Shadow1980 said:
This is an incredibly unsound argument that ignores basic realities of economics and economic history. A new Toyota Camry started at about $16,400 25 years ago. That's about $28,000 today. To rephrase your argument for a car buyer from 1994, "Inflation has no effect whatsoever on what people are willing to put in an automobile. $20,000 is way too high." Except $20,000 isn't way too high by historical standards, and a new Camry starts at about $25,000 now, a bit less than a 1994 model. Inflation matters. $300 is dirt cheap for a console today. It was a bit exorbitant 30 years ago, because a dollar was worth twice as much. Assuming inflation stays about constant, a $500 PS5 will be only 11% more expensive than the PS4's adjusted launch price. Hardly bank-breaking. It's not like going from the PS2 ($438 adjusted) to the PS3 ($631 adjusted, 44% higher than the PS2 and 45% higher than the PS4). |
You can't compare consoles to other stuff. That's my main point. Of course inflation matters. But it's irrevelant when it comes to consoles and general gaming.
Consoles have almost one and only purpose, which is gaming, and peoples doesn't want to spend more than 400$ just for gaming, because the games are already expensive enough (+game as a service stuffs). If the minimum you can get is 500$ + 60$ for one and only (AAA) game, that's way too much.
Remember, it's only for gaming. Not other purposes. You can access Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video and stuff on other devices almost everyone own.
Why AAA games doesn't cost 80-100$ then ? Because publishers know people won't buy it
