There is definitely a lot of corner-cutting when it comes to new housing construction in the US for the low end of the market, but it's usually seen with poor insulation and energy efficiency, low-quality cladding and paints, and "builder-grade" fixtures. Very rarely have I seen chipboard or MDF used. OSB, on the other hand, is used even in high-end construction and, as an engineered alternative to plywood, has a number of benefits over plywood including increased strength, lower cost, and lower environmental impact.
As for staple gun and nail construction, I can't say that I've seen the former, but nails are a superior fastener to screws for many structural applications such as framing because they have a higher shear strength than screws. A nailed stick-frame house doesn't require specialized tools or skills to build, is relatively low-cost and uses renewable resources, and can easily last 100+ years. It's an excellent choice for many houses in the US.