EA Cuts Current-Gen Prices

[OMEN]

January 20, 2006 - Electronic Arts has dropped the prices of its front-line current-generation titles, presumably in an effort to make up for sluggish sales as gamers transition to the new console generation.

GamesIndustry.biz, following a report by Banc of America Securities analyst Gary Cooper, cites a surprising number of high-profile titles which saw price cuts, including EA Sports titles Madden NFL 06, FIFA 06, NASCAR 06, and NBA Live 06 -- which are now $29.99 rather than $39.99. (The new prices are reflected at retailers such as EB Games.)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire saw the same price drop, while Need for Speed: Most Wanted moved from $49.99 to $39.99. Even more dramatically, Medal of Honor: European Assault, the latest in the long-running military shooter franchise, dropped $20 to $19.99.

Unsurprisingly, EA is only reducing prices for current-generation titles -- i.e., PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. Xbox 360 games remain $59.99.

According to Banc of America, EA's new low prices may continue -- and may signal similar moves from other publishers.

"We expect more price cuts to come from other publishers and believe very few new current gen releases will be able to charge a premium price," the firm commented. "The Godfather is the only EA game that we think has a chance to be priced at $49.99 at launch -- though we would not be surprised to see the game priced at $39.99"

Electronic Arts did not immediately return a request for comment.

IGN

[W-OLF]

Well I have no next gen consoles (as I hear it only a hi def tv will show any difference)So this is good news for me and only a matter of time before the others do the same and then Ill be collecting games I never got .

[Dark Drakan]

EA doing the right thing for a change

[CeS]

um no there not, for starters almost all the next gen games are half asses versions of the current gen titles. i own a 360 and all the game from ea( madden , live,fifa,ect) all theese games have features or even big parts of it taken away.read the reveiws and you will see.