by Eric Bailey

Created on: April 20, 2009

To a thrifty consumer in less-than-confident economic times, video games can seem like an overly pricy purchase. Each console costs hundreds of dollars, and accessories such as controllers can burn dozens more. The games can cost upwards of $50 for new titles, representing a total that could be spent on a week's worth of groceries or a full tank of gas.

In a culture where pennies are being pinched and the entire idea of savings is receiving renewed examination, how can such an apparently frivolous cost be justified? There are, actually, a few relevant points to consider in appraising the value of video games.

Hobbyist Legitimacy

Human beings are rather widely varied in their personalities, including aspects of their behaviors, desires, goals, enjoyments, mental faculties, and countless other components. Due to these differences, some sociological matters are a matter of opinion, and will always remain so. For instance, many believe that electronic gaming is an unproductive waste of time with widespread social consequences, whereas others believe it provides a richly rewarding experience with numerous personal benefits.

Few would argue, though, that a great many people enjoy video gaming. It has become a multi-billion dollar industry, with millions of participants around the world. As the hobby of choice among players, it stands as among the more popular pastimes, easily outweighing many sports and other activities. Among these, it is inarguably more expensive than many, but also cheaper than some such as paintball, motorized racing, and other examples; but, if these are accepted as legitimate enterprises despite their cost, it is difficult to mount a similar argument against console gaming.

Longevity

There exists a prominent, viable following of "retro gaming," where many gamers are still playing their favorite games on older systems no longer supported by new titles. Some of these units, such as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), are especially popular, and are still enjoying play over two decades later.

In fact, video gaming is still a new enough phenomenon that we have yet to see the upper limit of its systems' longevities! With proper care and maintenance, which requires very minimal time and monetary investment, these video game systems can last longer than most models of cars on the road. Unlike some hobbies that demand a constant renewal of spent resources, video games hold an inherent "replay value" that ensures they can be played repeatedly for years.

Cost

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