Nintendo just recently revealed their first showcase of their newest console, the Switch 2. Ever since the announcement of the sequel, millions upon millions of fans around the world have been anticipating the release of what is essentially an upgrade of the previous Switch.
As expected, the reveal presented fans with what the Switch 2 is capable of, having a larger screen, bigger and more comfortable buttons and even higher resolution.
Not only that, but fans were even given a look at the exclusive games that will be coming out on the console, such as a brand new Mario Kart and the first Donkey Kong game to come out in eleven years. The virtual showcase that revealed the Switch 2 was revered by all viewers, but there was one notable thing about it that was not talked about during the showcase in the slightest: the price.
Shortly after the presentation, Nintendo released the price of the Switch 2, and that is when most of the outrage online grew.
For just the console alone, the price was set to $449.99, excluding tax. To give a comparison, the first Switch launched with the price of $299. The excitement that a good chunk of the Nintendo community had early on for the Switch 2 was nearly gone. The Nintendo company, known as the “cheaper” choice by many, had taken a dramatic turn on their main appeal.
There are some fans who defend the price of the console and even believe it to be a reasonable number. However, what even the most diehard fans cannot seem to defend is the price for the games.
The digital copy of the Donkey Kong game has the price of $69.99, fairly standard in recent times, but the digital copy of the Mario Kart game is going for $79.99. Additionally, there is reason to believe that the physical copies of these games are set to be ten dollars more than the digital.
Fans of Nintendo have been showing uproar for these numbers, as well as concern. Not only are these a significant increase in price, but as stated before, Nintendo has always been seen as the more affordable option in comparison to companies such as Sony or Microsoft. Many truly believe that if the Switch 2 succeeds with these prices, it will encourage competitors to raise the prices of the future consoles for the PlayStation and Xbox series. Though this is all speculation, it is not a far-off possibility.
The Switch 2, just by news alone, is a clear superior version of the first Switch. Even the games that will be launching with it have been shown to be high quality. However, the starting price of both the console and the games has made a sizable amount of its core audience nearly lose interest in it. What used to be a certain success for Nintendo turned into a possible loss in just a week, but only the upcoming release of the console on June 5 will tell us if it is a hit or a miss.
