20, 2006 6:02 pm PT
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GyRo567

I still refuse to buy a PS2 until I can buy a brand new (preferably slimline) one for $70. By that time I can pick up all the games for $10-20 a piece I suppose.

Posted Jan 20, 2006 5:40 pm PT
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Hyperblade

umm thanks EA?

Posted Jan 20, 2006 5:40 pm PT
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skitzocyko

Now if they could only not mess up there current games.

Posted Jan 20, 2006 5:36 pm PT
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gcfreak898

Finally lowering prices before piracy gets out of hand but, I think they are too late.

Posted Jan 20, 2006 5:21 pm PT
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Bahgahyahduh

Now i'm definitely getting madden 06

Posted Jan 20, 2006 4:11 pm PT
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killa-k

i agree with runnergunner480 the games r kinda pricy

Posted Jan 20, 2006 4:10 pm PT
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joeamis

EA did this months ago with other games..... SSX OT was one of them... They've done nothing special, other publishers have done this before them time and time again.

Posted Jan 20, 2006 3:54 pm PT
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Buck_Hotep

Finally, EA does something for the costumers and lowers the price on their current titles. As for the price of their next-gen titles, I'm surprised people still complaining about the 60 dollar price for non-Microsoft published titles for the 360. This has been known to gamers since a little bit after E3. If people haven't adjusted or budgeted themselves for the price hike then they never will. People can always rent the game first and see if its worth the price. If it is then fork over the cash. People should just stop whining and realize the price hike is here to stay. Whining and complaining about it is not going to change publishers' minds.

Posted Jan 20, 2006 3:38 pm PT
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Rej72380

Now, if only the price of current-gen consoles is slashed to under $100.

Posted Jan 20, 2006 3:34 pm PT
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