LogInWhile the latest Nintendo Switch 2 Direct did deliver some exciting announcements – such as FromSoftware working on a spiritual successor to Bloodborne and a brief two-second clip confirming Hollow Knight: Silksong's launch in 2025 – the presentation's aftermath has left a sour taste in the mouths of many, as Nintendo has become the first AAA developer to push game prices beyond the industry-standard $70.
Following the Direct's conclusion, the Japanese gaming giant updated its websites with details on the newly announced Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, revealing that the upcoming Mario Kart World would carry a suggested retail price of $80 – ten dollars higher than the $70 price point the gaming community had reluctantly accepted in recent years.
The dicey pricing debacle didn't end there, as gamers quickly noticed that the Spanish version of the Nintendo Store lists Mario Kart World at €80 for the digital copy and a whopping €90 for the physical one. Alongside it stands a new Donkey Kong title, and while its digital version retains the familiar €70 price tag, the physical edition has once again been hiked to €80.
Coupled with the revealed MSRP from the US page, it's fair to assume that the prices won't be adjusted for currency rates, and Nintendo's new games will indeed cost $80-$90 in the US, setting a questionable precedent as the first AAA titles – and Nintendo as the first AAA studio – to break past the $70 price point for standard editions.
As you've probably guessed by now, the news about the price hikes outshone everything revealed during the presentation (including Silksong), with forums and social media drowning in thousands of comments from gamers expressing their displeasure with the new prices.
For most, the main grievance wasn't just the prices themselves – which naturally make games less affordable for many – but the precedent they set. Echoing concerns that GTA 6 could introduce a $100 standard price and that other AAA developers might follow suit without delivering a significant boost in quality, many in the community criticized Nintendo not only for raising their prices but also for potentially setting an example that encourages other studios to do the same.
Speaking of boosts in quality, some have also pointed out that if it had been GTA 6 – the most anticipated video game on the market, and possibly in the history of the medium – to be the first to break past the $70 ceiling, it would still be frustrating but at least somewhat understandable. Instead, the precedent was set by yet another Mario Kart game – one that, while sure to sell millions and earn glowing 10/10 reviews from gaming journalists, is unlikely to stand out among its predecessors or be a game people talk about for over a decade, something many believe GTA 6 will easily achieve.
"But it's only the physical version, the one you can truly own, that costs $90," some die-hard Nintendo fans tried to argue. Well, while it might have been a somewhat decent point, it crumbles like a cookie considering Nintendo Switch 2's game-key cards don't actually contain the games themselves, but instead function as "keys" to download the full game via the internet.
Who would've thought Fallout 76's "physical copies," which included nothing more than a piece of cardboard with a redeem code on it, would get a high-tech sequel from Nintendo seven years later:
The worst part of this whole ordeal is that the company behind this pricing decision is none other than Nintendo – a studio infamous for its anti-consumer practices, aggressive legal actions, accusing Palworld of infringing patents that were registered after its release, destroying people's lives over minor offenses, and a host of other questionable moves – making it all but certain that backlash from the gaming community won't be enough to convince Nintendo to lower the prices of its upcoming games.
So, what are your thoughts on Nintendo raising the bar for how much AAA studios can charge for their games? Are you still hyped about Nintendo Switch 2 and its exclusives? Share your thoughts down in the comments!
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