Are PS3 and XBox games that expensive, compared to 1993?

[cdoty]

Looking at an Aug. 1993 issue of GamePro, I was reminded how expensive games really were:

 

In the Aug 1993 issue, EA's NHL Hockey 93 (for either SNES or Genesis) was listed at $50, in today's dollars that's $71.11.

 

NHL '08 (for the XBOX 360) is now selling for $60, in 1993 dollars that's $42.19.

 

Sega CD games also sold for around the same amount of money. Joe Montana Football was $49. This rules out the extra expense of a cartridge game.

 

All prices were calculated with the Consumer Price Index calculator:

http://www.minneapolisfed.org/research/data/us/calc/

Edited August 23, 2007 by cdoty

[AtticGamer]

Yes, games were even more expensive those days, reaching their peak with Street Fighter II and then the N64 games.

They now have gone down and we should be thankful they don't reach the $80 or even $100 price tags.

 

Nintendo DS games and PSP games as well as Wii games are cheaper but I guess that's because the systems are not that expensive either and use familiar technology, although the amount of time taken to develop those games is still huge.

 

If PS3 doesn't shape up, it could end up as the next Neo-Geo .

[Tempest]

If PS3 doesn't shape up, it could end up as the next Neo-Geo .

 

Except the Neo Geo had unique games that you couldn't play anywhere else. That's the PS3's whole problem, not enough good unique games.

 

Tempest

[SINGLE TOOTH]

What was Street Fighter II's retail?

I remeber paying around $70 for super metriod when it released.

[Scumdogg]

Let's not forget the $70-$80 standard for RPGs in the early to mid 90's. That is, IF you could even find a copy. I'm completely fine with the $60 and under price tags on today's games....especially comparing the development cycle and man-hours put into, say, Final Fantasy XII vs. Final Fantasy III (SNES). And XII is only a $40-$50 game. Never did figure out how people can complain so much about game prices these days when all they've done is either go down or stay the same.

[MCHufnagel]

But in those days the major expense in a game was the media itself. Cartridges were expensive and disc media is cheap. Now the cost is in development. Just think how expensive a cart holding 4+ gigs of info would cost now. Even a flash media game would be well over $100. And just think about a cart version of a Blu-Ray game!

 

Taking the media costs out of it, games are far more expensive now than in the past.

[figgler]

What was Street Fighter II's retail?

 

I paid 94.99 for Super Street Fighter 2 for Super NES

[SINGLE TOOTH]

What was Street Fighter II's retail?

 

I paid 94.99 for Super Street Fighter 2 for Super NES

 

Yeah, I think I remeber paying a shitload for it used... My first SNES game. Besides Super Mario World, of course.

To tell you the truth, I never really enjoyed that game all that much.

[chrisbid]

But in those days the major expense in a game was the media itself. Cartridges were expensive and disc media is cheap. Now the cost is in development.

 

 

don't forget the high license fees Sony and MS rely on to make up for loss-leader hardware

[ninjarabbit]

It's not that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to games in 1993 but rather that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to Wii, PS2, DS, and PSP games.

[Artlover]

But in those days the major expense in a game was the media itself. Cartridges were expensive and disc media is cheap. Now the cost is in development. Just think how expensive a cart holding 4+ gigs of info would cost now. Even a flash media game would be well over $100. And just think about a cart version of a Blu-Ray game!

 

Taking the media costs out of it, games are far more expensive now than in the past.

don't forget the high license fees Sony and MS rely on to make up for loss-leader hardware

Two good points. Especially media costs. That discrepancy has long plauged the music industry (if you're paying for the content, and cd's are cheaper to produce, why are they still more expencive then cassettes?)

[bones]

If PS3 doesn't shape up, it could end up as the next Neo-Geo .

Except the Neo Geo had unique games that you couldn't play anywhere else. That's the PS3's whole problem, not enough good unique games.

Agreed. The PS3 has probably already outsold the number of Neo Geo consoles purchased in a 15+ year span, but it will never be as hip. There's something timeless about arcade perfect 2d console gaming, all in a monster of a cartridge case. I recently overheard a conversation at the flea market between 2 guys comparing the PS3 to the Neo Geo, believe their angle was that they are both cool, but pricey. If that's the general consensus from the random guy on the street then Sony has some work to do to change that perception. Methinks they will, but may take some time.

 

Now excuse me while I go play me some Metal Slug

[Scumdogg]

It's not that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to games in 1993 but rather that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to Wii, PS2, DS, and PSP games.

 

 

I'm fine with paying a premium for a game that looks like it wasn't developed five years ago though. The DS and the PSP are great portables, but you can't use their games as a point of comparison against games for the 360 or PS3. Portable games just tend to be shorter, lower on extra costs such as voice talent, and less graphically intensive. And speaking of short, less graphically intensive games, we can just throw the Wii into that same category.

 

I know this is an Atari forum, and i play more old games than new, but if there's one thing i don't want stagnating it's 3D graphics. They can always look better, and if that takes longer and costs more, i'm cool with supporting that, you know?

[SINGLE TOOTH]

It's not that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to games in 1993 but rather that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to Wii, PS2, DS, and PSP games.

 

Dont forget PC games. Which by the way, dont look developed 5 years ago.

[Scumdogg]

It's not that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to games in 1993 but rather that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to Wii, PS2, DS, and PSP games.

 

Dont forget PC games. Which by the way, dont look developed 5 years ago.

 

 

I'm not a PC gamer, and never have been, but i'd say that PC games probably have to stay cheap to stay competitive. They've never struck me as having the same pick up and play convenience, and with the gap in visual quality being so tight, i'd think there'd have to be some sort of price break to keep them attractive.

[ninjarabbit]

It's not that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to games in 1993 but rather that PS3 and 360 games are expensive compared to Wii, PS2, DS, and PSP games.

 

Dont forget PC games. Which by the way, dont look developed 5 years ago.

 

 

I'm not a PC gamer, and never have been, but i'd say that PC games probably have to stay cheap to stay competitive. They've never struck me as having the same pick up and play convenience, and with the gap in visual quality being so tight, i'd think there'd have to be some sort of price break to keep them attractive.

 

PC games also don't have to pay a licencing fee like console games do.

[Artlover]

I remember back in 1982 when DK came out for the 2600. As an 11 year old, saving my law mowing and chores money to get the $39.95 I needed. Took a while too. Thats $85.07 today.

 

I wasn't completely disapointed by it and enjoyed playing it for a while, but did expect more considering the time/money it cost me.

[Dave Farquhar]

I remember back in 1982 when DK came out for the 2600. As an 11 year old, saving my law mowing and chores money to get the $39.95 I needed. Took a while too. Thats $85.07 today.

 

Yeah, I remember that $39.99 price point was standard for a long time, at least for computer games. I usually waited for them to get re-released as a "greatest hits" or other budget format for $19.99 before buying. A lot of people complained about that price point. I guess that's why games are cheaper (adjusted for inflation) today.

 

Of course today it's a lot easier to find used copies of games than it was in the 1980s too. That helps. Assuming all the discs are in the case of course (grumble grumble).

[Avid Fan]

This is a reason I got back into console gaming. I hated the 60 pirce tag on games, and I only had a Genesis, SNES was waay more expencive.

And now most of us have the luxury of used game stores. Which to me is a great thing since it makes gaming affordable if you are patient and can wait 1-2 years to play hit games

[godslabrat]

Yeah, I remember that $39.99 price point was standard for a long time, at least for computer games. I usually waited for them to get re-released as a "greatest hits" or other budget format for $19.99 before buying. A lot of people complained about that price point. I guess that's why games are cheaper (adjusted for inflation) today.

 

I've got a friend who doesn't understand how I can be into gaming with such "expensive" games. I politely point out that a $50 game is much better deal than a $20 movie, since the movie will last for two hours, and the game can last for months, thus requiring you to buy less of them to keep entertained. Of course, I buy plenty of movies myself, so the argument is entirely academic.

 

No, I'm not worried about the price of the games, just the size of my paycheck.

[SINGLE TOOTH]

I'm not a PC gamer, and never have been, but i'd say that PC games probably have to stay cheap to stay competitive. They've never struck me as having the same pick up and play convenience, and with the gap in visual quality being so tight, i'd think there'd have to be some sort of price break to keep them attractive.

 

Whenever a console first comes out, the graphics may be tight to a computer's for a little bit, until better computer hardware comes out that blow the console away. But as time progresses, graphics gap increases.

 

I usually prefer to get the PC version of the game if it exists. But, the good thing about consoles, is that you don't have to upgrade your hardware. Also, consoles have a standard controller that isn't a POS. Although now you can use a 360 controller on a PC which is cool. (If you can use it in Linux, too...)