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Were Classic Game Consoles Really Cheaper Than a PS5?

Last Updated on November 12, 2020

Thinking about a £500 PS5? Maybe the cheaper £350 PS5 Digital Edition? Or maybe you’re looking at the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S for £500 and £250?

And those prices are before you factor in games and accessories like an extra game controller.

No doubt you’re looking at the price and thinking “it was never that much for a Sega back in the day!” But are you 100% sure? Twitter user Will Freeman (@spadgy_OTA) has spent a bit of time researching the figures and adjusting for inflation. The result? Well, it suddenly the failure of the Sega Saturn becomes far clearer…

https://twitter.com/pidg/status/1326132479095398401

To recap, that’s:

  • NES – £260

  • Master System – £288

  • SNES – £344

  • Mega Drive – £477

  • Saturn – £800

  • N64 – £485

  • GameCube – £220

  • Xbox – £510

  • Wii – £270

  • Xbox 360 – £325

  • Xbox One – £510

Compared to all of this is the £249 of the new Xbox Series S, for £249. Of course, the industry is very different in the 2020s to the 1990s and early 2000s (although overall sales were greater for previous generations) but the comparative price of the Sega Saturn is remarkable.

Still fancy that old Sega Saturn on eBay? Currently selling for £50-£90 it now seems a comparative bargain!

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