Six years after its $500 debut, Microsoft's Xbox platform now anchors a market where even standard consoles cost $800 and a commemorative edition may reach $900 — a threshold that would once have seemed implausible. Across the industry, Sony and Nintendo have followed similar trajectories, driven by RAM shortages, tariffs, and supply chain strain that have inverted the historical pattern of hardware growing cheaper over time. What was once positioned as a democratic entertainment medium is quietly becoming a luxury, and the forces reshaping its pricing show no sign of relenting.