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Collector’s editions are becoming a backdoor for monetising early access

Cover image for Collector’s editions are becoming a backdoor for monetising early access
Rhys Elliott
Xbox
Xbox Game Pass
Ubisoft
Since publishers first increased AAA game prices from $60 to $70 in 2020, many people have asked MIDiA if publishers will raise that price further. Our answer: they already have – sort of, anyway. Via collector’s editions – more expensive versions of games with extra content – publishers are already leveraging superfans’ FOMO to grow launch revenues.
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Game budgets have gone out of control – let's shrink the scope

Cover image for Game budgets have gone out of control – let's shrink the scope
Rhys Elliott
PlayStation Productions
Xbox
Nintendo
AAA game development budgets and timelines for single-player games are getting out of hand. This was not always the case, but there has been an insidious creep over the past 20 years. While the cost of game development is a black box, leaks and disclosures around court cases and acquisitions show that budgets are now in the hundreds of millions for many AAA games.
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The rise of the IP bank

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Tim Mulligan
IP Bank
IP)
metaverse
Post-lockdown saw the rise of media fusion into mainstream media formats, with games titles such as The Last of Us being made into episodic TV series. This followed the metaverse V1 experiences of live streamed music concerts from the likes of Travis Scott and Marshmello in Epic Game’s Fortnite .
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