Video Game Price Inflation on CD Key Sector
Video games are a favorite pastime across the world, and with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S launched, the price of games has once again risen. But, is that fair to say?
By 
Daniel
CONSOLES NEXT-GEN RRP
With every next-gen console comes the fear that prices will rise, and the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 did not disappoint, as 2K became the first company to set an asking price of $70 for their big-budget game, NBA 2K21, for the new consoles.
It’s not since the mid-2000s that there’s been an increase in the standard price for a new game. The PS3 and Xbox 360 had their games set for $59.99.
For any of us that are old enough to remember the “golden age” of gaming in the 90s or even earlier, we remember games being cheaper. But is that right, or are we misremembering it?
THE RISE IN THE PRICE OF VIDEO GAMES
Going right back to when commercial video game consoles were first launched in the early 70s, we can see that the average price of a game, thanks to techraptor.net, was around $39.99. After calculating inflation, that makes a game in the 70s a whopping $251.63 today.
So what about the 80s? Video games in the 80s were selling at retail for $30 – $40. When calculated for the price today, we can see that it comes to $95 – $130. That’s a high price for a Game Boy game, and I loved that thing.
The 90s saw the rise in the price as we kind of know it today. The PlayStation launched in 1994, popularising the disc format for games. At launch, these games would typically sell for $40. When adjusted to today’s money, that makes it around $69.
The N64 launched in 1996, and at the time, the games at retail were selling for $60, an incredible $100 today.
Games, it would seem, have always been priced high. And that brings us to today and the cost of playing as well as purchasing.
NEXT-GEN AND THE BATTLE PASS
So, as mentioned above, next-gen games have reached the $70 retail price. And when you go back over the last few decades and compare prices, that may not seem too bad. But, it doesn’t stop there.
Video games are a massive business. Bigger than they ever have been, and they rake in a lot of money, even more so with the much-talked-about battle pass.
One of the first games to make use of a battle pass was Dota 2 in 2013. Since then, it seems every game is implementing a battle pass.
At this point, it seems all free games implement them. The battle pass encourages users to consistently play the game over a prolonged time to earn exclusive rewards. These rewards remain locked behind a certain paywall and playtime.
It’s not just the free games though, big-budget games also use battle passes. FIFA 21, NBA2K21, and other high-end games use packs as a way to bring money in and force players to grind playtime.
Even some single-player games use battle passes now, offering cosmetics that the player would otherwise not be able to get through simply playing.
The price of games may now have hit the $70 mark, but they have cost us more and more money for a long time, even after purchase. Video games are now a full-time hobby if they weren’t before.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
At face value, the price of games has increased, but let’s go deeper and calculate a couple of our favorite video games from 2013 and see what their prices would be today.
Battlefield 4
- Release Date: 29 October, 2013
- Price In 2013: $39.99 / £34.99 / €39.99
- Price Adjusted for 2021: $46.21 / £41.13 / €42.43
GTA 5
- Release Date: 17 September, 2013
- Price In 2013: $59.99 / £39.99 / €59.99
- Price Adjusted for 2021: $69.32 / £47.01 / €63.95
Okay, so we can see that games would cost us more if adjusted for today’s money. It may not look like much, but over a year of purchases, those slight price rises would mean high costs, particularly if you add a battle pass, season pass, or DLC.
ALLKEYSHOP AND CHEAP GAMES
Buying games should not have to cost you an arm and a leg. With that in mind, Allkeyshop is the only place you can find discounts on video games, CD keys, Game Keys, Gift Cards, and antivirus software.
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Fueled by a passion for gaming and the ever-evolving world of gaming news, Daniel loves connecting with seasoned and new players to bring games to life on the page, exploring their narratives and gaming trends. A self-published fiction and fantasy author, Daniel has nearly 20 years of experience writing gaming news and a love for storytelling that drives his enthusiasm to deliver breaking news, in-depth analysis, and industry innovations. You will find him in-game as "Windfell."
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