Talking Point: How Does Switch 2's Launch Price Compare To Past Nintendo Systems?

Adjusting for inflation is dumb when incomes don’t rise with inflation and spending power has decreased since the NES days.

$450 is fine especially since switch 2 is around xbox s /ps4 pro level specs so thats reasonable.

$450 ?!
Ouch...!
That will be almost as expensive as PS5 machine.

Really puts things into perspective that the price really isn’t that bad and is still $50 cheaper than the competition while being a generation ahead.

@darkswabber Not just that, but the inflation doesn't affect all products equally, but it's an average. Food and petrol are the most affected products and both are considered essential (petrol will not once all cars are electric).

Highlighting the adjusted prices in bold is misleading. Do we really expect to pay as much difference on food and on technology between 1985 and 2025? I don't remember my parents considering the SNES that expensive in the 90s. Actually, it was a good deal. The Neo Geo, on the other hand...

Inflation does not include cost of living and wages so its not the whole story

£395.99 should keep plenty of the riff raff out.

So it isn’t cheap.

A-ha, so that’s why my parents encouraged me to choose the GB over the NES, it was basically half the price, lol

@Overzeal just because it’s the most recent release does not mean it’s a generation ahead. It’s comparable to a PS4 pro and we live in a PS5 world.

Just like what people already pointed out...Working 2 to 3 jobs just to afford gaming nowadays. I member back in my day I just needed a summer job and BAM I could get a console.

I have seen on many articles comments where people are saying that adjusting for inflation is wrong because of wages or various products that don’t change price as much, etc. I think this is a mistake. If you wages do not rise with inflation this simply means that inflation adjusted wages are FALLING. Anyway, actually wages do rise wit inflation, just not instantaneously. Adjusting for inflation remains the best way to compare prices across time.

The Nintendo launched in 1985 for $149.99 in the United States. The system came with two controllers, a light gun, Super Mario Brothers, and Duck Hunt. Adjusted for inflation that equals $449.55 in 2025. 🧐

This article is very interesting, and it shows the Switch 2 is in line with other releases, according to inflation. 😃

However, now you have to factor in annual salaries adjusted for inflation, that’s where the true cost comes in. 😳

The average annual salary for 1985 in the United States was $24,910. Adjusted forinflation for 2025 that comes out to $74,660. The median salary in 2025 in the United States is $59,384.

@sixrings @Overzeal According to Digital Foundry, Switch 2 is more like a PS4 in docked mode, with handheld mode being less capable. Certainly, not a next-gen console.

Inflation hits everything it's our paycheck because Corporations want to push the low workers down. They can afford to give everyone a rise but we know why they don't want to. I want my Yacht in the Bahamas to enjoy the beautiful sunset. The rest can stew in the offices.

The price is what I expected, I thought €500 for the console + 1 game, so I was wrong by €10. I'm more worried about the increase in games price which, in my opinion, will hit passionate gamers who buy several games regularly every year. The budget for games is always the same, at least personally I will play fewer games than before I think

@sixrings Not with that form factor. Don't be so black and white.

@N8tiveT3ch I only had to do some easy errands for my parents to get the SNES and they didn't pay me a fortune. 😂

@Banjo- According to Digital Foundry, Switch 2 is more like a PS4 in docked mode, with handheld mode being less capable.
That's been DeBunked already they used the wrong version of FF to compare the Switch 2 version is from PS5 and side by side matches PS5. So this was misinformation comparisons by DF and people are spreading this misinformation again.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade Nintendo Switch 2 vs PS5 Early Graphics Comparison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qvMhb49T0c

@Jester676 They used every footage available though and compared the resolution, performance and graphical detail. I recommend you watching both directs analysing the console. Richard is someone that anyone with common sense respects. Switch 2 equals roughly a PS4 in docked mode in terms of results, less in handheld mode. Compared to Steam Deck, Switch 2 is slightly more capable in docked mode, but less capable in handheld mode.

It's appropriately priced. For the machine you're getting, anything less would see Nintendo making a significant loss.

People who can't afford one can save up whilst playing games like Metroid Prime 4 and Pokémon Z-A on their current Switch.

450 is perfectly reasonable considering the prices of other gaming devices today, and the power increase over switch 1

@Banjo- lol Dang must have been the most popular kid on the block.

@Banjo- You can youtube search and find the right video comparisons. DF is just not doing their homework. Someone actually took the time and did their homework to showcase this.

I'm a bit confused by people comparing this price to a PS5 Slim/Xbox Series S. I absolutely understand, if you are only going to play the Switch 2 docked, that it feels like it should be an apples-to-apples argument. However, it misses one point - the Switch 2 is like a PS5 Slim + the PS Portal (where the Portal can be taken outside and played without some kind of connection to the base PS5 unit). The Switch 2 is really two devices in one. To me, that justifies the $450 as it's a discount on the $600 required to get both PlayStation components (and Xbox doesn't have a handheld counterpart yet).

Obviously, things are tight all over the place, so any price markup over what we already have is going to sting. I just wanted to point out that the Switch 2 has more flexibility for the price than the competitors.

Adjusting for inflation is appropriate. What it should do is make you mad that your wages haven't caught up with inflation.

I think it’s totally fair, especially when you remember that that’s only $100 more expensive than the OLED model, which is significantly less powerful and lacks a bunch of the features the Switch 2 will have, although it does have an OLED screen and a better battery life. I still think the Switch 2’s price is fine, but hopefully they’ll be able to increase the battery life in the future.

I think the price for the console itself is pretty fair considering its power but I’m so so tired of the “but inflation!!!” defense for everything surrounding the console. I’m just convinced that people ignoring the fact what wages haven’t gone up don’t have to deal with bills or any financial responsibilities and think everyone with a job can just drop $500+ dollars on a shiny new system and games and not have that effect their ability to pay for rent, buy groceries and all of that.

Most people are complaining about the game prices more anyways.

@Banjo- I only play docked. So I’m looking at paying 450 for 2013 tech to play donkey Kong and hamster arcade archives ridge racer. Sounds like a steal.

@sixrings Yeah, and then the PS6 will release for $800.

UK prices include VAT

@Jester676 Nintendo hasn’t actually released specs. It’s like it’s 4k 60fps trust us. Oh wait there’s some VRR and DLSS in there. Forgot to mention that. Please understand.

@StewdaMegaManNerd were comparing apples to oranges though. If the ps6 does come out at this rate it will be 2040 before nintendo catches up. Just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s worth X dollars.

I just hope we get a new Nvidia shield so we can find out how much an actual tv only version of the switch 2 would have cost.

I see a lot of comments arguing that the Switch 2 being around the price of a PS5 and Series X is outrageous, or in some cases, unlike Nintendo.

For reference, the PS4 was $300 in 2017, which is the same as the Switch’s launch price.

The PS3 was around $250 in 2012, while the Wii U launched for $300-$350 depending on the model. The PS4 launched for $400 the following year.

The XBOX 360 (core) was $300 at launch in 2005, and the Wii was $250.

Basically, Nintendo systems have usually been around the same ballpark in price as the competition. And since the DS/Wii era, Nintendo sacrifices power for a gimmick to justify the price. Motion controls, tablet controller, and now handheld play.

I’m not saying $450 is cheap, and I definitely wish it was cheaper. But it’s not a bad price, either. $80 for games, though… that’s another argument haha.

@StewdaMegaManNerd how bout you ditch the battery and the screen and just sell a tv only model for less. Hybrid for those that need that. TV only for the cheapos like me.

@sixrings

I just hope we get a new Nvidia shield so we can find out how much an actual tv only version of the switch 2 would have cost.

Switch 2 uses ancient 8nm technology and a "custom" chip that supposedly is dated like the Switch one was in 2017, so not much.

@Altaria_97 hey what if you don’t want a gimmick. I didn’t want a Wiimote. I didn’t want the Wii u game pad. Xbox was at least smart enough to drop the prebundled Kinect. And then Xbox was smart enough to release 2 skus. But we’re not in the Nintendo doing its buyers any favours world. We’re in the nickel and diming world.

This type of article is worse than useless; it's misleading. Without the context of wages and the cost of living (which varies widely), this tells you little to nothing. It also ignores factors like the changing size of the market, the decreasing cost of technology, and how for some time the market has been heavily saturated with games.

@MSaturn Wages (do not) have to keep up with inflation. As a matter of fact, wages have not kept up with inflation in the United States.

@Altaria_97 Right. Nintendo used to have cutting-edge consoles until the Gamecube, so that also has to be considered. Switch 2 is not a PS5 and PS Portal built together like the user above said. Nintendo is marketing old mobile technology and gimmicks these days.

@GrailUK I’m glad you want a portable so much you’re willing to pay almost anything. I’m a simple person with a tv and a pro controller.

@sixrings I wonder if they'll consider a screen-free version this time. The higher cost may lead to them releasing one at a lower price. I don't want the screen either.

Check how much inflation has jumped in just in the last row or 2.

@sixrings This is for those doing misinformation most if not all whom can do the homework already knows this.

What comparisons like this fail to take into account is that buying power hasn’t actually kept up with inflation. In fact it’s gone down.

@Altaria_97 Glad to see someone else realize we shouldn't do comparisons in a vacuum. 👍

I don't know anything pre PS1 gen in the late 90s but I know Nintendo consoles tender to be cheaper. I know the Wii sold a lot b/c it came bundled w/ Wii Sports at a price people could afford compared to the $500 PS3. Sony really lost the plot that gen.

This gen is a bit weird b/c Switch 2 hardware needs to be Co,pared to dissimilar hardware as there really are no other tribrids. Steamdeck and Asus Rog on the portable side, PS5 and Xboxen on the other.

I do think for a handheld the price and hardware is competitive and it's a win. For a home console gamer the PS5 (not the elitist Pro) and Xboxen are probably better values. And there were so many people on here saying "Well at least Switch 2 is cheaper than a PS5." No it isn't, PS5 digital is cheaper.

Last comparison is w/ previous Nintendo hardware. Wii, Wii U, Switch are all around $299 at launch. That's a very consistent launch price. Now Switch 2 is $150 more, 50%. After 8 years of tech improvements since the Switch launched at $299 should we really expect similar hardware to be 50% more or should we expect it to be about the same? 🤷‍♂️

I have so much respect for my mom for getting an NES when she did. If I had switched places with her (at that time with my mindset)? Yeah no gaming in my house, too expensive lol. Honestly I am more proud of young me for saving up for my systems since the wii. (Especially the wii as I was beyond broke in undergrad. I am talking living on peanut butter, granola bars and ramen broke. ).

Anyway I have no issue with the switch 2 pricing. (But I had already saved the money because I knew the system was coming…granted I am spending that money on amiibo and accessories). Ps5 pro as a PS5 owner is a no deal for me.

Although this contextualizes things to some extent, it does leave out a lot of other context, as many have pointed out. There are lies, damned lies and statistics. And unfortunately, people will use this to shut down complaints about the Switch 2 price.

But the real point is that, while interesting, none of this matters. How much can we afford today in 2025 with wages, employment and inflation in food, housing, gas etc?

@sixrings

According to Digital Foundry, it's more akin to the standard PS4.

In addition, a lot of us live in the PS5 Pro world. That really should be the modern day standard, no?

@Jester676 digital foundry is super credible. They knew and tested the series S almost before anyone else and before it was public. You may not like digital foundry because they tend to get into the specs which isn’t Nintendos forte but to say they spread misinformation is not true. Could they make a mistake yes. Would they admit to the mistake yes. But they are not a channel based on spreading misinformation in order to get clicks.

And this is why I don't get all the complaining. Sure it's expensive, but those are the times. Groceries shopping has gone up even more in price.

And even the prices for games are - when adjusted for inflation - not that high.

Inflation isn't fun though. But it's the reality. A lot of Nintendo "fans" who complain about the price of the Switch 2 / Switch 2 games really need a reality check.

@sixrings #52 Absolutely right. While Thomas Morgan makes poor videos, Richard, John and Ollie are the most reliable of the bunch and are the three that did these directs about Switch 2. Richard was also the first person in the industry to check the Series X in person and he did a great job reporting its capabilities accurately. On the other hand, people disregarding them don't provide any objective reasoning other than quoting random youtubers. The only mistake I detected in these two directs (3 hours together) was forgetting about Wii U Chat.

@NorrinRadd I was being nice with the ps4 pro comparison so that the Nintendo fans don’t crucify me before Easter.

Btw owned every Nintendo console in its history minus virtual boy and am the owner of five switches and in my old house had a DK arcade machine. Grew up in a bed room with Mario wallpaper and Zelda bed sheets. Currently in an house with Nintendo decals. Also won a Nintendo championship competition at the CNE in torontos when I was a kid. But apparently a hater and not a fan.

When I bought Mario Kart in 1992 it was around £50. Avg. inflation puts that over £100.

I also remember only getting 2 games a year due to cost.

It always was and always will be expensive, though I think you get a lot more for your cash now than then.

@jimmyjames be honest. In those days we bought few games and spent our allowances at blockbuster on the weekend renting games. Unless video game renting is coming back I don’t think this is a fair comment.

I guess every third party game will be rented via gamepass and Nintendo will only get my money on select first party games I can’t get anywhere else.

Maybe I’ll buy a high end PC and just pirate everything. Haven’t done this since Napster but life will find a way.

I didn't realise the misinformation crowd extended as far as this site

The “adjusted for inflation” argument is dumb. Sure, it’s true that a lot of stuff would be more expensive today, but what’s also true is that wages have not increased to match inflation prices.

@Anakin what is the misinformation skywalker.

Still wish Nintendo had done a home switch 2 version for about £300 would have been a great entry into the switch 2 and Nintendo games just as a home console. It maybe even cheaper than £300.
I only play docked and feel I am paying extra for the handheld side of the Swtich 2 that I don’t require.
They could have easily done this with the switch 2 pro controller as it already exists.

@N8tiveT3ch gonna imagine that you also lived with your parents/guardians so you could focus that money solely on video games

@OldGamer999 you feel? You and I are absolutely paying extra for something we will not use.

@sanderev except I can buy better versions of street fighter on my Xbox for significantly less. Why would I pay more for ports just for portability that I do not need.

All of the ports will have similar pricing to Nintendos first party games yet will be able to be found elsewhere for less. Often times a lot less. I think the reality check is that these ports should fall in line with whatever the prices are on current consoles. But that won’t happen. So although I need to buy groceries I don’t need to buy a lot of Nintendo products.

Finally why did inflation hit Nintendos games all of a sudden but not PlayStation or Xbox. At some point it’s not inflation it is just company greed in profits. These games take the cost of a ps4 development team and that is significantly less than a ps5 development team so please make sense of this for me.

@Jester676 ever since DF joined the ign group there's been a growing hate towards them, and i can't really understand why. Anyone who's followed their coverage since the t239 leak knows that they talk about ballpark equivalences, and making a 1:1 comparison between the switch 2 and any other console could be somewhat misleading, since the clocks and watts are way down, but it's an arm processor with 8 cores and a modern GPU. Don't cherry pick just to cast a shadow on their work. The console isn't even out yet.

In 1999, I bought Ocarina of Time for 119 DM, which is 60.84 EUR. With the inflation in Germany between 1999 and today, this resembles a today’s price of 98.70 EUR.

70 EUR is reasonable! (Even if it’s no Ocarina of Time)

Spending power though doesn't help.
Everything is more expensive now.
Pay hasn't kept up.
Cars, houses... Used to be one person working could afford it and other necessities AND "luxuries"

Now? You need at LEAST two people working 3 or more full time jobs just to afford a vehicle!

I feel like people tend to forget that, as much as we love video games these days, they're still a luxury at the end of the day. Wages aren't really following the cost of living and we need to be more stingy on what we buy as adults in general because we no longer can just focus on buying video games
Not trying to defend Nintendo here, not fully at least, but I feel like you're getting mad at the wrong people

@KritterXD That's how I got my GameCube and I was 45 at the time.

@N8tiveT3ch Ah, okay. My apologies

The price per hour of entertainment is still an absolute bargain compared to many other activities.

@sixrings Then buy the XBOX version. Nobody is forcing you. If you only want a home console and don't need Nintendo first party games then you buy yourself an XBOX + XBOX Games. Or a PS5 and Playstation games. Or a PC and PC games.

I do basically the same thing. I play a lot of third party games on PC. So I buy them on Steam and play them on my custom build gaming PC or even on my Steam Deck. But there are LOADS of games for which I want an easily transportable handheld. That's the Switch and Switch 2. Also 90% of the games I play are first party Nintendo, and 99% of the time I play handheld.

So for me, buying a Nintendo Switch 2 + Nintendo games is a no-brainer.

@teo_o Their ballpark was "All StrikeOuts" they used wrong data and GPU when the GPU Switch 2 was total redesigned ground up for Switch 2 "Exclusively". That's what they still don't admit they missed the ballpark. They so far haven't admitted to making mistakes on Switch 2 specs that's so easy to fix and to use PS4 FF to compare to Switch 2 when in-fact it's the PS5 FF version that Switch 2 FF is based on. They got their own issue for not addressing mistakes they could but won't do it. That's called giving misinformation and not re-addressing it and fixing it. They should do their own replying to fix it instead of having others do that for them.

@KritterXD correct. I just bought a 2002 Camry with 68k kms for 4000 because i don’t agree with these prices. It is a luxury but people on here are seemingly dismissing those of us who are passing on this product as the vocal minority. I’m not so sure. We’re definitely hardcore Nintendo users. If there’s a lot of us passing perhaps after the initial launch where the hardcores do buy it that the casuals pass. Video games soared in the pandemic with casuals because we had nothing to do but also because the price was right. The switch was cheaper and there was a lite option. If there’s casuals do not buy this company as big as they are will need to back track.

@Jester676 we only have comparables and that is solely Nintendos fault. They could send a console to digital foundry but they aren’t. What does that tell you?

@sixrings

I’m aware it’s for all intents and purposes weaker, but with some games actually performing better and it being 10th gen I don’t think it’s all that crazy.

@darkswabber,

Inflation and costs increase though. The fact wages do not rise is moot.

@KritterXD I'm kidding I was 60

I swear the N64 was only £150 on day 1 in the UK - I specifically remember carefully budgeting my pocket money for it

@Max_the_German I think I owned a whopping 10 N64 games and I came from an upper middle class family. We rented everything else. On my switch I must have 60-80 games. Thata a big difference. But how do I have so many games? We can buy them for less than n64 carts. It was the carts themselves which were pricy not so much the development. What is the reason for Nintendos prices which take less development time then a ps5 or series X game to cost so much? Most of us are buying digital.

@Bizaster,

So inflation does not exist because wages have not gone up at the same rate. Sounds totally reasonable.

@johnvboy

How are wages not increasing, while inflation does a moot point?

Unless I'm misunderstanding your comment...

Listen here folks I went online and read the Wiki article for inflation. Let me break it down here's my take...

@darkswabber yeah but that would imply NL actually working when they could just do what they did here and steal the data from somewhere else without a single mention of it (at least they don't say their source is PushSquare 🤣)

@sixrings Why should they? They aren't Developers for Nintendo software or other 3rd Party IP? There's probably a good reason Nintendo doesn't allow them to have a Dev kit or Switch 2 functional unit in the first place. And that is only for Nintendo HQ to know. If so why doesn't DF tell the community why they can't get one???

@johnvboy I think the problem is that inflation does happen the worst when customers blindly pay anything. The company thought oh you’ll pay this then shoot maybe next time you’ll pay more. And it’s a cycle. There’s no difference in the quality of the Walmart Reebok sweater than the Nike store Nike sweater. But there is a price difference because people want the Nike. Is that inflation, greed or supply demand. Either way when I feel ripped off my immediate response isn’t to shrug and say “inflation” but instead to vote with my wallet.

I just stumbled into an angry video where a bunch of PC gamers are up in arms in the comment section saying "SCREW NINTENDO, I'LL JUST PIRATE ALL THEIR GAMES, THEY'RE A CANCER ON THE GAMES INDUSTRY AND IT'S MORALLY JUSTIFIED TO STEAL FROM BIG CORPORATIONS".

Apart from morally disagreeing with that philosophy, I think it'd benefit everyone to take a step back and realize that the reason we care so much about pricing is because they put out undeniably great products. Whether the price is worth it will come down to the individual, but to me most Nintendo first-party games will forever be worth the asking price of the console.

@Jester676 for all of series S shortcomings Microsoft was not scared to share its information. This is like being at a used car dealer and they don’t want you to bring your mechanic to inspect it. Could very well be hiding something.

@Citrus_Architect They probably got all their consoles Banned by Nintendo for doing what they said. It's one choice to buy a Switch no one is forcing them since they willingly handed their money by choice to Nintendo? Do they even reflect on that? No, because soundbites are the only thing they are good at.

And people in the US wonder why they can’t have what their parents or grandparents had. Our dollars simply don’t go as far, so the $450 for a switch looks the same on paper, but feels 30% more expensive because it is as many have pointed out, when you adjust for wages IT IS.

With stagflation setting in it’s only going to get worse in the US.

BTW- anyone who tells you this is only because of a loss of manufacturing jobs is only cherry picking and not giving the full picture. Productivity across the board has gone up, white or blue collar job, while buying power has gone down. Manufacturing costs have also gone down. Expect this to be exacerbated more with AI. What’s gone up? The incomes of large corporations, and the .01%. Coincidence I think not.

That’s where the majority of your money went. Not China, not Mexico etc but right into the pockets of these corps and the mega rich.

@sixrings Like I said why should Nintendo give DF anything? That hasn't been addressed. That's used car analogy is misrepresenting the hardware. You can do a CarFax and pay for it.

@Citrus_Architect my dad worked for a tv channel and was always upset with Napster and stealing tv. He would always say who is paying for those billion dollar satellites. Except now he’s retired and every year the cable bill goes up. And he starts to complain. Wskmeone has to pay for those satellites dad. Those are long paid off and instead the customer gets stuck with more hidden fees.

Theres a reason iTunes took off. No viruses and reasonable pricing. There’s a reason Netflix took off. Simple to use cheap to subscribe. Once you hit a certain price though people are going to screw the man. That’s life. They don’t need to be this greedy.

I really don’t care about the price. It’s fine and about what I expected. The games on the other hand are what bothers me with pricing.

@blindsquirrel I really don’t care about the price. It’s fine and about what I expected. The games on the other hand are what bothers me with pricing.
Rightly so, One Switch 2 many games that's where the bread/butter is at for all consoles if you don't sell the games your console doesn't sell bottom line.

@Jester676 and eventually digital foundry can buy it and see all of its faults.

Car fax only shows so much. If you think that’s the whole picture I would not want to buy a used car with you. But you’re also the one taking Nintendo (the company selling you something) at its word and the neutral company with no horse in the race as spreaders of misinformation. Yikes.

@Jester676 or you sell a console for a few select games and the rest of the time it collects dust.

In the good old days we could also rent consoles. Imagine that.

@sixrings Thanks mate. Don't worry, I'm simple too. And I just love being able to play outside especially on days like this.

@Banjo- I wanted to stay out of this conversation but I’ve watched the video(s) you’re referring to and they do not make any definitive statements about the power of Switch 2. They even admit that they can’t because they’re comparing compressed YouTube footage. If anything, they acknowledge that the capabilities of the Switch 2 are impressive. The fact that the console can seemingly run the ultimate edition of Cyberpunk at a solid frame rate suggests it has something going in its favour as they didn’t even release that on PS4 and the Steam Deck just barely manages to chug the base game along.

@blindsquirrel I can love at the price for a hybrid at the power level but the price is so high they should have considered their family market and offered a lower price tv only version. Except that would be hard to do without showing the large discrepancy in price.

@sixrings What misinformation please show me???

@Jprhino84 Wrong. Watch both directs. I did. 3 hours together, but worth it. I know much more now because of them. They compare Nintendo Switch 2's power (in docked mode!) to PS4 not once but several times and also with Steam Deck. They also discard the 10x more powerful than Switch claims. Still, some people here compares it to a PS5/Series X and even beyond (10th generation)!

So much crying over a toy. YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO A SWITCH 2! Honestly, $150 difference between the S2 and Switch OG price: skip 3 AAA games. Look at your backlog and consider: hmmm, maybe I overspent and should have budgeted better.

If you can't afford the launch price, then maybe you should be saving for more important things. Also: if you are crying over the Switch 2 launch price and live in the USA, then you should REALLY be saving your money for the incoming economic pain that is being gifted to us by the current administration. It will not be pretty.

@Jester676 Of course it was all speculation an not certain all along. Only a dishonest person would not admit that DF commentary on Switch was purely speculative, as even Rich routinely underlines. And how could have been otherwise? Who says the SOC has been completely redisigned? Have you personally tear down the console? Have you personally Xrayed the switch 2 processor? Please stop with the cherry picking. Even Oliver himself in the DF direct specifies that the Switch 2 version of FF is visually better than PS4 because it's actually a port of intergrade, so there's no omission whatsoever there. Besides what other hardware on earth should they compare FF to? a non existent series s version? the ps5 version? please stop. The launch is in two months, and only then we'll actually know the hardware and we'll make actual journalism on tecnical issues.

We should compare them in the number of BigMacs you'd buy for the price at the time of launch.

Thank you NL, I was waiting for this kind of article. I figured another system, or in this case the NES, was more expensive. Guess I can't complain too much.

@teo_o You are absolutely right. I mentioned that on the Nintendo Switch 2 thread, that the Final Fantasy VII Remake has the lighting of the Intergrade version. It doesn't mean that Switch 2 is at PS5's level, but the general conclusions are that Switch 2 is at PS4's level, e.g., when comparing Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy. They compared Metroid Prime 4 with an Xbox 360 game and explained that's the reason it's 4K 60fps on Switch 2.

Like you said, Digital Foundry works with what they have and are very careful with their wording. We can expect many more details and a tear-down once they physically have the console in their hands.

@johnvboy I literally never said that. Inflation exists, obviously, but it results in things getting more expensive while people don’t earn more money.

I was thinking getting it day one. But with all that noise, I am having second thoughts. Probably I'll wait to see the course of selling and decide later.

So that copy of SMB2 I paid £45 for in the 80's would now cost £135?

@Bengals76

So... seeing that avg salaries have more than doubled since 1985 makes the slightly more than doubled price point (NES --> S2) make sense too, no?

@Dr_Awkward hey doc. I can afford it. Just because I can afford it doesn’t mean I think it’s good value. Just accepting prices the way you are suggesting emboldens companies.

@Bizaster Inflation is the measure of how much the price of a market basket of goods has gone up over some period of time. It has nothing to do with wages; accordingly, it is not accurate to say "while people don't earn more money." Certainly, some people do not earn more money. Certainly, others do. Some government benefits in the USA are pegged to inflation; people earning them receive more money if inflation happens.

Inflation is called a "lagging" indicator, because the inflation number is calculated after the thing (price increase) happened. So, yes, it would be hard for firms to respond in real time with salary increases, but make no mistake: many do. My wife and I both got inflation adjustments in our jobs within the last year.

@Tober can I compare to happy meals. This is where my fast food budget has led me. Plus I get mindxraft toys. Again I’m in the over 200k territory. It’s not can’t afford it’s simply not buying things I think are overpriced.

@darkswabber every government worker gets cost of living increases even during recessions.. big government is the #1 cause of inflation

@Dr_Awkward If you discuss inflation isolated, there is literally zero meaning in it. Salary increase is another average, but using just one of them is absolutely pointless. That's why people discuss not just inflation but salaries.

@sixrings It's not overpriced for what it is.. it might not have the value add you need to justify but it is inline with the tech and current economy

@Banjo- don’t worry. Wherever you work they care about your kids. Will send you an added cheque to cover the cost of this system and it’s games. That’s how this works apparently.

@Banjo- economists discussion inflation all the time without reference to salaries.

@sixrings LOL It's unbelievable how the simplest things in life have to be explained so extensively.

@Dr_Awkward They don't, economists study both incomes and expenses. Always. Inflation is how the price of things change. Every single thing is purchased with money that comes from salaries (or your own business). Actually, inflation is limited by the buying power to a certain degree, they're completely related, and the difference is also studied.

I'm lucky to be able to afford it but I agree with the sentiment that if wages haven't caught up with inflation then this is not apples to apples. Spending power has historically been a factor in console and game pricing and is why they haven't risen like this otherwise the market would be priced out. Now we are seeing the cracks and the economy and people's spending power is going to get MUCH worse in the US, after a period of sharp decline already. People are struggling and understandably anxious and frustrated.

Even with my income i'm shocked how little money i have left after I pay l for my needs. I was thinking yesterday that it's a blessing to even afford everything I need and have a little left over, MOST people struggle to even afford what they need let alone luxuries that hike in price and some have to choose between food and utilities. Housing is outrageous.

However because games have to be better and better, R&D and dev costs go up, tariffs and manufacturing costs, I just cant blame nintendo fully. It's a product of our society that wages have not caught up. I earn my money through self employment and I decide how much my labor is worth and how to position myself in the market, most have to fight to take the best they can get while the people at the top become ultra wealthy. It's their fault. Our society is built on exploitation of the "lower class" for the benefit of the "upper class".

inflation was higher when the nes came out then it is now..

@teo_o Watch this tell why DF is wrong.

The Official Nintendo Switch 2 Specs Are Here & Devs Love It by Nintendo Prime pointing out the Switch 2 specs by Nintendo and Nvidia themselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsdsJIJRItI

@ChakraStomps it is inline. However those techs were released before all this global uncertainty. Maybe I’m an old man with kids and responsibilities but I’m going to save money in such times not spend more.

Also I enjoyed Nintendo for its more often affordability. Now we’re here in apple territory and I have to rethink my priorities.

Also Nintendo fans one year. We don’t need ps4/5 graphics ours are good enough. Here’s a new Nintendo with ps4/5 graphics. Damn it I need that. Wtf did you think donkey Kong was going to look like. Of course it was going to look better. We all knew that. But we didn’t need it in this form factor if this was the price attached.

In Sweden, back in 1986, when the NES launched over here, it was equal to $170.
In 2025 money, that's equal to $430.
But here in Sweden, a Switch 2, is around $670.

People don't really have a problem with the price of the console, it's all about game prices, fake physical releases and to some also the paid upgrades. If you're not like me and you'll get Switch 2, you'll be probably just buying less games and that's it. Hoping everyone will be happy with it.

@Jester676 you’re airing Nintendo prime as a reliable source e. Gtfo with that silly talk.

@Dr_Awkward The cracks in the system been going on for a long time, the dollar endgame was already in motion. Look at historic timelines of world reserve currency going back 600 years as the baton gets passed.

Sixrings and Banjo, out of curiosity, you don't sound as if you've been happy with Nintendo for quite some time. I hear about 2013 tech, outdated, overpriced, underpowered etc, but don't you think the S2 is an improvement over where S1 was upon release?

@electrolite77 it’s a problem of the company if the people who once bought your products can no longe afford it. You have no one to sell it to or less people to sell it to.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi/historicandpresentukwages

Office of National Statistics, with the last link being a spreadsheet showing weekly wages from 1968 to 2021. Gives some idea as to how much a given console might cost the average British worker at a given time. What with rent/mortgage, child-reading, taxes, etc, £740 a month in 1986 probably meant you’d be saving a while for a NES!

Edit: ~20% of ones monthly wages pre tax is a lot, but SMB is still an absolute banger of a game 😌

@molkom I have five switches. That sounds unhappy?

It is an improvement. Again I guess there’s just a lot of stuff I am never going to use but I’m being forced to pay for.

The screen. I only play docked
The joy cons. I’ll be using a pro controller
The battery. Don’t need that if it’s always docked.
The mouse controls. I’m more often playing at a tv on a couch so not going to use that.

I’d like to know about the wifi. You had to have every switch dock next to each other not to have communication breakdowns when playing system link. I’d like to know this is fixed.

Of course I am happy it’s 4k. I have a 100 inch tv. 4k matters!!!! But Nintendo fans for so long tried to make it sound like it didn’t. Magically it matters. No kidding. It matters when your company has it.

I’m going to be very honest. I can barely see the graphical update from Mario kart 8 to Mario kart world!

I also think there isn’t many first party games. Zelda spin off won’t buy. Donkey Kong is a yes. Mario kart only because it’s in a bundle. Kirby what are we doing. Why are we getting two kart racers in such a short time and the justification of no analogue buttons is crazy. They matter at least on a pro controller. I won’t be buying F1 on this thing that’s for sure.

@Citrus_Architect it’s not a matter of wanting the games, it’s about being able to AFFORD them. The console looks incredible, Mario Kart World looks fantastic, but people have to worry about being able to buy food and pay rent first.

@sixrings Oh really and you say DF is more? I don't see DF coming out and saying our FF7 comparison was wrong and where going to correct it.

@Jester676 oh god...we're citing Nintendo Prime as a reputable source now? Listen, i agree, you are right. It's pointless arguing if these are your sources.

@molkom I'm not unhappy and I can afford most things I like. On the Nintendo Switch 2 thread, I answered that question in the most objective manner I am able to. I posted the three mistakes that this hardware configuration has. Here, I'm just stating my opinion on the topic in a honest way, like I always do. Actually, it's Nintendo's anti-consumer decisions what I find more disturbing, those that are being discussed everywhere as we speak.

@darkswabber
That's like saying "but it's not fair!"

Inflation is a fact. Whether you want to recognize its effects or not.

I think the $450 entry point is pricey but not egregious. The games are where I see the nickel and diming. I won't be buying any time soon, I've got enough games to last me until I see a price I like or until I get a better job haha

@sixrings I'd say look at in a wider timeline. You dont need it now but once you do that 4k DLSS and superfast storage will be there to ride for the next 8 years

@Dr_Awkward your first comment on this article pretty much proves my point. The current economy is about to tank big-time, which will, in turn, make this console even MORE unaffordable.

The argument you provide is pretty tone-deaf, though. “You overspent”, “you should budget better”, “you should worry about saving up” - yeah, I get all of that, but it’s not normal to not be able to afford fun. Your argument comes across as blaming people whose wages have not increased with inflation.

@Banjo- I never really got the anti-consumer sentiment people imply on Nintendo. They only do games and need to protect their IP and value at all costs.

@Bizaster Besides, those excuses would apply to the hardware, but not the software, because Nintendo's development is relatively cheap (Mario Mart World included) and they outsource many games with tight budgets. They just can't justify the price of the games, which is exactly why they admitted they chose what they consider right. It's obvious that the success of Switch has influenced all these decisions, like the paid upgrades, but it remains to be seen what the results will be after the early sales. Not every Switch buyer was an unconditional fan of Nintendo, we all know that.

@Banjo- exactly. I’ll admit that the console price (as it is now - it’s unfortunately probably going to increase in the U.S.) isn’t too big of a deal, it’s not awful for a one-time purchase. The game prices, on the other hand, are unacceptable

1985, when the NES launched, a really lousy VHS recorder did cost twice as much as a really good BLU RAY recorder today. Movies on BLU RAY cost about a tenth what VHS tapes used to cost, and the quality of VHS was awful. I don`t understand why fans of videogames never draw these comparisons. Most movies are more expensive to produce than most videogames. Ask SONY. And does anyone remember old PCs and their prices? Why are videogames the only medium that`s getting more and more expensive though its audience GROWS and despite techical evolution?

@N8tiveT3ch thanks for having a serious conversation O_O

@teo_o Did you watch him point out that info was from Nintendo and Nvidia. I am guess you didn't. You can do your homework and search the internet and get it from Nintendo and Nvidia themselves.

Sixrings and Banjo, glad it wasn't the case You're certainly engaged on the topic.

I'm kind of on purpose trying to think about what I AM getting from S2 rather than what I won't be receiving. But there for sure is stuff I wish had been different, but I'll live Still, will mention some below that I haven't seen anyone else wondering about:

• Why no camera built in like on WiiU if chat is such an important part of the experience? No way I'll chug along a camera and plug in e.g. on the bus 😅
• Will the new "lend a game to a friend" system break the current digital sharing with primary console etc? I can now play online Mario Kart on 2 switches at home with only one copy, worried this will be an expensive downgrade for me :/

Btw, "Why are we getting two kart racers in such a short time" was my exact thought too 😁

If I think back how expensive SNES and it’s games were in Eastern Europe, I think now we are living in Paradise. I pray those times never come back.

@Anti-Matter I guess, although from what I've read, PS5 prices are likely to go up a fair bit in the US, due to Sony having nearly all of their production factories located in China. Nintendo wisely diversified into other sweat shop countries, so a price hike is far less likely, with most of the factories for US shipments being in Vietnam. So, yeah - it might not be that close a year from now, at least in some regions, depending on the trade situation.

The thing that strikes me about this list is how good a deal the game boy colour was. Launched cheaper than the original model! Although, I guess it was an enhanced GB that launched waaaaay after the original. I guess they had gotten cheaper to manufacture by then

@sixrings Imagine screaming misinformation while spreading misinformation yourself like @Jester676 is while not citing any proof of his claims...🤷

@MSaturn No. Mostly wages take many many more years to catch up. Wages across the board are not catching up. Also inflation has gone up really fast the last 2 years, some reasons because of the Ukraine war and other conflicts, some still because of Covid, but now also with Trumps presidency.

You also have to consider how much everything else seems to cost a lot as well. Basic necessities like food, electricity and so on. Spending power is very weak now, making everything more expensive. Which should actually be the opposite.

Grocery stores, tech companies and pretty much all businesses raise their prices way higher than what is reasonable, because they are taking the looming inflation as an excuse. Thus speeding away further and further from people's wages.

Peoples desperation and ''wanting to have things right away'' are some of the things that ultimately reward those businesses that set those high prices.

Nice to see an article like this. The people complaining about the launch price of the Switch 2 always forget inflation is a thing. This chart puts things in a nice perspective. ^^

@JaxonH boggling down my criticism to a simple “it’s not fair” is kinda bad faith.
I wasn’t saying “it’s not fair”, I was saying “it’s not a fair argument because there’s more factors to it”

Inflation doesn’t exist in a bubble, rising cost of living and stagnating wages play an equal part in this argument.

Another article about the Switch2s price? How tiresome …

@Shade_Koopa Yet people pay a higher percentage of their paychecks because wages haven't even remotely kept up with inflation. The ONLY important statistic when figuring this stuff out is how much do things cost compared to the average person's wages now vs then...

Well if inflation traveled back in time nobody would be flipping out. $600 for an NES.

@WiiWareWave If people do read the links that debunk those posting misinformation or revisionist to the correct information that's the worst. The email tells them the truth and they try to rewrite to match their narrative.

@WiiWareWave there is no proof because no one has the console. Which is why digital foundry uses comparables. You can’t just take everything nintendo tells you at face value. The games are 4k or are they 4k through DLSS? That’s a big difference.

@molkom That's another thing I dislike, all the accessories are overpriced! The DS, DSi, 3DS and Wii U had a camera built in, the extra accessory should be optional for docked mode. After Wii, I promised myself that I would stop collecting Nintendo accessories. I even use an Xbox controller to play on Switch, with an adapter. Actually, now that I think about it, I loved Nintendo handhelds because you didn't need anything else... Switch. Now they're a combination of home, handheld, not excelling at any (2-hour battery) and with more accessories than Wii, and more expensive.

@sixrings He means the other guy.

@sixrings I was talking about Jester not you lol.

@WiiWareWave And you are right!

Comparison is biased. Many past consoles came with complete games (NES, SNES, GB, VB, Wii, WiiU Deluxe which is posted here) or at least demos (DS, 3DS). Other point is many of the consoles saw a sharp price decline in a couple of years, which doesn't happen any longer. Switch 2 on the other hand is expensive and doesn't even come with Welcome Tour.

@Paulo Very good points. On Switch 2, no free game but paid manual and upgrades.

@KritterXD No problem. These are the issues that matter.

@electrolite77 I think if Microsoft and Sony manage to take loses on their consoles then Nintendo can afford to do it. I think if Microsoft and Sony can manage to sell their games at 70 then Nintendo can afford to do it. Those game prices arent a loss so I’m very confused why it costs nintendo so much to make a game. Actually I’m not confused. They can get away with it so they are. Or they think they can get away with it.

You can spin it anyway you want to, it’s still an expensive bit of kit and the games even more so. I’m all for nostalgia, but this is like the 80s all over again 😂

There's a lot of factors here. Firstly, just in the raw data we see: this is essentially the most expensive system Nintendo has ever released, besides the original (which was considerably cheaper compared to the competition). So that's the first reason consumers are justified to balk at it.

Secondly, as others have pointed out: food, housing, and transportation are all comparatively much more expensive when adjusted for inflation and modern wages. Thats the second reason to balk at the price.

Thirdly, with most of these consoles listed, iPhone's and iPad's weren't a thing. Laptops were also significantly more expensive, and you had way fewer options for mobile gaming at those price points (if you had options at all). Compared to the options available to consumers today, $450 is a LOT for a "Game Boy" that can plug into the TV.

Fourth: Frivolous items like a gaming console APPEAR expensive during economically uncertain times, because they are non-essential. I think this may be Nintendo's biggest hurdle to overcome in it's first year on the market.

All that being said...I'm still buying it day one. I love this Kool-Aid.

@darkswabber

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSA672N

@Bengals76

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSA672N

GameCube was my first personal console purchase. Had played all of the others via my siblings before. But a couple of my brothers and I split the Sunshine bundle. For GBA, I've only ever owned the Micro, which I believe I bought used at a game store. It broke pretty quickly, but I still have it of course and intend to get it repaired some day. I think I inherited the first DS. I bought a DS Lite eventually, which I still this might be the best handheld ever. Close tie with the Micro for me. I'm so happy Reggie lost the argument bringing it to the states, but I wish they'd produced way more. I bought a 2DS used, which I like very much, but my SD card stopped working so I've got to get that in order eventually. I wish they'd made more 2DS's also. Magically underrated model. 've never actually owned Wii technically, but I have my brother's now that I can basically keep. I bought Wii U used on Craigslist, I believe, for Mario Kart. One of my favorite consoles; played Battalion Wars II yesterday. I finally got a Switch to play Tears of the Kingdom, but I didn't want to buy one lol so I asked my friend to give me his launch model, which he kindly did. Turns out I didn't like TotK anyway haha, but I've played a ton of Switch since, mostly on my Lite though, which I also bought used. Otherwise, I bought a PS4 new, and I think that's all. I'll get a PS5 eventually to play Ghost of Yotei. I'm also planning on getting a Playdate soon.

@Andy_Witmyer I can't imagine PS5 prices coming down for several years.

@tobsesta99 https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSA672N

@bleeflooflah right. The actual problem is that wages have not kept pace with costs or rent. So we all have less money than we did 20 years ago.

@N8tiveT3ch a single income household could take care of all those things when I was growing up. And my father worked construction. We had a house, a yard, always plenty of food, and some video games for the kids.

Definitely not the case anymore. Me and my wife combined make a very solid living. But buying property is still years away for us and it will take both of us do get something we’re happy with.

Different metrics will give different pictures, but this seems pretty accurate.

Another option to compare how costs have changed over the years is percentage of the average national salary. For example, in 1991 (according to Google) the average annual salary in the UK was roughly £11K, making a SNES (which retailed for £150) cost roughly 1.4% of the average salary on release. In 2025, the average annual salary is around £35K, meaning that the Switch 2 (retailing for £396) costs 1.1% of the average salary. Overall, the price is fairly similar.

The real problem is how expensive housing has gotten over the past 35 years. I have colleagues whose rent eats up 70% of their wage; saving is difficult, buying a house basically impossible! So the cycle continues, making it difficult to afford more than the bare necessities even when one has a good job. If rent/house purchase prices had increased proportionally to food/transport/video games (and, most importantly, wages), inflation would not be anywhere near as much of an issue, and yet here we are.

@Citrus_Architect man this is a GREAT point. No one would care if Nintendo was putting out trash games. They would just move on with their lives. The fact that they are up in arms says they really want to be able to play them

@molkom I didn't learn until recently that it doesn't have a camera built in because it seemed so obvious. 3DS had two cameras.

@bleeflooflah Exactly. Most of the complainers are long-time Nintendo fans that care. It's actually the few people that defend anything they do unconditionally the jarring part, because Nintendo wasn't like this until recently.

@KritterXD I understand your sentiment, but I hear about this "gaming is a luxury" and I just disagree with it. I grew up POOR dude, and I still had an NES...later a SNES....later a Playstation. There are a lot of poor families that buy these consoles, because the parents know you can get a LOT of entertainment out of them compared to just about any other hobby. Bang for the buck, Gaming is one of the cheapest forms of entertainment there is. I'm a high school teacher and I can tell you objectively that literally 90% of my students have new iphones. And I work in a low income district. The poor will find a way to afford entertainment, trust me.

@sixrings Disney+ has gotten insane with advertising. I have the cheapest tier, but a 40 minute episode of Skeleton Crew has three minutes of ads every five minutes. And I've been trying to figure out when the breaking point is for me. I don't know.

@bleeflooflah another part of the issue. A lot have no self control. Most of them can’t afford it. They just spend money they don’t have.

@HRdepartment I got scared for a moment...I thought NL HRDeparment was out to get me and comments. But that's cool man.

@sixrings I play mostly in docked mode so I’m in the same boat. The answer, unfortunately, is just “it is what it is”. They made the console to appeal to as many people as possible, and for those like us that are going to play in one mode mostly, we just have to deal with the higher price or not buy it. It sucks but at the end of the day not every product is catered to each individual.

@molkom This article is off a bit. The Nintendo launched in 1985 for $149.99 in the United States. The system came with two controllers, a light gun, Super Mario Brothers, and Duck Hunt. Adjusted for inflation that equals $449.55 in 2025.

@rjejr Agreed. It’s a surprisingly decent value when you compare it to other portables like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally.

Yeah, you can get a base Steam Deck for $400. But the Switch 2 for $450 (given that price sticks in the US) is substantially more powerful with a higher resolution display, HDR compatibility, DLSS support, and everything you need to hook the system up to a TV or monitor INCLUDING a wireless controller.

Is it cheap? No. But is it a fair deal considering the tech and competition? I think so.

@dachawayne

This article is off a bit. The Nintendo launched in 1985 for $149.99 in the United States. The system came with two controllers, a light gun, Super Mario Brothers, and Duck Hunt. Adjusted for inflation that equals $449.55 in 2025.

@Altaria_97 You seem very sensible, just one little thing about Steam Deck. For $400, the base model has an inferior screen, but Switch 2 does not seem to be substantially more powerful. Switch 2 uses 10 watts at most in handheld mode and the chips are significantly underclocked, so at least in handheld mode Steam Deck will be able to outperform Switch 2. In any case, once the console is out, with proper teardowns and comparisons, we'll know for sure!

the first commenters don't really understand what inflation is.
Decreased spending power is a consequence. The idea is that the NES would come out at 600$ today, regardless of being easier or harder to afford 600 today compared to 200 back then.
Not to mention games were much more expensive back then too.

By all metrics, anyone gaming today enjoys a sweet deal compared to the 80/90s. Especially when taking into account we're playing stuff we only dreamed of back then.

Nobody is entitled to owning a Switch 2. If you can't afford it, don't buy it. If enough people don't buy it the price will drop. Just wait.

I had an N64 when it came out. The games were upwards of £60 and Turok was over £100. I got 6games for it, Mario 64, Pilot Wings, MK64, The Two Zelda’s, and Blast Corps.

Then the PS1 came out with much cheaper games and I forgot about it very quickly. That is the risk Nintendo is taking with the Switch 2.

@Carck You are correct. Also if we're talking abut USA/Canada specifically then wages have actually increased.

But remember Nintendo didn't do any mass layoffs like all the other companies in the industry in 2023. And remember Nintendo's average salary is the second highest in western japan. They are a company that values retaining their employees for a long time. And they are expanding right now.

Maybe don't compare the adjusted prices to the NES days because people's eyes just gloss over and they make silly responses like the first few above. But just compare the adjusted prices to 2017 (when the Switch 1 launched) and I think we can all see a problem that Nintendo and all the other companies in the industry have right now.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/01/nintendos-average-salary-crowned-the-second-highest-in-western-japan-last-year
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/01/one-third-of-game-developers-impacted-by-layoffs-in-2023-gdc-reports

@MrGawain Blast Corps FTW

Doesn't bother me at all. The lack of a motion sensor bar for on rails shooters and whatever that the Wii & Wii U had is what is ultimately pi**ing me off. At least the Switch 2 Pro controller has HD Rumble 2(Including the joy-con 2's), A great D-pad(With no miss-registering issues) and quiter smoother gliding analog sticks. Plus 120fps, up to 4K, PS4-Pro like power when docked & HDR.

Just wish there was a gyro motion sensor bar/reference, and for the joy-cons to have traditional sticks, topped with ergonomic shell attachments for detached play when docked.

So, On-rails shooters like House of the Dead 2 Remake, or House of the Dead 2&3 Return(Running @4K + 120fps) won't work properly, nor would a port of something like Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, again running at 4K + 120fps. So much potential, but on rail shooters are doomed, and you won't be able to replicate the same revolutionary and VR-like amazing Wii remote & nunchuck control scheme found in Prime 3 for Wii, with the detached joy-con 2's for Prime 4: Beyond.

For all the great things Switch 2 does, they once again failed to bring in the sensor bar....Although, a NSO Wii service might become a thing, which means they'll sell a NSO Wii remote, nunchuck & Sensor bar. Which could become compatible with future on rails(etc) type games. Problem solved, sort of.

And i say sort of, since the Wii remote will just have basic rumble and not HD Rumble 2.

If I recall correctly the switch is the only generation to not get an official price drop. All other systems went down in price as the generation went on. I got my 32GB WiiU in 2015 for 199 of I remember correctly. I guess the New 3DS XL also counts as it was always 199. But that is just one model.

The thing is Nintendo had been keeping that $200 price tag for their home console up til the Nintendo Switch. So far only the Wii U and Switch 2 doesn't a $200 model. The NES to the GameCube were all launch at $200 and although the Wii launch at $250, the Wii Family Edition launch at $200, same with Switch. Although Switch launch at $300, the handheld only Switch Lite launch at $200.

Going to have to thank my 80s parents a bit more. That would have hurt their pockets more than I realised.

The fact that the GameCube and N64 prices (at launch without inflation) were the same in the US, whilst in the UK the GameCube was almost half the price of the N64 is crazy to me.

You should add to the price of the switch and switch 2 the pro controller. we now have to pay extra for a controller then previous generations.

@sixrings Taking out the gimmicks greatly discourages the devs who would make good use out of them. They don't want to support hardware that they can assume only a proportion of the console owners have.
Take those out, and it's like, why am I even buying this console in the first place?

However, what would be great if Nintendo gave options to use both its gimmick controls and traditional controls. Sometimes the gimmicks work, sometimes they don't. But then Nintendo almost never supports button remapping in its own games either.

YAWN. GIVE ME MY SWITCH 2!!!

@WaveBoy I can feel that, not having a true light gun for light gun style games is just lame. Nintendo and Sony should really partner with Sinden and use their light gun technology for modern light gun style titles.

@WiiWareWave It's not Nintendo, or any Company for that matter, fault for wages being low. They aren't responsible for min wages not changing to suits one supposed needs.

@Serpenterror
Totally. Sinden or the latest Reaper light gun. Better yet, if NSO Wii becomes a thing, than Nintendo will probably Sell the Wii Remote Plus, Nunchuck & Sensor Bar(USB wired). And if Nintendo allows the sensor bar & Wii remote to be used outside of the NSO service for certain Switch 2 titles, than developers can make the Wii remote & Sensor bar compatible with stuff like House of the Dead 2 Remake.

Which would solve the gyro motion drifting and constantly losing accuracy with your cross hair, which forces you to press a stupid button recenter the thing. HOTD2 Remake would control every bit as good as the Wii remote did with House of the Dead 2&3 Return on Wii. Problem solved! I'd also use the Nyko Perfect shot with it.

@Shade_Koopa No but it's going to price most families out in their biggest market outside of Japan which I don't think is in Nintendo's best interest and they'd know this if the American branch wasn't currently being run by a former EA suit. It's pure greed that will likely make them irrelevant in the region.

So somewhat similar to N64 and Wii U price.
Yikes.

@WiiWareWave Doubtful. Nintendo's a big name. Even if the Switch 2 flops, they'll survive. They are a too big a power house to be taken down so easily.

It would be nice if we got a companion article showing what the average persons disposable income has been around these launches…not just salary but how much does the average person/family have that year.

well, there is an easy solution to the high asking price of the switch 2. make a switch 2 lite with tv out and sell it for $329USD. no removable joycons. no HDR screen. hell, remove the 120hz nonsense as well — there was no need for it since there isn't any noticable difference between 60fps and 120fps to most eyes anyways.

OR

please, make a switch 2 non-portable, home console. pack all the guts into a simple box for $299USD. bascially, do what sony did with the vita in turning it into a vita tv. nintendo has many possibile solutions to fall back on should the high barrier to entry screw up their sales projections.

@Bizaster,

So you are suggesting we can't allow inflation if people's wages do not increase in line with it?

@electrolite77,

I think we will have the same as last time. Switch 2 and Switch 2 lite... as this covers more bases. Any more just introduces confusion.

@sixrings,

I doubt it's that. Nintendo have produced a console and things have simply gone up.

@Spider-Kev,

I was suggesting that inflation is a real thing. And just because people's wages do not increase at the same level will not prevent inflation from happening. It's simply makes it more difficult for people.

@electrolite77,

Without a doubt the Switch brand is very powerful at the moment.

@KingMike you’re buying it for Nintendo first party games. How many of us actually used the joy con as a controller off the switch. We could get rid of that gimmick like the lite did. How many of us played games with those joy cons that needed motion control like 1-2 switch, arms or the first Mario party? Not many and even though Nintendo pushed this there was no arms 2 and they eventually made a buttons only Mario party. HD rumble. It’s a big name but how often was it used. Just a lot of gimmicks which make the hardware more expensive and in the joy cons case with those sticks unreliable. When the Wii u was out people were like oh I can’t imagine playing mario kart without a map on my big plastic gimmick touch screen. Yet look at how well Mario kart sold. Apparently a big button to honk your horn was not needed and perhaps Wii u would have done better without the gimmick which added a cost to the console.

@darkswabber 100% correct. I was just about to post this. The price to the consumer in average mean (or perhaps mode) hours worked to buy the console would be a far more interesting statistic. I think this may explain why people are unhappy to buy it. They've been feeling the pinch of deflating wages since 2010...

Inflation is a poor measure, as wages have deflated in real terms since 2010. A better measure would be average (or mode) hours worked to buy the console, which I would guess is way more. There is also less economic demand and more global uncertainty. Without wages to keep up with prices, something had to give. Without strong organisations (like trade unions) to collectively bargain for better wages, greed knows no bounds...

So I did some research looking at US household income in 1985 vs 2025 and this is what I found:

1985
$23620 avg household income
$8220 avg annual house payment
$3401 avg taxes
$968 avg food
$840 gas

With NES $200, that’s roughly $200 of remaining pay

In 2025
$82886 avg household income
$12018 avg taxes
$26700 avg house payments
$9985 avg food
$2449 avg gas

So a $500 switch is apx 1.6% of total remaining income and a bit cheaper than the NES.

Of course this doesn’t account for the large increase in other potential expenses that are now vying for our attention (phone, internet, streaming, etc) but for the frugal minded it appears we have a little more disposable income in the states.

@sixrings People like these features on the Switch, they don't want them stripped out of the system or Switch 2. Just because you hate innovative ideas doesn't mean everyone else does.

And the Switch sales speak for themselves. If you want a boring bland box that plays games, you're spoilt for choice so go wild and pick something else mate.

@johnvboy inflation will probably always exist, but yes, I think that people should earn livable wages

@Bizaster,

Define livable. Some people simply spend more than others. I earn a decent wage, but we still manage to get through it easily enough.

I don't think the Nintendo Switch 2 is particularly overpriced for what it is, maybe it could be $50 less or something, and eventually it might be, but that isn't a crazy difference. However, adjusting for inflation is a very simplistic way of looking at things, because while inflation might very well be an equation, our wages do not increase proportionately with inflation, so goods are still more expensive, even though they might technically have the same value based on the currency's value. The tax bands in UK are still the same as years ago when inflation was not this bad.

@johnvboy
Okay, thank you for the clarification.

I never understand why these comparisons are done using inflation, which might as well be a made up number to the average person, rather than something like the ratio of the median incomes for those years. That would be a way more useful metric for how much the money actually means to people.

I see some nasty prices on the list, but I don't see Euro percentages or game prices. Switch 2 is very expensive compared to the original Switch, the games are more expensive and you need more (probably) expensive sd-cards for storage. Not to mention the eshop, where everything probably will be more expensive to (at least the new games). And then there's the power-usage, wich might also be higher.

+back in the day everything was cheaper, including the food. So paying a bit more for your device and games wasn't as terrible as it is now. +for the Switch 2 price you might get a PS5 or XboxOne who are much stronger in terms of power. And in this time Nintendo should have been a bit more lenient anyway.

Personally my "head-goal" lies at roughly 400 Euro (paid 300 for current Switch) and 70 for games (but I rather pay 60).

As it stands Switch 2 is around 470 Euro here in Holland, and the games are already going down in price luckily (sitting around 69 Euro, but still 79 for Mariokart).

It automatically means that if I'll buy a Switch 2 someday I will buy less games and wait more for discounts. And maybe I even ignore the eshop if it is to expensive. Nintendo is just basically shooting themselves in the foot.

By the way: Is it already confirmed how long the lifespan will be? You don't want a system that gets supported for 3 years. My current Switch was supposed to have a lifespan of 7 years, its 8 years now (and there's still some stuff coming, even next year).

@darkswabber has it? Sorry, can you refer me to the relevant data, please?

@N8tiveT3ch I agree. I'm upset that Nintendo is charging so much for this. I'm a teenager and don't have a job because my parents won't let me. I'm trying to save up as much money as I possibly can to get Switch 2, but I don't know if I'll have enough by the time pre-orders in the US come around. I've been stuck with underpowered Nintendo consoles my whole life, and this is the first chance I have to finally get something with a decent amount of power. It's not fair for Nintendo, a company that usually caters to a younger audience, to charge so much for a console that's about as powerful as a console from 2014.

@electrolite77 absolutely. and let's face it, a home console version won't make the most sense seeing as this device is called the "switch" but i'd argue that the "switch lite" also didn't make any sense since it couldn't "switch" either haha. so what does it matter? let's just hope the switch 2 lite will actually have video output this time around

@johnvboy by “livable”, I mean being able to pay rent, pay for food, etc. while still having money left over to spend on hobbies.

@Bizaster,

The problem is you are not really understanding how inflation works. If you push up the wages inflation can also increase as a result. So you can't really solve the problem. And we all have to tighten our belts as it were in certain circumstances. You are really calling for ideal world solutions which are not always workable.

@johnvboy except it IS workable. CEOs can increase wages for employees and still earn more than enough money. Companies can keep their video games at fair prices and still sell more than enough. It’s just greed. You aren’t going to be thanked for defending these practices

@Bizaster,

So you basically never adressed my point about inflation. I am not here to be thanked by people. Whatever that means in the first place. I do have empathy for people in tough situations. But you also have to understand the reality of all this. You are living in a dream world. You seem to feel videogame companies owe you something when they do not. If you think things are overpriced don't buy them.

@johnvboy this argument isn’t going anywhere but I’m just gonna end off by saying that no, these companies technically do not owe us anything, but that doesn’t make what Nintendo is doing any less ridiculous. Putting out these prices after taking pride in the “affordable gaming company” title is really scummy and I won’t accept it. Have a good day/night

@Bizaster,

So what is it you think is too expensive the console itself or the one game at $80?. This is of course assuming you know all Nintendo's costs including parts, production and development. Seriously I am intrigued to hear what you think.

This is a discussion by the way. Not an argument.

This is a very interesting article, but I think it doesn't take in consideration that the prices for electronics has gone down over time.
Also, I know that in Japan an unlocked Switch 2 will be sold for 490 USD and the region locked one for 350 USD and that they might be selling the latter at a loss, I just find it hard to be believe it's at a 140 USD loss, and I'm not aware of any hardware differences between these models.
The said, I think the toughest part of the pricing issue is the cost of the games.

@kedireturns,

See you got banned.... or are you back?