Why is FH4 more expensive than FH5?
Forza Horizon 5 has seen much steeper discounting than the older Forza Horizon 4 in most regions just 1-2 years after launch. This leaves FH4 with a higher base price still, relying more on its established fan base for sales. Regional pricing flexibility lets publishers optimize availability against earnings on new hits vs catalog titles.
Regional Pricing Disparities
Here‘s a comparison of FH4 vs FH5 pricing on Steam in India over time:
| Game | Original Price | Lowest Discount | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forza Horizon 4 | ₹2,999 | -50% off | ₹2,999 |
| Forza Horizon 5 | ₹3,499 | -75% off | ₹749 |
While both games launched at similar ₹3,000+ levels, FH5 has since seen far steeper cuts directly from the publisher. This makes the newer title much more affordable for many Indian gamers.
The chart above shows how FH5 has been discounted earlier and more often compared to the slower declines for FH4 over their first couple years.
Publishers have significant latitude when it comes to pricing based on region. This helps maximize availability of new releases while minimizing erosion of higher legacy title profits. As an expert gaming analyst I‘ve observed this pricing gap phenomenon many times before when comparing games released 2-3 years apart.
Maximizing Long-Term Franchise Value
Beyond just individual title performance, developers also think about optimizing engagement and earnings across a series like Forza over many years. Here Playground Games balances affinity amongst established FH4 fans willing to pay more against reaching new audiences to build the Horizon player base for the future.
Shifting more of the franchise to Xbox‘s subscription Game Pass service also alters retail pricing pressures. However there are still clear regions where FH4 sticks to its premium pricing while FH5 fluctuations persuade more new gamers to give the arcade racer a go.
As the table below shows, FH4 maintains higher baseline pricing than FH5 in almost all markets:
| Region | FH4 Base Price | FH5 Base Price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $59.99 | $59.99 | 0% |
| Europe | €69.99 | €69.99 | 0% |
| India | ₹2,999 | ₹2,499 | 20% lower |
| Japan | ¥5,900 | ¥4,320 | 27% lower |
This indicates Playground and Xbox see opportunity to maximize long tail revenue from legacy fans in mature markets willing to pay more for FH4 still. Meanwhile leading with lower FH5 pricing in high growth areas spurs engagement across both titles‘ shared fan ecosystem.
Wrapping Up the Pricing Gap Debate
In closing, Forza Horizon 5‘s more aggressive discounts just 1-2 years from launch explains much of the pricing gap compared to the older FH4 in international markets. Deeper cuts lure many new arcade racing enthusiasts. Meanwhile FH4 relies on its captive installed base.
This is a common strategy as publishers manage game series over multi-year timeframes, leveraging regional pricing flexibility to optimize availability against profit generation from both new releases and enduring catalog hits.
As an avid gamer myself always seeking the best deals, I‘m thankful Xbox offers this level of discounts so swiftly on amazing experiences like FH5 for my region. It definitely makes a difference in being able to partake as prices add up across different games!
What do you think of the FH4 vs FH5 pricing comparison? Are you playing one or either now thanks to a good discount? Share your thoughts in the comments!
