We now have a new rumor on the Nintendo Switch, that seems credible enough to be true, even if this rumor itself turns out to be bogus.
This comes from Zippo, who does have a mixed reputation in getting these rumors correct. Zippo did correctly predict a new upcoming 2D Mario game, which came out in the form of Super Mario Bros Wonder.
On Zippo’s blog, they share the message sent to them by their source, who will be referred to as Chuck. Chuck said:
“$399. That’s the ‘golden number’ that they have in mind. It’s the price that works in terms of the power of their new system, it’s the price that works for them making a decent profit, and it’s the price that they think works for the audience that they’re trying to maintain. No more. No less.”
To put that in context, of course, the Steam Deck’s cheapest SKU is also at $ 399. Now, one can argue that the two devices are differentiated enough that they don’t directly compete with each other. However, Nintendo does recognize that Steam Deck’s presence, and those of other Windows based gaming handhelds, does have an effect on consumer expectations on how Nintendo will price and package their own console.
So, for example, if Nintendo doesn’t put enough on their console, consumers may not feel that $ 699 is a justifiable price for their product. $ 699, of course, is the price of ASUS ROG Ally. While using the device can be cumbersome, the fact that it can run any Windows game pushes Nintendo to offer a better deal. While Nintendo consoles usually sell for their own games, some gamers will decide that price isn’t worth it, when they can get something with more features.
Nintendo, for what its worth, is aggressive in pricing their own products on the low end. They went so far as to make the 2DS in such a way that it would retail for the ridiculously cheap price of $ 129.99. This line of thinking did also factor into their production of various portables through the years.
Zippo also supports certain other rumors that have propped up about Nintendo’s next console. Zippo claims it will release in Fall 2024. He also believes it will launch with a new 3D Mario game, and will have LCD screens.
While we can’t vouch for the accuracy of Zippo’s prediction, now that it has come up, it is easy to say that this is a perfectly reasonable price for Nintendo’s next console. It’s a little more expensive than the Nintendo Switch’s launch price of $ 299.99, but that may make it perfectly fine for the Switch to sit alongside it in the retail aisle for a few more years.
Nintendo can, and will, change the price of the next console in the following years, depending on future market trends. It certainly sounds like Nintendo might have what it takes to break their modern pattern of cycling between failed consoles and hit consoles. We’re sure they have something exciting to share everyone in 2024.
