alt Hacker NewsWhich games are you trying to compare between now and 20 years ago?
From my point of view, 2006-2012 was a nadir of PC gaming. A string of unoriginal games or bad console ports.
I'm always happy to keep my mind open to alternate points of view, but I'd really struggle to name the big and cheap hits of that era.
What do you mean "and cheap"? Video games at the top range have very consistent pricing throughout history, about $80 adjusted for inflation.
That era in gaming had many releases that are still considered among the best games of all time, that pioneered trends that reshaped the whole industry. Almost every year had at least a couple such titles.
2004 GTA San Andreas, Half-Life 2
2005 God of War, Need For Speed: Most Wanted
2006: TES: Oblivion, Gears of War, Okami
2007: Call of Duty 4, Portal, Bioshock
2008: Dead Space, Left 4 Dead
2009: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Uncharted 2
2010: Read Dead Redemption, Bayonetta, Starcraft 2
2011: Skyrim, Portal 2, Dark Souls
2012: XCOM, Guild Wars 2, Diablo 3, Far Cry 3
2013: GTA V, The Last of Us, DOTA 2