My wife and I have been using our 2nd generation Nintendo Switches for several years, when we need a gaming device on-the-go (road trips, camping, etc), but that device is getting a bit long in the tooth. I was looking to get her a Switch 2, since she really likes the Nintendo platform, and I was eyeing a Steam Deck for my own use.
Well, so much for that.
While Nintendo increased the price of the Switch 2 a little while ago, it was still within reach, if I saved for a holiday gift perhaps. But the massive increase in price on all of the Steam Deck models tells me I just won’t be buying one. Full stop. Ever.
I don’t care if the AI Techbros are buying up all of the RAM and other components for their data centers, these price increases for computers and consoles are simply intolerable! I was lucky enough to buy a mid-level gaming laptop earlier this year, and while it isn’t something I’d want to take camping with me, if my Switch just isn’t up to the challenge of future travel-gaming, then the laptop is just going to have to step up.
Fucking Techbros!
Anyway, I understand the price increases, I really do. But seriously, Steam, Nintendo, and other handheld manufacturers have to realize that their devices are effectively luxury goods. We don’t need them. They aren’t like a phone or a personal computer, which are much more useful overall in our everyday lives. And while it is true that you can load into Computer Mode on some handheld gaming devices, they are remarkably difficult to use in this manner.
They are simply handheld gaming machines, and as such, they are not something we absolutely need in our lives. So by raising the price of such machines by hundreds of dollars, they are suddenly out of reach for many consumers, who are more focused on trying to afford gas for their car and food to feed their families.
In short, this is a really bad move. It makes these companies look greedy in a time when most people are hurting financially.
Seriously, Steam… Read the room.