The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Take-Two Interactive, through its 2K label, was first to announce a $70 next-generation console game price in 2020. The game was NBA 2K21: on July 2, 2K set its suggested retail price at $69.99 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, while current-generation editions were listed at $59.99. That was one publisher’s pricing decision—not an industry-wide agreement.
Who announced the first $70 next-generation game?
Take-Two Interactive announced the price through 2K, its publishing label. The title was NBA 2K21, and the announcement applied to its PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X editions. A contemporaneous GameSpot report described Take-Two as the first publisher to break the next-generation price seal.
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The scope matters: this is the first widely reported $70 announcement for a next-generation console game in 2020, not a claim that Take-Two invented every kind of higher-priced game or that every publisher immediately adopted the price.
What did 2K’s announcement price?
In its July 2, 2020 announcement, 2K gave suggested retail prices for the game’s editions and console generations:
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| NBA 2K21 edition | Current generation | Next generation |
|---|---|---|
| Standard edition | $59.99 | $69.99 |
| Mamba Forever Edition | $99.99 | $99.99 |
The figures are 2K’s suggested retail prices announced in 2020; the company said actual retail prices could vary. The release listed physical and digital versions. It also described dual access for the standard edition within the same console family, so buyers could access the other generation’s version under the stated terms.
Why did Take-Two say the price was higher?
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick argued that frontline game prices had remained unchanged for a long time while production costs had risen, and that the next-generation experience justified the increase. Speaking to GameSpot in August 2020, he said: “There hasn’t been a price increase for frontline titles for a really long time, despite the fact that it costs a great deal more to make those titles.” He added that the company believed the value and experience justified the price. Those were Take-Two’s stated reasons, not independent proof that the game’s costs or quality objectively warranted the price.
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Was $70 an industry-wide decision?
No. Zelnick explicitly distinguished Take-Two’s choice from a coordinated industry policy: “We just speak for ourselves,” he said in the same GameSpot report. “Obviously, we don’t speak for the industry and the industry naturally does not coordinate on these matters, to say the very least.” The announcement established what 2K planned to charge for particular NBA 2K21 versions; it did not set a universal price for games.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to interpret the $70 figure
- It refers to the standard edition on specific consoles: $69.99 was the suggested retail price for PS5 and Xbox Series X, not every platform or edition.
- It was not the store price in every case: 2K said retail prices could vary.
- It dates to 2020: This answer concerns the next-generation console pricing announcement around the PS5 and Xbox Series X launch period, not the current price of the game.
2K’s September 2020 current-generation launch announcement separately confirmed the $59.99 price for that version.
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- It's easy—apply it to your Nintendo eShop account in seconds.
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- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch system.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
