I saw an interesting infographic on neoGAF that purports to show a bunch of old consoles, with their launch-time prices adjusted for inflation. If you think the PlayStation 4 costs way too much money, at its US launch price of $399. The Neo-Geo’s price, adjusted for inflation, might make you vomit.
Check it out.
There are some interesting tidbits there. One, is that the pretty damned amazing Dreamcast, a console way a head of its time, launched at an incredible $200, which is amazing value. Also interesting is that according to the graphic, the Neo-Geo would now cost $1125, which is a ludicrous amount of money for a console. Of course, the thing launched at the ludicrous price of $650 back in 1990 – but it’s essentially the same hardware that powered SNK’s arcade games .
While this graphic is very nice to look at, and handy to reference, it does come from the internet, without any sources, and could just be made up. It does, however, come close to the approximations of similar, yet less graphically inclined chart of the same from a rather cool, in-depth article on Gamasutra, whose figures I trust a little more. It’s worth stating that that article is from last year, so this graphic could be based on newer inflation rates. My own calculations using a handy-dandy tool at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics spits out completely different figures, saying the Neo Geo would now be $1161.48 if it were to be purchased with today’s money.
Last Updated: December 17, 2013
TiMsTeR1033
December 17, 2013 at 14:35
The Gamecube the console that had the potential to be great!
JJ's horrible secret (John)
December 17, 2013 at 14:37
Cheap too.
TiMsTeR1033
December 17, 2013 at 14:41
I was soo close to getting one, but then all of a sudden they stopped being stocked and basically faded away!
oVg
December 17, 2013 at 14:58
Ill cut and paste that for after the Wii U suffers the same fate.
dylbobjohnjoe
December 17, 2013 at 19:28
Have one sitting in my cupboard, havent found the time to play ocarina of time as yet. DAT BACKLIST.
dylbobjohnjoe
December 17, 2013 at 19:28
Have one sitting in my cupboard, havent found the time to play ocarina of time as yet. DAT BACKLIST.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
December 18, 2013 at 11:42
Gah! Dat BlackList…. 🙁 It’s the bane of my life too. One day, I will finish you Enchanted Arms!! ONE DAY!!!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
December 18, 2013 at 11:41
Nintendo botched that one so badly… sigh! 🙁
Sageville
December 17, 2013 at 14:36
$650 in 1990!!!! EISH!
Who bought the NeoGeo? Own up now…
HvR
December 17, 2013 at 14:45
In my school the rich kids had Mega drives the rest of us had fake NESs.
I think the NeoGeo kids had private tutors.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
December 18, 2013 at 11:43
Or they all went to Bishops… :/
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
December 18, 2013 at 11:43
I had a golden China… that’s how we rolled back in the day! 😛
Sageville
December 18, 2013 at 12:02
I think I was on a Commodore Vic 20 back then
http://www.commodore.ca/gallery/brochures/vic-20/VIC-20_friendly_brochure_p1.jpg
JJ's horrible secret (John)
December 17, 2013 at 14:36
Cool. Saw this earlier today. Feels like my PS1 was so much cheaper. Strange.
I think the NES is probably one of the most memorable consoles for me still.
Hammersteyn
December 17, 2013 at 14:41
NES almost the same price as a PS4 O_o
HvR
December 17, 2013 at 14:48
I think it was in SA terms, the rand was worth more than double it is now days. Also didn’t we get the first “slim”/2nd release version only in the end of 1995.
JJ's horrible secret (John)
December 17, 2013 at 14:50
We did yes. And as far as I remember the PS1 (the slim one) was quite a bit cheaper.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
December 18, 2013 at 12:03
Yep, the rand was pretty strong during much of the 90s, but I remember it was artificially weakened to make our exporters more competitive – of course we also got nailed during the mid-00s by nefarious currency speculators and traders who left us with the shocker of 1 pound to almost R20. Now that was rough! There was a year that I barely bought any games. Couldn’t afford them.
And recently, it’s been a combination of a weakened dollar, local uncertainty and just plain ol’ funk!
Hammersteyn
December 17, 2013 at 14:40
Good guy SONY. Kicking inflation straight in it’s nuts.
TiMsTeR1033
December 17, 2013 at 14:43
So in 1995 – 6 The Ps1 was going for R3000?? seriously!!
Xcalibersa
December 17, 2013 at 15:04
$1 -> R 4 (1996)
Hendrik
December 17, 2013 at 15:15
Funny, I bought mine for R899.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
December 18, 2013 at 11:48
I got mine for R899 as well (97 I think) – from Incredible Corruption. I probably still have the damn slip.
oVg
December 17, 2013 at 14:55
The Gamecube was R999 10 years ago while the PS2 was R2999.
10 years later and the PS2 is still more than the Gamecube (R1499 with game). Go figure.
RinceGivesRspectsToMadiba
December 17, 2013 at 15:12
That’s if you can find one, seeing as they are not being made any more…
RinceGivesRspectsToMadiba
December 17, 2013 at 15:11
Anyone got a PS2 they want to sell?!
JJ's horrible secret (John)
December 17, 2013 at 15:13
No, but I know of a few people looking to sell a mother-in-law.
RinceGivesRspectsToMadiba
December 17, 2013 at 15:14
Shame bro, bad weekend? We missed you on Sat! Was a load of fun.
JJ's horrible secret (John)
December 17, 2013 at 15:22
Had quite a bit of fun Saturday night and Sunday, the rest was meh. Could’ve done with some beers with you peeps.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 17, 2013 at 15:24
If Rince had a beer for every time he sliced the ball he would have drowned. *run*
JJ's horrible secret (John)
December 17, 2013 at 15:25
Hahaha. I think I would’ve been very good competition for Rince then for most slicing.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
December 18, 2013 at 11:48
I have a PS2 you can play on….
Mitok
December 19, 2013 at 00:11
I do check it out. You can contact me through Kijiji.
http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-video-games-consoles-older-generation-Playstation-2-original-phat-with-2-games-W0QQAdIdZ498680785
joel
November 30, 2015 at 18:29
i will sell u my ps1 if interesting
CAE9872
December 17, 2013 at 16:26
I am fortunate to have a Neo Geo (and Neo Geo CD actually…and the Pocket). I ddn’t buy it launch obviously but got it about 5-6 years ago on import.
We shall say this – postage > cost of console…eish! Things we do…
It is my most prized possession in “nice to have”. But the games – man those things cost more than the console itself. Want Metal Slug – put aside $1 000 to $2 000. And that isnt the rarest game available.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 18, 2013 at 08:47
got a pic of your collection? 🙂
CAE9872
December 18, 2013 at 09:12
Will upload something today/tomorrow perhaps. It’s a pretty big collection now – must be in excess of 900 games (all originals) spread across 21/22 systems. To be fair the 900 does include downloadable only games for example i.e. many stuff you cannot physically buy.
Neo Geo stuff is only 11 AES games and a couple for Pocket and CD consoles. Haven’t gotten around to building those yet! But one day!
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 18, 2013 at 10:32
Awesome. I love seeing people’s collections.
CAE9872
December 19, 2013 at 21:12
As requested Geoff. TV setup which at the moment just has the 360, PS3 and PS4 up. Vita and 3DS all ready to be charged as well.
2nd image shows some collectables with GH3, GT5, Killzone and God of War 3. This cabinet houses the consoles (most in boxes due to space) and collection of Games TM and Edge magazines (mostly).
Otherwise the other images just show “PS cupboard”, Xbox/Dreamcast collection, Nintendo cupboard and handhelds. Final pic is Neo Geo games I have (small at the moment as mentioned).
I have some systems where I just have one or two games – notably a Japanese Sega Saturn with Street Fighter, and Turbo Grafx with one game.
However, with digital being what it is nowadays a lot of stuff on consoles now obviously which is a bitter-sweet experience as a collector. I am not a PC gamer at all so have no games for that at all.
I am lucky enough to have my workplace as my games room as well – so the games are around me most days when not at clients/lecturing. Nice space to be in.
lawzifer
December 18, 2013 at 00:09
so the ps4 back n the day would have been about 200$… neat
Brian Murphy
December 18, 2013 at 05:58
Lies! How do I know this? Because you wouldn’t be paying dollars, you’d be paying in Rand!
Francis Viviers
December 18, 2013 at 07:54
Where is the sega megadrive! I had a “golden china” actually, cheap ripoff of a NES!
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 18, 2013 at 08:47
It’s there! In the US, it was called the Sega Genesis.
Francis Viviers
December 18, 2013 at 08:52
and so you learning something new every day?
James@ swift-codes.org
December 18, 2013 at 08:36
Cool. Saw this earlier today. Feels like my PS1 was so much cheaper. Strange.
I think the NES is probably one of the most memorable consoles for me still…
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 18, 2013 at 08:47
The NES and SNES are the most memorable systems for me by far. Ingrained all that gaming love.
James@ swift-codes.org
December 18, 2013 at 08:52
You are a real gammer
RinceGivesRspectsToMadiba
December 18, 2013 at 08:59
Totally with you on that man.
CAE9872
December 18, 2013 at 09:13
Hmmm ashamed to say I dont have a NES or SNES…had a Megadrive back in the day though…cool machine.
James@ swift-codes.org
December 18, 2013 at 11:32
Its ok dear
James@ swift-codes.org
December 18, 2013 at 11:32
you are so nice
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
December 18, 2013 at 11:41
Playstation 1 and 2 – still the best consoles ever created (Honourable mention to the GameCube 😀 )
PachterStation
December 18, 2013 at 19:12
I paid £149 for my white Wii U (brand new from Amazon). US price would work out at $244. But in the UK, the Wii U can sell for £300 tops, so that’s $492. If you take those US prices and convert them into UK prices, you’d have nightmares.
Losyak
December 19, 2013 at 04:20
Article says PS4 costs $499… Fix please
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 19, 2013 at 07:09
Fixed. Thanks.
Joe
December 19, 2013 at 06:07
“If you think the PlayStation 4 costs way too much money, at its US launch price of $499”
$399. It’s even in the image you posted.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
December 19, 2013 at 07:09
Fixed! Stupid fingers.
viv
January 7, 2014 at 03:46
So until this gen Sony have been massive pricks? Good work. Bit late now given the state of the industry.
Gurfteh Singh
August 8, 2014 at 13:36
i have a ps1 where do i sell it
lolol
January 21, 2015 at 18:03
a ps1 would cost thousands
joel
November 30, 2015 at 18:37
how do u know and where can i sell my ps1 then please help ??
joel
November 30, 2015 at 18:27
i got a ps1 if anyone interesting on buying it i am located in houston tx please contact me to my email martinez.joel1996@hotmail.com