Peak dev solves game pricing and possibly all economics: '4 bucks is also kind of 5 bucks, 3 bucks is 2 bucks. And 2 bucks is basically free'

Peak scout posing
(Image credit: Aggro Crab / Landfall)

We've all been there, a new co-op indie game releases for almost no money (almost). So you complete your civic duty by introducing it to the group chat with a new argument as to why everyone should spend $5 on a game that we'll for sure play more than once.

I'm certainly the guilty party here. I've made my mates cosplay as sock puppet lawyers, run around wizard towers as magical minions, and try to contain SCPs like the dog and peanut (iykyk). But one of the best pitches I've ever made to the group chat has to be Peak, not just because it's a fantastic co-op game but because it's fantastic value for money.

Peak

(Image credit: Aggro Crab, Landfall)

"We had this joke of, like, how much is a game really?” co-creator of Peak, Nick Kaman, says in an interview with Game File. "In a player’s mind, what does it mean to spend five bucks? Well, that’s five bucks. But six bucks? Well, that’s still five bucks. Four bucks is also kind of five bucks, three bucks is two bucks. And two bucks is basically free."

I have been called out, because this is exactly my thought process when I buy a game and if I recommend it to friends. It's certainly a level of coping that is almost unjustifiable, but it's served me well enough so far, so I'm not going to stop now.

"So we’ve got these tiers: You know, twelve bucks… that’s ten bucks. But thirteen bucks is fifteen bucks," Kaman says. "And we found that eight bucks is still five bucks. It doesn’t become ten bucks. Seven ninety-nine, that’s five bucks, right? So, eight bucks going to five bucks is the biggest differential we could find in pricing, so we found it very optimal."

Coming in under $8, this co-op climbing game is well worth the price; in fact, it's almost too low considering how much fun my friends and I have had climbing the changing maps. One particularly fond memory I have, which I mentioned in my Peak review, is of playing Marco Polo during a snowstorm after my group got split up, but there have been plenty more hilariously messy situations that kept us coming back to more than justify my initial elevator pitch. $8 is certainly the sweet spot for a game like Peak.

2026 gamesBest PC gamesFree PC gamesBest FPS gamesBest RPGsBest co-op games

2026 games: All the upcoming games
Best PC games: Our all-time favorites
Free PC games: Freebie fest
Best FPS games: Finest gunplay
Best RPGs: Grand adventures
Best co-op games: Better together

Elie Gould
News Writer

Elie is a news writer with an unhealthy love of horror games—even though their greatest fear is being chased. When they're not screaming or hiding, there's a good chance you'll find them testing their metal in metroidvanias or just admiring their Pokemon TCG collection. Elie has previously worked at TechRadar Gaming as a staff writer and studied at JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs about Smash Bros. or any indie game that crossed their path.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.