Nintendo Switch 2 game prices won't impact sales, says ex-PlayStation boss
"If it's the only place to play Mario, you buy it."
Update: Our new Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order guide has the latest information on the officially confirmed date and time in the US for April 24, 2025.
🤔 Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden believes Nintendo's first-party exclusivity will help consumers accept the price hikes
📈 Nintendo Switch 2 games are priced higher, with titles like Mario Kart World at $80 and Donkey Kong Bananza at $70
💥 Layden says Nintendo has "poked through the ceiling" of price elasticity, with $80 for a frontline game on the new platform
💰 Nintendo Switch 2 launch games vary in price, but Mario Kart World is included in the $499.99 Switch 2 bundle.
Nintendo Switch 2 games aren't cheap, with Nintendo employing a variable pricing strategy this generation. It means games like Mario Kart World cost $80, while Donkey Kong Bananza is $70.
Despite the high price, former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden believes Nintendo's first-party IP is strong enough that consumers will be able to stomach the price increase if it means they get access to Nintendo's games.
"If it’s the only place you can play Mario, then you get your wallet out and you buy into it," Layden said on the PlayerDriven podcast (thanks, VGC). "That first-party exclusivity kind of mitigates the sticker shock, if you will, of these price hikes, because you want the content so bad.”
Layden notes that consumers are still getting used to $70 prices for PS5 and Xbox Series X games, and that Nintendo has essentially broken through the ceiling with Switch 2 games.
“They poked through the ceiling of price elasticity, where we thought none existed before,” Layden said. “Recently it went to $70, and people went crazy, I think Nintendo’s pulling the bandaid right off and saying ‘looks like it’s $80 for a frontline game on the new platform.”
The selection of Nintendo Switch 2 launch games varies in price, but there's plenty to play on June 5. Mario Kart World is obviously the biggest draw for early adopters, and is part of the Switch 2 bundle that costs $499.99.
Nintendo is also releasing Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of some of the best Switch games, including Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. While some Nintendo Switch games will get free updates, Nintendo is asking for $20 to upgrade titles like Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Super Mario Party Jamboree. Other titles will only cost $10 to upgrade.
We're still waiting for Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders to open in the US, after they were delayed due to US tariffs. I pre-ordered the Nintendo Switch 2 and shared my top tips to help you get the console.
We tested Nintendo Switch 2 at the New York City event, and also let a non-gamer give Nintendo's console a whirl.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.