August 22, 2024: Compared To The 1980s, Games Are Cheap!

One thing I appreciate more as I've gotten older is the embarrassment of riches I get from all avenues of gaming. The classic computer game Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar cost $59.95 at its time of release in 1985, which – according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index inflation calculator – has the same buying power as about $174 today.

While researching Ultima IV, I came across this quote from Dragon Magazine #110, in their "new" column devoted to computer gaming: "There is a great deal of difference between paying around $8 for a game module or, say, $20 for a new boxed game and laying out $39 to $59 for a computer game."

That was the June 1986 issue, but those numbers are ludicrously close to modern prices in a lot of ways, especially with digital distribution. Can I interest you in a copy of (say) Dungeon Fantasy: The Devil's Workshop for $6? Or perhaps Munchkin Lite or Munchkin Spell Skool for $19.95? Until very recently, $59.95 was the default price for new video-game releases . . . and of course, thousands of top-tier games are available constantly for much less.

Obviously you can spend a bunch of money on games. But compared to a few decades ago? It's amazing how wildly affordable our fun hobby is.

-- Steven Marsh