Just a Consumer in an Anti-Consumerist World

Lately there has been an undercurrent of pricing ridiculousness.  I've mentioned the insanity that is the current GPU pricing nightmare, but there have also been several discussions about the pricing of upcoming gaming titles.  A new piece of controversy entered the arena when Gearbox's CEO (Randy Pitchford) responded to someone questioning the proposed $80 price of the upcoming Borderlands 4 by stating that "If you're a true fan you'll make it happen." (Here's a link to Rock, Paper, Shotgun's article about the original statement and then the backtracking: article)  Collective jaws dropped at the audacity and there was a lot of internet griping about the smugness of these tech overlords.  (Sidenote: Mr. Pitchford did back off of this statement as the backlash got more and more backlash-ier)

I don't agree with Mr. Randy (although the tariffs are greatly complicating pricing predictions) but we have heard multiple big developers state that the costs of producing these massive games has gone up (should we really call Borderlands massive though?).  For a game like GTA VI, maybe a price increase is a bit more understandable--you get a big, awesome singleplayer game and an online multiplayer world that is continually being developed.  I do not think the supposed $100 price seems realistic, but I guess we will see.

The honest reality of all these situations is that as consumers there's basically only one thing we can do and that is to not pay these high prices.  But--and here's the big BUT--unfortunately, people will pay those prices and that gives these companies zero impetus to actually change anything.  I've seen a ton of anger at GPU pricing...but then you see stuff that is constantly sold out!  (*and yes, pricing right now in the U.S. is very much being complicated by tariff nonsense)  So, sadly, I don't think anything is going to change.

In the GPU market things are even further complicated by the lack of competition in the GPU sector.  You either go NVIDIA or AMD (sure, Intel sort of seems like they're trying to join the fray)--those are your choices.  NVIDIA has done some scummy stuff lately (see video below from Gamers Nexus) that makes me want to opt for AMD, but the pricing on the 9070xt is absolutely nuts.  And realistically, NVIDIA makes only 20% of its revenue from GPU's, so why would they even care about doing better?  I'm still crossing my fingers that pricing drops when the 9060/xt releases in early June.

Maybe Steve from Gamers Nexus is right that gaming is going to become a much more expensive hobby.  Maybe it's just a confluence of unfortunate economic conditions like inflation and tariffs?  Le sigh--all we can do is wait and see.

I don't want to end on a downer note, so everyone have a happy long Memorial Day weekend!