Let’s view the purchasing process from the lens of a recently aired video on each of these prices. According to Zuby_Tech, we have some unthinkable figures on the games console price list for the U.S.
Let me lay these out for you in one straight shoot, right out from the source:
Xbox Series X 2TB for $799.99, PlayStation 5 Pro sitting pretty at $749.99, at $649.99 Xbox Series X 1TB, at $549.99 PlayStation 5 Disc version, at $599.99 Xbox Series X Digital Edition, at $499.99 PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, at $449.99 Xbox Series S 1TB, at $449.99 Nintendo Switch 2, and at $399.99 Xbox Series S 512GB.
Yes. I want you to give that a while to really sink in.
The gamer reactions were what we all expected. MrBlackHP said, “Switch 2 looking like a bargain now,” which, looking at the price list, does kind of make sense? Relative to every other system, the $449.99 asking price for the Switch 2 doesn’t seem as crazy as it once did.
Yet, there is always that PC argument that shows up in any console discussion. RedBarGamingTV said: “Consoles are now the biggest scam out there. You can buy an excellent 1080p gaming PC for $800, and since none of these consoles can actually run at 1080p without upscaling, it’s a no-brainer.”
Ouch! But in the end, is he wrong? These systems seem a little too close to entry-level PCs, which makes you really reconsider what to go for.
Also, in the comments, we had our usual moderators strike up the console war. Lucky13X added, “Series S is still better than Switch 2 btw, and is slightly portable as in backpack or sachel carrying is easier than most consoles.” Which, okay, fair maybe? But then other gamers such as EagleThorondor say “Dont need a ps5. When all games are on pc” which is becoming truer with every passing year.
What’s really interesting though is how people are reacting to contraptions being priced up mid-gen. Like, this isn’t how pricing usually works on consoles. ggMikkael replied in Spanish, “Me flipa que a medida que pasa la generación suben de precio. Lo nunca visto,” which translates to “It blows my mind that as the generation goes on, prices go up. Never seen anything like it.”
He’s absolutely right – we are used to price drops as the generation goes on and technology becomes older, not price hikes. It is the complete opposite of previous generations.
Some players are already feeling the sting. SoloOne99 commented, “Glad I bought my ps5 pro early,” which really is the smart thing to do. In contrast, milhouse08 says, “400 la serieS… je l’avais achtée 200 deux semaines apres sa sortie lol,” which would in English mean: “400 for the Series S… I bought it for 200 two weeks after its release lol.” In some cases, that’s literally double the price!
The dialogue even pivoted to how these prices shall affect holiday shopping. Lucky13X responded to someone with: “And …. They’re gonna affect the holiday season.” No kidding. When being a present amounting to an $800 from their parents instead of a $400-$500 would make a huge difference in what is going to be under the Christmas tree.
Then, there’s this almost weird obsession with accessories that cropped up from the answers to that concern. OmarChoudhury92 enquired, “What’s peoples fixation with a stand? I can understand the disk drive, but since when did people care about stands 💀?” Here’s something about that commentary that made me laugh because it is so true. Since when did we care about stands?
What is clear from all of this is that console makers are stretching the limits of what gamers are willing to pay. For me, the Series S at $399.99 seems incredibly interesting as it was basically going to be sold as the budget-friendly option. Now it is essentially at the same price point as the Switch 2, which is wild to even think about.
iJezabella pretty much summarised the whole discussion with the words: “All of these prices are terrible in the US, better for Series X in the UK but everything else is stupid here too. Nothing else is honestly worth the current prices.”
At the end of the day, be it an Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo team, everyone can agree that these prices are out of hand. It’s making a lot of gamers reconsider their options, whether for sales, a switch to PC, or to just stick with what they have.
The console market is presently very strange, but these prices are invigorating. The next interesting thing to see will be how this affects sales numbers going forward, especially with the holiday season creeping up. Something’s for sure, the end of affordable gaming consoles is surely approaching, and that’s a down.
