It’s honestly a bit ironic that “money” is one of the biggest talking points coming out of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct last Wednesday. Just as ironic is that it’s not the price of the console itself that’s causing the “problems.” Instead, it’s the price of the games, multiple versions of them. Mario Kart World will be $80 as part of a “variable pricing system” for the new console. Then, there are the “Enhanced Edition” games that’ll come out. Titles like Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land will get “upgraded” forms for the Switch 2.
As for the Zelda titles, these will just be simple graphical overhauls and framerate boosts to take advantage of the Switch 2’s capabilities. The others will feature new content for gamers to enjoy. If you have the OG Switch versions, you’ll pay a small price to get these upgrades. Now, we know what the prices are in part:
Bill Trinen: The upgrade packs for Breath of the Wild & Tears of the Kingdom are $9.99. Presumably (he didn't say it), the upgrade packs that add content, like the Kirby expansion will be $19.99.I don't really have a problem with that.
— Stealth40k (@stealth40k.bsky.social) 2025-04-07T14:09:19.627Z
If this holds up, some would say it’s a fair price for the upgrades and follow what other systems have done in the past. Others might not be on board with it, though. Only time will tell.
Speaking of pricing, our EiC talked about Nintendo possibly setting a dangerous precedent with setting higher pricing and possibly signal a shift in the gaming industry. A shift that consumers may not be either fans of, or even ready for.