Gaming is one of the most popular and enjoyable hobbies in the world. However, gaming has also turned into one of the most expensive hobbies out there.
Average AAA video game prices increased from $50 to $60 in 2005, and then to $70 in 2020. AAA games are big budget blockbuster games that have big development teams and backed by big publishers. If the immediate future and new releases of the next year are any indication, the video game price point could increase yet again in less than ten years.
On April 2, Nintendo hosted their Nintendo Direct show. They revealed the price of the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console and prices of upcoming games that will be exclusive to it. The Nintendo Switch 2 will cost $450 and Mario Kart World, a huge Nintendo title, will cost $80. Both items will be released on June 5 of this year. These prices are big jumps from what was previously established.
Nintendo initially canceled Switch 2 pre-orders in the U.S. in order to assess how big the impact of President Trump’s tariffs would be. Even though pre-orders have since been made available again and the pricing of the console and games will stay the same, Switch 2 accessory prices will increase as result of Trump’s tariffs. This comes from market condition changes. Even without Trump’s tariffs, Nintendo’s new offerings are still very expensive.
It has been rumored for months that “Grand Theft Auto 6” will potentially cost $100 when it releases. This is allegedly because the game cost between $1 billion and $2 billion to make, and it will sell very well because of its massive hype. The game’s recent delay to 2026 from this year will most likely make the hype even bigger. If all of these price increases end up happening and result in successful sales, I have no doubt that the rest of the gaming industry will follow suit.
It is no secret that the economy is hurting right now. Due to slowed job growth, elevated inflation, recession risk and other factors, entertainment is a much-needed escape right now. However, that is not possible because of how much financial strain gaming brings. Obviously, no one is obligated to buy every single game and gaming console that comes out. Though, they should not cost so much when customers are only getting a fraction of the whole package.
Nowadays, a lot of video games release with glitches and without content that comes later. If I pay anywhere between $70 and $80 for something, it should be a complete and working package, and I should not have to wait for the developers to fix or add anything.
Some video games are not that different from what they were when they were still $60 five years ago. A lot of them have not innovated or evolved much since the price increase. Aspects like gameplay, graphics, patch amount and length have not changed much in the last five years. I question why I should be giving these corporations more of my money when I am not getting more quality.
Gaming costs way too much and is no longer as fun of a hobby as it used to be. I know that they cost millions of dollars to make, and the companies need to make their money back, but increasing prices even more is outrageous and not consumer-friendly. Video games are meant to bring joy and fun into people’s lives. Taking those away and making them almost unaffordable for the average person is not the way.
This story was written by Christopher Hayden. He can be reached at christopher.i.hayden@marquette.edu.