The former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment America, Shawn Layden, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the pricing of Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2. Despite the $449.99 price tag for the console and a notable $79.99 price for some games, including the highly anticipated Mario Kart World, Layden suggests that the allure of exclusive Nintendo titles helps to soften the impact of these price increases.
Nintendo recently announced that the Switch 2 would retail at $449.99, $50 more than some analysts had forecasted. Additionally, the price of select Switch 2 games, such as Mario Kart World, has risen to $79.99, stirring debate among fans and industry watchers. However, Nintendo is offering a limited-time bundle that includes Mario Kart World with the Switch 2 for $499.99, effectively reducing the game's cost by $30. The availability of this bundle may be affected by ongoing tariff uncertainties and Nintendo's decision to delay pre-orders in the U.S.
It's not just Mario Kart World that's priced at $79.99; other announced Switch 2 Edition games like 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 also carry this higher price point. IGN has provided extensive coverage on this pricing strategy, including insights from analysts who explain the rationale behind these decisions. Layden, speaking on the PlayerDriven YouTube channel and podcast, contrasted Nintendo's approach with that of Sony and Microsoft, who are increasingly making their games available on multiple platforms.
Layden noted, "But right here you see, ‘wow, that’s kind of a hefty price hike from Switch 1 to Switch 2 and, wow, 80 bucks for a game?’ But if it’s the only place where you can play Mario, then you get your wallet out and you buy into it... and Donkey Kong and Zelda. That first-party exclusivity kind of mitigates the sticker shock, if you will, of these price hikes, because you want that content so bad."
Here are the pricing details for the Nintendo Switch 2 and related products in 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 also touched on the broader trend in video game pricing, arguing that when adjusted for inflation, games have become cheaper over time. He suggested that console manufacturers should have incrementally increased game prices by $5 with each new generation, which would have brought the typical price to around $90 by now.
"In 2025 dollars, $59.99 in 1999 is equivalent to $100. Your purchasing power compared to your cost of living, it's much smaller now than it was before, but still companies have been reluctant to push that price up," Layden explained. "I was in it at the time — probably every generation they should have baked in a $5 software price hike, and make that the typical, 'well every generation it's another five bucks.' And you would have been up to $90 already by now."
Nintendo Switch 2 Game Boxes
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IGN's recent interview with Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, conducted at a Switch 2 preview event in New York, shed further light on the pricing strategy. Trinen defended the $80 price for Mario Kart World, emphasizing the game's extensive content and value. He hinted at more details to be revealed in an upcoming dedicated Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct.
Trinen stated, "I would say it's less about the strategy of pricing Mario Kart World, it's more just whenever we look at a given game, we just look at what is the experience, and what's the content, and what's the value? Mario Kart World, I think especially as you see from the Nintendo Direct, not to give you any hints or anything, but I did read your article this morning and I think you had mentioned that you didn’t find a lot to discover when roaming around. So I would say tune into our Mario Kart Direct to see what, maybe you'll be able to find out about that. But honestly, this is a game that is so big and so vast and you will find so many little things in it to discover. And there's still some other secrets remaining that I think as people end up buying and playing the game, they're going to find this to be probably the richest Mario Kart experience they've ever had."
When asked about the $80 price for other Switch 2 Edition games, Trinen reiterated Nintendo's focus on the value of each game. He highlighted the $10 upgrade path for existing owners and the inclusion of some upgrades within the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.
Trinen elaborated, "Well, again, what I would say is that we just look at each individual game and we look at the content and the value of that game, and then we say, 'what is the right price for the value of this entertainment?' What I would probably counter to some of that is that really what you're looking at is for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, that's the physical price for somebody that has not bought the base game. For somebody who has bought Tears of the Kingdom or Breath of the Wild, the upgrade packs for those are $9.99. And if you happen to be a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack member, both of the Zelda upgrade packs are inclusive within that membership. So there's no additional charge for those. But I think overall, our general approach is really just focus on what's the content, what's the value, and what's an appropriate price based on that."
Regarding the $450 price of the Switch 2 itself, Trinen acknowledged the rising costs associated with new technology but emphasized the value and new features the console offers. He noted, "Obviously the cost of everything goes up over time, and I personally would love if the cost of things didn't go up over time. But I think any time you're building a new system that's got new features and new tech, there's costs associated with that. So again, we look at what is the experience on Nintendo Switch? What's the experience on Nintendo Switch 2? What are the new features that it offers? And certainly there's the cost of goods and things that factor into that, but we try to find the right appropriate price for a product based on that."
As reported by IGN, some Nintendo fans are concerned that these pricing decisions could make the next-generation console less accessible. The ongoing tariff situation adds another layer of uncertainty, potentially influencing future pricing adjustments.
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