Games aren't special any more

[Bolivar]

Game consoles are getting ridiculously more expensive as are the games themselves. I tend to hold off on next gen consoles until the next ones come out. Now that PS4 it out, I'm aiming to get a PS3 with backward compatibility. I won't get Wii U until much later also. Because average games cost $40-60 in new condition I cannot buy many new games. So for me at least, gaming is an expensive luxury.

This just isn't true. The PS4 is much less expensive than the PS3 was and has launched with a number of AAA-quality titles which are free to download and play (with more on the way). Even the Xbox One is no more expensive than the launch 360 was, and if you factor in inflation (as you can with games) you're actually paying less today than you were back then.

[Loony BoB]

Technically I can afford a lot of games.

Realistically, with all the outgoings I have and all the different things I want to save up for, there is no way that I could afford to just buy a crapload of games. Having said that, I was in GAME just the other day eyeing up pre-owned copies of Assassin's Creed (£3.99) and Assassin's Creed II (£3.99, or £4.99 for GOTY edition). But if you're referring to new games... nah, just can't justify spending £40-50 on a new game every month. I probably could if I weren't so invested in FFXIV. Who knew that a subscription game would be saving me money?

[Pike]

it's with how readily available any game is to me now I'm a grown adult. The scarcity is gone.

I suppose I never experienced this. Growing up, games were always a huge thing in my household and we always had an abundance of them. We had a Commodore 64 in the mid-80s, which is how I did all my gaming back then, and we had at least 150 games for it. Possibly more. I fondly recall memories of being a wee tot and gleefully pouring through our boxes of games and picking out which one to play out of the hundreds. It was truly something special, and Steam largely recreates that experience for me

[Aulayna]

I had this feeling recently when I couldn't afford the new XCOM expansion and the new Zelda. Now I've got XCOM and loving it, and get to buy the new Zelda tomorrow which I'm stoked about.

I do relate that when I have a lot of money gaming loses it's oomph - though that's because I'd just throw money on stuff I'd never normally consider buying, just because I have money. So I've tried to be more restrained in my purchases.

[Spuuky]

Steam sales are legitimately magical

Now THIS is something I miss. I remember when Steam sales were legitimately magical. But then Coal Bots ruined everything, and sales are just sales now.

[black orb]

When I was younger getting a new game was a really big deal. Games were very expensive, and without pocket money I had to rely on second hand deals to get perhaps a game every couple of years. I'd really play a game ragged and re-play it many times.

Now I'm an adult with disposable income I can walk into a shop and buy as many games as I want. At first this was a wonderful feeling, but I have come to take games for granted. I actually have games that I've never taken out of the box. The rarity is gone. They're not special any more, like they used to be.

Relate?

>>> It is your fault for becoming rich..

As for me, I can only afford like 2 or 3 games every year.
so yeah, games are still very special to me..

[Spooniest]

Games that I play when I'm depressed:

Ff4-6

Strider

Super Mario Bros 2

Ninja Gaiden 2

Revenge of Shinobi

Shinobi 3

And occasionally Super Metroid or LTTP

[RocketMBA]

Apologies in advance for my flagrant display of necromancy here.

It's been almost a decade, so I thought I'd revisit my opinion on this. In short: it hasn't changed. In fact, games are less 'special' to me than ever.

Game Pass, however, has made it possible for me to engage in modern-era gaming without great expense or commitment to any one particular game. It's helped me enjoy gaming again, even if gaming can't be a priority time wise.

It's also helped me define my current taste in gaming: I like things I remember. I like the games that trade in nostalgia, that I can pick up and put down like so many of the '90s arcade-style titles. I like low commitment, high fun games that I can play in 15 minute bursts.

I'm also very aware that I'm praising a service that quite frankly makes games feel more throwaway than ever before, but the ease of access and massive choice outweighs that for me.

Relate?