Comparative peacocking is absolutely a zero-sum game. Other people doing better reduces how well you're doing. You are objectively less special, and the social pressure that creates is exactly what this abusive bullshit exploits.

Veblen goods require exclusion. That is their sign-value. And these companies can effortlessly produce ever-more-expensive crap for people to flaunt. From their perspective - running that con is the best thing that could possibly happen.

I have negative patience for the dishonest sneering of 'you just don't like it.' I'm barely paraphrasing issues you, yourself, have described, today. You understand how this grift works. You know some extra hats in a pew-pew-lasers video game aren't worth a thousand dollars. You can see this trend creeping into every game, including full-price, flagship-franchise titles. Yet you refuse to say an unkind word about it - like it's fine that everyone's being prepped to throw unlimited cash at one-upping each other's virtual pew-pew laser mans.