Microtransactions could go up in price in 2026

The base cost would remain stable, but spending within the games points to an increase.

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Uploads on hardware, increasingly expensive services, and titles that are already moving comfortably in the $70 range. However, the next big increase might not be where many expect it.

According to Piers Harding-Rolls, analyst at Ampere Analysis, in 2026 the price of the games themselves would not be the main affected area. In his opinion, the focus will be on microtransactions, a terrain where publishers have much more room for maneuver and less resistance from the market.

Microtransactions, the real price adjustment in 2026

Harding-Rolls explains in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that he does not expect a generalized increase in the base price of games in 2026. The standard of $70 (around €80 in Europe) would remain the usual ceiling, although he acknowledges that some specific AAA titles could experience punctual increases if circumstances justify it.

• Where he does see a clear scenario of inflation is in in-game purchases. Microtransactions already account for the largest part of the sector’s global spending, and adjusting their prices is much easier than raising the cost of entry for a full release. According to the analyst, this type of increase generates less media noise and does not erode the player’s trust as much as a direct increase in the game’s price.

In practice, this could translate to more expensive season passes, virtual currencies with less value per euro, or premium packs with revised prices, especially in service titles and free-to-play games. A discreet move, but with a direct impact on the wallets of the most active players, who will be the first to notice this possible change in trend.