Just a few years ago, the video game industry made a bold and controversial move. After more than a decade of a stable $60 price point for major titles, publishers decided the next generation of gaming would cost $70. The backlash from gamers was immediate and fierce. It felt like a cash grab, another squeeze on players’ wallets in an already expensive hobby.

But looking back from the vantage point of 2025, that $70 price tag doesn’t look like the new standard. It looks like the last gasp of a dying business model. The immense risk for developers, combined with gamer frugality in a crowded entertainment market, has pushed the traditional premium game purchase to the brink. The idea of paying a huge upfront cost for a single game is becoming an outdated concept.

The industry is rapidly shifting its focus from a one-time transaction to an ongoing relationship. So, if the $70 game is on life support, what’s taking its place?

1. The Subscription Service (The “Netflix for Games”)

This is the most dominant and disruptive force in the modern games industry. Led by Xbox Game Pass, the value proposition is almost impossible to ignore: for a flat monthly fee, you get access to a curated library of hundreds of games, including blockbuster new releases on the day they launch.

Why would you risk $70 on a single new game when you can pay $15 for a month of access to that same game, plus hundreds of others? It fundamentally changes the economics of discovery. Gamers are more willing to try new genres and experimental indie titles they would never have purchased outright. Sony has been forced to follow suit with its revamped PlayStation Plus tiers, proving that the all-you-can-eat subscription model is the new battlefield for platform loyalty.

2. The Live Service Behemoth

While subscription services change how we access games, the free-to-play, live service model has completely upended what a “game” even is. Titles like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Genshin Impact have proven that you can make billions of dollars without ever charging an entry fee.

These games are designed to be hobbies, not products. They are constantly updated with new content, seasons, and events to keep players engaged for years. Revenue comes from optional purchases like cosmetic skins and seasonal “battle passes.” This model removes the initial purchase barrier entirely, creating massive player bases that can be monetized over the long term. The success of games like Helldivers 2—a lower-priced ($40) live service title—proves that a strong gameplay loop and continuous support can be far more profitable than a high upfront cost.

3. The Hybrid Future

The reality is that the future isn’t one model replacing another, but a hybridization of all of them. The lines are blurring. We will see:

• Full-priced premium games that are also available on day one in a subscription service.
• Single-player games that include cosmetic microtransactions.
• Free-to-play titles that offer optional monthly subscriptions for extra rewards.

The goal for every publisher is no longer to just sell you a disc or a download. The goal is to get you into their ecosystem and keep you there.

What Does This Mean for Games?

The decline of the $70 premium game will have a massive impact on the types of games that get made. The high-risk, 60-hour, single-player narrative epic may become a rarer beast, reserved for only the most established, guaranteed-to-sell franchises. Instead, we’re likely to see a continued explosion in two areas: massive, ever-evolving live service “hobby” games, and smaller, innovative indie titles that find their audience through services like Game Pass.

The $70 price tag wasn’t just a price hike; it was a tipping point. It forced both gamers and developers to confront the fact that the old way of doing business is no longer sustainable. The future of gaming isn’t about that one big purchase—it’s about finding new and compelling ways to keep you playing.