Whereas Nintendo has been dealing with 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 in the end 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 take a look at beneath, Layden spoke in regards to the pricing variations between the Swap and the Swap 2 not just for the consoles themselves, but in addition 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 recreation?’” Layden mentioned (transcription by way of IGN). “But when it’s the one place the place you’ll be able to play Mario, then you definitely 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 dangerous.”
Layden additionally spoke about how inflation has usually not fairly affected the worth 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, when it comes to inflation, $59.99 from 1999 could be the equal to $100 right now. He additionally factors out that, if video games had been to extend their value to maintain tempo with inflation traits, by getting $5 dearer with every console era, for instance, they might be priced at $90 right now.
“In 2025 {dollars}, $59.99 in 1999 is equal to $100,” he mentioned. “Your buying energy in comparison with your value of dwelling, 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 — 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’s one other 5 bucks.’ And you’ll have been as much as $90 already by now.”
Nintendo of America vice chairman of Product and Participant Expertise Invoice Trinen has additionally spoken in regards to 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 in regards to the technique of pricing Mario Kart World, it’s extra simply at any time when we have a look at a given recreation, we simply have a look at what’s the expertise, and what’s the content material, and what’s the worth?” mentioned 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 just didn’t discover loads to find when roaming round. So I’d say tune into our Mario Kart Direct to see what, possibly you’ll be capable of discover out about that.”
“However actually, this can be a recreation that’s so huge and so huge and you will discover 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 in all probability 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 the USA will trigger its price ticket to climb larger.
