console market is in early 80s territory and even gta 6 might not pull it out

Saw a GamesRadar piece today where some analyst is saying the US console market hasn't been this shaky since the early 80s. PS5 and Xbox Series X prices are at all-time highs, and the kicker is they think even GTA 6 might not be enough to pull it out of the slump.

I get the concern. Hardware prices have been creeping up for a while, and now with GTA 6 landing November 19, people are paying absurd money for consoles. There's already a thread about Gamestop selling used PS5 Pros for $1400 because of demand. That's not healthy.

The early 80s comparison feels dramatic though. That was a total market collapse, shovelware everywhere, Atari burying cartridges in the desert. We're not there. But if the only way to play GTA 6 at launch is a $500+ box and the price keeps climbing, a lot of casual players are going to hold off. Maybe they wait for a PC port that hasn't even been announced, or just watch streams.

I'm still locked in for PS5, pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition back in June. But I can see why an analyst would be nervous. GTA 6 is huge, but it can't fix a pricing problem if the entry cost keeps scaring people away.

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Source: GamesRadar+ · Curated content.