Sacred Symbols+, Episode XXXI: Economics (Patreon)

With news of PlayStation 5 hopefully on the horizon, it goes without saying that a major focus is going to be cost: Cost of the hardware, cost of the software, and the overall cost of doing business, particularly when compared to its competition. Thing is, there's a lot that goes into pricing a console and its games, and this new generation might just turn it all on its head. Games are indeed cheaper than they've ever been; the systems may just get into that range of historic affordability, too. But it's not so simple, not when you take into account inflation, the realities of business, the growing expectations of the audience, and a possible race-to-the-bottom on marketplaces that could potentially crater the entire industry. So let's spend some time discussing the almighty dollar, and figure out where everything stands... and why.