The next generation of console is almost upon us. The prices for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Series S have been revealed, and honestly, they’re not as startling as they could have been. That being said, $500 is still a big expenditure for many people. So big that it might mean not being able to afford a game to go along with it. The gradual reveal that most titles on next-gen consoles will cost $70 when first released has made it even more likely that some gamers might be able to afford a console, but not the games to go with it, at least not right away.
Don’t Blame It On Inflation
The gaming world appears to be split over whether it’s fair of developers to demand $10 more for their creations. Some have argued that this has been a long time coming, and game prices have remained stagnant while the price of other items has risen as years have passed. However, others would argue that the average wage hasn’t increased that much since the price of games last went up when the PS3 and Xbox 360 launched.
That doesn’t mean anyone who is able to do so will have to buy a PS5 or Series X and just stare at it longingly, waiting for the games they want to go on sale. Both Xbox and PlayStation are offering subscription services. In fact, they have been for a while. They will just be pushed harder than ever before starting in November 2020, especially when it comes to Xbox. Microsoft is going all out when it comes to Game Pass, adding EA Play to the party and almost taking away the need for gamers to ever buy an individual game ever again, whether it costs $70 or not.
It Ain’t Sustainable! (Or Is It?)
PlayStation isn’t going in quite as hard as Xbox but still needed to react accordingly to its rival’s Game Pass reveal. PS5 owners with PlayStation Plus will get access to the PlayStation Plus Collection. An array of PS4 classics including a remastered version of The Last Of Us, Bloodborne, and Mortal Kombat X. The list of games included is a long one and will keep gamers busy without them having to spend anything more than the price of their monthly PS Plus subscription.
That’s the key. The key for PlayStation, Xbox, and anyone else across all media who has a subscription service to offer. Those companies would much prefer guaranteed money from customers every single month than a one-off lump sum. While games will have obviously become more expensive to make as time has passed, the real reason for subscription services being introduced to the gaming world in a major way is to get gamers used to them. Movies have Netflix, music has Spotify, and before we know it, video games will have Game Pass and PlayStation Plus.
As is the case with a lot of things like this, gaming is a little behind the curve. DVDs and CDs became somewhat archaic years ago, yet physical copies of games are still big sellers. PS5’s digital edition is a big tell that discs will soon become a thing of the past in gaming too, although the limited number of them available might prove we’re not all the way there quite yet. As for subscription services, we wouldn’t be surprised if more gamers relied on them than individual releases by the end of this generation. That’s despite PlayStation claiming they can’t copy Xbox’s plans with Game Pass, as it wouldn’t be sustainable.
