Gears of War 4 is Incredibly Expensive. Is it worth it?

The pricing numbers for Gears of War 4 were announced this week, and yike! It is going to be expensive. According to Microsoft of Canada, the price of the standard edition in Canada will be 79.99 with the ultimate edition – the standard edition plus the season pass – will sell for 129.99. As a standalone, the season pass will cost 69.99. Obviously, all of these figures are Canadian. While Gears of War 4 is likely to be a big hit on Xbox later this year – the beta went surprisingly well in my opinion – is the entire package going to be worth 129.99?! I’m thinking not, sadly.

The price of games continues to rise, there is no doubt about that. However, if Sony and Naughty Dog ask me to fork over 69.99 for Uncharted 4, based on gameplay videos, articles, and (frankly) hype, I know what I’m getting. With Gears of War, I am a bit less sure. Yes we have seen some gameplay footage, and we all got to participate in the open multiplayer beta. However, 69.99 for a season pass is asking a lot of consumers, even die hard fans.

In regards to what is included in the season pass, Microsoft said,

Includes exclusive Vintage VIP Pack featuring Vintage JD and two Vintage weapon skins, permanent access to 24 additional DLC maps (two per month for a year) for private play on dedicated servers, an exclusive Developer Playlist that grants access to new maps, modes, and features that can be tested prior to broad release and six Gear Packs (which unlock character and weapon skins, emblems, equipment and boosts)

To me, this isn’t enough to put down the extra 50 dollars at launch – to upgrade from standard to ultimate edition. Is it enough for you?