It feels like a universal truth these days: video games have never been worse, and consumer electronics prices are defying all laws of economics. If you’ve taken to Twitter or Reddit in the last few years, this sentiment is as common as seeing an open-world game with three hours of cutscenes before allowing movement.

The Illusion of Declining Quality

Before we scream into the void about broken servers and predatory monetization, let’s address the elephant in the room. Is gaming actually worse?

• Inflation Reality: The reason your favorite indie darling costs $70 instead of $69 isn’t because developers are greedy; it is simply that wages for skilled labor have skyrocketed everywhere.
• The Golden Age Comparison: We tend to remember the classics like Super Mario Bros or Fallout while conveniently forgetting their bugs and limitations. Every era has its “bad” games, but we judge them through a rose-colored lens of nostalgia.

Why Your Desk Costs $450 When You Have No Cash Left

This is the other half of your frustration: why can’t I get a desk for under 500$? We are living in an era where furniture retailers have replaced their brick-and-mortar stores with warehouse giants like IKEA, yet prices keep rising.

The Cost-of-Living Crisis

It is simple economics. When the cost of shipping lumber and gas triples due to global supply chain issues, that price hits your desk in hard mode. A “cheap” desk from last year might have been built with materials costing 20% less than what we are paying today.

The Retail Markup Game

Retailers need a buffer for returns and logistics. If you buy a brand new gaming chair, expect to pay significantly more because the “new” price tag includes these built-in costs that used market prices do not capture.

Conclusion: Just Buy Used or Build It

The solution is twofold. For games, embrace second-hand digital keys or wait for a 50% sale to treat yourself guilt-free. For desks, consider buying online direct from manufacturers without the markup layer of big-box stores, or perhaps build your own using reclaimed materials.

So, take a deep breath. The games aren’t actually worse; we just have higher standards and less money in our wallets compared to 2015.