Nintendo is charging $80 for Mario Kart World - easily the Switch 2's biggest launch game and the publisher's most expensive game ever - and some analysts reckon it might set a new standard for video game prices.
Yesterday's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct gave us some gorgeous looks at really exciting games, but all that hype was slightly dampened when the internet learned about how damn expensive some games (and Switch 1 upgrades) were going to be come June 5. Mario Kart World specifically is $80/€80/£67 if you want a digital copy and even more for a physical cart in most territories. In the EU, for example, snagging a boxed Mario Kart World will put a whopping €90 dent in your wallet.
Needless to say, Nintendo's gone well above the now-industry standard of charging $70 for standard editions of AAA games, but it might even be setting an all-new standard altogether.
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Circana's video game business analyst Mat Piscatella reacted to the inflated prices on social media, writing that we might be seeing a "new normal of pricing... but instead of a slow increase over time like we've seen in grocery over the past few years, we're going to start seeing things happen all at once." That certainly implies we could see non-Nintendo AAA games retailing for $80 by the end of the year, and my bank account is especially scared about what Take-Two might do with GTA 6.
Speaking to IGN, Piscatella reckons the company is unlikely to course correct on its new and inflated price tags for a while, partly because Nintendo "super enthusiasts" will drop the cash no matter what.
"Based on what we're seeing across the market, sales to higher-income or more affluent households likely won't be impacted by this pricing," Piscatella said. "And, of course, we have the price-insensitive super enthusiasts that will do and pay whatever it takes to acquire the Switch 2 at launch. Therefore, because of the limited quantities that will be available during the launch year, I do not anticipate this pricing to hinder year one sales volumes."
Essentially, Nintendo's going to have no trouble in making the Switch 2 sell out for months after its release. Scalpers, super fans, and anyone who can't resist the pull of racing as Moo Moo Meadows' Cow will keep it that way. "The true test will come in year two, as supply is likely to become more readily available, and the addressable market will be forced to widen. So, we'll have to see what happens over the next 9-12 months."
A sudden price drop isn't absolutely unprecedented for the Big N. In 2011, Nintendo slashed 40% off of the 3DS price just four months after the handheld's lukewarm launch. Though, that's somewhat unlikely to happen again since the console is coming out swinging with a far more exciting lineup of upcoming Switch 2 games and Nintendo, overall, is in a much more dominant position than it was in the Wii U era.
Here are the retailers to keep an eye on for when Switch 2 pre-orders open.
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