Star Wars fans should prepare their wallets as Star Wars: Squadrons will go for a lower price. The game will launch with a super-low US$40[AU$55.65] price tag.
According to EA CFO Blake Jorgensen, Star Wars: Squadrons is a “focused” experience. In a quarter financial call, he noted that Squadrons is an experience focused on the “fantasy” of dogfighting. Its niche gameplay warrants the lower price.
EA CFO notes Squadrons lacks “the breadth” of other titles
Squadrons is building up to be a robust offering from Electronic Arts. It’s deviating from the usual EA modus operandi in many ways, especially with its content. While it keeps the AAA feel, the game surprisingly has a ton of new experiences.
First, EA noted that there would be zero microtransactions for the game. In a title where skins and aircraft varieties are the norm—this is a bold move. The lack of MTX means players would all have a fair chance for every item.
What’s more surprising now, however, is the super-subdued price tag from EA. Squadrons will come at $40—much lower than many Electronic Arts titles.
For example, Madden will come at a full $60 price tag, together with FIFA. Even Battlefield 5 still retails for a hefty $60, which is a two-year-old game by now. This price, according to Jorgensen, comes from the “niche” gameplay.
“Games all have different scales, and most of our games right now have huge scale,” said Jorgensen in an interview. “We designed this game to really focus on what we heard from consumers, which is one of their greatest fantasies, and that’s to be able to fly an X-Wing fighter or TIE Fighter, and be in a dogfight.
“And so it doesn’t have the breadth of some of our games, but it’s still an incredible game. And so that’s why we chose to price it at a slightly lower level—and to also allow access to as many people as possible who had that Star Wars fantasy.”
Squadrons banks one its fantasy flight simulation aspect
Star Wars: Squadrons will be part of the price differentiation scheme of EA. Jorgensen seems to hint that the Squadrons experience will be one-dimensional. Even then, that shouldn’t be much of a bad thing.
For example, Microsoft Flight Simulator will be, in essence, a one-dimensional experience. It will be a flight simulator that lets players fly aircraft around the world. While there isn’t a ton of modes to the title, it will have depth regardless.
Star Wars: Squadrons will not be an all-encompassing experience for Star Wars fans. Even then, the game will be an immersive fantasy that fans can’t wait to have soon.
Featured image courtesy of Electronic Arts/Youtube Screenshot