Can you believe it’s been almost a week since the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct? Neither can I. There was so much to break down in it (as my crew did on the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast!) and we’re still looking for answers on certain things. One of the bigger controversies of the presentation was the software pricing. It was revealed afterward that Mario Kart World, which will be the system’s launch title, will be $80. Not ALL Switch 2 games will be that price, but this key title will be, and many aren’t sure how to feel about that.
However, in an interview with IGN, Nintendo exec Bill Trinen revealed the reason for the price hike from OG Switch titles. In this mind, and the mind of Nintendo, it’s all about the content dictating the price:
“I would say it’s less about the strategy of pricing Mario Kart World, it’s more just whenever we look at a given game, we just look at what is the experience, and what’s the content, and what’s the value? Mario Kart World, I think especially as you see from the Nintendo Direct, not to give you any hints or anything But honestly, this is a game that is so big and so vast and you will find so many little things in it to discover. And there’s still some other secrets remaining that I think as people end up buying and playing the game, they’re going to find this to be probably the richest Mario Kart experience they’ve ever had.”
While that may be true, many are still unsure if this price is fair. You may recall a certain “incident” during the Nintendo Treehouse showcases where “DROP THE PRICE” was blasted in the live stream chat by fans. Another Nintendo Exec, Doug Bowser, did reaffirm, though, that the Switch 2 games will have “Variable Pricing,” so $70-$80 could be what we see going forward.
Doug Bowser says Switch 2 will employ variable software pricing. Not every game will be $80. This is something we've already seen with Nintendo's other Switch 2 games like Donkey Kong Bananza. www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen…
— Stealth40k (@stealth40k.bsky.social) 2025-04-07T13:50:33.499Z
All roads point to the launch of Switch and the new Mario Kart game on June 5th to see how it all goes.
