It appears Nintendo isn’t necessarily trying to make the $80 game a new normal.
A big sticking point with fans after the release of Switch 2 last week was the console and pricing for its game. The console itself is handed over for $449, but the selection of Mario Kart World and other Switch 2 games surpasses the standard AAA game price at a price tag of $80, and fans aren’t satisfied.
In response to fans’ backlash towards the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 and its game, Nintendo of America CEO Doug Bowser spoke to the Washington Post (via Eurogamer) to explain the company’s new pricing philosophy.
“I’m not trying to set a benchmark”
The Bapper points to Donkey Kong Bananza, a more standard game that sells for $70, as an example called “variable pricing.”
What you see right away is a variety of pricing. You’ll really look at each game and see the development that’s entered, the breadth and depth of gameplay, durability over time, and the reproducibility of the gameplay experience.
There are more factors than that, but it seems there is no fully unified price for Nintendo’s new major game. Bowser says he “doesn’t set a benchmark” either himself or the industry as a whole.
Bill Torinen, Vice President of Products and Player Experiences, has repeatedly talked about IGN with Switch 2 Games pricing, with Mario Kart World sharing the $80 price for Mario Kart World, similar to the Switch 2 version of the Legend of Zelda.
Again, what I say is, look at each individual game, look at the content and value of that game and say, “What is the right price for this entertainment value?”
Either way, Nintendo doesn’t seem to be listening to fans when it comes to pricing, and they stick to guns and sell games as long as they think they’re worth it.
After the Switch 2 library is released later this year, we’ll have to wait for it to be fleshed out before we can get a better look at the new “variable pricing” model, but at this point it seems like we’re just trying to justify gradually exceeding standard game prices for executives not trying to set new benchmarks.
