I love Sales! But are they actually bad for gaming?

The huge sales that occur on Steam several times a year are some of my favorite things.  You can usually find some really great deals and pick up some games from your wishlist for a steal.  I will freely admit to being an impulse buyer during these sales.  A game....for $2!  No way you can pass that up!  But are these sales actually a bad thing?  Here's a PBS "GameShow" episode where Jamin investigates how all the big sales and bundles might actually be bad for gaming:

I think that if I actually analyzed many of my purchases during Steam sales that I would find that the games I purchase during these sales usually turn out to be the ones that I don't play much.  This is an unfortunate reality and maybe it does mean that I place a lower value on the games that I buy very cheaply.  There isn't much impetus to play a game that I only paid $2 for where I want to get the most out of something that I paid $60 for.  As much as I want to disagree with this theory I have to admit that it's true.

The sales can't be all bad.  Humble Bundle gives money to charity!  That's a much better reason to buy some games than just to simply have them.  The sales also gives gamers with less cash to spend a chance to buy some games that they've been wanting but can't afford.  I hear a lot of high school students who have a limited income dishing about the latest Steam deals and how they can make the most out of what they have.

I'm going to keep buying games from Steam sales.  I might play them....I might not.  It's nice to have a diverse backlog to choose from and these sales definitely make that possible.