Steam Games Are Getting Cheaper, and It's Because We Are All Broke and Tired of €70 Disasters

Console gamers are bracing for the €80 standard, but on PC, we are living in a golden age of cheap, weird, and wonderful garbage.

If you have felt like you are spending less money on PC games lately, you aren't imagining it. While Sony and Microsoft try to convince us that games need to cost as much as a utility bill, the Steam marketplace is actively running in the opposite direction.

According to new data from the GameDiscoverCo newsletter, the median price for popular new releases on Steam has dropped by about 20% since early 2023.

We are seeing a massive surge in games priced between €10 and €20 dominating the charts. The €70 "AAAA" behemoths are still there, sure, but they are increasingly sharing the podium with €8 indie darlings that offer ten times the replay value.

The "Middle Class" of Games Is Dying

The data paints a fascinating picture. We have a lot of €60-€70 blockbusters, and a mountain of €5-€15 indie hits. But the middle ground? The €40-€50 AA game? It is becoming a ghost town. (Apart from the amazing Arc Raiders)

Unless you have an established IP or a deep strategy pedigree, launching a game for over €25 is becoming a death sentence.

Why? Because players are doing the math. Why would I spend €40 on a risky, unknown title when I can buy Peak for €8, Lethal Company for €10, and Vampire Survivors for the price of a sandwich?

The Value Proposition Has Shifted

This isn't just about us being cheap (though, let's be real, we are). It is about respect.

The €70 AAA industry has spent the last few years burning its own reputation. We are tired of paying premium prices for broken ports, aggressive microtransactions, and 100-hour bloat-fests.

Meanwhile, the indie scene is offering focused, polished, and innovative experiences for the price of a movie ticket. Games like Hollow Knight: Silksong launching at €20 feels like highway robbery in our favor compared to the latest Call of Duty.

Competing With the Past

There is another factor killing the€70 price point: the backlog.

New games aren't just competing with other new games. They are competing with every game ever made.

Steam sales mean I can pick up a GOTY contender from three years ago for €10. If you are a dev releasing a new game today, you have to convince me that your €30 unknown quantity is better than The Witcher 3 for €7. That is a losing battle for most.

The result? Prices are coming down. Developers are scoping down. And honestly? The games are getting better for it. Long live the €15 banger.

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