The developer behind Valor Mortis has finally settled on a price, and it comes with a confession: the game is cheap because the autumn lineup is so crowded that nobody can afford to ignore it. The first-person Soulslike from Ghostrunner studio One More Level lands at $40 / €40, with a Deluxe Edition priced $60 / €60. The reasoning is blunt. The game is launching in a season where almost every major release is fighting for attention.
Price Decision
Valor Mortis is the ambitious first-person Soulslike from Ghostrunner developer One More Level. It launches 13th October, and the developer has spent the past year debating what it should cost. The final call was made public on X, where the team explained the thinking behind the $40 / €40 tag.
“We have had many discussions over the past year about the price of Valor Mortis,” the developer wrote. “We believe the game has the quality, fidelity, and playtime in its 20-hour story to go toe-to-toe with many ‘full price’ titles.” The catch is the timing. “Still, this fall is stacked and there’s high demand for your time and money.”
The game’s publisher, Lyrical Games, confirmed the decision in a separate interview. Blake Rochkind, head of Lyrical Games, spoke to The Game Business about the agonising pricing decision and why it ultimately had to be made.
“My biggest concern was that it would send the wrong message about the game,” Blake Rochkind told host Chris Dring. “So we wanted to make sure that we send the right message to the consumer about why this is, and hopefully help them understand that this is a decision we’re making out of confidence for the game.”
Why the Price Is So Low
Rochkind pointed out that Valor Mortis is one of the few games based on a new intellectual property releasing in one of the busiest release seasons in the games industry’s history. That makes the publisher’s job harder, not easier.
“The cards we’ve been dealt is [that] we are one of the only new IPs launching this fall,” he explained. “We are pretty confident in Valor Mortis. It is a great game. I’m very, very excited for people to play it. But ultimately, I think 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.'”
The comparison table below shows how Valor Mortis stacks up against the other big games launching around it.
| Game | Price | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Valor Mortis | $40 / €40 (base), $60 / €60 (Deluxe) | 13th October |
| Gears of War: E-Day | Full price | October |
| Ace Combat 8 | Full price | October |
| Star Wars: Galactic Racer | Full price | October |
| Final Fantasy Resonance | Full price | October |
| Phantom Blade Zero | Full price | October |
| Marvel’s Wolverine | Full price | September |
| Silent Hill: Townfall | Full price | September |
| Control Resonant | Full price | September |
The Deluxe Edition includes the base game, a “major story DLC” coming in 2027, and a pack of weapon skins. Free updates are in the works, and the developer promises they will arrive in the weeks and months ahead.
Crowded Autumn Calendar
October alone is packed. Gears of War: E-Day, Ace Combat 8, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, Final Fantasy Resonance, and Phantom Blade Zero all launch in the same month. Add in the September releases of Marvel’s Wolverine, Silent Hill: Townfall, and Control Resonant, and the calendar starts to look full.
Control Resonant holds a special place in the story. It was the game that caused Valor Mortis to be pushed back to October from its original 24th September release date.
The developer’s message is simple: the game is good enough to stand with the best of them, but the market is too competitive to charge full price. The $40 tag is a way of cutting through the noise.
Developer’s Own Words
The developer’s post on X is the clearest statement of intent. The team is confident in the game’s quality, but it recognises that players have limited time and money. The decision to price below full price is a recognition of that reality.
“We believe the game has the quality, fidelity, and playtime in its 20-hour story to go toe-to-toe with many ‘full price’ titles,” the developer wrote. “Still, this fall is stacked and there’s high demand for your time and money.”
The team’s honesty is refreshing. Most publishers talk about value in marketing materials. Few admit that the price is set because the competition is too fierce.
What This Means for Players
The $40 price point means Valor Mortis is accessible to players who might otherwise skip it. A 20-hour story at $40 is a decent proposition for anyone curious about the genre.
The Deluxe Edition at $60 / €60 adds the DLC and weapon skins, which is a reasonable extension for players who want more. The free updates promised by the developer are a sign of continued support after launch.
The game is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. It is a day-one release on Game Pass on PC and Xbox, which broadens its reach significantly.
Market Context
The developer’s admission that the price is set because the autumn is “stacked” is a rare moment of candour. The developer believes the game can compete on quality, and the price is a way of making that argument.
The quote from Rochkind is telling. He says the worst thing the company could do is not push its chips in. That is a poker metaphor for commitment. The developer is betting that a lower price will win players over, even in a crowded season.
Bottom Line
Valor Mortis is a $40 Soulslike from the makers of Ghostrunner. It launches in a season where almost every major release is fighting for attention. The developer has priced it low because it knows the competition is fierce.
The game is ambitious, and the price reflects that ambition. The developer wants players to try it alongside the bigger titles. The $40 tag is a way of making that possible.
The bet is on. The market will decide.
See the video the story is built around at Eurogamer.
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