Weekly debate 1#: Is gaming becoming too expensive?

[alex]

if you get a good gaming pc like me its not cheep after you have bought it as you still have to upgrade it every year to kepp it uptodate. not cheep

[Pilot_51]

You can get a decent gaming PC for around $500, so it's around the same of consoles which use older hardware and can't be upgraded. Considering a PC more expensive because of upgrades is unfair comparison since consoles can't be upgraded, but if you consider the cost of "keeping up to date", PC's are much more expensive since just-released hardware is really up in price and you'll be upgrading every month, where consoles are completely up-to-date for 2-5 years. PC's give way more bang for the buck compared to consoles, although they do also require some maintenance and knowledge to keep it in top condition. I see current generation consoles as gaming systems for people that just want to play games with minimal configuration and hassle, but being smart enough for PC gaming gives limitless goods: better graphics, fully customizable controls and interfaces, many ways of playing with others online, the list goes on and on...

So back on topic, I haven't noticed a huge increase in prices, but I do think they've been going up for both consoles and games (although PC hardware prices are dropping REALLY fast). Nintendo claims that the DS games are cheaper to make, but I don't see any difference from the GBA prices. Also look at everything Nintendo managed to pack in the DS for just $150. If every game company were like Nintendo, prices wouldn't be a big problem, they'd likely stay below $50. I don't monitor prices closely, but since I've seen some expensive games (around $100) in the recent past, I think games will ultimately increase in price.

[Fatvod]

HAHAHHAH! 900!! YA RIGHT! IM NOT PAYING 900!!! That is ridicuosly expensive and i truly doubt it will cost that much. Maybe 400 or 500.

[17R3W]

I'd say gaming has never been cheaper...
of course next gen consoles will cost tons (The PS2 costed about $400 when it first came out here, it's down to $179 now [used are even cheaper]) but they will be sold at a loss.

Try to get a PC that will match the graphics of PS3, it won't be cheap.

Frankly, there isn't much point in adopting a next gen system next year...
There will be plenty of games for this generation still coming out. Beyond that you can get tons of "players choice" games for cheap, and you can also rent games from gamefly for cheap ($22 a month) as well as buy tons of used games.

(if you have a PS2 you can get 10 years of games to play too)

[ShadowMarth]

... This isn't really a debate, it's the nature of the market. Of course it's becoming too expensive, and it's just going to get worse!

[Euan]

Well said Shadow, I'm worried about being able to afford next-gen, but knowing me, I wouldn't be able to resist getting at least one console!

[theONE]

i am outraged by these prices.... $400 for a console! thats unbelievable... i think that i might get the revolution becasue it will probally be cheaper

at least its not as expensive as drugs

cause thats what most of my friends are on lol

$400 for a console! thats unbelievable...

i believe that is what the Playstation's launch price was... i bought it

[alex]

good job you dont live in england it was £300 on launch thats about $550.

[bignds]

really? i was 10 at the time of PS2's launch (2000) so it didnt really bother me when you have your parents buying you gifts.