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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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Fortnite on Samsung Galaxy Note 9 - Android Device
A gamer plays the video game ‘Fortnite Battle Royale’ developed by Epic Games on a Samsung Galaxy Note 9 smartphone during the ‘Paris Games Week’ (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images) /

PC Gamers vs Cryptocurrency Miners

One of the core pieces of any gaming PC is the video card. Unfortunately, the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin has made it nearly impossible for the average PC gamer to get their hands on a new video card, at least if they want to pay retail.

Cryptocurrency miners use the graphics processing unit or GPU within the video card to carry out the commands necessary for blockchain mining. A standard CPU can carry out four 32-bit instructions per clock. A half-decent GPU can do 3,200 instructions in the same period.

Every time NVIDIA or AMD launches a new video card, scalpers and cryptocurrency miners swoop in and snag them all up before the average PC gamer can even get onto the website to make an order. This by itself has driven up the cost of PC gaming and has started driving many PC gamers into the arms of their favorite console.

Advances in Mobile Gaming

You’re also not restricted to a console or PC if you want to game anymore. Five years ago, mobile gaming was limited to the likes of things like Angry Bird, Flappy Bird and Candy Crush. There were a lot of birds during those years, we don’t like to talk about it.

Today, with a modern phone, you can play things like Fortnite and Player Unknown Battleground (PUBG) alongside PC and console gamers. With a good WiFi or mobile internet connection, you can stand up to the best that gaming platforms have to offer with little more than the phone in your pocket.

As an added bonus — much like with a PC — you can do so much more on a phone than just play a game. Talk to people, stream videos or movies on platforms ranging from Netflix and Amazon Prime to Hulu and Disney +.

On the flip side, this also means that phones are getting more expensive. Many of the newest generations of Android and Apple products are approaching or breaking through the $1,000 ceiling. The reincarnation of the iconic Motorola Razr costs a whopping $1,500! That’s a stiff price to pay for the privilege of winning a match or two of your favorite battle royale game on the go.

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