OPINION : Nintendo is wee-wee a error with its controversial Switch 2 pricing strategy and it is move to alienate gamers and cut aside at year of sound will .
It ’s been less than a workweek and the Nintendo Switch 2 is starting to leave a bad taste in the sassing , and it has nothing to do with the cartridges that are designed to offend the taste bud so kids spit them out !
There ’s a reason why Nintendo did n’t reveal the asking damage for the Switch 2 when detailing thepre - orderinformation for console due in June . The company knew it ’d sour what had been a joyful presentation showing what was in store for gamers . We got to hear the toll shortly after the result and it come out the balloon a little morsel .
The console itself ishistorically expensive for a Nintendo machine , as we discussed last week , even accounting for pretentiousness . Even before the threat ofneedless Trump Tariffsraising the cost of the console table even higher in the United States .
Then we got the news the standalone version of Mario Kart World would be $ 79.99 .
That ’s a $ 10 bounty on what the best PS5 and Xbox Series X andbest Switch gamesfrom the original console be out of the logic gate . It ’s also $ 20 more expensive than all but a few original Switch game , like Tears of the Kingdom .
With the way Nintendo ensures first - party game check their economic value and never get that much of a discount , I ’d say you might never see this plot for less than $ 64.99 .
Even today Nintendo is charge $ 59.99 – aka full whack – forMario Kart 8 Deluxefor the original Switch . That secret plan launch with the original Switch as an enhanced adaptation of the Wii U plot .
what is more , the word Nintendo contrive to charge $ 9.99 for an exploratory experience like the Switch 2 Welcome Tour was an downright prank . It ’s a tutorial for the console , not a game !
The experience looks similar to Astro ’s Playroom for the PS5 , which serve to show gamers around the new cabinet and raise DualSense controllers . Naturally , Sony roll up this in with the console because it wanted gamers to have an easy way to understand the newfangled feature and something to do if gamers could n’t leap for games out of the logic gate .
Not Nintendo though . Not with the console gamers have pay up to £ 449.99/$499.99 for . Many users would n’t bother with this if it was free , so why are they charging for it ?
Opinion
Harder to root for?
It ’s a shame it ’s breaking down like this because Nintendo is one of the easy technical school caller in the world to root for .
They treat their employees well ( I withdraw Nintendo raise wages for everyone by 10 % even though profits were down a few years back ) , and the experiences are focalise on play and are approachable for the vast majority of people wanting to enjoy playing TV game .
But this strong-growing pricing scheme is going to close out the amount of enjoyment people can get from this new console . I sleep together it ’s a occupation and it ’s never been more expensive to make video games , but this tactic is exclusionary and unnecessary .
Last workweek I argue theSwitch 2 was a “ buy at some degree ” consolethan an crying climb . With the console table and game price this way , my persuasion has been sustain .
