PlayStation 6 game prices already have fans on edge, and we can see why

With the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, and many eyes now pointing to the next hardware iterations of Xbox and PlayStation, fans are concerned.

Not over the quality of these platforms, but over the potential runaway prices of games, which are steadily increasing and causing fears that they will be priced out of the hobby when PlayStation 6 arrives.

In the past couple of months we’ve seen Mario Kart World priced at $80, and just this week The Outer Worlds 2 confirmed an $80 price point, also.

With the amount of work that goes into AAA games nowadays, it’s no surprise that prices are increasing, but what does that mean for the next batch of consoles and PC hardware?

We’re starting to see a lot of concern from players, with Reddit featuring plenty of threads titled, “PS6 game prices will probably start at $80,” or similar.

If I might interject with my own thoughts; it’s easy to see why fans are fearful of these price jumps.

Many of us appreciate that hard work should be rightfully rewarded, and profits are a great way to reward the hard work of developers.

However, there are two issues here; firstly, who’s to say that profit actually makes it to the bottom of the pyramid, and not just gobbled up by greedy CEOs in their annual bonuses?

Secondly, the prices of entertainment are rising, but wages aren’t staying in line, which makes them all the more unaffordable.

$80 might be a fair price for the volume of work and the quality of the game, but when that’s equal to an electricity bill, or a couple of weeks of groceries, it becomes impossible for those passionate enough to want to play.

As one Redditor puts it, “[this is] late stage capitalism in full swing.”

Should this situation continue, publishers will start to see fewer day one sales and increased purchasing during sales, or on the secondhand market.