Well since the PS3 bat-shit loco announcement that it would cost $599 for the full (or more like "complete") version, console prices are all the rage in forums around the world. Aparently this is going to be the most expensive generation we've seen. The problem is nobody's taking in count that the dollar has been loosing its real value over the years. Lets take a look at this graph, it shows console prices of every single generation: Now check this one with adjusted inflation over the years: Basically, with the minimun wage of every dacede you were paying way more for a NeoGeo, Intellivision or 3DO that for a combined X360 and Wii, or even X360 and PS3. Hell, you payed more for your Xbox that for your X360.... Graphs from Curmudgeon Gamer
2 key problems with that. Firstly the price of the PS3 is both a physical barrier (i.e. if I buy it I can't eat for a month) and a psychological barrier (i.e. That looks like a lot of money). People don't pay attention to inflation, just the pure numbers. The second problem is that even with inflation, excluding the first gen of consoles (New technology, so always expensive) the only consoles priced more than the PS3 are the 3DO, cd-i and saturn. Not consoles particularly reknown for being successful (in the US at least.)
I get your point, but we're always discussing high-end stuff here. People who dont care about inflation dont care about HDMI, tilt sensors, processing power of any of that stuff either. They will buy the PS3 just becos it has the Playstation brand all over it. And second, check the graph again: almost every console of the very first generation (chanel F to 5200) has a price higher than the PS3.
I agree (about not eating for a month) Also people did have more diposable income in the past or simply saved the money over one year to buy a console for a christmas present. Salaries in the US have not kept up with inflation. Fo example my mom earned $35,000 out of college in the late 70's. Many college graduates today can expect to earn $35,000 to $40,000 today. So even though consoles have basically remained within a certian price range the number of people who can actually pay that price has decreased. The difference between why people will buy a PS3 and did not buy a 3DO has to do with credit. Nobody in thier right mind in the late 80's and early 90's would have put a $700 console on a credit card.
Basically the opposite of what you just said. Salaries are way higher now, and people have more disposable income now than they have in any other time in US history. $35k out of college in 1975? Your mother was rich. Average salary in the US throughout the: 70's: $7564 click me 80's: $15,757 click me 90's: only hourly rate of $13.37 given Considering teachers made $40 in 1998, that's not a bad basis for average of the decade. A mere 6.5x the average in the 70's. I'm sure there's more statistics out there, but these seem pretty accurate to me.
Well statistics show that more and more americans are spending more, getting into more debt, not saving money, and not making enough money to be able to retire securely. Its official that now in FL. A person that makes $50k a year cannot afford a house now because prices are thru the roof and there is no sign whatsoever that income will rise in the next coming years. Average cost of a home now in central FL is $270,000. The $600 figure is expected due to inflation, etc. but will it be worth $600 to the consumer once they start using it?
Right on that madhatter, wages aren't as high as costs go. What really scares me is that that's one of the early symptoms of hyperinflation. If you want to know how this would fuck us for real, Wiki for "post WWI germany" to find out. And Gaijin, the problem isnt how many dollars you make, but the real value of each dollar. For example, back in the 50s you could get a nice-medium car, in the range of today's Accord or Camry, for about $600, and that price didnt go up much until oil peaked in texas. In fact I saw a documentary about Ferrari the other day. Do you know you could get one in the 70s for only $20000? today you barely get a Civic Si with that, that's made in mexico, while the Ferrari was imported and hand-made in Italy.
This is arguably due more to culture and lack of intelligence rather than inflation. At least is my opinion. It's just the nature of the beast (credit). I can only comment on one other nation that I've lived in, and that's Japan. It has seen a much larger fluctuation than the US (huge bubble in the 80's w/ a sharp, then steady recession) but the average Japanese is not in debt, and average salaries are low, especially for young people. The difference? Credit cards were generally looked down on until recently. It'll be interesting to see where they are in 10 years.
You are mistaking disposable income for median and average income. People under the $50,000 salary mark in the US have LESS disposable income than thier 70's and 80's equivilant wage earners. If we need to turn this into a debate with cited sources let me know and I will make a post so long the thread will be closed.
I don't agree with all those numbers. My Neo Geo gold was not $650, it was $499. My intellivision was 249, and i remember the TG-16 was $299 when it first hit the US. Are these numbers the SRP, what is your source?
The Sega/Victor Wondermega RG-M1 cost $600 when it was released. Look how many of those were(n't) sold.
I don't know about that, real wages have been pretty much stagnant since the 70s unless you're a CEO or something. Somebody want to look up some statistics? Becasue I'm pretty sure that's the case.
Well, I posted the only ones I could find, and they express the exact opposite. Either you guys lived in an alternate universe, or my parents were poor as shit. The other thing you have to take into consideration is that the economic world as a whole is organic and is ever changing. If you look hard enough, I'm sure you will find an economic analysts on both sides of the argument.
All those points raised are valid up to some extent, but let's not forget it's the PlayStation we're talking about. It has been synonymous with "video games" since last generation for most (ignorant) laypersons. If they want video games, they'll think PlayStation, and seeing how much PlayStation costs they may just go the extra mile to keep the kid happy, not even considering the technological leap or HDMi and 1080p or tilting technology. Most people don't think twice before they go out and buy something. That's why one should never trust a credit card in the hands of most women. (no offence, it's a reality I see every weekend down in city center)
Yeah so was Sega and then the Saturn hit . And was followed by the Dreamcast . Dont let a companies size fool you into thinking they can't fail . (GM) Also I know it has been said again and again but straight up wii+360 is a better combo than PS3. But the PS3 will sell out like crazy due to every asshole trying to make a buck on ebay . I think it will be funny if after all that trouble they make like 30 dollars after fees etc. due to low consumer demand .
At $600 the PS3 is just plain expensive, no matter what data you can show me from the past. It's my *perception* that says it's overpriced, mostly based on the other bundle of goods I can buy for the same price, and my perception overrules any statistical data. With a new console and +/- 4 games you're close to $1,000. With other enthusiasts, whether it be audio, video, whatever, only the hard core fans seem to step up to spend that kind of money. Video game consoles have sold hundreds and hundreds of millions of units. It's supposed to be entertainment for the masses, not a piece of high end equipment like a plasma TV. It seems that a lot of companies got out of the market in the 90s becasue they tried to make their consoles high end units. Pippin comes to mind, so does Neo Geo AES. I think there's a max people are willing to pay for this form of entertainment. You're really at $700 to own a PS3...the console, one game, and tax. $700 for one game is what it comes down to, and I dont see myself paying that kind of money for video game entertainment, especially not in Japan where you can't rent games. I'm still trying to guess who Sony's market is for this console? I'm assuming I'm it...32, single, gamer...? It's not families. It's not college kids. It's not kids. It's not A/V guys. The fact is that I'm not hearing anyone say that they believe the price is fair and Sony will have to overcome that at some point. I'd rather spend the cash on a HiDef TV and play on my 360.
That's a bold statement considering two of those three consoles aren't even released. I know I'd be far happier w/ a PS2 rather than a Gamecube and an Xbox, even if the PS2 was 3x the cost of the other two combined.
