Has gaming really gotten more expensive?

[Champ]

As you guys have said already, the prices back then were pretty high. The issue now is that games from the PS2 and XBox were $50 new. With the 360 and PS3, games went up to $60, and many popular games have at least one version of a "Collectors Edition." That is why people think gaming has gotten more expensive, plus DLC (as someone else put it) is an added cost, and a small side cost is XBox Live membership.

Honestly, I think things are priced very well right now. Prices drop on a lot of games soon anyway. With the amount of quality games out there now, you really have to pick and choose what you play, and no one is going to buy every game when it comes out, so you still have the chance to play it later and pay less.

The things that really get me are all the "Avatar add ons" that you pay Microsoft points for that go to your avatar on Live. Am I the only one who didn't just set up my avatar when I had to and forgotten about it? Or, am I the only person without a $200 head set? The standard head set works just fine for me, and if I ever wanted to upgrade, I probably wouldn't spend more than a game for a head set.

Well if you have Surround Sound the Turtle Beaches and Tritton headsets are not worth it. Also if you don't play Call of Duty or any other shooter they are not worth it.

[Guest]

Well if you have Surround Sound the Turtle Beaches and Tritton headsets are not worth it. Also if you don't play Call of Duty or any other shooter they are not worth it.

Exactly....but I know people who have surround sound that have a Turtle Beach headset. When I bought my television, I read reviews and got one with great speakers so I didn't have to get surround sound and not make any more investments in it. My gaming room is also pretty small, so surround sound isn't a necessity.

It's just those little things that add up that cost the money, and obviously, people are buying them if they are still being made/improved/updated.

[BrntO4Life]

A nice surround sound headset is worth it if you play your games late at night in a house full of sleeping people.

My dad got a pair and they've been worth every penny to him, as he plays in the living room after everyone has gone to sleep.

[CCBrink]

Exactly....but I know people who have surround sound that have a Turtle Beach headset. When I bought my television, I read reviews and got one with great speakers so I didn't have to get surround sound and not make any more investments in it. My gaming room is also pretty small, so surround sound isn't a necessity.

It's just those little things that add up that cost the money, and obviously, people are buying them if they are still being made/improved/updated.

I have a gaming head set and a surround sound processor. When I game I want the full experience and audio is a huge part of that IMO. I have a simple speaker system set up, but I can't use it most of the time. The walls in my apartment are paper thin so the Asians next door get pissy and knock on the wall if I have the TV even at normal volume.

[BrntO4Life]

Also, gaming has most definitely gotten less expensive.

The proliferation of the internet has given way to massive deals and quicker price-drops on some fantastic software.

[Guest]

A nice surround sound headset is worth it if you play your games late at night in a house full of sleeping people.

My dad got a pair and they've been worth every penny to him, as he plays in the living room after everyone has gone to sleep.

I have a gaming head set and a surround sound processor. When I game I want the full experience and audio is a huge part of that IMO. I have a simple speaker system set up, but I can't use it most of the time. The walls in my apartment are paper thin so the Asians next door get pissy and knock on the wall if I have the TV even at normal volume.

I definitely see both of those points. I just can't see how someone could justify dropping $200 on a headset. I said I wouldn't spend more than $60 on a pair- maybe $100- but not anything more than that is kind of ridiculous. Especially after spending money on everything else for the entertainment set up before the headset.

[dave]

Gaming really isn't more expensive, but the crap they're putting out now just isn't very innovative.
How many Call of Dutys does the gaming world need - and how different are they from one game to the next?
Same for Madden, NHL and all sports games.

Gaming only seems expensive now because we're paying $59-69 for fucking tweaks to games ... and nothing innovative.

Gran Turismo 5 a perfect example - they needed five years for that?

[Twigg4075]

Games should be 39.99

/end

I don't know about that. But I also don't think that basically every game should be $60. It;s refreshing to see the occassional title release at $40 or $50 (Test Drive Unlimited 2) or even $20 (whatever that cheesy survival horror game was last year). I just think it;s bullshit that companies put out a game like Rogue Warrior for $60. Will it eventually srop to $20 a few months later? Yup. But that;s because it sells like shit as it should. Maybe if they would've released it at $20 initially it would've sold a lot more. There are plenty of games that are quality that I think would severely benefit from maybe a $30-40 initial price point.

Just my two cents.

[Twigg4075]

A nice surround sound headset is worth it if you play your games late at night in a house full of sleeping people.

My dad got a pair and they've been worth every penny to him, as he plays in the living room after everyone has gone to sleep.

Or for someone like my wife who plays in the living room while I sleep during the day. ;)

Althought Triton can go fuck itself. My wife has a pair of those, not sure what model. They broke the other day. She can hear what other people are saying but no one can hear her which obviously means the mouth piece is fucked. She tried contacting their customer support for three days in a row to no avail. They keep saying they will contact her back but never have.

Edit: I think the headset model she has are the AX720's?

[JeremyHight]

I did this in my Economics class and kids were amazed that games were more expensive than they are today. People like to glorify the old days, but 85% of Nintendo games were absolutely shit to completely unplayable. While some games today are very, very bad, there aren't nearly as many major flaws as there used to be and the games are cheaper.

[FedEx227]

Exactly. We also have plethora of reviews as well so the purchasing of shitty games is probably down too.

People like to have revisionist history for sure when it comes to gaming (from a quality and an expense standpoint).

[Twigg4075]

Exactly. We also have plethora of reviews as well so the purchasing of shitty games is probably down too.

People like to have revisionist history for sure when it comes to gaming (from a quality and an expense standpoint).

Yeah, remember going into a store and basing your decision off the box art?

I love the AVGN's video on Nintendo Power. He reads a few of the letters people wrote in and one of them was from a kid that bought Rambo for the NES based on the box art showing Rambo blasting away with a machine gun. The game of course has you using a knife to kill bugs and snakes through the majority of it. Terrible game that I can attest to because an uncle bought it for me as a birthday present.

Thank goodness for the internet.

[dave]

You can't simply blame the Internet for the lack of innovation in games.
Sure, the Internet makes us more aware of that lack of innovation, but the Internet didn't create that lack of innovation.

Let's be honest - name the last truly groundbreaking video game.

[MvP]

I'd say the influx of downloadable content and accessories make gaming more expensive.

When I played N64 I had the console, three controllers, a memory card, and the games.

With the Xbox 360 I have two consoles, three controllers, battery packs, 2 wired headsets, 1 wireless headset, 1 turtle beach headset, vision camera, the attachable keyboard...the list goes on.

[dave]

With the Xbox 360 I have two consoles...

Twigg is on his 18th 360 or so and insists gaming isn't more expensive.
:D