Valor Mortis Settles on $40 Price Point to Survive a Stacked Fall Lineup

The publisher of the first-person action soulslike Valor Mortis has confirmed the game will launch at a $40 price point, a decision driven by what it describes as an unprecedentedly crowded fall season dominated by Grand Theft Auto 6. Lyrical Games announced the pricing on Tuesday, explaining that the studio wanted to position its title alongside blockbuster releases rather than compete directly with them at full retail cost.

The $40 figure follows more than a year of deliberation over how to price the game’s roughly 20-hour campaign. The publisher acknowledged that Valor Mortis offers the quality, fidelity, and playtime to rival many standard-priced titles, yet it ultimately concluded that consumers will have limited time and money this season as they navigate an unusually dense slate of major releases.

A Fall Stacked with Blockbusters

The pricing decision arrives at a pivotal moment for Valor Mortis. The game was already pushed back from its original September 24 launch to October 13, a move made to sidestep competition from Remedy’s Control Resonant and Konami’s Silent Hill: Townfall. Now the studio faces an even larger obstacle in Grand Theft Auto 6, which is set to arrive roughly a month after Valor Mortis.

Lyrical Games noted that it is one of only a handful of brand-new intellectual properties launching this fall. The publisher pointed to a development schedule that left it competing against some of the most anticipated games in recent memory, including a Zelda remake, Phantom Blade Zero, Gears of War, and Call of Duty.

We find ourselves as one of the only new IPs launching in what is objectively the craziest fall in the history of this business. Not only do you have GTA looming large in November, now you have the Zelda remake, Control coming out in a couple of weeks, Silent Hill: Townfall, Phantom Blade Zero, Gears of War, Call of Duty.

Blake Rochkind, Lyrical Games

The Strategy Behind an ‘And’ Game

In an interview with The Game Business, Lyrical Games boss Blake Rochkind expanded on the decision, admitting that pricing was something the studio “really agonized over.” His primary worry was that a lower price could inadvertently signal inferior quality to potential buyers. However, he insisted the choice ultimately stemmed from confidence in the game rather than any sense of weakness.

Rochkind explained that the goal is to make Valor Mortis an accessible addition to players’ shopping carts alongside more expensive titles. With Grand Theft Auto 6 costing as much as $80 at its cheapest edition, a $40 price point makes it easier for gamers to pick up both games. The same logic applies to other fall releases that fans may want to experience in the weeks leading up to or after the biggest launches.

We are pretty confident in Valor Mortis. But ultimately, the worst thing we could do is not push our chips in and say, ‘We want this to be a game that you can pick up alongside these other great games.’ Going with this price point will help us be an ‘and’ game.

Blake Rochkind, Lyrical Games

The studio acknowledged the inherent risk in this approach. A lower price could lead some consumers to assume the game is not as good as its higher-priced competitors. Yet Lyrical Games appears willing to accept that gamble in hopes of standing out through affordability rather than being overshadowed by industry giants.

Around the Game Pass Question

It is worth noting that Valor Mortis will be available on day one via Xbox Game Pass, though Rochkind insisted this had nothing to do with the pricing decision. The studio sought to separate the two factors clearly for observers who might assume a connection between subscription availability and retail cost.

Developed by the creators of Ghostrunner, Valor Mortis casts players as a former soldier of Napoleon’s army who rises from death repeatedly while battling shambling corpses and wild monsters. The game has drawn attention through its recent preview coverage, which highlighted its ambitious approach to the soulslike genre in first-person form.

Looking Ahead

Lyrical Games will now watch as Valor Mortis navigates one of the most competitive windows in gaming history. With Grand Theft Auto 6 casting a long shadow over November, the studio hopes its combination of affordable pricing and strong content allows it to carve out a dedicated audience among players seeking quality experiences alongside the season’s biggest releases.