Nintendo is still coming down from its incredible high last week. We had the big Nintendo Direct presentation last week that pulled back the veil on the Switch 2. This presentation gave us not only a look at the console hardware but also some of the video games that would come into the marketplace. However, not long after the presentation, fans started to see the sticker shock.
Some games for the Nintendo Switch 2 will demand a hefty price. We’re used to seeing new AAA games released into the marketplace at $69.99. That was a price increase from this latest generation of consoles as game development costs continue to become a bigger hurdle to cross. That new price increase was deemed necessary for developers and publishers. While we might have gotten used to paying that amount for a new AAA game, we will pay even more with select Switch 2 games coming in at $80.
Shawn Layden is a former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios. After leaving Sony in 2019, he can offer some unique insights into the industry. Recently, Shawn was featured on the PlayerDriven podcast. During this show, the former SIE chairman spoke about the new price hike for Nintendo Switch 2 games and how players will pay for these games.
Specifically, Shawn notes that this won’t be a problem for Nintendo. It all comes down to exclusivity. If the game is only available on the Nintendo Switch 2 and it’s a big franchise like Mario, you’ll end up paying that $80.
Of course, we’ll have to wait and see if that is the case. There’s also the question of tariffs and how that could affect pricing. Those tariffs paused preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the United States. Only today did we get word on when players in the States can preorder the console.
That said, even with the potential tariffs inbound, we expect the Nintendo Switch 2 to launch into the marketplace on June 5, 2025. Hopefully, we don’t see a sudden price increase on the console, which is already setting consumers back $450.
