This has previously been deemed problematic, but with the larger flip-mats and the imminent Inner Sea Faiths it seems like things may be relaxing in that department. I'd like to voice my support for a little leeway in this regard - I'd much prefer for the prices to vary (minimally and where necessary) within a product line, rather than fix that and then have books need to be pared back to fit a pre-determined size constraint.
I feel the Absalom book definitely could have benefitted from being 96 rather than 64 pages (granted that was very early in the piece) and it seems to me that several of the players' companions have felt somewhat 'crammed' from time to time.
I know there are some who budget tightly based around the predictable prices. It seems to me that an automated warning email a month prior noting that the next subscription will be $4 higher than usual (or whatever it is) might go a long way to alleviate the budgetting issue. Albeit a month with several larger-than-usual releases might push some people to drop a subscription.
Anyhow - not sure if there's been a relaxing of policy, or if this is a testing of the waters. If so, I thoroughly approve.
Can't wait to see Inner Sea Faiths! :)
Keep in mind that in addition to the MSRP, they needed to cut the Player Companion for this month in order to keep ISF on schedule. Books don't suddenly get half again as big without taking staff from other product lines or hiring more people.
@Steve: I do believe it was mentioned that the 96-page Inner Sea Faiths was a testing of waters, and at the same time necessary to do the book justice. There was a semi-big discussion (Possibly in the product comments or a separate thread, I forget which) where one of the designers was discussing things with the community on it. Mostly the logistics cost of getting it done. Let me see if I can find that thread before someone ninjas me.
Either way, if Inner Sea Faiths does well, its very possible they might do a 96 page campaign setting book / No Player companion release again sometime. Or test some other weird combinations.
Edit: Yeah it's in the product discussion.
Cheers. My browsing of the product pages is pretty haphazard so I often miss these kinds of discussions.
I understand it's not something they can do lightly - I was more speaking to the varying cost issue. Very early on in Paizo's life, there was some discussion about why every book had to be the same size. The logistical, resource-management issues are Paizo's to manage, of course.
However one of the issues at that early time was that they were worried people would not like to subscribe to something with a varying price. I just wanted to provide feedback on that element - I really hope that side of things is less of a concern. I appreciate it doesn't solve the problem of people used to working on 32 page books suddenly fitting in one of 48 pages (or whatever).