PS4, Xbox 720 games to cost $70, says analyst

PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 games will likely cost $70, according to a presentation at South by Southwest this weekend from Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter (via the Twitter feed of Geoff Keighley).

This is a $10 increase over the current-generation sticker price of $60 and does not match up with past commentary.

Last month, SCEA CEO Jack Tretton in a TV interview said that PlayStation 4 titles will max out at $60, putting to rest any speculation that games for Sony's future platform may cost $10 more than PlayStation 3 titles.

Microsoft has yet to announce its rumored next-generation platform.

Separately, Electronic Arts chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen said last month that the FIFA and Battlefield publisher has not yet decided on pricing for its next-gen games.

Also during his talk, Pachter commented on the Wii U performance thus far and how he expects it to fare in the long run. He called performance thus far "underwhelming," noting the system is "essentially a DS split into two parts." Pachter said the Wii U is not innovative enough to drive wide interest, though new titles could reinvigorate growth in the platform.

Overall, Pachter said he believes the Wii U will sell 30-50 million units in its lifetime, with the PS4 and Xbox 720 going neck and neck, selling 85-95 million systems over their life spans. By comparison, the original Wii has sold 99 million units to date, while the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 have moved around 75 million units each.

Echoing comments from Twisted Metal and God of War designer David Jaffe, Pachter said he believes the next generation of consoles is "probably" the last.