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Xbox One, PS4 launch prices compared to inflation-adjusted launches of old
The Xbox One and PlayStation 4's $500 and $400 launch price points (respectively) aren't necessarily what we'd call "svelt," but they're also not as expensive as consoles have been in the past. Even ignoring last generation's $600 PlayStation 3 launch, the annals of video game history are riddled with consoles that, when adjusted for inflation, make this holiday season seem like a bargain in comparison. The Intellivision cost $300 when it originally launched in 1979, which doesn't sound all that out of the ordinary – adjust for inflation, however, and that's the equivalent of $849 in 2013 dollars, according to Ars Technica's breakdown of console launch prices and their respective histories. The Panasonic R.E.A.L. 3DO was far and away the most expensive console in history with its $700 launch in 1993, which translates to $1,127 in today's skrilla. Hit up the source link below for more graphs comparing the cost of each console over its lifetime, both as a percentage change and a dollar figure adjusted for modern inflation.
Wii U launch price compared against history
In Japan, the Wii U is an expensive prospects, but that price didn't translate directly here in the States. With a lower-end SKUs, Nintendo is able to hit that $300 spot while catering to a more hardcore fan base.Gamasutra looked back at all of the previous console launches and documented their initial prices, adjusting for inflation. If the Sega Genesis launched today, it would cost $352; the original PlayStation would be $450. Just, uh, don't ask us what the Neo-Geo or 3DO would cost. ($1,138 and $1,113!)With the projected price inflation in mind, it's suggested that the Xbox 360 would be priced at $387 and the base model PS3 (it launched with two SKUs, remember?) would fetch $570.
