There have been plenty of reactions to the recentreveal of the Switch 2, butone thing synonymous is complaints regarding Nintendo’s high price point.With the base console reaching $449.99 and theMario Kart Worldpack-in version costing $50 more, the Switch 2 will go down in history as Nintendo’s most expensive console release to date.
That said, console prices are only the tip of the iceberg; what some fans find most egregious are the$70-$80 price tagsfor Switch 2 games. While the original Switch would occasionally throw in a $70 title likeTears Of The Kingdom, the base price for most Switch 2 games is getting a massive increase.
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One consistent point is that games have been priced at a definite $60 for many generations, and it may betime for that to change. Nintendo themselves havedescribed the new eraas “variable pricing,” whereeach game’s price will depend on an individual value Nintendo bestows upon it.
But why do we have to follow these seemingly concrete guidelines for what a game deserves to be priced at? One influential figure in the industry,Michael Douse, who was the Publishing Director ofBaldur’s Gate 3at Larian Studios,has pointed outthat pivoting against traditional industry norms regarding pricing can be a liberating experience for developers.
It’s odd how, in the modern day of gaming and global markets, much of the monetary status behind games seems to rest on that $60 price tag. According to Douse,“It’s a very liberating thing not having to worry about a shelf, and instead worrying about an audience you can very easily speak to.”
When a game is priced at $70, for instance, the studio declares that it has$70 worth of content. This can signify a balance of different elements, from the quality of gameplay to the proposed time to beat,but it all boils down to the fact that you are paying for, at minimum, $70 worth of fun.
However, avoiding pricing “according to retail norms” means you can communicate with gamers the exact value of the content you provide. Games likeHelldivers 2, for instance, set a binary $40 price tag, communicating that the game is somewhat below a full AAA experience.
More importantly, the benefit of pricing games in this manner opens the door for ethical implementation offeatures like micro-transactions, where an entry fee exists but is not high enough to discourage players from spending a little extra for cosmetics and bonuses.
Benefits Of Variable Pricing
Nintendo’s new variable pricing system seems to uphold some of these ideals. But something important to remember is that this suggests Nintendo expects gamers to want to buy games like Mario Kart World at around $80, with the game giving us a proposed $80 worth of fun.
Because of this,in the Switch 2 era, we’ll likely see more and more people complaining about high prices. According to Douse in a reply post, “If people feel a game is too expensive, they won’t buy it and then the sales will reflect this.”
He further asserts that “it’s more correct to say that companies are cautious about price increases,” meaning that, just as Tears Of The Kingdom was Nintendo’s test for a brand new $70 game, Mario Kart World isanother test for $80.So, poor sales may lead to Nintendo honing back their prices.
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Additionally, there have been questions about whether or not physical media will eventually cost more than digital media. With initial hints suggesting that theSwitch 2 cartridgescost morethan any digital versions,many worrydigital ecosystems will finally eliminate physical media.
As Douse claims in another reply to this concern, “companies absorb the cost of physical media,” meaning that, ultimately, Nintendo is biting the bullet on the cost of game cartridges, something they may end up unsatisfied with, especially with increased tariffs on the US.
I, for one, am very eager to see if Nintendo Switch 2 boycotts impact Switch 2 console sales within the US. However, whether or not this means Nintendo’sprices will remain highor taper off by the launch of Switch 2 remains up for debate.
Nintendo Switch 2
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