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Do games also cost $50 minimum back in the day ?
Many of today's games just doesn't "feel like it" alongside with the high price tag and thats just the standard edition usually, and with the addition of bs this dlc that adds $20-30 more.

I wonder if games back then also have same or similar tag
Originally posted by Tonepoet:
You can get a sense of what prices used to be like back in the day by looking at toy catalogues. I've reviewed a few but I like this Toys R Us one since it's on Business Insider's site[www.businessinsider.com]

S.N.E.S. and Sega Genesis games used to cost from $40 to $70 and C.D. based games might cost anywhere from $43 to $53 depending on the game (hardware varies in cartridges). The two N64 launch games cost $60. An S.N.E.S. controller cost $15, and a Genesis controller cost $20. Gameboy games cost $20 to $30. Tamagatchi cost $15

In another catalogue I've seen A Link to the Past and Super Mario world valued at $50.
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Most likely. Video games in the US were around 60 dollars at the late 2010s to early 2020s. It wasnt until maybe 2024 and most definitely 2025 that it would go from 60 to 70 for a short time, then to 80 right after.
Back in the day here in NZ a game cost $100 NZD, Sometimes more like when supreme commander came out and the collectors edition was $110.
Originally posted by Ghost Robertson:
Back in the day here in NZ a game cost $100 NZD, Sometimes more like when supreme commander came out and the collectors edition was $110.

I assume the price is somewhere near 200 dollars now?
Originally posted by Emperor Prussia:
I assume the price is somewhere near 200 dollars now?

Highest i see is about $130 NZD, So not too bad from the 1990's to now.
Originally posted by Ghost Robertson:
Originally posted by Emperor Prussia:
I assume the price is somewhere near 200 dollars now?

Highest i see is about $130 NZD, So not too bad from the 1990's to now.

Alright, thats good. Hope it goes down a bit for you Zealanders.
90s and 2000s all games were 5-20, 50 didnt exist.. unless u were a console gamer
Dragon ball sparking zero is $120 when not on special.

Mind you right now with the sale there's some cheap games out there.... $5 - $50

I may have a nosy...
Interesting site post about gaming prices. Mostly focused on consoles, but still interesting. It states average game prices. Right about 50 bucks was standard

https://techraptor.net/gaming/features/cost-of-gaming-since-1970s
Last edited by Glory to God; 16 hours ago
The author of this thread has indicated that this post answers the original topic.
You can get a sense of what prices used to be like back in the day by looking at toy catalogues. I've reviewed a few but I like this Toys R Us one since it's on Business Insider's site[www.businessinsider.com]

S.N.E.S. and Sega Genesis games used to cost from $40 to $70 and C.D. based games might cost anywhere from $43 to $53 depending on the game (hardware varies in cartridges). The two N64 launch games cost $60. An S.N.E.S. controller cost $15, and a Genesis controller cost $20. Gameboy games cost $20 to $30. Tamagatchi cost $15

In another catalogue I've seen A Link to the Past and Super Mario world valued at $50.
Last edited by Tonepoet; 16 hours ago
Nowadays I only buy on sale or in the 40's range when worth it. (Playing PS5, got rid of gaming pc a while ago). I just don't see games worth the 60 let alone 80 pricetag anymore. Most times I lose interest in the game quickly anyway and I don't like the odds of that.
I remember browsing German Neckermann catalog from 90s and Nintendo SNES games were very expensive like 120-150 DM.
Last edited by biesoid; 16 hours ago
$50 in today's economy is like $20 back then.
"Back in the day" you could have a nice, middle-class life, with a house and family in a safe community, for peanuts and it was normal thing.
Mina 16 hours ago 
59.99 tax
Nintendo was charging £80 for Pokémon Stadium back in the day. Somethings just never change.

Some would argue that the quality of games have gone down, but prices have steadily risen. Some would argue that games have increased in quality and should be priced higher.

Personally, I believe people need to stop buying games the day they are released, as I do not think the majority of them are worth the initial asking price.

Modern AAA game development costs have spiraled and the customer is bearing the brunt of poor managerial decisions.
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