Gaming Is UNRECOGNISABLE In 2024
5. The Majority Of Gamers Are Priced OUT Of What They Love
Though players have more options than ever for how to play their games today, it's also fair to say that gaming can be an incredibly expensive hobby, and one which is simply left out of reach for many in today's fraught global economic situation.
Is it really reasonable that the average AAA game now costs £60-70 when wages aren't rising with inflation? PC and console markets alone generated roughly $100 billion in revenue in 2023, and yet the price-hiking of blockbuster games has ultimately left many waiting for sales or, worse still, not bothering at all.
This has likely further contributed to the uptick in free-to-play gaming models in recent years, with varying degrees of artistic success depending on how pervasively the inevitable microtransactions are integrated.
Ultimately, it's depressing that so many are being priced out of the medium they have so much love and passion for, all in an effort to drive the relentless pursuit of profitability.