Nikkei Reports a Nintendo Switch Price of 25,000 Yen, Prompting $250 Speculation

That's what's been rumored for a while now. Great price for the Switch.

New 3DS XL will need a permanent price drop though.

I think Nintendo are doing all the right things with the Switch, if all is to be believed.

I'm really excited, and I hope the product gets the general public on board too.

Might be early days, but I reckon Nintendo are onto a winner here.

I really hope this is true, as that would be a more-than-reasonable price, in my opinion. I was expecting something along the lines of $299.99.

If they decide to have two seperate Switch packages (like how the Wii U had the Basic and Deluxe/Premium set) I hope the Switch consoles themselves are exactly the same—no difference in the amount of internal storage, etc. The only difference should be that the hypothetical "deluxe" edition includes maybe a game or Pro Controller or something else bundled-in.

Please, around $250 for Switch...

Great news if they can keep the price down. It's going to need all the help it can get to compete against the other major console's for shelf space.
The something different angle will only get them so far and consistent sales and market share growth will tempt the 3rd party games back if they can compete on price....... Hopefully 😉

Fantastic price, even for the limited amount we have seen.

If they manage to sell it at this price, consider me impressed. Love it.

Still think it's gonna be at least $299 but only four days to go!!!

Will they still be selling Wii U for $300 when it comes out?

Concerning Nikkei, I'm not sure manipulating expectations is wise, especially with the presentation so close. Despite that, I do hope that the price is reasonable and fair. Moreso, I'm more interested in the resources and development hardware. Perhaps the the smaller developers will have access to it after the presentation. One can hope~♪

$250 was the ideal price point in my eyes. They already have a lot of people on board. My dad the other day was excited about the system and he normally doesn't care much for nintendo(or video games in general)! Nintendo is hitting all of the right targets so far. Let's hope that they can keep hitting them far onto the Switch's lifespan.
All I could ever want on the system itself is a new and imaginative mario game, Breath of the Wild, a new StarFox game, a new Metroid game, a new FZero, Pokemon, a new Splatoon, and Super Smash Bros! If they can get at least that lineup of games over the Switch's life time, my life will have been completed!

I think that's a good price, but am thinking we'll need to stump up more for the pro controller, if wanted.

Hope the Joy-con grip is comfortable enough for those who want the pro controller later. Maybe the Wii U pro controller will work. That would be great.

The Yen price always results in a higher Sterling and Euro price for us. It's never a straight conversion.

$250 for the console works, $300 w/ a gsme. But a good game like Zelda:BotW, not some Nintendo Land 2 mini game collection to show off the use of the Joy-Con w/ 2 players, which is probably what they'll offer.

Also explains why they kept the Wii U at $299, makes the Switch look like a bargain at $249. PS4 Slim and X1S will both be permanently $249 if Switch launches at $249, if not before. Sony has Pro on the high end, and MS has Scorpio coming, they won't let Switch get a foothold based on being cheaper.

I wonder about storage. 32BG card for $249, 64GB card for $299 w/ Zelda could work. Nintendo will make some money later on w/ extra Switch toasters, 1 for every TV in the house, and Joy-Cons, so they can afford to break even on the hardware now.

If its 250 with a game then it might do well but if its hitting the 300 mark with a game then I'm not so sure. I'm fairly confident it'll sell out at launch but we won't really get an idea of its success until the summer comes.

Great price

Well, US$250 is actually ¥29,233.30... So ¥25,000 would come closer to the US$200-230 price bracket, since that's US$213.80. Many gaming products have historically been priced slightly higher in Japan than in the USA, so we may even be looking at a US$200 final MSRP. If it's ¥25,000 in Japan, US$250 is too high.

On another note, a US$200 price point would confirm that the SoC onboard the S(and)witch is indeed comparable to the Tegra X1, and not the X2.

Nintendo can only stand a chance if they do indeed price at $250.

Good price

How is £203 the price after tax in the UK? Rounding to £175, 20% VAT is £35 which already puts it at £210. I can't see them then selling it below £219.99 in that case, just to take other factors into consideration, maybe even putting it up for £229.99.

Since when is Nikkei a reliable source? Especially when they were claiming there was a shortage of Wii U consoles earlier in the year. Many people have speculated a $250 price tag, so some crackpot at Nikkei doesn't make it any more credible.

I've no problem with posting about rumors, but they should at least be from someone that matters.

250 sounds good enough.

I've been saving for "NX" for so long now that I am prepared to buy everything Nintendo has to offer on day one!

@greengecko007 Nikkei has actually been a relatively good source for gaming over the years. They've been reporting on the Japanese gaming industry since it first began. Even the venerable gaming magazines prominent during the 90's would quote and post pictures from Nikkei, before the internet became widespread.

@greengecko007 A bit harsh, but I do agree. Not fond of this kind of manipulation of expectations, especially with the timing.

@PlywoodStick Does your $250 already include the US sales tax when converting to ¥? I think what the article is saying is that the reported ¥25,000 equates to $214 before tax, which is what it may appear to retail at, but as US add sales tax at the point of purchase, it will result in being ~$250 final cost, as well as the Western uplift we see.

@PlywoodStick Maybe, but it is still a gray area, influencing expectations. And so close to the presentation, too. That, and we shouldn't forget that the president stated that the next system won't sell at a loss. I expect a little more aggressive approach to pricing.

Bizarre. You all are so insistent that it's a top of the range console but you want it at a budget price. Can't have it both ways...

@aaronmclaren I don't know about where you live in the UK, but in the US, there is no national sales tax. Each state decides their own sales tax rate. In the state of Maryland, where I am, sales tax is 6%. With a US$213.80 price tag, the sales tax would figure out to between US$12.82 and 12.83. That comes out to US$226.62 or 226.63. Thus, it's still within the US$200-230 bracket- still too low for US$250. We don't decide the retail prices for goods in that way, though...

So... the price everyone expected?

@Incarta This. I'm hoping for a price tag of at least $300 US.

I expect £250 at least. We will see.

Who wouldn't save up another hundred bucks for a more competent system? $250 scares me.

@IceClimbers
The New 3ds and Original 3ds are definitely overdue for a major price drop. These systems have been milked for all their worth and the Switch is $250, who would pay $199 for something close to the end of it's lifespan.
$129.99 sounds more like it

So you're going to be paying the price you'd pay for a standard PS4, and the system in question doesn't even match up to that console's specs? If that's the case I'm going to wait for price drops because the Switch definitely isn't worth the price of a PS4.

@PlywoodStick Ah I see, I assumed the US was the same as us and has a nationalised tax, as the US states I've visited have had a fair amount of tax... really don't like the paying extra at point of purchase! Pays to never assume! In the UK, it's the same everywhere. We pay 20% Value Added Tax (VAT). Some items like books for example are exempt from VAT though.

@Sakura That's what I was hoping too but it looks like the Switch will have analogue triggers.Even if they end up not being used much,they will probably want to avoid any confusion over what games it's compatible with.That and avoiding any connection with the Wii name.

@aaronmclaren Look on the bright side, UK public services are in much better shape than public services in the US... Ours are falling apart... That's what we get for hating taxes. At least those VAT's are getting some good use...

@Alpha989 If true it's coming in at the lowest price one could reasonably expect.It might not have the PS4 specs but the PS4 doesn't have an HD screen nor can it be played on the go among other things.These things don't come for free.

The drop in the pound exchange rate has really screwed things. £200 wouldn't be that cheap, as you've been able to quite easily get a PS4 + 2 games for that, but £200 would also be a LOT less than Nintendo are used to getting when it's converted to dollars or yen. Because of this, I'm expecting over £200, and therefore more expensive than a PS4. In the UK at least, it's going to be expensive enough to make consumers unhappy, and not be expensive enough for Nintendo to really be happy either when the profits get sent home.

@Eksarahn Nikkei has a long-standing custom of reporting on crucial details before official press reports. Their information is publicly released, but it's really intended to be used by their and other shareholders and industry insiders. The information isn't meant to hurt/help the subject company, or even necessarily inform the greater public.

if its £200, im more than happy. Initially i was saving to be ready to fork over £300 if i had to. But hopefully peripherals and accessories such as the pro controller aren't £50, along with obviously purchasing a game or two that are also £50.

@PlywoodStick I'd be happy to see any price that isn't a multiple of $50, show some creativity, $229 or $279. I know it has to end in 9, no getting around that.

As for US vs. Japan, they could equalize the price by selling the system w/o a game in Japan but with a game in the west, like Wii and Wii Sports, giving the US a better value for the equivalent price. I'd like to see Nintendo give that some considerstion, pick a very mobile popular game in Japan game like Yokai-Watch there and something more western in the west like Skyrim. Let the people know Nintendo pays attention to something in the real world.

$250 is a pretty good price, but it's only $50 less than those $300 Xbone and PS4 packages, so with that said, I hope even the "standard" Switch bundle has a game. It doesn't have to be a high profile one, but maybe the Splatoon or Mario Kart ports, you know?

@Peach64 I think the 'newness' of the system may be able to sway people into purchasing the system for £200 or a little over that. For a new piece of hardware it could also be considered relatively cheap as it compares to the price of a four year old console

But will the games be priced like Wii U games, 3DS games, or N64 games?

I've been expecting anything between $250-$300. Anything below $250 will be a pleasant surprise. Anything above $300 will be a tough sell to people who aren't die-hard Nintendo fans. If it is $300, it better have a good pack-in game like Zelda, Splatoon, or Mario.

£250 would be reasonable but I fear for the Switch. It already looks like it is struggling to attract any 3rd party support and that could kill it before it's even born.

@rjejr The whole "price point ending with a 9 instead of 0" and ".99" thing is based on marketing psychology, anyways. I'd rather post the realistic price bracket, which if ¥25,000 turns out to be true, is going to be somewhere between US$200-230.

As for a pack-in game, there's been much speculation on Splatoon being the one, or at least it would be outside of Japan. That package in this case might be a US$250-280 Deluxe SKU, whereas the base system SKU would range within US$200-230.

I'm skeptical that the pack-in game would be Splatoon, though, since the S(and)witch won't use the motion controls of the Wii/Wii U (edit: without the Joy-Con). It would probably be something closer to a (edit:) retread of Wii Sports or Nintendo Land, with some minigames needing motion-controls and others not, or perhaps even the new 3D Mario title. It almost certainly won't be BotW, since that's not going to be finished until late launch window at the earliest.

Anyone expecting a portable Xbox One is in for a rude awakening, especially if this is actually the price. That said, it doesn't need to be an Xbox One to play most games. Sales are going to be a lot more important when it comes to the games we'll be getting.

Well, if the console delivers, I can't see why not.
But it must compete with the other consoles if it wants to justify the price.

@PlywoodStick Switch is reported to have motion controls though.

@AlexSora89 From a raw specs perspective, the S(and)witch will roughly compete with the original PS4 and XB1. Not quite at the level of PS4Pro and XBScorpio, but not bad at all for a portable capable console. As for other technological aspects, such as loading times from it's storage medium, it may even surpass the PS4 and XB1.

@IceClimbers Using the reported IR sensor in the Joy-Con, yes. But in the mobile device itself? Good luck using those Wii U style motion controls on the go, or if you somehow lose the Joy-Con... There's all kinds of confusion waiting to happen there.

Nintendo Life should do a poll.

Do you want the Switch to be
A. Sold at $200 with a game and be a rubbish console.
B. Sold at $300 with a game and be an okay console.
C. Sold at $400 with a game and be an amazing console.

Because that is the reality

@PlywoodStick There's also the difference in audience and what sells per platform to consider. People aren't going to go for a Switch just because there's Mass Effect and GTA on it just like how the majority of Xbox and PS4 owners won't go nuts over Etrian Odyssey and Monster Hunter despite all the port begging. As long as they can make a separate ecosystem to make them stand out, they should be fine.

@PlywoodStick No, both Joy-Cons and the Switch itself have a gyroscope + accelerometer. Splatoon's gyro controls are more than possible.

@PlywoodStick Noted, but I'm still wary when some consumers don't know better and substitute the estimate for the actual price.

@IceClimbers Pray tell, how would playing games like Splatoon work without physical buttons and twinsticks, and/or with no TV/console connection to simulate the motion sensor connection used by the Wii/Wii U?

@PlywoodStick The same way the motion controls in the 3DS, Wii U GamePad, and the Dualshock 4 work.

@Peach64 Considering that £200 is ¥28,737.50, if ¥25,000 turns out to be the Japanese MSRP, it better not cost any more than £200...

The system will be $199 usd.

@IceClimbers Without the Joy-Con, it won't have twinsticks or face buttons (and maybe shoulder buttons, not sure what those little tabs on the shoulders of the mobile device are for yet), unlike the New 3DS, Gamepad, and Dualshock...

The mobile controls away from a TV (again, without the Joy-Con) would have to somehow simulate the AR game controls on a 3DS, which wouldn't be as accurate as the TV connection motion controls, unless it simultaneously simulated the GamePad's built-in sensor bar without needing an external output. Sounds too complicated, if you ask me. It's a lot simpler to just limit it to either TV play using the Joy-Con, or using the Joy-Con to connect with the IR port to the mobile device itself, which I suspect is how it will work with games like Splatoon.

The point is, a peripheral will be needed to play games like Splatoon, which makes it a risky decision for a launch release pack-in game SKU, in case someone loses their Joy-Cons. The pack-in game for the initial Deluxe SKU should be able to use any of the possible control methods of the S(and)witch without a hitch. A Splatoon pack-in SKU could release later, though.

Anything between 300 and 250 is game for me, anyone expecting less than 200 are just delusional. More than 300 though and it will be a tough sell.

Except, 25000 Yen doesn't translate to 250 dollars, one yen is 0.85 cents, so that makes it 214 dollars or so.

@MikeGamer

Why don't you actually READ THE article and not just comment on a headline . . . .

@PlywoodStick For starters, not sure why you're talking about not using the Joy-Cons when on the go. You'd have the Joy-Cons with you.

Second, the Switch itself (the device with the screen) has a gyroscope and accelerometer. The motion controls work the exact same way that the motion controls do on the 3DS, GamePad, and Dualshock 4. The sensor bar on the GamePad is for use with Wiimotes, not the GamePad's motion controls.

You're making this more complicated than it actually is.

$250 sounds too good to apply where I live - I got quite a bargain in a ~$330 PS4 Slim (no bundles), and I've seen at least one electronics chain in Minsk still selling the previous version for $500 with a straight face. Wii U bundles do cost around 300 bucks here, so if I get a relative day one purchase even for 350, I'll probably consider myself quite lucky. Bundles? Depending on the price, and Mario or Zelda BotW might end up on the shelf, victims to my still alive optimistic intention to find time and catch up with all the previous respective flagships. Neither am I too restless about MK8 since I've yet to play through MK7 properly. But if, say, Skyrim is bundled... count me in.

@WhiteTrashGuy You should note the discussion I had earlier with aaronmclaren. The article is factoring in a national VAT tax, which applies in the UK, but not in the US. Each state in the US has a different sales tax rate. Deciding the MSRP based on sales tax rates here would make it vary in each state, which is ridiculous. We don't decide retail prices that way. You're from the US, too, so you should know better.

@PlywoodStick
That's a huge step forward compared to the power gap between Wii U and its competitors. Now Sony and Microsoft are opting for a New 3DS-esque more powerful redesign for their respective consoles, giving Nintendo time to get back on track. And just as the New 3DS only got one New-exclusive game, I don't see devs sacrificing a larger userbase (the Switch-X1-PS4 one) and make Scorpio-slash-PS4Pro-only games, which makes the price-to-power-and-power-gap ratio all the more excusable this time around.

Wow, $250? I'd be mildly surprised, but very pleased.

@3MonthBeef Every rumor has stated that the dock won't be sold, at least at the start, separately from the console and surely Nintendo shouldn't do that. If they do, it will encourage the believe that the Switch is a handheld that can be attached to the TV.

@Incarta

Couldn't have said it better myself

@OorWullie

I was going to say the same. Really looking forward to having analog triggers again but that means old controllers will go bye bye(except for VC) but I'm fine with that. Time for a fresh start.

You were spot on with your second point too. Some people don't understand that innovation costs money.

I have always said that they have to hit $250.00 preferably with a game packed in or pre-loaded. I would think MARIO MAKER or SPLATOON would be a perfect pack-in as they have already made their money off of those games on the WiiU. At $299.99 electronic store reps. will be quick to point out that the SWITCH is less powerful than the PS4 and the XBONE. But the average person can plainly see $50.00 less, with a game, and portable.

Two hundred dollars was the cutoff price for me deciding to buy it day one or not.

Still, according to how much other Nintendo consoles and games usually sell in Japan -at a premium price- we could be seeing a 200 dollars price in the West. Case in point: 3DS games usually sell at 4,800 and 6,000 yens, for games that sell in teh US at 40 and 50 dollars. So, a Switch could cost like 210, maybe even at 225 (210+15 dollars in tax).

@IceClimbers My original point was just that it's riskier to make the first Deluxe SKU pack-in game Splatoon, because if you somehow lose your Joy-Cons while you're out and about (or if they're stolen), then that's that. You'd have to buy another set of Joy-Cons. Without them, you'd be lacking face buttons and twinsticks, so no Splatoon.

It will be easier to carry the mobile device around in a pocket without worrying about how to store the Joy-Cons and mobile device stand. I'm just saying that Splatoon isn't going to be easily played while out and about, which isn't necessarily the message Nintendo should want to convey with their first pack-in game. They should want it to be able to use any control method possible.

@WhiteTrashGuy

But we don't know yet whether the Switch will be more powerful or less powerful so before we start talking about store reps let's get some concrete info first 😉

And as I said before the Switch will have other innovations and features that justify a higher price even if it is slightly less powerful.

£200 for the console would be promising but you still need plenty of great games available to buy for the console to be worth it. So bring on Friday and show you have a fantastic lineup Nintendo!

$250 basic, no bundle, $300 with game is most likely

I never thought the Wii U was overpriced at $300-$350 when it launched. Specialy when the other console fanboys and the media criticized Nintendo for that price, but they seemed to have forgotten they payed $400-$500 for their precious consoles (PS360) 7 years before!

People always critics Nintendo for keeping the U at $300 but people then to forget that hardware and software is Nintendo's MAIN source of income. Nintendo is not a conglomerate like SONY and Microsoft that have many more business ventures and their gaming divisions are only a PART, and in Microsoft's case a very small part, of their operational income.

Either way, I'll be there in day one buying a Switch, whether is $250 or $400.

@capitalism

I'm 99% sure that the Switch will be less powerful than the PS4. And even if it IS on par with the Xbox One then there is no WAY that it will come in at $250.00, so your point is moot in regards to my commenting on this article.

@AlexSora89 Agreed, and if it does skew towards US$200, that will be a home run in many people's books.

Breaking news: The Nikkei didn't announce that price.

https://mynintendonews.com/2017/01/08/the-nikkei-didnt-claim-that-the-nintendo-switch-will-cost-25000-yen/

@WhiteTrashGuy

You're 99% sure because you want to believe one set of rumors over another. Point is you don't know for sure. We'll see in four days 😀

@Frosty_09 You linked a good article. Nintendo can't afford selling the Switch at a loss. As aforementioned by me, hardware is part of their main income.

@Dark-Link73 The PS3 and 360 were released during a different tech market, between 10-12 years ago. The PS3 in particular was selling for a loss upon release in 2006, even at $600. The PS4/XB1, by comparison, released with a profitable $400-500 price point based on SKU, which isn't such a far cry from $300-350, considering the huge gap in raw specs/tech.

So, that's the price that many consumers are expecting and that some analysts consider to be the maximum acceptable price, warning investors to be cautious for anything over 25,000 yen.

Way to go, NL.

@maceng the switch will be price at 199

£200 isn't bad for the basic version. Would go to £250 with another game, pro controller etc

@PlywoodStick Want to here some thing crazy that mario golf wii u is a real game

@maceng Good catch! Here's the other link:

http://www.dualshockers.com/2017/01/08/nintendo-switch-no-nikkei-isnt-claiming-price-will-25000-yen/

We really shouldn't trust NeoGAF members so much. If the adjustment in the Dualshockers rebuttal, as stated by "many within the gaming industry," as it says, is closer to a Japanese MSRP of ¥30,000, then that would turn out to $US256.56. That's within the price bracket that most people have been expecting.

The ¥25,000 figure apparently came from speculation directed towards stockholders, noting that some consoles in the past were released for the same price. So yeah, nothing that was intended to be official news. Just a middle estimate on the lower side, which even included a suggestion for ¥20,000 to please stockholders. (Which obviously isn't going to be the final price.)

@Grumblevolcano Always good to see more game talk, but what about the Cloud and Bayonetta amiibo? Surely we've waited long enough and they'll show them this week? If they bundle SSB and Cloud w/ the Switch could be interesting.

@Frosty_09 Thanks for the link.

@PlywoodStick Do you think Nintendo going show a Wii u game at the event

@Dark-Link73 Not really, There are many tables stating this, but usually consoles sell at a loss, usually break even with 2-3 games sold per console. Specially with Nintendo that has very strong first party games, it is a no brainer to sell the Switch at a cost or below: Nintendo's fans usually buy 7-10 games per console. Case in point: Mario Kart 8 sold 8 million units on a 14 million user base, Splatoon has sold more than 4.5 million, New Super Mario Bros U like 5.5 million and so on.

@OorWullie Very good point. Friday morning can't come soon enough. I need confirmed details.

@therealgamer Mario Golf Wii U? I doubt it... As for BotW, it will probably be shown for the S(and)witch, but for the Wii U? Anyone's guess... I'm starting to think it will be cancelled on Wii U.

@Captain_Gonru Oh no, I agree with you (edit) to an extent. A new Mario title would make for a great pack-in for a Deluxe SKU. I doubt it would be included in the base SKU, although that would be a pleasant surprise for early adopters...

Way too expensive. It should be $150 or less.

@therealgamer I really hope so, but I wouldn't mind it at 250 bundled with a game.

@PlywoodStick Same here. Why bundle a game that on its own will sell millions?

@rjejr Hey there! How's the PS4 gaming going? I'm still thinking about getting one, but if the Switch has enough content coming, then it might not be worth it. Not yet, at least.

It should be noted that the Super Famicom, N64, GameCube, Wii, and Wii U (basic SKU) all launched at ¥25,000.

When the Wii U launched, the Japanese Yen was very weak, which prompted Nintendo to price the Wii U basic SKU at $300 and the deluxe SKU at $350 in the Americas. That price was obviously not good, and Nintendo partially credited the Wii U's failure to the console's price.

Now, the Yen is much stronger, so assuming Nintendo wants to continue the trend of launching ¥25,000 consoles, a $250 for the rumored Switch basic SKU makes sense, regardless of whether the writers at Nikkei are speculating or not.

A Nintendo console should always be priced less than the competition. They lack games, power, and features of rival systems so they should be priced accordingly. If Nintendo wants to fail a price tag of $250 will guarantee it.

@PlywoodStick
BOTW was shown off a month ago at the Game Awards. A game that is shown off less than 4 months before its supposed release date (of March 2017) will not be cancelled.

I would pay $350 for it, but I understand that would be a tough sell for most people. I think $250 is the sweet spot. I've got $500 set aside for it, so anything I save on the system is money for launch games (or preorders of upcoming games), extra controllers, and accessories. I can't imagine that price isn't part of the Thursday presentation, so we'll know for sure then.

@PlywoodStick I said this again Nintendo systems last for 5 years not 4 years. If the Zelda breath of the wild don't come in march bu I heard August they still making Wii u games. What the hll nintendo fans will play on the wii u if zelda not coming in march. My bets mario golf wii u is a real game. Even when the Wii u come out in 2012 Nintendo made games to the original Wii and port xenoblade and the last story.

@westman98 Nintendo never said Zelda breath of the wild will come in march

@rjejr Well that can be mentioned during the inevitable Smash Switch port section. Have a trailer which finishes with the release date for the game, the last 3 Wii U/3DS DLC character amiibo (Cloud, Corrin, Bayonetta) and amiibo for any Switch exclusive characters if there are any.

@therealgamer
It is heavily rumored to be a Switch launch title in March 2017 (at least in Japan and North America). Nintendo has stated that they would like BOTW to launch on both the Switch and Wii U at around the same time, so I'd expect BOTW on the Wii U to hit retail shelves at roughly the same time as BOTW on the Switch.

@westman98 Ah hah, the supposed release date. We won't know that until later this week. People just want it to be a launch window title, like Twilight Princess was for Wii. It was supposed to be released in 2015, and then 2016, and now...

@westman98 Yes the switch is going to release on March 17 2017 not Zelda. Nintendo said it will coming in march and the launch date of the switch

@PlywoodStick
Well, yes, I assumed BOTW would be a Switch launch title, much like how you assumed the Wii U version of BOTW would be canceled.

Whether one of us, both of us, or neither of us are correct will be determined in a few days.

@capitalism The Switch uses an Nvidia Tegra SoC. By default it's less powerful than the Xbox One.

At that price, I'll consider getting it sooner, provided they don't bungle the launch and show off a billion remakes, remasters, and new-old IP. I'll take Wii U ports, as its poor sales almost make that a given. But I'll need to see some really inspired stuff coming out for me to buy in near launch.

@westman98 I think so, but I don't assume so. There's a difference. And I base that on two things: First, the Wii U potentially being too weak in practice to technically handle the vision of BotW- the S(and)witch version would run much better. Second, we saw some footage at the Game Awards, but that and the E3 2016 gameplay showcase is just about it. We haven't been getting a constant stream of updates for it like we did for Ocarina of Time, between E3 1995 through right before release in November 1998. We have still barely seen anything about BotW, even at this late date.

Edit: Oh yeah, one more thing: everyone else has been canceling their Wii U projects, one after the other, due to low projected sales and Nintendo themselves soon ending support for the Wii U. For all we know, BotW for Wii U may follow, with a "Please understand."

@Retron
Yeah $450 sounds about right.

@JamesR I agree, can't see less than £250 here.

@PlywoodStick Well I dunno about 20 years ago, but they have been pretty bunk on the topic of Wii U in the past year. No reason for me to expect this is any different. Fans on the internet have already been predicting a $250 for a long time. So even if it is true, it's no like it would add to their credibility.

@therealgamer Xenoblade released in Japan during June, 2010, and The Last Story released in Japan during January, 2011. So those releases took place quite a while before the Wii U released; it just took a while to localize them elsewhere.

At $200 I might try and buy two for the family early on... maybe not launch day because that might be tricky and a little time to save would be helpful. At $300, definitely just one.

In the middle, hovering around $250... well, I'm guessing the New 3DS XL will drop in price and/or maybe the New 3DS will take over for it in the US (after all the Switch is for big hands) which means those could be very affordable... So, might get a Switch and a 3DS.

So... Nintendo, price it low and you get two Switch sales from us. Price it higher and you get one and another sale in the legacy area.

I guess the problem with being satisfied with price is that I don't really know what the Switch fully offers yet and will offer at launch. So all this speculation sort instantly vanishes once I see the new presentation in a few days.

That's a good price, my skinny wallet would appreciate it.

I think it's the right price. Higher than that is not going to work. See: the WiiU.

Those rooftop hipsters can afford it anyways.

Woohoo.
Sure, I'm down with that price.

Also, how's it going @Not_Soos. Good to see you're back from your venture into sonic boom (if you went through with that).

if its really that cheep, it will DEFINITLY sell well.

249.99 to 299.99 depending of game offered is just right!

@LeRaposa Dude, knock it off.

$250 sounds good, especially with PS4 and XBone bundles floating around that price for a few months now. Also take into account, do you really want to be traveling around with a $300+ console? I'd probably be too afraid of getting damaged or lost.

According to the good peeps at GAME it's going to be £199 or £250, depending on how much memory you desire. If that's to be believed, then I can't see any reason this wouldn't take off and set the preorders on fire. It'd basically be the cancelled K2 tablet with a custom OS, shed-loads of tools for developers, easier porting and first party franchises (not to mention Pokémon). Take. My. Money.

@Xaessya Does it even matter? Can you even find one on store shelves? I haven't seen a Wii U (new) for a while, all shelves are empty and no where online (in NA) have i seen one in stock. You can find some used through gamestop/nintendo.com for around $200 or so.

@ThomasBW84 http://www.dualshockers.com/2017/01/08/nintendo-switch-no-nikkei-isnt-claiming-price-will-25000-yen/

@Capital70Q Actually, after giving the demo another whirl, I realized I must've been out of my mind the first time around, because as it happens... it really is pretty bad. I couldn't even bring myself to finish that underwater base level. So no, I never bought it after all.

$250 make anyone else nervous? I mean, if that is what it ends up being it helps with the impulse buy, but knowing they never sell consoles at a loss... just makes you wonder if anything worth while is in there. lol Guess we'll see!

Switch must debut at $250 or it's DOA.

$250 would match the launch price of the Wii, and with inflation, that would be a great price point today.

However, I hate rumors like this because it sets people up for disappointment. I was thinking $299 would be a good price given this is a brand new system (and still $100 less than the PS4 and Kinect-less Xbox One launched at), but now that $250 has been mentioned, I think a good number of people will be disappointed if it is announced at higher than that.

@OorWullie "the PS4 doesn't have an HD screen nor can it be played on the go among other things.These things don't come for free."

These things are also stuff that the mass market does not care about, at least to the point where they feel the need to go out and spend $250 to acquire it.

SNES, Nintendo 64, Gamecube, Wii, 3DS and Wii U(basic) local selling prices of 25,000 yen in Japan. Nikkei reporter says(just the opinion) 25,000 yen good price for Nintendo Switch. By the way, Price doesn't matter for me. I think it will be a stock issue like NES Mini.

@ThomasBW84 This was an opinion piece, not a report.

a low price would help it sell well. I just hope they don't mix the price up with the number of units they need to make for launch.

$350 AUD sounds a lot better than $430, which is what I bought my WiiU for. I'd be happy with that price if it comes with the bells and whistles.

Price for the uk will be 250 to 300 pounds with games bundled in. I can't see it being more expensive than the PS4 or XB

@PlywoodStick
Ah... good question about Joy Con if we have lost it. It would be nice if the Switch console (being portable) can be controlled by Switch Pro controller when we lost our Joy Con. Or perhaps we can use Wii U remote (Because Mr. Tatsumi Kimishima said Switch will not replace Wii U, but enhanced by Wii U ).

I hope its 250 eur with a game bundled.

$250 would be amazing. I hope that is true.

@Alpha989

A PS4 can't go anywhere. A PS4 isn't two player out of the box. A PS4 doesn't have this much value. A PS4 just won't do.

@PlywoodStick

S(and)witch is too awkward. I still think Sand(s)witch would look better. Because if there is no "(s)" it would be "Sandwitch", which is a pun on "sandwich". But if there was an "(s)", and if you read it like that, it would be sand*Switch* which is directly referencing the system's name, but still giving a nod to "sandwitch", or "sandwich". So, it would actually read "Sandswitch", effectively combining both subjects into one whole word.

It's quite clever, actually. I really think that would be more streamlined and less clunky for you to use.

Don't worry, you can have the rights to it.

@iGen Sand(s)witch it is, then! Let it be known throughout the land that it will be delicious!

@Xaessya of course with NBA 2K13 in the eShop for $60

They will probably also ship a few hundred thousand of these on launch day so most people would have to wait until the second batch that will arrive after summer.

@SpaceboyScreams
"Who wouldn't save up another hundred bucks for a more competent system? $250 scares me"

Um, I would do that, but judging by the floundering PS4 Pro sales... I'd say a heck of a lot of people wouldn't.

@PlywoodStick

Go*damn right.

It will be delicious for your wallet, delectable for your choice prime game cuts and horse power, scrumptious for your family and friend's entertainment and fun, and scrumdiddlyumptious for you and everybody else's overall enjoyment and value for years to come. It won't just be a perfect gaming system sandwich containing all the right decisions and great key ingredients however, it will be a Sandswitch!

"Sandswitch" would cause less confusion than "Sand(s)witch" on the topic of how to read it, though. Just saying. Your choice though.

There must be a catch. This is Nintendo. Probably the basic version with 8GB non expandable storage (maybe USB but that's useless on the road) for $250 and 64GB for $350. Something like that.

@Incarta Not true. The PS4 is a very capable console and it is selling at 250, with a game.

So, I'll say 200 for a basic machine, with 90% of the power of PS4 and Xbox One, 250 for a console with at least 100% the power of a PS4 and 300 for a console with the power of a PS4 Pro (or 95% of that power). No games included for the two first scenarios, one game for the 3rd one.

Still, Nintendo will win with one basic rule: easy portability among current consoles, plus easy portability from Android and iOS systems. Mark my words.

I think we should 12/13 January before expressing an idea of RIGHT price. At this time we don't know exactly WHAT the price should be FOR.

If it brings down the price of the New 3DS (& XL) I'm all for it.

@PlywoodStick @maceng I think you guys are missing the main point I was trying to convey. People, at the time of Wii U release, called the U expensive at $300-$350 when the PS360 were, as you pointed correctly, at $500-$600. People tend to forget rather quickly how more expensive those consoles were.

Now, as for the One/4, they only sold for a $30/$20 profit approximately each respective console. But if you consider the millions of dollars and years of work that go into developing consoles, it is unrealistic to ask of Nintendo to sell at a loss their consoles from day one, which again, they're big part of their income.

There are many business variables involved that people never convey. For instance, we can't compare the XBONE/PS4 prices against the Switch because, even though the prior two are older consoles, the business contracts Nintendo has made with all the logistics of the Switch are New contracts, which naturally will carry a higher price tag for Nintendo. MS and Sony, by now, have had years with their suppliers, this allowing them to renegotiate contracts for a lower, if not steady, business deals.

We never think of all the logistics involved in the business world. We can't simply look at it from a consumer perspective, but we need to look at it from a producer perspective.

The convenience and accessibility of being portable is worth a premium. I would gladly pay $350 with a game.

I would be willing to pay $250 for a Switch. I think that's a reasonable price point considering what's on offer here.

@Sakura PS4 gaming has been going slow between being sick and the NFL playoffs, but with the Giants getting demolished now I should be back to gaming sooner than I would have liked. FFXV and Uncharted 4 have been as advertised.

PS4 sold 6.8 million this holiday. That's 6.8 million people who probably won't be buying a Switch for awhile. And 53 million total PS4 with a lot more games coming. I think Nintendo should have had this week's events in early November and started collecting pre-order money from people for the console and the games. Has there been 1 single pre-order for a Switch game yet? One? Early November maybe a few people pre-order a Switch instead of buying a PS4. I bought a PS4 and five or six PS4 games, even if we wanted a Switch we don't have the time or money.

@IceClimbers

Not if it's using Pascal technology. Nice try though. How about you head back to Push Square where you belong.

Only four more days until we know for sure

@Incarta Well the Xbox360 Core console launched at $299 (with a game in some stores), so I take it the 360 was just okay?

@3MonthBeef I doubt that Nintendo will be selling the Switch without a dock as that would destroy the "hybrid" message they've been selling us.

@JaxonH Good point about the Pro sales not being all that, but even though MSRP was $100 different, Pro was really $399 since launch without a game, Slim was $249 w/ Uncharted 4. If Slim had stayed at $299, Pro at $399, neither w/ a game, maybe Pro sells better. Pro for $349 w/ U4 might have been tempting. But Sony marketed Slim like 3DS, Pro like Wii U, they weren't really trying to sell it. It was more like "Here's the Pro, buy it if you want to."

Plus, while the reality is, nobody needed a 4k bluray player, I think the perception the $299 X1S had one but the $399 Pro didn't hurt it's value proposition.

So yeah, cheap Switch might be better than an expensive Switch. Of course the expensive Wii U outsold the cheap Wii U, so it's hard to say. Of course $50 difference is less than $100. It will be interesting to watch, we'll be on the sidelines until at least Christmas, so many PS4 games to play, and I don't re-buy ports, so we don't need SSB, MK8 or Splatoon. And if Nintendo drops Zelda:BotW on Wii U to get me to buy a Switch, well then I may never buy a Switch. Homey don't play that.

@PlywoodStick
Even in mine, buddy!

If this is true I will be pleased, 250 bucks is more than acceptable for a brand new gaming device.

@rjejr If it does still come to Wii U but the Switch version is quite a bit superior,will you still get it for Wii U or hang off till you eventually get the Switch happy in the knowledge Nintendo never screwed over Wii U owners?I'm confident we're in for a good year as Nintendo fans,a new Mario possibly on a level with Galaxy,the biggest and one of the best Zelda's yet?That was enough for me to pre-order the first thing I've ever pre-ordered in my life.I'm sure @JaxonH will convince you to buy one before you currently plan to

can't wait to see what the game lineup and price is for day one purchases.

I'd like to sale my Wii U to get the Switch but i'd like to see if anything will be transferring over.

hope to see more.titles released seeing as nintendo handheld and console departments are the same now (if im not mistaken?)

just a few days..I hope I'll be able to watch it but if not I'll definitely be reading all the glory on NL.

Year of NS. anybody remember when it was still NX? oh how time passes by..

Price? Irrelevent. I draw the line at $700.

@invictus4000 A PC or a Neo-Geo is more for you, then.

@JaxonH

Yep PS4 Pro is NOT setting the world alight but PS4 Slim is still rocketing on ahead. Maybe a lesson to learn there.

Why oh why do people love to make out that the Switch is more than it is? Modern Nintendo DO NOT do powerful consoles.

Stop fooling yourselves pretending that they do. They just make great consoles for their fans who claim they don't care about power.

A tablet that can compete graphically with a XboxOne will cost a lot more money than a freakin' full blown XBOXOne. Use some common sense. It's the same factor that dictate that a laptop that is equal to a desktop in specs will ALWAYS cost considerably more. Jeezus!!!

@OorWullie I think Jax has given up on me, took me 3 years to get a PS4, nobody is talking me into anything over $5.

Not sure how I'll react to whatever Zelda news we get, game was due out in 2015, still doesn't have a release date. Maybe we'll know more Friday and I'll give it some thought.

Before Playtonic pulled that YL stunt w/ Wii U, announcing it's cancelation as a footnote to the release date, I was already considering buying it on PS4 if that version was better, but they aren't getting my money now. If Nintendo is so out of their minds and out of touch with reality that they announce Zeldas cancelation on Wii U while they are trying get to get people to buy a new console, well I can no longer support that company. Hopefully it doesn't come to that. That's my only concern at the moment. I'll worry about what console to get it on later.

@Dark-Link73 Not the same.

Yes, the Wii U launched at 300-350 back in November 2012. The competition were the Xbox (retailing for 150-200) and the PS3 Slim (from 250-300). Both had much bigger hard drives and both were bundled with a game.

When the PS3 debuted it was a tough sell at 600 but you had with you a Blue Ray player (in fact, it was the best BR player for three consecutive years according to Sound&Vision magazine). With the Wii U, not even a CD player. That's one of the reasons the Wii sold so well: an inexpensive fun console for anyone.

The Xbox had to be bundled with Dell laptops and computers to manage to sell 60 million.(or so).

In this climate, the Switch needs to be on the 200-250 range to offer something, or it will be labeled as an expensive tablet with gimmicky controls.

@rjejr Well, maybe people asked something along the lines:

Customer: how many games can I download on the basic Wii U.
Seller: maybe 3-4 first party games (Mario)
Customer: on the deluxe model?
Seller: about 15.
Customer: give me the black one.

@maceng Lol, queue jokes about the black one being bigger than the white one...

$250 is about what I expect.

Hey. Please keep making games for Wii U. I am perfectly happy with my device. Are you going to make game for Wii U?? I will NOT move to SWITCH!!! I think you better make more games for Wii U, Nintendo!

@Incarta The Wii U was Nintendo's most expensive console and it failed both critically and commercially. It is considering Nintendo's worst console effort and the second worst Nintendo system outside of Virtual Boy. All previous consoles aside from the Wii U and Virtual Boy not only sold much better, but are far more critically acclaimed. Yet they all were priced less than the Wii U.

The most important factor in whenever or not a console is good are the games. The Switch needs an unique library to succeed, not multiplatform games that can already be bought on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

@Hotfusion Recent Nintendo consoles were not powerfull, yes.
But PS4 and Xbox One aren't either, even by console standards.
So if Nintendo makes another weak console, which is likely because of its mobile nature, it can still be more powerfull than a PS4.
At this point we just do not know.

What really annoys me, when it comes to price comparisons between these consoles is that 99.9% of people do not actually calculate the prices. What does a PS4 cost again after including a few years of PS+, that the average will pay? Stop ignoring that...

I sure hope Nintendo does not plan to charge for online pla as well. Although it seems to work great as a price trap.

$300 with a game is perfect for me.

@astarisborn94
Yes. I Love to see unique library games like on NDS or Wii or 3DS such as Cooking Mama /Go Vacation /DDR /Nintendogs/ Miitopia, etc on Nintendo Switch. Imagine Nintendogs in HD and full exploration.

@hannah715 They will, at least for a time. Don't expect heavy investment though.

Has Nintendo ever let one of their systems go out gracefully? I'm talking home consoles. While I was around and remember the NES and SNES eras, I don't remember what the end of their lifespans were like. BUT, starting with the 64, all I remember is pretty much what's going on with the Wii U as the Switch launch approaches.

Given the fact that the other two consoles can be found at $250 with a high-rated game included...plenty of other games on the market too and plenty of hype for those two, nintendo shouldn't go any higher than that...especially if they want those gamers on board with them. High prices can kill it rather quickly, and something that doesn't do what the others do, can kill it too. Nintendo wants their consoles to be just for games...the other companies have their consoles set for games and everything else, hence a higher price for them. If the Switch wants to try and compete, they may need a lower price point. If nintendo wants a large audience, sell it at $200....take a small loss if necessary, because that loss always adds up later on with people purchasing games and accessories, and the more people that pick up the console, means higher prices. Microsoft did this with the XBONE, and it worked. Sony did it with the PS3 after it's bad launch...nintendo even did this with the 3DS after launch. Hopefully nintendo keeps this in mind, because they sure didn't think after the Wii U was struggling for the past 4 years. I'd be happy with a $200 price point (no game included) and $250 with a game included. Seems like a better deal to get people to look at it, especially since the people that will be buying it in March, will be tax-returns.

@rjejr Definitely get where you're coming from. I'm only holding off on a PS4 because of time that I'll have to allocate to playing since I generally prefer what's on Nintendo platforms. There does seem to be enough on PS4 (that I'm interested in) to take the leap now though. Might as well hold off until the 13th to be sure, but definitely needs to be sooner rather than later - I don't want to end up paying a 40% import tax in a couple of years.

Mate Nintendo has never currency converted in their life. No doubt they'll just take the dollar pice and stick a £ sign before it as usual and charge brits far more than Americans.

A bit cheaper than I am expecting/hoping for honestly, but I'll wait until the official announcement before I form an opinion.

@aaronmclaren Interesting, in the czech it's the same as in the UK even with the books. But for example UK got the free Pokemon Sun&Moon figurines with the games, but I couldn't find it on offer anywhere here. I may reconsider in the future purchasing from UK even if I have to pay some extra of the shipping cost. Or I could ask my friend who moved there few years ago to study and stayed there for good

I saw in czech that some shops already offer the Switch on pre-order since last year (I would prefer if they didn't, they only confuse the customers). One shop offered it for around $250 (including tax and of course no games included), but I checked in another shop today and saw the price for pre-order (with taxes and no game again) at $389 I almost choked on that. How can they already offer pre-order at that price when the presentation didn't even air yet??? It's such a bait >.> no way I'm going to pay almost $400 for a console with no game or anything included, I think shops in my country went crazy

@Sakura My limited playing time has served me well alternating between consoles the past 20 years. I've never decided between Sony or Nintendo, I ignore Microsoft, and I buy a new console everyou 3 years or so. Over the past 20 years 4 Playstation and 3 Nintendo consoles and 1 Dreamcast. May not wait 3 years on Switch depending on price, $250 I can do next holiday, it's the $400 consoles I have to wait to go on sale.

@Kirgo
Come on, please try to be sensible about what I said. However weak the other consoles are Nintendo's are far weaker.

The WiiU is being sold for more than $250 in the USA today (look it up). Yet a tablet that is suppose to cost less is more powerful than the PS4?

No tablet that is equivalent or more powerful than a PS4 is going to cost less than the WiiU. Its common sense.

I want a Switch and think the concept is great but I am planted in reality, not fantasy like so many people on this site.
This is history repeating itself as was the case with the WiiU when everyone were claiming it too be far, far more powerful than it was.
Then it was ridiculed on the internet because of that same reason.

North America will probably get 1 version which will have everything bundled and I imagine it will cost $299. The $250 rumor is probably for a base price with low HDD space.

@Hotfusion I'm thinking like you but the Wii U should have been marked down a long time ago. I figured $250 or higher for Switch. I'm expecting it to perform on X1 levels and port games ok, just lower resolutions. If that's what it does, $250 should be competitive.

@Grumblevolcano Maybe they could make Switch puppy a playable character and amiibo?

@Captain_Gonru I like the idea of Mario as a pack in. I liked the idea of Mario as a pack-in for Wii U, only no Gamepad and they call it Wii HD or Wii 2. Then sell the Gamepad later when SMM, Splatoon and Starfox release, bundle NL w/ the Gmaepad. Nobody was buying a Wii U to get a Gamepad to play Nintendo Land. Morons. That would have been like bundling the Wii Balance Board w/ the Wii and charging $349 for the Wii expecting people to buy it as a digital scale. Wii sold 100 million at $249, Balance board sold 40 million for $80. Same could have happened w/ Wii HD, all they had to do was advertise "Mario HD".

Anyway at least Switch looks a little cleaner. I still would prefer dock sold separately, but if it really is only a $20 piece of plastic, no harm I suppose. If it had $100 worth of hardware built in for upscaling TV out then it should have been an accessory. Mario works though.

I agree w/ your other point about Splatoon, we don't know the Wi-Fi situation w/ Switch yet, bundling an online only game so kids can take it to school and not play the pack in game would be an odd choice. I think some lame minigame collection in both $249 and $299 bundles for 2 player, maybe even 4 player, contests w/ the joy-cons, then the $299 bundle gets Zelda. I think bundling Zelda at launch i sjust the slap in the face Wii U owners expect form Ntineod. Buy a Wii U holiday 2014 waiting for Zelda in 2015, then buy a Switch in 2017 to get the game bundled before the Wii U version comes out. If Zelda's done. We've seen so little, I still expect May.

@Hotfusion Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily believe that the Switch will be more powerfull, just that it is possible.
The Wii U is currently overpriced, I think that is because Nintendo just doesn't care anymore and partly because of the gamepad, that probably didn't get much cheaper in production.

We also have to see, that it is hard to compare Switch with other consoles at that regard. It is mobile and that makes it more expensive, yes, although probably not as much as you think, as mobile tech came a long way in recent years. But it also does not have an optical drive and no classic hdd, both being expensive parts of a console. Next question would be on what Switch saves data and how expensive is that in comparison to an hdd...

Lots of stuff we don't really know, including the price, as this rumor has already been debunked by Dualshockers. (Apparently Nikkei never wrote that)

I think Switch being able to compete with an Xbox One is quite possible even if it is not much more expensive.
But in the end, for me as well, I will buy the console for the games and nothing else.

I've got a feeling they are going to announce £250

@Kirgo
You are right on many of the arguments you presented and I totally agree that there is a lot that we don't know. That's why I forever fight to keep the "it's as powerful as a PS4" nonsense at a minimum.
If it is - YEAH! But if it isn't anywhere near as powerful as a xboxone after everyone is claiming that it is then expect the same internet backlash as with the WiiU. As I said we have been here before but some people never learn.

When it comes to production cost the Switch may not have an optical or HDD but it does have a high resolution screen built in and what I hope is a high capacity battery, unlike the PS4 and Xbox. There is a trade off, it's not a clean break.

Regardless we stand united on one front, it's about the games.
However I do want the console to sell well.

@maceng You can't expect Nintendo to sale their new console for the same price as a 3DS XL. Not only Nintendo is not going to undersell their new technology, but also that would affect and possibly kill the 3DS, which, Nintendo has stated they plan to keep.

Also, yeah, the PS360 were cheap with "bigger" HDD capacity when the Ucam out, but they were already 7 years old! If course they are going to be cheaper because by then the technology used in such consoles was almost a decade old.

A $300 USD is a perfectly good price point for the Switch. It might not the full horsepower under the hood that the ONE or 4 have, but (according to some decelopers) it is comparable and easy to port games to it.

People needs to stop being cheap and save the money If they can't afford it right away.

@Dark-Link73 I'll be more than please to pay 300 or more for a Nintendo console, specially a console that functions perfectly as a handheld.

Still, if the Switch indeed launches with a price tag of 300 or more, it will tank badly. Really badly. That is unless one or both of these two things happened:

a) The Switch is so easy to port with that every major developer is looking forward to port to it. And there are already several games lining up for the launch window (about 20-30).

b) Nintendo will include a game (like in the Wii and the WiiU) that really entices people to buy it.

I'm not cheap about anything Nintendo. I have more than 1,000 games in the last two generations of Nintendo consoles (450 DS, 150Wii, 150 3DS, 75 WiiU, plus tons of eShop titles among 7 consoles) and around 50 handhelds (from original GB to SP to DS to 3DS). Still, I'm worried that only the connoisseur would buy the Switch is if over 250 bucks.

Seriously, if the Switch retails for 300 or more, I'll buy a Xbox One in a heartbeat.

So, are you buying that ONE? On a side note, did you import part of your DS library? You didn't homebrew right? That doesn't count