This year I didn’t go into my thoughts for the recent directs too much simply because I don’t plan on getting a Switch 2. All Playstation and Xbox have to do this year is announce prices to win people over and they get a majority of gamers. The Switch 2 is releasing with a $500 price tag and the added price of $80 games. The Switch 2 is mostly just the Switch with a bigger screen and better frame rate. If that wasn’t enough the games are coming out for $80 far more than the industry standard. No one really knows why Nintendo is trying this especially after Xbox tried and failed this sort of thing a few years ago. Further, I don’t know anyone who could afford this with recent inflation and prices going up as well as a recession in the US it is by far the most tone deaf announcement people are struggling to buy anything and this price hike will cause even more people to avoid anything they release. Also the whole re-release of games already out as well as charging more and even charging to get the current version updated is also poor business. When games on Playstation and Xbox release on previous generations usually an update comes out for free to try and mimic the higher standards as best they can comes out and sometimes it looks on par or even better depending on the game. Most of the third party games will likely release on Steam and other Consoles and the other Nintendo games announced some are releasing on Switch and others are already out on Switch. A few interviews and Nintendo representatives have spoken saying the tariffs placed on Japan are the reason for this as the Switch 2 is easily $150 cheaper in other areas. This also may explain the games going up in price and the delay in pre order not that anyone is lining up for that price.. Consumers are paying for the tariff not the billionaires who make these things. All that will really happen is Nintendo will lose significant markets then when Playstation or Xbox say their prices people will go to what is more sustainable for their wallets. Nintendo will then panic and lower prices to be more appealing. How do I know this? It happened with the 3DS and Wii U they already tried this and it failed miserably. They have the nerve to claim that it is due to the experience they are charging so much I remember the “experiences” I had when Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and Pokemon Sword and Sheild, all experienced slow down and crashes I don’t think they are variable pricing or even worth the $60 let alone $80. Got some news for Nintendo Horizon Zero Dawn, Crash Team Racing, and Spyro Reignited Triliogy are all $60 and in my opinion better than Zelda, Mario Kart, or Odessey simply because they are worth the price nothing is worth $80 from Nintendo.

Sources:

Frushtick, Russ. “Why the Switch 2 is so expensive, according to Nintendo.” Polygon, Apr 7, 2025, https://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch-2/553517/price-interview-tariffs. Accessed April, 8 2025