Forums

Topic: So how do we feel about the base price of first party games?

Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here, check out our guide: Nintendo Switch 2 Guide: Ultimate Resource.

Posts 301 to 320 of 322

Nep-Nep-Freak

All of this talk about prices being expensive, yet I would be willing to pay $100 for a physical copy of a new mainline Pokémon game with all of the content on the cartridge and without any dlc 🤣.

My top 5 favorite games:
1: Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1
2: Pokémon Violet
3: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
4: The Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening (2019)
5: Animal Crossing New Horizons

Mario Maker 2 Maker ID: MNH-8JB-PKG
Switch Username: Blanc

Switch Friend Code: SW-5325-5009-2423

FishyS

rallydefault wrote:

I agree. Could we actually aim for 10 dollars? And then maybe like 30 for stuff like Tears. Maybe.

I waited and grabbed Tears for $30. Sort of lower because gold points existed back then. If only I wasn't too impatient to wait for good sales for some games 😆

FishyS

Switch Friend Code: SW-2425-4361-0241

rallydefault

@FishyS
Yea, I saw someone saying they just got a new copy of Kirby Switch 2 edition on eBay for like 40 bucks.

Deals are out there when we are patient.

rallydefault

skywake

Americans with their freedom dollars talking about game prices and I'm just sitting here without any real context on how much that actually is. I mean I can do currency conversions sure but without the context of salary and the price of other goods it's a bit hard to get a feel of it

For example, some of these first party games are ~$100AU now at retail, post tax, which is ~$65US. I take public transport to work, works out to be about $100AU every couple of weeks. If I go to Macca's or KFC or something and get a value meal that's probably $15AU or so. If I go to a cafe or pub for a meal I'm probably spending closer to $40AU

At the shops a box of Coke/Pepsi cans are about $1AU per can. If you get a coffee from a cafe you're probably paying around $6 or so. I pay $92/mo for my 500Mbps internet plan, usually around $90/mo for power, around half that for water

I have a mortgage which chews a chunk of my income but I'm doing pretty well for myself. With all my expenses and bills, including non-essential items like games, I'm still saving $10s of 1000s a year outside of my mortgage repayments. Which I'll mostly just jam back on the mortgage

But that's the context of a $100AU game. Which is not nothing sure. But I highly doubt in the context of Australian wages, goods and services it's the same relative cost that someone in the US might be seeing. I do, quite literally, live in one of the wealthiest cities in the world

Some playlists: Top All Time Songs, Top Last Year
An opinion is only respectable if it can be defended. Respect people, not opinions

kkslider5552000

rallydefault wrote:

Yea, I saw someone saying they just got a new copy of Kirby Switch 2 edition on eBay for like 40 bucks.

Deals are out there when we are patient.

This is a valid point I have to remind myself, maybe just because in my experience, for reasons I've never fully understood, a lot of retailers seem almost allergic to cheaper versions of Nintendo games (or at least cheaper than what Nintendo will ever do for a sale on the eShop, even for used copies). Comedic contrast to when I found a bunch of 2012 360 games for 70% off just two years later. (and even cheaper than that at Wal Mart just 2 years after that).

But despite all that and my disinterest in digging too deeply into online stores, I have run into deals sometimes anyway. My favorite of which is when I found TOTK randomly for 20 dollars cheaper mere weeks after launch.

[Edited by kkslider5552000]

Non-binary, demiguy, making LPs, still alive

Megaman Legends 2 Let's Play!:
LeT's PlAy MEGAMAN LEGENDS 2 < Link to LP

rallydefault

@kkslider5552000
Yea, they're out there.

If it's a game I don't absolutely need on launch day, I'll just wait.

My favorite is when Gamestop does a Buy 2, Get 1 or like a 4 for $60 deal on pre-owned Switch games, but that depends on how many trade-ins your local Gamestop gets. Mine tends to get lots of good stuff, and I'm not in a huge city, so usually I have a nice selection to choose from for super cheap prices.

rallydefault

Atomic77

Not only were talking price here anyhow but what makes a game first party?

Atomic77
Nintendo Switch OLED Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Edition Gamer

kkslider5552000

Atomic77 wrote:

Not only were talking price here anyhow but what makes a game first party?

Basically any game published by Nintendo (with some your mileage may vary for games Nintendo doesn't own the IP for)

Non-binary, demiguy, making LPs, still alive

Megaman Legends 2 Let's Play!:
LeT's PlAy MEGAMAN LEGENDS 2 < Link to LP

FishyS

Ignoring the subtlety of mobile games, I would say first party with respect to Nintendo means:

  • Published by Nintendo (generally globally)
  • Exclusive to Nintendo hardware (not just timed exclusive)
  • Nintendo owns a large chunk of the IP
  • Made by either Nintendo or a very close partner.

So not the random Square Enix games Nintendo occasionally temporarily publishes and not Mario + Rabbids but yes Kirby and Pokemon.

Note that definitions vary, but I think the above is usually what people in this forum mean. Some people like to argue about first party versus second party, but Nintendo is so intertwined with IP, direction, and funding of some series and partners that it feels like a lost cause. Kirby for example is technically somewhere between first and second party by a definition Sony gave recently.

In terms of this thread, games like Kirby and Pokemon (and perhaps Bayonetta if there is another game) are likely getting that $70+ price tag for their main games.

[Edited by FishyS]

FishyS

Switch Friend Code: SW-2425-4361-0241

rallydefault

Atomic77 wrote:

Not only were talking price here anyhow but what makes a game first party?

That's a good question. I feel like most people usually take "first party" to automatically mean Nintendo's big, identifiable franchises: Mario, Splatoon, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, Pokemon, etc.

But technically, "first-party" just means anything published by Nintendo itself, which includes all sorts of wacky stuff: Brain Training, Sushi Strikers, Fitness Boxing, etc.

rallydefault

Grumblevolcano

So far it seems like the pricing structure for the Switch ecosystem is:

  • FTP - Super Kirby Clash and Pokemon Quest
  • Sub $30 - Smaller eshop only games like Welcome Tour, Drag x Drive and Kirby Fighters 2
  • $30 - Standalone Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 2
  • $40 - Prime Remastered, standalone Galaxy 1 and Galaxy 2
  • $50 - A very small selection of Switch 1 retail games like Captain Toad and Pikmin 1+2 (bundle)
  • $60 - Base price of a Switch 1 game
  • $70 - TotK, Galaxy 1+2 (bundle), Graphics upgrade Switch 2 Edition of a $60 Switch 1 game, Base price of a Switch 2 game
  • $80 - Content upgrade Switch 2 Edition, TotK Switch 2 Edition, MK World

I reckon that Yoshi, Fire Emblem and Pokopia will be $70. Pokemon Champions seems to be all about making the competitive scene more accessible so I'd guess $20 Switch 1/$30 Switch 2 maximum, mobile version I could see being FTP like Pokemon Friends was.

Not sure about Tomodachi Life and Rhythm Heaven as the Nintendo site says they're digital only which suggests on the cheaper side ($30 each perhaps?) but alternatively it could be a Hades 2 type situation where physical is exclusive to a yet to be announced Switch 2 edition. I hope there's a real Switch 1 physical as Switch 2 edition boxarts are very ugly and I don't care about graphics upgrades.

[Edited by Grumblevolcano]

Grumblevolcano

FishyS

@rallydefault Fitness Boxing isn't published under the Nintendo label in Japan and Nintendo doesn't own the IP so I wouldn't count that one as first party. Brain Training however is a pretty major Nintendo IP (it has sold more than Splatoon) and was originally created and developed by one of Nintendo's own internal studios so it's as first party as you can get even though it doesn't happen to be too popular in NA.

FishyS

Switch Friend Code: SW-2425-4361-0241

rallydefault

@FishyS
For sure, I’m just saying nobody would pay 70 bucks for a Brain Training game lol but it’s still a massively popular first-party game.

rallydefault

westman98

@Grumblevolcano
FYI Captain Toad on Switch is a $40 game, not $50.

Also, I find it really really hard to believe that Tomodachi Life and Rhythm Heaven will be digital-only, is there a source for this?

[Edited by westman98]

westman98

Grumblevolcano

@westman98 Nintendo's own site.

https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download...

https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download...

Compare to an upcoming release that has a known Switch 1 physical version:

https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/Me...

Prime 4 has 2 options for the Switch 1 version (Nintendo Switch Game Card and Download Version) meanwhile Tomodachi Life and Rhythm Heaven only have 1 option (Download Version).

So either Tomodachi Life and Rhythm Heaven are digital Switch 1 only games or there will be a Switch 2 edition announced at some point with that being the only physical version available. The latter option is what happened with Hades 2, if you want the game physically your only option is the Switch 2 edition. While you can use the Switch 2 edition cart in your Switch 1, the boxart is ugly because of the legal text.

Grumblevolcano

Dogorilla

Hmm, I think it's also possible (and most likely in my opinion) that there will in fact be physical Switch 1 releases for Tomodachi Life and Rhythm Paradise, it just hasn't been confirmed yet.

Thank you Nintendo for giving us Donkey Kong Jr Math on Nintendo Music

Matt_Barber

Yeah, we don't usually get details of physical releases until a date has been set, presumably because of the lead time on cartridge production.

Putting up a placeholder for digital sales is presumably less of a commitment, especially seeing as you still won't be able to pre-order it yet.

Matt_Barber

UpsideDownRowlet

The pricing of Wii ports to the Switch is interesting. $40 for each Galaxy game individually, but $60 for Skyward Sword HD and DKC HD. The only difference between these ports is that the Galaxy re-releases don't have 'HD' in the name. So does that mean Nintendo values the word 'HD' at $20? If so, that's pretty weird.

Edit: To be clear, I am saying this as a comical interpretation of the pricing. I do not genuinely believe that the word 'HD' is worth $20 to Nintendo.

[Edited by UpsideDownRowlet]

"well it appears I am upside down. what ever will I do?"

Currently Playing: Hollow Knight: Silksong, Pokémon LeafGreen
Nintendo Switch 2 Username: Owlex
he/him

rallydefault

@UpsideDownRowlet
Not saying this is why, but Nintendo has famously made a big deal out of their move to HD. That was early 2010s at this point with the release of the Wii U, but yea, they made a huge deal out of the move from SD to HD, and some still bring it up as the reason why their releases were so slow with the Wii U.

rallydefault

BonzoBanana

UpsideDownRowlet wrote:

The pricing of Wii ports to the Switch is interesting. $40 for each Galaxy game individually, but $60 for Skyward Sword HD and DKC HD. The only difference between these ports is that the Galaxy re-releases don't have 'HD' in the name. So does that mean Nintendo values the word 'HD' at $20? If so, that's pretty weird.
Edit: To be clear, I am saying this as a comical interpretation of the pricing. I do not genuinely believe that the word 'HD' is worth $20 to Nintendo.

It's not about HD its about the fact the Switch was a huge success and Nintendo believes the Switch 2 will carry on the same way so is pushing prices up to have much greater profits. Despite the huge sales of Switch 1 they weren't as profitable per consumer as Playstation or Xbox despite cheaper hardware. Those companies made more money from online services etc and Nintendo is looking to be as profitable per customer as those companies I guess. However the Switch 1 was weaker hardware and really couldn't justify very high pricing but I guess they think the Switch 2 can.

Ultimately I'm mainly a PC gamer so pay nothing for online access and have access to a much wider game library at far lower prices. I only have Switch due to exclusive games which seem to have disappeared from PS5 and Xbox Series S/X so don't have those consoles. It's great that they have mainly abandoned exclusive games for me as has saved a lot of money. I realise there are a tiny amount of exclusive games for those consoles but none of them are important to me.

I'm disappointed with Switch 2 software pricing but typically I only have about 6 Switch cartridges anyway and those will run on the Switch 2 when I get one and then I will add Switch 2 exclusive games. I suspect the Switch 2 console will still be a cheap platform for me as it probably won't have that many great exclusives. I won't subscribe to Nintendo Online I'm only looking for offline single player experiences which I enjoy the most like Mario Odyssey and Zelda etc. Yes I miss out on online Mario Kart but as an older gamer I'm pretty uncompetitive playing online anyway.

I don't care what Nintendo charge for the Mario Galaxy games on Switch 2. I'm not buying them I still have them for wii on disc and emulate them on PC to get 4K 60fps visuals.

BonzoBanana

Please login or sign up to reply to this topic