It has always been that way, very high prices at launch, then a progressive decrease as the product shelf life is increasing. I remember the Warthog being sold $500 at launch when today you can find it at $300/350 on a regular basis.
Plus, I'm not sure the flight sim enthusiast demographic willing to pay several hundreds dollars/euros for a stick is as big as it was ten years ago. So the real question is : can you wait a few years to get a grip at a lower price or will you pay up front the $200 to get the latest toy ?