There’s no denying the excitement of a new console reveal, and Nintendo certainly delivered with the new graphical capabilities of the Switch 2. While fans are still waiting for a new 3D Mario game—it’s been almost eight years since Super Mario Odyssey, and the wait is palpable—the reveal showcased open-world Mario Kart World, the return of Donkey Kong to the spotlight, and a pseudo-successor to Bloodborne titled The Duskbloods. However, one aspect of the reveal has overshadowed everything: the price. At $449.99, the console itself isn't outrageously priced for 2025 technology, but the cost of games and accessories needed to fully enjoy the Switch 2 experience raises questions about the overall value. Let's delve into whether the price of admission to Nintendo's latest offerings is too steep.
The $80 price tag for Mario Kart World has sparked significant discussion. This is a notable jump from the $60 or $70 we've become accustomed to, leading to concerns that Nintendo is capitalizing on the game's anticipated popularity at launch. Add to that the cost of additional Joy-Con controllers at $90 for multiplayer enjoyment, and the mandatory Nintendo Online membership for global play, and the expenses quickly mount up. Especially when the reveal trailer highlighted features like 24-player co-op, GameChat, and photo mode, it's hard not to feel that the pricing strategy might be a bit cynical.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
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On the flip side, the argument can be made that Mario Kart World offers excellent value for money in terms of enjoyment per dollar spent. Given Mario Kart 8’s decade-long lifespan, Mario Kart World is likely to be the only Mario Kart game released for the Switch 2, making the $80 price tag potentially justifiable for years of entertainment. In an era where free-to-play games like Fortnite are prevalent, our perception of value might be skewed. Someone investing as many hours into Fortnite over five years as a Mario Kart player might end up spending $80 on battle passes and skins. While these are different types of games, when compared to the cost of a family cinema outing that can easily reach $80 for just a couple of hours, a decade of Mario Kart doesn't seem so bad.
Donkey Kong Bananza, priced at a more reasonable $69.99, suggests that Nintendo might be strategically pricing Mario Kart due to its immense popularity. However, the $80 price point set for other titles like Kirby and the Forgotten Land and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on the Switch 2 raises concerns about a new pricing trend. This shift could influence other game publishers to follow suit, with eyes particularly on the upcoming GTA 6. It also prompts questions about the cost of upgrading older games for new console generations.
PlayStation has set a precedent with $10 upgrades for PS4 games transitioning to PS5, as seen with the upcoming Days Gone upgrade. The pricing for enhanced versions of Switch games on the Switch 2 remains undisclosed. If it matches Sony's $10, it might be well-received, offering benefits like higher frame rates, 4K resolution, and additional content. However, a higher price point of $20 or $30 could deter many from investing in these upgrades.
For instance, Tears of the Kingdom is currently available on Amazon for $52, which is $28 less than the Switch 2 version. The difference is even more pronounced in the UK, where the original Switch version costs £45, while the Switch 2 version is priced at £75. With the original MSRP for Tears of the Kingdom at $70, it raises the question of whether the upgrade will cost just $10. If so, buying the Switch version and the upgrade could save nearly $20. These are speculative scenarios, but the only current indicator is the enhanced versions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom available through a Nintendo Online + Expansion Pack membership, priced at $49.99 per year. While this isn't a bad deal, what happens if the membership is canceled? Will players revert to playing at lower resolutions and frame rates?
The decision to charge for the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is perhaps the most perplexing. This virtual exhibition filled with minigames feels like something that should come free with the console, reminiscent of hardware pack-ins. Astro’s Playroom, which came free with every PlayStation 5, was a generous and inventive platformer that paid homage to PlayStation's history while welcoming new users. It seemed like Sony took inspiration from Nintendo's approach with Wii Sports, whereas the Switch 2 Welcome Tour feels like Nintendo adopting a more aggressive strategy akin to Sony's costly PS3 launch.
AnswerSee ResultsWhile the Switch 2 might not be a step backward for Nintendo like Sony’s high-definition generation leap with the PS3, it carries the momentum and goodwill from the original Switch and its vast library of games. The console itself is an impressive, albeit safe, evolution of its predecessor, and the games shown so far look promising, with more to come (come on, Mario, we're waiting). I hope Nintendo takes the instant backlash regarding the pricing of its launch titles seriously and doesn't set a new standard of $80 as the norm for video games.
Does the cost of the Switch 2 and its accompanying games, upgrades, and peripherals completely overshadow the reveal? Not entirely for me, but it certainly didn't result in the universal success that Nintendo might have hoped for.
