The former boss of Sony Interactive Entertainment America has commented on the backlash to Nintendo’s Switch 2 pricing, saying the will for unique Nintendo video games “mitigates the sticker shock.”
Last week, Nintendo confirmed the Switch 2 value at $449.99, which is round $50 greater than some analysts had predicted, and, extra controversially, the $10 soar to $79.99 for some Switch 2 video games, together with Mario Kart World.
It’s price declaring that Nintendo is bundling Mario Kart World with a Nintendo Switch 2 for $499.99, chopping the price of the sport by an enormous $30 within the course of. However, Nintendo has indicated this bundle is a limited-time supply, and it stays to be seen if the bundle holds at $500, given the uncertainty surrounding the tariff state of affairs and Nintendo’s pre-order delay within the U.S.
But Mario Kart World isn’t the one Nintendo Switch 2 sport to price $80 — a few of the Switch 2 Edition video games introduced in the course of the Nintendo Direct additionally price $79.99, resembling Kirby and The Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star Crossed World, Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
IGN has loads of response to Nintendo’s soar to $80 for the Switch 2 era, together with from analysts who’ve helped us perceive why this has occurred. Now, Shawn Layden, who used to run PlayStation within the U.S., has provided his ideas, pointing to the concern of lacking out on Nintendo exclusives as justifying value hikes.
Speaking on the PlayerDriven YouTube channel and podcast, Layden highlighted the contrasting methods of Sony and Microsoft, and Nintendo, the place Sony and Microsoft are downplaying unique video games as they transfer to PC and rival consoles, however Nintendo is preserving its video games by itself consoles.
“But proper right here you see, ‘wow, that’s sort of a hefty value hike from Switch 1 to Switch 2 and, wow, 80 bucks for a sport?’ ” Layden stated.
“But if it’s the one place the place you’ll be able to play Mario, you then get your pockets out and you purchase into it… and Donkey Kong and Zelda. That first-party exclusivity sort of mitigates the sticker shock, if you’ll, of those value hikes, since you need that content material so unhealthy.”
Nintendo Switch 2 pricing within the U.S.:
- Nintendo Switch 2 by itself: $449.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 with Mario Kart World bundled in: $499.99
- Mario Kart World by itself: $79.99
- Donkey Kong Bananza: $69.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller: $79.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 Camera: $49.99
- Joy-Con 2 Controller pair: $89.99
- Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip: $34.99
- Joy-Con 2 Strap: $12.99
- Joy-Con 2 Wheel pair: $19.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set: $109.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector: $34.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case: $79.99
- Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter: $29.99
Layden additionally talked in regards to the value of video video games typically, which, he insisted, have truly gone down over time while you take into consideration inflation. Layden stated console producers ought to have hiked the value of video games by $5 with every new console era in order that they might price round $90 now.
“In 2025 {dollars}, $59.99 in 1999 is equal to $100. Your buying energy in comparison with your price of dwelling, it is a lot smaller now than it was earlier than, however nonetheless firms have been reluctant to push that value up.
“I used to be in it on the time — in all probability each era they need to have baked in a $5 software program value hike, and make that the standard, ‘nicely each era it is one other 5 bucks.’ And you’d have been as much as $90 already by now.”
This week, IGN revealed its interview with Nintendo of America’s Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, carried out at a current Switch 2 preview occasion in New York, however earlier than Nintendo introduced the delay to pre-orders as a consequence of Trump’s tariffs.
In the interview, Trinen insisted Mario Kart World justifies its $80 price ticket, and pointed to the upcoming devoted Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct the place followers will study extra in regards to the sport and what it has to supply.
“I might say it is much less in regards to the technique of pricing Mario Kart World, it is extra simply every time we have a look at a given sport, we simply have a look at what’s the expertise, and what is the content material, and what is the worth?” Trinen stated.
“Mario Kart World, I feel particularly as you see from the Nintendo Direct, to not offer you any hints or something, however I did learn your article this morning and I feel you had talked about that you simply didn’t discover lots to find when roaming round. So I might say tune into our Mario Kart Direct to see what, perhaps you can discover out about that.
“But truthfully, this can be a sport that’s so large and so huge and you will see that so many little issues in it to find. And there’s nonetheless another secrets and techniques remaining that I feel as individuals find yourself shopping for and enjoying the sport, they’ll discover this to be in all probability the richest Mario Kart expertise they’ve ever had.”
We additionally requested Trinen in regards to the $80 price of a few of the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition video games. While there’s a $10 improve path for present house owners of those video games on the Switch, and each The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ($69.99) and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ($79.99) can be found as a part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, Nintendo is just not providing any type of low cost to newcomers on Switch 2.
Trinen’s reply right here echoed his Mario Kart World response, pointing to the worth Nintendo sees in its video games.
“Well, once more, what I might say is that we simply have a look at every particular person sport and we have a look at the content material and the worth of that sport, after which we are saying, ‘what’s the proper value for the worth of this leisure?’ ” he stated.
“What I might in all probability counter to a few of that’s that basically what you are is for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, that is the bodily value for any person that has not purchased the bottom sport. For any person who has purchased Tears of the Kingdom or Breath of the Wild, the improve packs for these are $9.99. And for those who occur to be a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack member, each of the Zelda improve packs are inclusive inside that membership. So there isn’t any further cost for these.
“But I feel general, our common strategy is de facto simply concentrate on what is the content material, what is the worth, and what’s an applicable value primarily based on that.”
As for the present $450 price ticket of the Switch 2 itself, Trinen once more pointed to worth, but in addition highlighted the rising prices related to releasing a online game console.
“Obviously the price of all the pieces goes up over time, and I personally would love if the price of issues did not go up over time,” he advised IGN.
“But I feel any time you are constructing a brand new system that is received new options and new tech, there’s prices related to that. So once more, we have a look at what’s the expertise on Nintendo Switch? What’s the expertise on Nintendo Switch 2? What are the brand new options that it provides? And definitely there’s the price of items and issues that issue into that, however we attempt to discover the best applicable value for a product primarily based on that.”
As IGN has reported, some Nintendo followers have expressed concern that they could be priced out of the next-generation if the corporate goes even increased than the already controversial costs for the Switch 2 and its video games resembling Mario Kart World as a result of tariff state of affairs.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
