Here’s a thought. Let’s just stop making new game consoles for a little while. 

As someone who’s been around this industry for quite a long time, it’s absolutely insane to see where we are today. Generally, things would get LESS expensive as time goes on, but this generation in particular has tossed that right out the window. Sure, there are a number of reasons for this change that aren’t totally within the control of the console manufacturers, but I’d argue that ultimately doesn’t matter. Even with these price increases, companies are still talking about their next generation consoles, and I say, knock it off! We’re good! 

Let’s take a look at what the current generation of hardware actually looks like. Let’s start with the Switch 2. When it launched, it was $450. Starting September 1st, it’s going up to $500. When compared to the original Nintendo Switch, that was already a pretty lofty expense. Of course, the original Switch never got a proper price drop, which made the higher price tag of the Switch 2 make a little more sense from a certain perspective, but when you look at the Switch, things look even weirder. That system launched at $300, with the Switch lite coming in at $200, and the OLED model landing at $350. Today, all three of those systems cost even more, with the base model jumping up to $340, the lite going for $230, and the OLED priced at $400. A system that came out almost 10 years ago is more expensive today than it was at launch. Bananas. 

PlayStation is in a similar position. When the PlayStation 5 launched back in 2020, there were two models, the regular one with a disc drive for $500, and the digital version for $400. That seemed pretty expensive at the time, but the PS5 is a premium piece of hardware, so plenty of folks easily justified the cost. Today, the PS5 Slim (which isn’t slim AT ALL) will run you a cool $650, while its digital counterpart costs $600. And then there's the PS5 Pro, which is currently priced at a positively beastly $900, plus another $80 if you want the add-in disc drive. 

Microsoft’s platform is in a similar boat. In 2020, the Series S was $300, while the Series X was $500. Today, the Series S is $400, and the top of the line Series X is $800. 

Then there’s the Steam Machine, which will range from $1050 to just shy of $1500 when it launches. The Steam Deck OLED which started at $550 for the 512 model is now $790, and the 1TB model which used to be $650 is now $950! 

Heck, even if you wanted to go for the family friendly Nex Playground, you’re looking at $300 for the console plus an annual subscription service. 

And that doesn’t even take into consideration that the games for all these platforms have gotten more expensive as well, with titles like Mario Kart World for Switch 2 and the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI coming in at $80. 

So, with all that in mind, I have to ask, why on Earth do we need to be thinking about new hardware? It’s not like these platforms aren’t up to the task of delivering some pretty great gaming experiences. Have we really gotten anywhere near the peak of what the PS5 and Series X are capable of? Heck, the Switch 2 is only a year old! 

Most modern games look pretty incredible. Controllers can do all manner of wacky things right out of the box. And nothing is getting any less expensive to produce. The industry is hemorrhaging jobs, with tons more layoffs on the way, and the general cost of living has increased so much that a lot of folks are struggling to make ends meet enough to pay for a Netflix subscription, let alone yet another $1k for the latest game system. 

It’s time for video games to pump the brakes a bit. Let’s all just dig our heels in and focus on delivering the best games possible for this current generation of consoles. You want to make new hardware? Work on revisions to your existing stuff, not next generation advances that will be so costly that almost nobody will be able to get their hands on them. 

The whole industry seems to have gotten itself into this patter of constantly looking ahead to what’s next at the expense of the moment. I know the PS4 has been on the market for a heck of a long time, but do we really believe we’ve seen all that system can do? Heck, people are STILL releasing games for it! And they don’t look all that bad! 

Anyway, this is all just an “old man yells at cloud” way of saying that the way things are moving right now in video games isn’t sustainable. We’re already seeing a lot of downsizing in the industry in terms of employment, but I can’t shake the feeling that a lot of these companies are going to keep expecting the same infinite growth and game output as they did before all the layoffs. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am. 

Gaming should be fun, and it should be for everyone. Of course this stuff should all cost money, but there was a time when the previous generation of consoles would stick around as a more budget friendly option. Let’s get some cheaper Switches and PS4s out there with a line of “Greatest Hits” or “Player’s Choice” games at affordable rates. Does Super Mario Odyssey really still need to be a $60 game? I say no. 

This industry needs a break. And with the world of component pricing being what it currently is, there’s no time like the present.