Whereas Nintendo has been going through fairly a little bit of criticism over its pricing of the Swap 2 in addition to its first-party video games, former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden believes that the corporate can finally get away with it. In an interview with PlayerDriven, Layden talked about how the standard of Nintendo’s first-party titles permits the corporate to take greater dangers, like elevated costs for its video games.
Within the interview, which you’ll be able to take a look at under, Layden spoke concerning the pricing variations between the Swap and the Swap 2 not just for the consoles themselves, but additionally for his or her video games. He additionally introduced up the $80 price ticket for launch title Mario Kart World.
“However proper right here you see, ‘wow, that’s type of a hefty value hike from Swap 1 to Swap 2 and, wow, 80 bucks for a sport?’” Layden stated (transcription by way of IGN). “But when 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 type of mitigates the sticker shock, if you’ll, of those value hikes, since you need that content material so unhealthy.”
Layden additionally spoke about how inflation has usually not fairly affected the value of video games over time. For context, video games have held on to their regular value tags for fairly a while. Name of Responsibility: Fashionable Warfare 2 again in 2009 was one of many first AAA releases to leap up in value from $50 to $60 on the time, for instance.
Layden brings up how, by way of inflation, $59.99 from 1999 can be the equal to $100 right this moment. He additionally factors out that, if video games have been to extend their value to maintain tempo with inflation tendencies, by getting $5 costlier with every console technology, for instance, they might be priced at $90 right this moment.
“In 2025 {dollars}, $59.99 in 1999 is equal to $100,” he stated. “Your buying energy in comparison with your price of residing, it’s a lot smaller now than it was earlier than, however nonetheless corporations have been reluctant to push that value up.”
“I used to be in it on the time — most likely each technology they need to have baked in a $5 software program value hike, and make that the everyday, ‘nicely each technology it’s one other 5 bucks.’ And you’d have been as much as $90 already by now.”
Nintendo of America vp of Product and Participant Expertise Invoice Trinen has additionally spoken concerning the firm’s pricing technique. In one other interview, Trinen spoke about how the corporate believes that Mario Kart World‘s high quality justifies its steep $80 price ticket.
“I’d say it’s much less concerning the technique of pricing Mario Kart World, it’s extra simply every time we have a look at a given sport, we simply have a look at what’s the expertise, and what’s the content material, and what’s the worth?” stated Trinen.
“Mario Kart World, I believe 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 believe you had talked about that you simply didn’t discover quite a bit to find when roaming round. So I’d say tune into our Mario Kart Direct to see what, perhaps you’ll be capable to discover out about that.”
“However actually, it is a sport that’s so huge 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 believe as individuals find yourself shopping for and enjoying the sport, they’re going to search out this to be most likely the richest Mario Kart expertise they’ve ever had.”
The Nintendo Swap 2 is slated to launch on June 5. Whereas priced at $449.99, it’s at present unknown if tariffs by america will trigger its price ticket to climb larger.
