A vast majority of gamers in Bengaluru are in disarray over the sudden price hike for new consoles and gaming PC’s. While the announcement of new versions of the PS4 and Xbox One excited the gaming community, they will be priced at least 15-20k more than its predecessors which has left gamers shocked in disbelief. “I already own the Xbox One and now to continue gaming I simply cannot afford to shell out Rs 45,000 for the new Xbox One X,” says a disgruntled Rohan SM, an animator.
Gamers face a huge dilemma as the new console releases by Sony and Microsoft will be given first preference while older systems will be neglected. “The most commonly played games are sports games, shooters and strategy games, shelling out 15 to 20k for a gaming processor alone makes building a gaming PC difficult. Buying the New PS4 and Xbox also hits the wallet as all their games now range around 4-5k each,” says Rohit Raj P an avid FIFA gamer.
On the PC gaming front, Intel and AMD have released their new generation of processors that far exceed in power than used in current computers. This poses a problem for gamers seeing as their current systems will soon become obsolete. Ashwin Kannery, a game designer in Bengaluru believes that this is all a marketing ruse, “It isn’t easy for game developers to immediately start working with new technology when they are used to older platforms, so gamers need not worry about buying a new gaming PC or the new PS4 or Xbox as developers will continue to support older systems for the next three to four years.
Gamers can still rely on havens such as gaming parlours like the famous LXG (League Of Extraordinary Gamers) or the Alienware Gaming Zone. But who’s to say that in order to incorporate the new consoles, these parlours might increase their charges as well.
