Video Games Are Getting Too Expensive
A PlayStation 5 costs up to $749.99 and video games are now between $69.99 and $79.99.
Video Games are becoming bigger and bigger with each passing day. Games like Fortnite and Roblox continue to be popular amongst children and adults continue to enjoy yearly releases such as NBA 2K and Call of Duty.
However, the barrier of entry into the hobby is getting more expensive. PlayStation recently announced a price increase on the PS5 consoles, now starting at $549.99 for the base console with a disc drive. The other two major console competitors, Xbox and Nintendo, have increased its prices too.
Microsoft upped the Xbox Series X price by $100 in May, now priced at $599.99. While the Nintendo Switch 2 console remains at $449.99, the company raised prices on Nintendo Switch 1 consoles and some Switch 2 accessories.
Software prices are increasing too with the price of $69.99 becoming more commonplace on store shelves. Some games even reach $79.99.
The recent tariffs and economic state of the world has put tech giants in a tough spot, increasing the cost for consumers to maintain operations. Now that new consoles and new releases keep increasing in price, have Video Games become too expensive?
Has Gaming Become Too Expensive?
Purchasing any of the three most current consoles on the market will cost at least $450. On top of games, controllers, and other accessories, you can look at another $200-$300 depending how much you want to invest up front. Nearing the $1,000 mark, gaming is almost leaning into the “luxury price range” for some people.
For the first time in gaming, consumers are seeing an increase in console prices five years after being on store shelves (PS5 & Xbox Series consoles). I remember back when I wanted a PS3 or PS4, I waited a few years before making the plunge to get a better deal. Whether it was a slim model or a console bundle, I saved a significant amount of money because I waited.
Now, anyone looking to upgrade to an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 are paying more than the launch adopters. Some folks might have to wait a little bit longer to scoop up the extra cost when nothing about the consoles have changed except its price. The Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t out of the hole yet as I anticipate a price jump for the console in six months or so.
The prices on games have also seen a price increase as of late. Nintendo paved the way for $80 games to enter the market with Mario Kart World launching on the Nintendo Switch 2 at that premium price. Companies are getting more comfortable with the $70 price tag to squeeze the extra $10 or so from us.
Sometimes the price increase works but the corporate greed might be the downfall for some of these projects. The Outer Worlds 2, scheduled to launch on October 29, 2025, was originally priced at $79.99 which immediately saw community outcry. The price did get dropped by $10 a month or so later.
Maybe Microsoft saw the pre-order numbers were low and thought a price adjustment would help sales. However, with the game also launching on Game Pass Day One, there might be other factors at play in this example for the adjustment in price.
Yes, Video Games Are Getting Too Expensive
I don’t know the exact economics or politics happening behind the tariffs in the USA but the cost of all goods is going up. Whether it’s the consoles or the games themselves, the prices of nearly everything is going up and to make up for the increases, we as the consumers are paying more.
Parents are going to have tough conversations with themselves and their children if they request one of the shiny new consoles this holiday season. How can parents justify buying an over $500 box for their kids to play video games? The spending likely won’t stop there if they wish to play new games outside of their free-to-play rotation.
Gamers might have been spoiled with the $60 price tag for brand new video games for years. $70 became the new standard at the start of the Xbox Series & PS5 generation in 2020 but $80 has now entered the picture.
Free-to-play games are becoming more attractive but those experiences can only provide so much. Especially if you’re not a multiplayer gamer, the cost of games keeps rising which means looking towards alternatives in the indie game market or being more picky on what games to buy at launch.
And with the newest Xbox handheld, ROG Xbox Ally, priced up to $899.99, it’s not looking good for the video game community.
What’s going to happen when the PlayStation 6 or the next Xbox console gets announced? Are those going to be $999.99 out of the gate? Because at this point, the prices of video games cannot surprise me any further.
Travis “tvsonic” Vuong
Business e-mail: travisvuong56@gmail.com
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