Some PS5 Games Will Cost You $70, Including Demon's Souls

We now know the price and release date of the PlayStation 5, but soon after its latest games showcase Sony revealed that at least some games in the next console generation are getting a price hike. While we don't know the prices of all PS5 launch games, some Sony Worldwide Studios titles, including Demon's Souls, will drop at $70 US in November.

Sony revealed the prices on the PlayStation Blog following the showcase event, where it recapped some of the information from the showcase. It also included a list of launch day games from Sony Interactive Entertainment's studios, which also detailed their prices:

• Astro’s Playroom – pre-installed on PS5
• Demon’s Souls – US$69.99/¥7,900/€79.99 (RRP)
• Destruction All Stars – US$69.99/¥7,900/€79.99 (RRP)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – US$49.99/¥5,900/€59.99(RRP)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Mile Morales Ultimate Edition – US$69.99/¥7,900/€79.99 (RRP)
• Sackboy A Big Adventure – US$59.99/¥6,900/€69.99(RRP)

That's nothing like a comprehensive list of PS5 launch games or their prices, of course, but it's notable that Demon's Souls and Destruction All Stars are listed at $70 US. Also coming in at $70 is Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition, which includes the new standalone Miles Morales game as well as a remastered version of the 2018 Marvel's Spider-Man for PlayStation 4.

The blog doesn't explicitly say that every PS5 title will now cost $70, but this does suggest that we should expect a higher price point in the next generation, at least for Sony's first-party games. "Our own Worldwide Studios titles will be priced from US$49.99 to US$69.99 (RRP) on PS5," the blog states, referring to its launch titles.

Take-Two Interactive previously said it would charge $70 for next-generation titles, including NBA 2K21, which the publisher said it believes is justified by the "extraordinary quality" of games offered on the new consoles. We also know that Activision's upcoming Call of Duty: Cold War will cost $70 on PS5 and Xbox Series X and Series S.

Pricing over games has been a point of discussion in the industry for a while, given that most games have hovered at $60 for well over a decade. Developers and publishers have often noted that development costs continue to increase as graphics and technology advance, but game prices have stayed stagnant.

With the start of a new console generation, it seems several publishers are taking the opportunity to finally raise their prices--although it's possible that the standard RRP will shift back down to $60 during the course of the console generation.

The question is whether a $70 price tag will become a new standard throughout the industry, especially given current economic conditions around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major increase in unemployment, which might be reflected in what feel like relatively low prices for Sony and Microsoft's next generation of game consoles--both companies' high-end models come in at $500 US, but both are offering lower-priced models as well, with Sony's all-digital PS5 costing $400 and Microsoft's all-digital Xbox Series S costing $300.

So while the industry might be pushing for a higher price on games, it remains to be seen how well the games market might bear the increase. The PS5 system, on the other hand, seems to be priced at a point customers are willing to pay--it has been very difficult to secure a preorder.

For more on PlayStation 5 purchasing, read our PS5 Preorder Guide.