Rising Costs Have Forced These Gamers To Make Tough Decisions

Video games are getting more expensive. The PS5 and the Xbox Series X|S have seen significant price hikes, the Switch 2 is due for a $50 price increase in September , and seemingly overnight, $70 has become the normal asking price for most new releases.But for many, the gaming industry's slide towards an all-digital future could be the final nail in the coffin. "At one point, it was a big deal that the PS2 was $99.That's an entry point. Another gamer, Ty J., told us over Bluesky DMs, "When the PS5 got announced, I was in college and I thought, 'By the time I graduate and get a job, they'll have a PS5 Slim for $299.' Unfortunately, we live in the bad timeline, so not only am I still unemployed; the PS5 got more expensive." Even for people who have relatively up-to-date rigs, storage has become an increasing problem.