Like everyone else, gamers are suffering during the current hard times. Some, in fact, have been forced to pawn their consoles to meet basic needs.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the recession is keeping pawn shops supplied with game consoles and TVs on which to play them:

Ace Pawn Shop manager Chris Banul said business is up and he's seeing more high-end items brought to the Bloomington shop for collateral, or sold outright, as the economy has worsened.

"We're seeing a lot of expensive video game systems, PlayStation 3s and X-Box and others, and a lot of LCDs (flat-screen televisions)," Banul said...

Tom Haggerty, co-owner with wife Cindy of TomCat's Pawn in Bloomington, said their store has been getting lots of flat screen TVs and game systems. He said those items are selling fast...