Sonic Mania Developer Clarifies Details About the Switch Port's Launch

I think the "Switch Tax" might be a way for devs to swing certain consoles in their favor. I don't believe that sonic mania really needs a physical release anyways, but besides that most games I see end up being $50-$60 on consoles so I don't see it being necessary to charge ~$5 more

I already have planned to get this game no matter what, lol.
But I dont recall there ever being talk of a physical version.

Day one buy.

Day one

This game will be available, on all platforms, you can imagine these days in households... perhaps your toaster wont run it, but Im sure theres something, even an old laptop, that will run it perfectly fine hooked up to ANY controller of your choice.

That stuff should be put in a section called "games that others buy cheaper"

Is there any company or actually any news of whats coming to the switch apart these lame ports? SEGA never developed this in mind with the switch. No reason to have a Nintendo device to play this.

EDIT: ...tax... lol .. yep, would work same way like tax with villagers living on the north pole. If you are a Nintendo fan and like this, why dont you just "tip" your waiter next time more, when he confirms he likes Nintendo games... same logic.

As far as I know, the game is digital only (the collector's edition stuff is the physical stuff, not the game itself) so the "Switch tax" doesn't apply. As for the perceived "Switch tax", why don't developers just start pricing their games initially based on the Switch pricing? Aren't developers/publishers constantly complaining about game pricing being too low and games being undervalued? This would allow them to take the pricing up for PS4/XB1 games up to match Switch cost and make more money across the board while not singling out Nintendo owners as have to pay more for physical games. Seems like a pretty simple fix.

Great. Different pricing should really be unacceptable unless there's a good reason for it. I'm certainly going to buy this. Definitely not RiME though.

@ironside1911 Your first and third paragraphs make sense. The other two, not really.

@ThePoochyKid Thanks, I know it takes time, you will get it eventually.

I get my Sonic games on PC.
Switch has yet to excite me outside Super Mario Odyssey.

So why are 3DS games 30% cheaper than Wii U games, if cards/cartridges are so much more expensive than discs?

@BornInNorway81
Legit question, what do think costs more:
Producing an HD console game or a portable handheld game?

Anyway,I can't wait to play this game when it comes out! I love the art style so much.

@BornInNorway81
Thats a valid question but also there is a very rational answer to it. You might think that what you question deserves an answer, but let me please inform you otherwise. So the real reason is:

They are not - its all an illusion.

So what are we looking at? $20? $30? Either way, it's a day one buy for me.

@Kayfios Day Zero for me - I wrote to Sega, offering 100$, in the hope of getting to play it a bit earlier.

Anyway, I guess you have Othello already? Any idea if there are any dedicated websites for it? Looking to put my friendscode up there.

Sonic Mania is a day one buy 💵 Best looking sonic game I have seen since sonic heroes and sonic advance.

It's great that it will be the same price as others, even better cause you can play it both at home or on the go with the Switch.

Sigh I just wish i could get the collector's edition. I have it preordered for xbone but I'd rather have the Switch version.

While I assume we will have late ports for a bit I think the Switch tax is something that indies will try to get over on users and it is going to backfire. I am sure the rest of the releases will be priced the same across the board.

I like this news. Very happy making indeed 😀

Have the collector's edition preordered

I might go digital on this, though, unless the download size is too massive.

@ThePoochyKid after paragraph two the drugs kicked in.

@Meaty-cheeky It's good to see Sonic Advance get some recognition. I'm wondering if Sonic Mania can live up to it, especially since I prefer the Adventure designs over classic.

love sonic cd and i'll love this!

@ironside1911 Why would you assume that? I do love a good battle of wits, but I bought a PS4 weeks before the Switch came out; I'm getting Nintendo's system later, maybe after Nintendo works out all the kinks, but for now I'm buying Sonic Mania on PS4.

@Kayfios Terrible misunderstanding on my part. Sorry.

When you get the Switch later, Im sure you get Othello - and in case you find out, let me know where to share my friendscode.

Some good news. That's the great thing about 16 bit graphics. It doesn't push any system hard at all. This game will also likely fit on the smallest possible game cart, which I believe is 1GB. And that's probably overkill for the amount of storage it needs.

So looking forward to this game. It's coming to every current console, so everyone wins.

@ironside1911 Will do. Wouldn't mind having an actual board game on a Nintendo system, especially since they sucked the fun out of Mario Party.

@GoldenGamer88 It may be ALL digital. The collector's edition includes a download code

First day purchase

Cool. This is sounding more and more like a day one buy for me. Especially if the price is right.

@derrin Oh, that's why there's no standard edition on Amazon! Well, sorry for thinking a Sonic game of all things would get a physical release.

Thank goodness!

I welcome physical releases, 10 bucks is not going to sour that for me. digital sucks.

@BornInNorway81 That's because Nintendo 3DS games run on standard definition, that's a format easier to develop for, therefore making it cheaper.

There are way too many fantastic games out there nowadays, so believe me dear developers when i say that if i find a game is charging more on one system than on any other, i simply wont support the game AT ALL. I wont be picking Rime up unless it either recieves a big price drop or i find it pre owned. Sonic Mania on the other hand will be picked up for whatever price it is on day one because the publishers know that "switch tax" is BS.

It's just great seeing Sonic doing what he does best. 16 bit platforming.... Mind you I thought Sonic Racing Transformed was ok, much better than some kart racers out there

Will get it if there is physical cartridge, doesn't really say

@ThePoochyKid Don't worry, I'm pretty sure that guy is some sort of robot who just spits out words in a sort of quasi-human, quasi-random fashion depending on what word came before. At least that is what I have gathered from the intelligence level of most of his posts so far.

Exactly how it should be otherwise developers are shooting themselves in the foot as far as people who own multiple consoles go anyway

For example I own & PS4 and a Switch.... If a new games comes out my preference would be to buy it for the Switch however if the exact same game is £10 cheaper on the PS4 then I'm sorry but the Switch loses out.

I will without a doubt be picking this game up when I get the chance. Everything I have seen of this game so far has me super excited. That doesn't happen very often for a Sonic game for me these days.

It makes sense for the Switch tax when you stop & think about it, your playing on two platforms according to Nintendo. Console & handheld.

As stated by others, this is really digital only, even on the ps4/Xbox one. And given the Retro graphic style, shouldn't be huge in file size.

Day one for me.

@banacheck

I'm sorry but I disagree with that. The whole selling point of the Switch is that its a home console and handheld in one.... you can do both with it..... it shouldn't mean you have to pay more for a game as whichever way you dress it up you're still playing the same game.

It's too bad that the joy-cons don't have a proper D-pad for 2D games like this.

I'm not really interested by the game... But the fact that they rapidly answer to the other developpers' bull$hit about the Switch Tax now makes me want to buy it

This Switch "tax" may make a little sense when it comes to physical cartridges but I can't see a reason for digital prices to ever need to be higher than the competitor's consoles. If that becomes a trend I will be waiting for sale every time that happens.

Why would the "Switch Tax" apply? It's not getting a physical release.

"due to higher cartridge manufacturing costs, questions were being raised as to whether or not the switch version would cost more"

but it's not getting a physical release, it's digital only across all systems so why would it cost more?

This is stupid. There is no "Switch Tax" so stop calling it one. Cartridges have always cost more to manufacture than discs...get over it. It wasn't a problem for the DS/3DS and it wont be a problem here. I've seen one example of where a game was priced higher on the Switch, how's that make it a "Switch Tax". Seriously!

Why would the Switch version cost more due to cartridges when there's no physical release on any platform?

Big relief to know it's going to be the same price - but isn't that because it's not getting a physical release? Even the collectors editions on PS4/XBO are download codes. Would love to see a physical release though, even if only for the boxart!

Will probably double dip when I eventually get a Switch, but in the meantime have the PS4 Collector's Edition on pre-order. I'm pretty certain when I pre-ordered it was listed with a 28th March release date, but I'm guessing that was just a placeholder.

I feel like a few years ago this game would have been $20, but I'm going to assume it'll be at least $30, with $40 being a real possibility. I mean, with the number of folks certain to buy on day 1 and the chance to get the rest in a few months with sales and price drops, I think $40 could happen. Hope not. $20 and I'm in on day 1.

@bubby444 yep I'll definitely be getting a pro controller....70$ down the drain

Yeah, Switch games costing any more than the same games on other consoles, especially any games that are last-gen ports or whatever, is a joke; they really need to be the same price (at most). Not making Switch games at least the same price as on the competition's consoles is one genuinely worrying way that I think Nintendo could set the Switch on a path to ultimately flopping. It makes it sooo hard to make the decision to buy a Switch, for me at least, when stuff like this becomes a major consideration: If I buy a Switch, which is already more expensive than the other consoles that even come with bundled games and other extra stuff, I'm also going to have to pay more for the games too. And in many cases those games will be ports of titles that came out on the other systems already, and sometimes even years ago, but now at a higher price on Switch. That is not a way to make a value proposition attractive to anyone other than people with too much money on their hands imo.

Will there be a Nintendo Switch Collector's Edition???

Very good. Pip pip! I'll get this for Switch since I've grown very accustomed to its portability.

Oh look at that: "same price". So it is possible.

The Switch version will be the best version no question.

Day one for me, as well. Can't wait!

@dharmajones93 Yeah I just found it on their website. I'll pre-order it this Friday. Thanks for the heads up

So the higher price in the indie titles is bullcrap.

Also day one, this Sonic title looks great at long last!

I thought the game was digital only. If that's the case, I don't think the "tax" would apply.

Besf Buy are listing the 'physical' version as some toys with a download code

It's digital only, so no "tax" would apply. Besides, even if there was a physical version I would expect Sega to eat the costs. They're not an indie.

@TreonsRealm Nintendo of America's website shows that the game will also have a physical release:

http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/sonic-mania-switch

But they could be wrong I suppose?

@SleeplessKnight Oh my mistake, I just looked at it in more detail - According to Nintendo's site the physical edition is only at Gamestop and it comes with a bunch of Genesis-themed retro swag but the game itself is still just a digital download code.

I'm really looking forward to this game! Between this, Dragon Trap III remake and Blaster Master, old school gamers are being treated to some excellent remakes.

@GoldenGamer88 it's only digital lol even the one you preorder comes with a digital code.

I wonder how the level select will work?

I can't wait for this.

@Slim1999 I already was notified about that but thanks anyway. Never heard of a Collector's Edition whose game is digital only before so I simply jumped to conclusions, lol.

It seems to me that the prices of the physical copies of games are being subsidized by the downloads being the same price despite not having the same physical cost, meaning the physical games should cost more, but the because the downloads cost the same, they don't need to cost more. Which irks me.

I fear the Rime dev is guilty of opportunism.

I have the collector's edition preordered for Steam. That being said, I'm still snagging this for my Switch to have a portable version.

Oh man, didn't know Sonic Mania was getting a physical release. What a pleasant surprise.

I wonder if Sega would give this a physical release with the €10 extra charge bit also include a 'free' copy of Sonic 1 to add incentive to buy it?

Also, where's the announcement NES Capcom/Disney complication for the Switch??? Great news but nothing for Nintendo? Odd.

@GoldenGamer88 It has happened a few times before on some other games. Drakengard 3, Amnesia Memories and Battle Garrega on PS4 spring to mind.

Ahhh Nostalgia! Back in my day, there was so set price for video games. Games could range from $40 to $100 back 80's and 90's.

https://i.imgflip.com/cxiuu.jpg?a413664

@FX102A Yeah, I didn't say it never happened before, I simply never heard of such a practise. Though it does make sense for things like popular Indie games.

@Ahiam94 Its not. You get a code inside the box. Which is why its the same price XD . This is what the amazon listing says when you ordered the special edition.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91bgFpB5i1L.AC_SL1500.jpg

You get a metallic collectors card with the download key on it.

@Steven_the_2nd Well, shoot. I got all excited for nothing.

@Ahiam94 yep x3 it sucks lol

If "Switch Tax" seems ridiculous to you, don't worry, there's worse.

Hype! Definitely want a physical copy of it ya know, they might as well throw in the original 3 Genesis games on their too.

@BornInNorway81 Because 3DS cartridges store WAY less memory than a disk does, if we where talking about 15GB carts, required to store a Zelda, the price would be higher