Except that games back in 1990 didn’t sell as many, and only came on physical media. A majority of game sales in 2025 are digital, and they sell more copies. So the cost to print the physical card isn’t there, and they’re selling more copies of that digital game.
The games also take more developers, artists, voice actors, etc. The physical media by most game companies wasn't cutting edge even by the standards of the time which meant the most expensive development had usually happened in other industries. It still cost money but there were good supply chains to tap into meaning the overall cost is less than you're thinking.
31
u/733t_sec 1d ago
Idk about Nintendo either way but this seems to be a long overdue adjustment in the gaming industry after prices were kept at $50 dollars for so long.
Using https://www.usinflationcalculator.com
$50 in 1990 is $122.07 in 2025
$50 in 1999 is $95.76 in 2025