Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Handy Graphic Shows Video Game Console Cost Adjusted For Inflation Up To Current-Gen
Video games are an expensive hobby, and while it might not appear to be true – considering current prices – in general, the cost of playing video games has gone down over the years.
You'll see the chart below, which was posted on reddit last month by user Auir2blaze. It puts into perspective the cost of video game consoles from as far back as the Atari 2600 in 1977, to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One from 2013. According to Auir2blaze's estimates, the GameCube was truly the most inexpensive system beating the Wii by about $25.
Inflation is a tricky calculation, and this isn't the first time someone has tried to put current video game consoles in perspective. The numbers might be slightly different in this similar graphic, but the overall results are the same: despite the incredible graphical advancements compared to previous video game consoles, costs – overall – have come down.
[Source: Reddit, via I watched the entire Overblood Super Replay Facebook group]
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
