• Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world
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    9 hours ago

    NES games were $80. Thats why most households usually only had 1-2 games.

    It wasn’t until resell shops came around that everyone sold their games, and bought 2-3 used games with that money.

    Video gaming was unaffordable in the 80s too. I think if you compare lifetime sales of most NES games to most modern games, you’ll find the trend was that if your game wasn’t mario, it didn’t sell all that well on the NES. Even Zelda in the early days had a rough start.

    Whereas these days, the industry has grown so much due to keeping prices relatively stable for 40 years. So now consoles sell more, games in general sell 10x more.

    Prop that price up and watch the sales fall.

    • Return_of_Chippy@lemmy.world
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      8 hours ago

      80 dollars in 1980 is the equivalent of 330 dollars today~ish. You’re not grasping the inflation aspect I’m pointing to. When looking through that particular lense, video games are cheaper now relative to historical context than they’ve ever been. Not to mention literally every consumer good increases in price consistantly to match/overcome inflation. Video games are WAY behind every other consumer product I can think of in that regard. This is especially true when talking entertainment products.

      • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world
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        8 hours ago

        I grasp what you’re saying. You’re not grasping what I’m saying.

        I’m saying as the price point came down through the 90s to $60, the amount of gamers went up.

        And as $60 in the 2000s was worth less, gaming exploded in popularity again.

        As it cost less, more people bought in. As costs rise, less people will buy.

        A combination of high price tags, and low quality games caused the entire market to crash in 1983. To the point where video games was considered dead as disco.

        We’re nowhere close to that point right now, but this is the first time in 40 years they’ve reversed direction. Games have gotten cheaper over time, and the industry grew. Now they’re making games more expensive. What is the logical outcome of that decision? If low prices make line go up, then high prices make line go…where?

        • Return_of_Chippy@lemmy.world
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          8 hours ago

          You’re just so incorrect with logic so flawed in so many aspects there’s just nowhere this conversation can go. Good luck out there.