Where Do the Gamers Go Now?
When the price of your favourite pastime goes up, you have two choices. You either grumble and pay, or you find a cheaper hobby. I suspect we’re about to see a significant shift in behaviour. The most obvious beneficiary? The good old personal computer. PC gaming has always been seen as the more expensive cousin to console gaming, but the lines are blurring. A decent gaming rig might have a higher upfront cost, but the long term value, with cheaper games and no online subscription fees, suddenly looks a lot more appealing.
We could also see a boom in the secondary market. Why buy a brand new, more expensive console when you can pick up a perfectly good pre-owned one? This could create an interesting ripple effect, benefiting retailers who specialise in refurbished tech whilst potentially eating into the new unit sales that companies like Sony depend on.