Key Takeaways
1. Nintendo charges high prices for older games on the Switch, often much more than on rival platforms.
2. Upcoming titles for the Switch 2 include popular games like Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Hogwarts Legacy.
3. Game prices for the Switch 2 may start at €69.99 ($75) and go up to €89.99 ($98) for physical copies.
4. The original Switch, launched in 2017, faces competition from other handheld devices that offer better deals on games.
5. Owning a Switch 2 and its games could be expensive, especially considering Nintendo’s pricing history.
Nintendo has long been known for selling older games on its aging Switch console at prices that are often much higher than those on rival platforms. For instance, Nintendo still asks $59.99 for Skyrim, a game that came out 14 years ago and is sometimes available for as low as $3.99 during Steam sales. Other titles on the Nintendo eShop also command high prices, such as L.A. Noire at $49.99 and Wolfenstein II at $39.99. Even the recently launched, yet older, Red Dead Redemption carries a $10 extra cost when purchased from the eShop.
Upcoming Titles
With the conclusion of the Nintendo Direct event, we got a glimpse of some new games set to launch with or soon after the Switch 2’s release in June. The lineup includes popular titles like Elden Ring, Hitman World of Assassins, Hogwarts Legacy, Yakuza 0, Cyberpunk 2077, and the Final Fantasy VII remake.
Game Pricing Insights
The pricing for games on the Switch 2 appears to be quite uncertain. However, if we trust the prices from the Spanish eShop, we might be looking at a starting price of €69.99 ($75) that can go up to €89.99 ($98) for a physical copy. Even if older games are offered at some discount, shelling out that much for Cyberpunk, which often sees sales at $23.99, feels somewhat absurd. While a direct currency conversion might not accurately reflect a game’s true price, any tariffs under the current administration are unlikely to lead to lower prices.
The original Switch debuted in 2017, essentially as the only handheld capable of running a variety of high-quality games. Now, however, the market is flooded with handhelds from companies like MSI, Asus, and Valve, which allow gamers to buy titles from nearly every digital store.
Value Comparison
It must be said that many of the games previewed during the Switch 2 Direct event look impressive, and a mix of both new and classic titles will be available at launch. Still, with the console priced at $449, the Asus ROG Ally offers a better deal at just $50 more (currently on Amazon), plus you would save a lot on the games.
In the end, considering Nintendo’s track record with pricing and the likely costs of games, owning a Switch 2 and acquiring its games could turn out to be quite a pricey endeavor.
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