How Much 2016 Costs If You Bought Every Major Release and New Hardware

Software

2016 was host to some huge game releases. With the likes of Uncharted 4, Gears of War 4, Overwatch, and Final Fantasy XV headlining the list, it’s been a good year to be a gamer. Yet, while it’s great that we had so many different titles to choose from, it can all get a little bit costly if you buy all of the major releases. Oh, and don’t forget all of the neat new hardware that came out in 2016, too. Alongside the trio of VR headsets, Sony released two refinements to the PS4, and Microsoft brought us the Xbox One S. At this point, you’re probably wondering just how much money you would have spent if you picked up all major releases and hardware from 2016. Let the calculations begin!

Alongside the major exclusive releases from both Microsoft and Sony, third-party developers provided a slew of excellent major releases. From Bethesda’s Doom and Skyrim: Special Edition, to Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs 2, and FromSoftware’s Dark Souls III, there was something for everyone in the year of 2016. While a plethora of releases is great if you’re happy to choose what games you pick up, a hungry game appetite can see the cost of your favorite hobby skyrocketing, especially if you pick up all of the major releases on day one.

Taking a look through 2016’s release schedule, we identified a grand total of 48 major titles across all platforms. These were titles that either came from some of the largest publishers, were highly anticipated, and were generally considered good games upon release. The full list of games is below.

• XCOM 2
• Street Fighter 5
• Fire Emblem: Fates
  Far Cry Primal
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
• The Division
• Hitman
• Pokken Tournament
• Hyrule Warriors Legends
• Quantum Break
• Dark Souls 3
• Ratchet and Clank
• Star Fox Zero
• Battleborn
• Uncharted 4
• DOOM
• Overwatch
• Mirror’s Edge Catalyst
• Batman: The Telltale Series
• No Man’s Sky
• BioShock: The Collection
• Dead Rising: Triple Pack
• ReCore
• Forza Horizon 3
• FIFA 17
• Madden NFL 17
• NBA 2k17
• Mafia III
• Gears of War 4
• Paper Mario: Color Splash
• Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration
• WWE 2K17
• Battlefield 1
• Civilization VI
• World of Final Fantasy
• Titanfall 2
• Skyrim: Special Edition
• Infinite Warfare
• Dishonored 2
• Watch Dogs 2
• Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection
• Pokemon Sun and Moon
• Final Fantasy XV
• Super Mario Maker
• Steep
• Dead Rising 4
• The Last Guardian
• The Walking Dead Season 3

After a quick bit of math, if you picked up all of 2016’s major titles, you’d have spent $2670.

To break that down a little more for you.

• If you picked up every major release on 3DS and Wii U, you’d have spent $400.
• Every major PS4 release would have cost you $1870. PC owners face the same, daunting total.
• And finally, Xbox One owners picking up the full set have a grand total of $1750.

Throw in a handful of the 10 or so tempting indie titles that have released this year such as the likes of Firewatch, Unravel, and The Witness, and you’re looking at about $2000 in total if you’re a PS4, Xbox One or PC owner. While that might seem bad enough, there’s also the newly released hardware to factor into your totals, too.

Hardware

Not only did we see Sony’s PlayStation VR, the Oculus Rift, and the HTC Vive VR headsets all release in 2016, but there were also the revised consoles that came in the form of the PS4 Slim and Pro, and Microsoft’s Xbox One S. Though not everyone is going to have picked up a new piece of hardware in 2016, there’s a good chance that a few of you out there got a shiny new toy to fuel your gaming needs.

PC owners out there may have been tempted to enter virtual reality with the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. Coming in at a minimum of $600 for the Rift to $800 for the Vive (and then any additional accessories or games), jumping into VR had a costly admission fee in 2016.

If you wanted to grab a taste of the PS4 future, then you may have picked up Sony’s alternative coming in at $400. With a PS4 Pro coming in at $400 too, you’ve got a smooth $800 to add onto your software purchases before you pick up any VR-exclusive games or optional accessories you may have wanted.

Alternatively, maybe you just wanted a slimmer system and opted for the PS4 Slim or Xbox One S. Either one will add $300 onto your software tally, too.

Or perhaps you really wanted the best gaming experiences on offer and picked up the whole lot, though why you’d want two PC VR headsets, we’re not quite sure. If you picked up all of the fresh new hardware on offer in 2016, you can add another $2800 to your total.

The Results

If you picked up all of this year’s major titles, as well as all of the new hardware that got released throughout 2016, you’ll be looking at $5470. Considering that for that price you’re getting three new consoles, and three great VR headsets, as well as nearly 50 great games, that’s not a bad price, if a ridiculous purchase in theory.

Breaking that down by platform again and you’ve got totals that look a little something like this.

• 3DS and Wii U owners would have spent $400.
• PS4 owners, if they picked up every major release, as well as the PSVR, Pro, and Slim would be looking at handing over $2970. If you just picked up the new Pro and left the Slim, the cost looks slightly better at $2670.
• PC players have the biggest total at $3070 thanks to those two expensive VR headsets. If you only opt for one, you’re looking at somewhere between $2270 and $2670 depending on which one you pick up.
• And finally, Xbox One owners picking up the full set of major releases and a new Xbox One S have a grand total of $2050 for 2016.

How much do you think you spent on video games and hardware in 2016? Is the total as crazy as you expected, or not too bad? Be sure to let us know down in the comments below.