Why is MW2 70 dollars on PC?

The recently released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has a starting price of $70 for all platforms, including PC. This has caused confusion among some gamers, who wonder why the PC version costs the same as the console releases. In this expanded blog post, we‘ll take an in-depth look at the pricing strategy for MW2 and whether the content justifies the $70 cost on PC.

$70 Becomes the New Norm for Premium Games

Right away, it‘s important to clarify that the $70 pricing for Modern Warfare 2 reflects Activision adopting the growing industry trend of charging $70 for top-tier, AAA games, especially with the new console generation. This premium pricing that started at $60 for new titles has steadily risen over time. With the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, publishers now feel they can justify bumping the cost up to $70.

Sony has especially pushed for the $70 pricing model on key PS5 system exclusives like Demon‘s Souls, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and the upcoming God of War Ragnarök. Take-Two also set the precedent by charging $70 for NBA 2K21 on next-gen consoles. Now Activision is joining this pricing shift for its blockbuster Call of Duty series.

From the publisher perspective, this $10 increase helps offset the rising development costs associated with building cutting-edge games for modern consoles and PC hardware. The price jump also allows them to maximize profits from their most valuable IPs.

Analyzing Call of Duty‘s Premium Brand Status

As one of the most popular franchises in all of gaming, Call of Duty has cemented itself as a premium brand that generates huge sales every year. According to Statista, the series topped $3 billion in net revenue in 2020 alone. Based on this massive success, Activision has reasonable confidence that raising the base price by $10 will not drastically deter sales.

The publisher likely carried out extensive consumer research indicating Call of Duty‘s loyal audience is willing to pay more for each new entry. While a price hike risks alienating some budget-conscious gamers, the broader fanbase views CoD as an essential purchase each year. This perception of value and brand loyalty affords Activision pricing power without damaging enthusiasm for Modern Warfare 2.

In terms of units sold, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War moved over 30 million copies in its first calendar year (per Activision). At a $60 price point, the math indicates MW2 could potentially see over $2 billion in sales revenue in its first 12 months at the new $70 base cost.

Evaluating Modern Warfare 2‘s Content Depth

For players to feel comfortable paying $70 for the PC edition, MW2 needs to provide enough content depth to justify the steeper price point.

Based on details revealed before launch, the amount of content does appear relatively robust:

• A story campaign spanning Mexican cartels, Amsterdam, and more
• Over 50 weapons and maps at launch
• Classic multiplayer modes like Domination and Hardpoint return
• New multiplayer modes like Prisoner Rescue
• Spec Ops co-op missions support up to 4 players
• Warzone 2.0 battle royale scales up to over 200 players

For hardcore Call of Duty fans that pour countless hours into multiplayer, this amount of content is likely satisfactory when weighed against past entries launching at $60.

However, some may expect an even greater quantity of maps and modes when paying an extra $10. There is debate around whether MW2 crosses the threshold of delivering enough extra content compared to a typical $60 CoD title.

Comparing Older Call of Duty Games

To better evaluate the value proposition of MW2, it is useful to compare its pricing against recent Call of Duty titles:

Looking at this table, the $70 pricing is clearly elevated versus the $60 tag for numerous previous CoD games. Even as recently as Vanguard in 2021, Call of Duty retailed at $60 on all platforms.

There was no equivalent of a "next-gen premium edition" for Call of Duty titles on PS5/Xbox Series X until MW2‘s release. Activision also avoided the separate pricing tiers between console generations that other publishers adopted.

Instead, they have set the baseline cost at $70 across the board for all versions. This simplified pricing may maximize revenue in the long run even if it alienates some budget-minded players initially.

The Peculiar Case of PC Pricing Parity

An interesting wrinkle emerges when examining MW2‘s pricing model on PC specifically. Console games with notably higher development costs have traditionally launched at $60 on PC due to its more open ecosystem.

However, Activision has deliberately chosen pricing parity between PC and console for MW2. This likely comes down to a strategic decision rather than PC costs. They want to avoid the perception of console versions being "superior" products due to the higher cost.

To gamers, paying the same $70 cost might imply the PC edition offers a similar next-gen leap compared to PS5 and Xbox Series X. But in reality, the PC version lacks proprietary features like ray tracing only available on new consoles. Its pricing mirrors consoles more for consistency than needing to recoup higher PC production expenses.

The Community Reacts to $70 Call of Duty

Across social media and forums, Call of Duty fans have expressed conflicting views on MW2‘s $70 pricing strategy:

• Longtime players understand prices gradually increase but still feel $10 is too steep of a jump
• Some hardcore fans happily pay the premium cost for their beloved franchise each year
• There is pushback that PC players are being overcharged to match console pricing
• Players recognize Activision‘s right to charge more but may wait for discounts to purchase
• Concerns exist that the game industry is adopting "price gouging" tactics

Influential gaming journalists and insiders have also critiqued the pricing:

• Jeff Grubb sees $70 as a bid by Activision to "set the expectation for what a top game should cost"
• Dr. Serkan Toto says "There is simply no way any game in 2022 needs to launch at $70"
• Jason Schreier feels MW2 "does not have enough content" to warrant the price hike

Based on these mixed reactions, charging $70 appears to be testing the limits of consumer tolerance, especially among the PC crowd. While fans cherish Call of Duty, there is skepticism from some over this pricing crossing a fairness threshold.

Evaluating Discounts and Value Pricing

For budget-minded gamers uncertain about the $70 pricing, there are opportunities to purchase Modern Warfare 2 at a lower cost:

• Holiday sales around Black Friday and Christmas will likely discount MW2 by 10-20%
• Used physical copies will hit resale markets once early adopters sell off their discs
• Retailers often bundle new games with console hardware or GPUs
• Battle.net and other PC storefronts run frequent Call of Duty promotions
• The Vault Edition drops to $60 during launch week promotions

Based on historical pricing trends, I expect MW2 to see its first major discount by December during holiday sales on all platforms. By early 2023, the price may even fall to $40-50 on consoles. Activision tends to slash prices within 6-12 months to capture the more value-driven segment of its audience.

So while $70 is the absolute ceiling for MW2‘s pricing, significant discounts should arrive for patient gamers in the coming months after launch.

My Take: A Fair Premium Price But Not For All

Given Call of Duty‘s immense following and mouthwatering sales figures year after year, Activision has reasonable grounds to gradually increase the series‘ premium pricing. However, adopting the maximal $70 cost right away does risk going past the point of providing good value across its entire diverse player base.

In my assessment, Modern Warfare 2 likely delivers around $60 worth of content rather than a full $70 value. The $10 difference may be hard to justify for some, especially PC gamers paying the same inflated cost despite no proprietary enhancements over past CoD titles.

I expect the pricing to meet less resistance on console where players expect to pay a premium for true next-gen experiences. But pushing too far too fast risks triggering a backlash from the community, and MW2 is right on that edge.

Ultimately, the market will decide if Call of Duty can sustain $70 pricing over the long term. As an annualized franchise, each new CoD has to excite gamers enough to shell out again year after year. If sales momentum slows in response to this price hike, Activision would be wise to pull back and rebuild goodwill rather than risk overexploiting player enthusiasm. For now, both the publisher and its loyal fans face an interesting pricing experiment with widespread implications.