Rising game prices have helped increase UK inflation

Now games can be blamed for ruining your cost of living as well as your children and moral fibre.

The higher cost of next-gen gaming is so influential on the UK economy that it has played a part in boosting British inflation in October.

The AFP reports that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) says that the 12-month Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate accelerated to 1.3 per cent in October, up from September’s five-year low of 1.2 per cent.

And video games were specifically named as a driving factor.

Said the ONS: "Smaller falls in transport costs than a year ago – notably for motor fuels and air fares – and price rises for computer games were the main contributors to the rise in the rate of inflation."

Economist Howard Archer added: [Computer games] were specifically highlighted by the ONS as having some upward impact due to a number of new titles being released in the run-up to Christmas and replacing cheaper titles in the computer games charts."