Nintendo Switch 2 Jumps To $80 Games...

One giant leap for the House of Jump Man

Those of us who have been around this block know that Nintendo has long been celebrated as the bold innovator throughout all of the gaming world — a company that has always prioritized creativity, charm, and gameplay over raw specs. But now... with the Nintendo Switch 2 launching certain first-party games at: not $60... Not $70... But $80 USD, that image feels like it's beginning to crack. The internet's reaction is going about just as expected too. This price jump isn’t a reflection of increased value — it’s a signal of corporate greed, not consumer benefit whatsoever. Nintendo's really making a statement here, and it's a statement of "F you" to the customer. The very people that got them here in the first place.

According to Nintendo's own website, flagship titles like Mario Kart World are expected to launch at $79.99 USD physically. There are rumors that digital games will be potentially $10 less. For a company already notorious for keeping their games at full price years after release, this move has sparked quite the... heated debate around the web. Unlike Sony and Microsoft, who bumped new game prices to $69.99 USD and frequently run discounts, Nintendo rarely (if ever) lowers prices — even for games nearly a decade old. To be fair, not all Nintendo first party games will be at that $80 price point, as Donkey Kong Bananza is priced at the $70 USD MSRP. Makes you wonder if they do this to psycologiucally make people feel like they are somehow getting a "deal", even though at the end of the day, all the prices across the board are higher than ever!

This Isn’t About Costs — It’s About Control

I've seen some defenders argue the price increase could be due to the Switch 2’s faster, more 'advanced' cartridge format. But even if that’s true, $80 is hard to justify. Not to mention Nintendo themselves have explained how the carts operate and how the game cart is actually just a key to download the digital version anyway.

It looks right now to be a coordinated pricing strategy designed to nudge players toward digital purchases, where Nintendo retains total control and avoids that revenue-sharing and transport costs with retailers.

What’s worse, there’s little reason for anyone to expect these games to drop in price over time. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is still nearly full price six years later. So for fans of Nintendo, this $80 tag isn’t a temporary premium — it’s unfortunately, the new normal.

Nintendo pioneering higher prices wasn't on my Bingo card. Maybe it should have been...

Nintendo’s At Its Peak — So Why Hike Prices?

This isn’t a company in any kinda crisis trying to stay afloat. I mean, just look at how Nintendo’s stock is hovering at all-time highs:

Add to that how the OG Switch sold over 130 million units, and games like Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros. Wonder have driven them to record-breaking profits. The company is thriving, and has been for years — arguably more successful than ever.

So ...why raise prices now? Simple (and sucky answer?) - because they can.

Nintendo knows it has a loyal fan base and iconic franchises that are practically guaranteed to sell. This price hike isn't about covering costs at all — it's about seeing how far they can push their consumers, all while hiding behind the legacy of quality they've built over the years. From a business perspective I can't say I blame them, but damn, you gotta wonder just how far you can push people before it gets to a breaking point - especially with the insane levels of competition, and customers flocking to Steam/PC in recent years.

Not Innovation — Exploitation

Nintendo has earned a reputation for shaking up the gaming industry — from the motion-controlled Wii to the hybrid portability of the original Switch. But now with this $80 price point - It's not a sign of forward-thinking design.

It’s not a new way to play — it’s a new way to pay.

And while titles like Mario Kart World may still fly off shelves, it sends a clear message: Nintendo is no longer content with being the fun, innovative underdog in gaming (not that they ever really were, to be fair) — now, they're just another company trying to squeeze the most out of its most loyal fans.

Final Thoughts

The Switch 2 could have been a celebration of everything that makes Nintendo special: innovation, fun, and accessibility. But if $80 USD becomes the new standard, it threatens to undermine the very trust Nintendo has spent decades building. This whole situation feels kinda gross.

I'm not asking for miracles — just fairness. And right now, Nintendo’s pricing strategy looks less like progress ...and far more like exploitation. If they continue down this path, they risk turning a generation of devoted fans into cautious skeptics, and that isn't great for the long run.

~Smash