this post was submitted on 20 May 2025
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The video game industry has made the jump to $80, first with Nintendo and Mario Kart World, then with Microsoft and its price hike announcement that will kick in this holiday season. Could Borderlands 4 follow suit?

Publisher 2K Games and parent company Take-Two have so-far remained vague on whether they will go to $80, and Randy Pitchford has insisted the decision is out of his control. But, responding to one concerned fan on social media, Pitchford set the cat among the pigeons by saying that if you’re a “real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen.”

Here's the exchange:

"Randy, this game better not be 80 dollars. Don't take that risk, a lot of gamers aren't gonna pay 80 dollars and feed this notion of constant increase of the price tag. You are the CEO, you have some say with the price when it comes to your publisher."

And here's Randy Pitchford's response:

"A) Not my call. B) If you're a real fan, you'll find a way to make it happen. My local game store had Starflight for Sega Genesis for $80 in 1991 when I was just out of high school working minimum wage at an ice cream parlor in Pismo Beach and I found a way to make it happen."

As you’d expect, Pitchford’s comment has sparked a vociferous response.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

My local game store had Starflight for Sega Genesis for $80 in 1991 when I was just out of high school working minimum wage at an ice cream parlor in Pismo Beach and I found a way to make it happen.

What is 80$ in 1991 worth today? calculateme says 190$ adjusted for inflation (in 2025).

What about the minimum wage? dol.gov says $4.25, or $10.08 adjusted for inflation. Since 2009 it's $7.25.

7.25/10.08 = 0,72 or 10.08/7.25 = ~1,40

80/60 = 1.33

So we have a decrease in minimum wage by 30%, but an increase of product price by 30%.

Is this correct? Does that make it 60% more expensive than his personal analogy from 1991?

Man, the two-sided percent reference point is confusing.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I guess a better way to compare this, is the time you needed to work for the product.

So in 1991: 80 $ / 4.25 $/h = 18.82 h

In 2025: 80 $ / 7.25 $/h = 11.03 h.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (1 children)

Don't forget that today, people have less spare money due to skyrocketing housing costs and various other fixed expenses...

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 hours ago

Greedflation on necessities like food, utilities, housing etc etc.