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Gaming is getting more expensive — here’s why

By Shannon Flynn

A line of 30 to 40 video game fans lined up outside GameStop in Brimfield in hopes of snagging a PlayStation5 or XBox Series X video game console. Only eight XBoxes were available, and there were no PlayStations 5s available.Rc Black Friday Gamestop 6350
A line of 30 to 40 video game fans lined up outside GameStop in Brimfield in hopes of snagging a PlayStation5 or XBox Series X video game console. Only eight XBoxes were available, and there were no PlayStations 5s available.Rc Black Friday Gamestop 6350 /
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We took a look at why gaming prices have jumped significantly in the last decade. Here’s what we found.

Whether you’re new to gaming thanks to the 2020 pandemic or you’ve been enjoying the vast and varied world of video games since the days of Atari and Pong, one thing has always been constant. It’s always been an expensive hobby. The Atari 2600 — one of the platform’s most popular consoles — cost $199 when it released in 1980. That’s the equivalent of $839.60 as of 2019, which is more expensive than the retail price of the current generation PS5.

Gaming has always been expensive, but it’s getting more so every year. Why is gaming getting so expensive and how can you enjoy your favorite hobby without breaking the bank or selling a few spare organs?

The Rivalry

There’s always been a bit of friendly (and not so friendly) rivalry between PC and console gamers. Console gamers look down on PC gamers for spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on their rigs, and PC gamers make fun of console gamers for spending hundreds of dollars on what is essentially a single-use device.

Both have their pros and cons — consoles get more AAA exclusive titles, while PC gets mods and the ability to do more than just play expensive games. If you want to play Halo, you need an Xbox.  If you want to play the new Spider-Man, God of War, or Final Fantasy games, you need a Playstation. When it comes down to it, one isn’t better than the other, but if you say that in a room full of gamers, you’re sure to start a war.

This perpetual rivalry between PC and console gamers has led to a lot of competition within the industry. Companies are constantly trying to find ways to entice gamers to their side of the battlefield, but they still have to stay competitive. The price of one can’t go up dramatically without the risk of driving consumers to the other side of the battlefield. If consoles suddenly started charging $100 per game, it becomes more cost-effective to pack up the console and build a gaming computer.

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