Wardogs Boss: 'Games Need to Cost More' and GTA 6 Missed Its Chance

Wardogs lead Joe Brammer says games are too cheap and development costs too high, arguing GTA 6 should have led a price hike. He also responds to Tim Schafer's confusion over game economics.

Ever feel like you're paying more for everything except video games? Wardogs lead Joe Brammer thinks that's exactly the problem — and he's not shy about saying it.

Brammer argues that the economics of making games are "not complicated." In his view, it boils down to one simple equation: "games too cheap, cost of development too high." He points out that game prices have stayed pretty static for years, with the jump to $70 only happening at the start of this console generation. Meanwhile, Nintendo and Rockstar have pushed things further with $80 price tags for Mario Kart World and GTA 6.

That last one really gets under Brammer's skin. He says Rockstar "had a chance to raise the bar and they didn't do it, so we'll keep going round." In other words, if the biggest game of the decade won't test a higher price point, who will? Brammer also notes that Wardogs currently costs almost the same as a one-way train journey for him in the UK — a pretty stark comparison.

His comments come hot on the heels of Double Fine founder Tim Schafer telling BBC News that he doesn't "understand the economics of making games to be honest," adding, "I just assume it's, like, someone is being greedy somewhere. But I hope it is a cycle, and I hope it bounces back." Brammer didn't hold back on that either, saying, "Let's not pretend we don't know why, guys like Tim should stand up and say 'games need to cost more', not act like we don't know."

It's easy to see why Schafer feels that way. The industry has been hit by yearly layoffs and restructuring, and Microsoft recently spun Double Fine back to independence. Meanwhile, EA CEO Andrew Wilson reportedly got an enormous bonus last year thanks to Battlefield 6's success — after some of the developers behind it were laid off. That kind of contrast makes anyone question where the money is actually going.

But Brammer's solution — charging more — might be a Pandora's box. Outside mega franchises like GTA and Mario Kart, many players probably won't shell out more for the average game. Remember when Xbox announced $80 titles after Mario Kart World's price reveal? They walked that back months later, likely because it wasn't working. Sure, Xbox also offers those games via a monthly subscription, but after getting used to $60-$70 price tags, asking people to pay $100 for other games is a tough sell.

For now, Wardogs' price will increase throughout its Steam early access period. And Brammer's stance on that? "If you don't agree with that, please don't buy it." Blunt, but at least he's consistent.

What do you think — are games too cheap, or is Brammer out of touch? Will you be picking up Wardogs?