Many people reacted when it was revealed that Mario Kart World on a cartridge would cost $80, which was ten dollars more than the most expensive Nintendo game to date. But this is just one of many examples of how video game prices have steadily climbed over the past two generations, with companies such as Activision Blizzard, Sony, and Take-Two leading the way.
Most people are aware that PC games are cheaper, but how big is the difference really, and how much has it increased? The GameDiscoverCo (via Polygon) newsletter has now attempted to find out, and the conclusion is surprising. It turns out that while the prices of video games are continuously increasing, the prices of PC games are falling.
The median price of best-selling titles on Steam has fallen by about 20% between February 2023 and autumn 2025, while the average price has fallen by 2%. People seem to be increasingly buying cheaper games such as Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Rematch.
Launching more expensive games makes it harder to find new customers, and the report notes that many titles therefore have launch campaigns with lower prices at release to gain a foothold.
The PC market is thus moving towards more affordable and focused gaming experiences, while console gamers are still mainly flocking to so-called AAA games, which can often cost three times as much money and yet are full of microtransactions and season passes.
Buying a PC costs a pretty penny, but for those who buy a lot of games, it may ultimately break even or even be cheaper with a PC, which is why AAA publishers and console manufacturers are surely keeping an eye on Steam Machines with a combination of fear and interest.