Nintendo Exec Explains Why Switch 2 Cost $450 While Games $90

Nintendo’s long-anticipated Switch 2 has finally been unveiled—and while the hardware upgrades are turning heads, it’s the price tag that’s grabbing headlines. The base model will retail at $450, with select games climbing as high as $90, a significant jump from the original Switch era. Naturally, fans are buzzing about affordability and whether Nintendo risks pricing out a portion of its loyal base.

In an interview with Polygon, Bill Trinen, Nintendo’s VP of Player & Product Experience, addressed the pricing backlash and broke down the rationale behind the increase. “We’re unfortunately living in an era where inflation is affecting everything,” Trinen said. He pointed to rising tech manufacturing costs and drew comparisons to smartphones, which have also seen massive price hikes since their early 2000s debut. “It's not just gaming—it's across the board.”

Notes: The conversation took place before Nintendo delayed U.S. pre-orders—a move triggered by new international tariffs that could complicate production and shipping logistics.

More Power, More Features, More Cost

Trinen added that new hardware innovations helped drive up the Switch 2’s production costs. Among the key features are redesigned Joy-Cons with mouse-like precision controls, system-wide voice chat, and a new haptic feedback system. “We’ve packed in more capability, and that naturally leads to higher manufacturing costs,” Trinen explained.

Game Prices Climb—But Nintendo Says It’s About Value

Nintendo’s pricing strategy isn’t just limited to hardware. Several upcoming first-party titles for Switch 2 will launch at $79.99, including the highly anticipated Mario Kart World. Some titles could even push toward $89.99, depending on scope.

Trinen defended the higher prices by pointing out how game pricing has remained unusually stable for decades. “I actually have an ad on my phone that I found from 1993, when Donkey Kong Country released on the SNES at $59,” he said. That same price point held until 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which launched at $69.99. Now, we’re entering a new era.

He added that Nintendo evaluates game prices case-by-case, taking into account content depth, production scale, and overall player experience. “We ask: What’s the experience, and what are players going to get out of it? That determines what we feel is fair.”

While Nintendo believes the new pricing structure reflects modern production realities, not all fans are convinced. Social media chatter reveals growing concern that $450 consoles and $80–90 games may price out younger gamers and families—historically a core demographic for Nintendo.

Whether or not this pricing strategy sticks could depend heavily on the performance of titles like Mario Kart World. If fans embrace the new standard, we may see $79.99 become the new norm for flagship Nintendo games throughout the Switch 2’s lifecycle.