F1 2021will be getting price increases in various countries compared to its 2020 counterpart, according to Twitter user RobotBrush. The chart that accompanies their tweet shows a general trend of price increases forCodemasters' Formula 1 racing simulation gameoutside of the United States.
The upcomingF1 2021is the official video game of both the Formula 1 and Formula 2 championship series, and it will be the 14th title in the series. Last year, developer Codemasters was purchased by EA for $1.2 billion, andF1 2021will be one of the first games produced by the duo when it comes out on July 16th.
RELATED:F1 2020 Review Roundup
The chart posted on Twitter shows some significant price jumps, as for example players seeking to purchase the game in China should expect an increase about 1.5 times (roughly the equivalent of $14 USD) compared to the price ofF1 2020. The most significantly affected country will be Argentina, whose players will see a bump in price about five times compared to the prior game (the equivalent of about $30 USD). ForF1 2020, 35 countries had a price that was below the United States sales price, but due to this increaseF1 2021has seen that number drop to just 18 countries, according to RobotBrush.
The price increase will likely come as a surprise to players in the affected countries, as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has done little good for the global economy. The exact reasoning behind the price increase remains unclear, asEA has yet to officially commenton the topic. What can be said is that sales should be interesting to track for this year’sF1title.
There isn’t any particular reason to doubt the legitimacy of the list, but reactions should be tempered until more evidence is available. That being said, if RobotBrush’s post is true then it is an interesting time for a price increase. This isEA’s first Formula 1 game, and thus will be its introduction to players of the long-running franchise.
Ideally, this information will either be inaccurate or overstated, with any price changes being much less dramatic. Price increases aren’t unheard of in the gaming industry, but what is confusing here is the timing givenEA just acquired Codemasters and came onto the franchise. As players wait forF1 2021, it will be interesting to see if sales outside of the United States see any major decrease because of this.
F1 2021will be available on July 16 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
MORE:Why EA’s Acquisition of Codemasters is Good News for Xbox Game Pass
