This is a blog post ripped from an old iteration of my blog that is still interesting to share. Look at the prices of these video games from ~30 years ago (1996):
Super Mario 64: $59.99
Pilotwings 64: $59.99
Madden 97: $59.99
Street Fighter Alpha 2: $69.99
NBA Hang Time: $69.99
Those last two were for Super Nintendo!
That’s basically what AAA video games cost now (occasionally a tad more, but often a lot less).
Look at what those games would cost today, simply adjusted for inflation:
$59.99 in 1996 is $122.54 equivalent now.
$69.99 in 1996 is $142.98 equivalent now.
WOW! AAA games are WAY cheaper than that. We gamers are getting a bargain!
It blows me away when people say video games are “too expensive these days.” Compared to what? They are one of the least expensive, most high value forms of entertainment by a LOT. Their costs have barely increased at all in 30 years while budgets have multiplied 100x fold or more.
Obviously economies of scale are a huge part of this. There are a lot more gamers so each game can hope to earn a lot more money as a result.
But still: this translates to pretty amazing value for us gamers!
