- 71% gamers from SEA and South Asia say current AAA game pricing does not reflect economic realities in Southeast Asia and India.
- ₹6,367.90 ($70) launch pricing is widely viewed as disproportionate to regional purchasing power.
- 64% say they would buy more AAA titles at launch if pricing fell below ₹3K ($32.98).
South Asia and Southeast Asia are widely described as major growth engines for the global games industry. The demographics support that optimism, thanks to a growing audience and increasing purchasing power. The engagement metrics support it as well. What remains unsettled is whether AAA game pricing aligns with the economic reality of these markets.
In a survey conducted by Outlook Respawn across 108 gamers from the aforementioned regions, an overwhelming majority said AAA game pricing is too high for their local economies. The number that repeatedly surfaced in interviews was the $70 USD price tag that many AAA companies are trying to push. In Western markets, the number has become a normalized benchmark for flagship titles instead of the $60 tag we have been used to for years. In Jakarta, Manila, or Mumbai, $70 is simply too high for most gamers.
The debate around AAA game pricing is not about whether these titles deliver value. It is about whether the launch benchmark reflects purchasing power in emerging economies. Let’s take a look at what gamers from the region have to say about the rising prices.
What the Data Says About AAA Game Pricing
We surveyed 108 gamers (72% Southeast Asia and 28% Indian respondents) on whether current AAA game pricing reflects economic conditions in their country.
- 71% said pricing is too high.
- 18% feel that pricing is fair.
- 11% said they accept pricing but primarily purchase during sales.
A majority (64%) of respondents said they would be more likely to buy at launch if prices were below ₹3K ($32.98). Only 9% of the respondents purchase AAA games at full price at launch. However, some of them are willing to do so only occasionally and for franchises that they truly love.
A $70 price tag represents a significantly larger share of disposable income in Southeast Asia and India than in the United States or Western Europe. Steam provides recommended regional pricing tiers designed to reflect local purchasing power on PC. Currently, Steam recommends publishers to price $70 games at ₹2.8K ($30.79) in India. Publishers, however, determine final pricing. The extent to which AAA game pricing is adjusted for local conditions varies by title and by company, and most games in India are priced close to the Western markets.
Tax regimes add another layer to the discussion around AAA game pricing. In India, digital purchases fall under the Goods and Services Tax framework, which adds 18% to applicable transactions. In Indonesia, value-added tax applies to digital goods and services. Once currency conversion and tax are applied, the final number becomes the primary reference point for buyers.
Consumers rarely distinguish between base price and tax when evaluating AAA game pricing. The total displayed at checkout is what drives the decision.
Launch Pricing and the Growth Equation
One recurring theme in the survey responses was timing. Current AAA game pricing encourages delay. Players described treating premium releases as indulgent purchases rather than routine ones, often waiting for seasonal discounts, bundled editions, or major promotional cycles before committing.
That pattern directly affects launch economics. Instead of capturing peak demand during the release window, publishers in Southeast Asia and India often see a portion of that demand shift into later discount periods. Revenue still arrives, but it arrives at lower margins and weaker launch momentum.
Several respondents argued that this is less about unwillingness to pay and more about their buying power. At $70, a purchase feels deliberate and selective. At $30 or below, the same purchase begins to feel accessible.
The gap is even more pronounced on consoles, where regional pricing is less prevalent than on PC storefronts. Physical copies are typically priced close to global benchmarks, and digital console storefronts frequently mirror those standards with limited downward adjustment. When a PlayStation or Xbox release lands near American or European pricing, there is often less room for localized correction than on PC platforms. For price-sensitive markets, that rigidity makes AAA game pricing feel even more detached from local purchasing power.
This is where AAA game pricing intersects directly with long-term growth. Southeast Asia and India represent one of the largest concentrations of young gamers globally. Infrastructure is improving. What remains unsettled is whether premium pricing strategies will evolve alongside income growth or remain anchored to Western benchmarks.
If launch prices continue to cluster around $70, purchasing behavior is likely to remain selective and discount-driven. If publishers experiment with more calibrated regional pricing closer to Steam’s regional pricing, launch sales in the two regions could be way higher.
What AAA Publishers Can Do Next
As it stands, AAA game publishers are facing the dominance of free-to-play (F2P) models in the Southeast Asian market. According to industry data, the free-to-play revenue model accounted for more than 75% of the Southeast Asia gaming market’s revenue in 2025, driven by mobile titles that monetize through in-game purchases, battle passes, and cosmetic bundles.
That means traditional one-time purchase AAA game sales represent a relatively small slice of the region’s gaming revenue pie. While AAA titles still attract attention and brand recognition, the sustained spending power of F2P games has shifted where revenue actually flows. This shift is visible globally as well: in broader markets, free-to-play models have overtaken premium game revenue on mobile platforms, reflecting how accessibility and ongoing monetization shape player spending behaviour.
AAA game publishers do not need to abandon global pricing models, but they may need to recalibrate how they apply them regionally. Better regional pricing or localized bundles could expand day-one sales without undermining long-tail revenue. Southeast Asia and India represent some of the industry’s most important growth markets. How AAA game pricing evolves here will influence whether premium ecosystems mature steadily or remain constrained by their own entry barrier moving forward.
