It’s finally happened. Nintendo has revealed its Nintendo Switch 2, the company’s latest-generation gaming console, complete with a $450 and $500 (bundled) price tag—assuming the damned tax tariffs don’t drive the price up even more. But I’m not here to talk about console prices. That has always been a concern, and they seem to get more expensive with each release. Instead, let’s talk about something more pressing: the cost of games.
**I wanted to add something, since I’ve had a few debates over this article. I’m not saying that the gaming industry wasn’t heading towards $80 games. It’s been the talk among several publishers for at least the last two years. Except, it was just that, talk. None of them were willing to take the next step towards pricing their games even higher. Even Activision, with its super popular Call of Duty series, didn’t make the first move. There hasn’t been ONE single game, at least in the standard editions, that was priced above $70. So, say what you want, but proof is proof. It wasn’t Xbox, or PlayStation, or Activision, or Square Enix, nor Capcom, who went first. Thank you.**
Now, this is something that, to me, is even more concerning. Regardless of whether it’s a digital or physical game, prices keep rising. Now, we have Nintendo leading the charge, so to speak, by revealing that several of its upcoming titles will range from $70 to $80; that’s not even mentioning prices in other regions.
FYI, one of our staff is seriously getting screwed with how much Australia is being charged for these games—let alone the price of the console. I’m already seeing prices for games already surprising way more than I’d even consider paying to play. Let that sink in for those in regions other than North America.
To be specific, several Nintendo Switch 2 games—Mario Kart World and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition), Kirby and The Forgotten Land (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition), and Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition) + Jamboree TV—will be priced at $79.99. That’s $80 per game, and these are just standard versions. Not deluxe editions. Not collector’s editions. Just plain versions. To me, it’s a troubling sign of things to come.
Think about it this way. Nintendo is one of the most influential companies in the world, right up there with Nike and Apple. When they make a move, people and their peers pay attention. So, if Nintendo decides to start selling $80 games, you can bet that sooner rather than later, other companies will follow suit. And that’s concerning.
Consider this: We still have Grand Theft Auto 6 and Death Stranding 2: On the Bridge—two of the most anticipated games in years—being released this year. Who’s to say that 2K/Rockstar Games and Sony/Kojima Games weren’t already on the fence about pricing these juggernauts at $70 or more? Now, with Nintendo pushing $80 games that arguably aren’t even in the same league as those two (IMHO), it’s like they’re giving other publishers the green light to follow suit. Before you know it, not only will those two games be priced at $80, but deluxe or special editions will easily hit $90 to $100, and let’s not even mention the collector editions.
Now, being honest, can you afford multiple games priced at $80 to $100? While I consider myself well-off (though not so much lately), but even I draw the line when it comes to being charged out the ass for a game. Not for food. Not for clothes. Not for housing. Games. And Nintendo telling the world that it’s going to sell its games at $80 or potentially more could be a serious problem.
I’m not here to tell you not to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 or its games. Once again, I stand by the belief that your money is your money. You earned it, it was given to you, or whatever—the point is, it’s yours to spend as you see fit. However, just because you can do whatever you want with it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be mindful of how you spend it.
As long as Nintendo and other publishers can sell high-priced games without any pushback, you can bet the future will bring more of the same. And, as my mother used to say, money doesn’t grow on trees.
