Why Are Gaming Consoles So Expensive

By Philip Woods

A common question many people will ask is why are gaming consoles so expensive. This is not a new question as it has been asked all throughout the history and development of consumer electronics gaming. One reason they ask this is due to worries about gaming consoles becoming obsolete.

So what answer can a consumer look for when he or she is concerned about spending hundreds of dollars on a gaming console that may become quickly outdated? The answer to such a question will not likely be found in a popular electronics or entertainment magazine. They generally do not deal with issues related to the high costs of such models and their highly expansive game systems.

What is the reason for all of this? Long time gamers probably have an idea why it is so as they may remember way back when the Atari first debuted in the'70s. The system truly did amaze people even though it was an extremely primitive system that had little more than blips, balls, and squares moving across the screen. Yet, the Atari was state of the art for the time and it sold enormously well.

Roughly during this same time period, the growth of home computers had been occurring but these computers were little more than supped up typewriters and word processors. Then, along came the classic Commodore 64 and its floppy disk drive which opened the door for computer gaming. Yes, Atari had more gaming options but the Commodore was unique. Namely, it launched simulation combat games which proved very novel and popular.

Technology began to change and alter in what seemed like an overnight fashion. The Nintendo soon debuted and it was a shocker to most. The world of Super Mario Bros. made its debut and it caught the imagination of gamers everywhere. They would soon revel in the world of the Nintendo and sales exploded.

Then, more systems and companies arrived and fell amidst a great deal of marketplace competition. Although Atari did its very best to stay relevant in a changing world, it soon faded from the spotlight. More advanced systems along the lines of Intellivision, and ColecoVision appeared and then just as quickly faded away. From this rapidly competitive marketplace, systems such as Nintendo, Sega, and Playstation all seemed to come out on top as their own unique aspects all contributed to their success.

The growth of computer gaming expanded as well as graphics and sound on PC games became better. Consumers started to take a second look at computer gaming and this made it a hit once again. As the games became more interactive, more people were drawn to them.

Soon after, the development of the CD game arrived and this was another huge plus. The amount of info capable of being stored on a CD was vast. This further created opportunities for advanced sound and graphics.

Computer and console games seem to go back and forth amongst themselves in terms of their popularity. Now, role playing games have entered into the equation as well. Much of this has become possible thanks to the ability to connect the gaming consoles to the internet. Really, the world of gaming is wide open and the future look bright. After all, it is always constantly evolving. - 29872

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