Ryu_Joestar
Member
Assuming you don't have to pay for plus (+ the game isn't even yours to keep)
Can Nintendo turn Switch 2's pricing disaster around? And how?
- Thread starter Jubenhimer
- Start date
- Opinion Analysis
Mozza
Member
I was not upset at any of that. How many people in reality are all that upset at any of this?
Mozza
Member
I do not feel ripped off by any of this. The screen looks pretty good to me. And this is a bargain if I have it another four or five years.
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Sorcerer
Member
Nintendo is going to have Good Guy Dave Grohl as an ambassador and that will make all the wrongs right. Dave will talk about how Nintendo was always there for him and how it was a major influence on the Foo Fighters sound.
Then he will talk about how he is looking forward to playing Nintendo games with his out of wedlock child. OH WAIT!!!
Then he will talk about how he is looking forward to playing Nintendo games with his out of wedlock child. OH WAIT!!!
The history of the Switch 2 reminds me of the 3DS:
The Nintendo 3DS pricing controversy of 2011 offers a fascinating precedent for the current Switch 2 pricing debates. When Nintendo launched the 3DS at $249.99, consumer hesitation led to disappointing sales, forcing a dramatic $80 price cut merely five months after launch. Recognizing the potential backlash from early adopters, Nintendo implemented the "Ambassador Program," granting those who purchased at full price exclusive access to 20 free downloadable games (including 10 NES and 10 GBA titles) as compensation for their loyalty. This gesture, while appreciated by many enthusiasts, highlighted Nintendo's recognition that they had miscalculated market expectations—a lesson that seems particularly relevant as rumors swirl about potential pricing strategies for the Switch's successor.
What games do you want on your Switch 2 Ambassador program?
NeoIkaruGAF
Gold Member
People making comparisons with the 3DS are way off target.
Guys, at launch the 3DS had nothing that casuals or core gamers alike would rush out to buy a new system for. Literally nothing.
It was a badly designed, objectively overpriced system in a segment of the market that was rapidly being swallowed up by mobile, and with a new gimmick that didn’t work very well on its first iteration and offered nothing to the people who had bought the DS for very different reasons. It was immensely underpowered vs its only real competitor in the rapidly shrinking handheld console market, and what it could do couldn’t be farther from what home gaming had become.
Nintendo did lots of mistakes with the 3DS, and it took them years to turn the system into the complete package it eventually became.
Switch 2 is going to launch with the successor to the best-selling first-party Switch game, plus third-party games people may actually want to play. It can play current games, current home console games. And it’s going to have more games people may want to play, pretty soon. In a segment of the market where there isn’t really anything comparable at this price point. Completely different situation.
Guys, at launch the 3DS had nothing that casuals or core gamers alike would rush out to buy a new system for. Literally nothing.
It was a badly designed, objectively overpriced system in a segment of the market that was rapidly being swallowed up by mobile, and with a new gimmick that didn’t work very well on its first iteration and offered nothing to the people who had bought the DS for very different reasons. It was immensely underpowered vs its only real competitor in the rapidly shrinking handheld console market, and what it could do couldn’t be farther from what home gaming had become.
Nintendo did lots of mistakes with the 3DS, and it took them years to turn the system into the complete package it eventually became.
Switch 2 is going to launch with the successor to the best-selling first-party Switch game, plus third-party games people may actually want to play. It can play current games, current home console games. And it’s going to have more games people may want to play, pretty soon. In a segment of the market where there isn’t really anything comparable at this price point. Completely different situation.
Imru’ al-Qays
Member
Yeah I think Nintendo's strategy hinges on whether people are willing to start treating the Switch 2 as their primary console. If you're buying this instead of a PS5 with the expectation that the major current gen games are going to show up on it that's one thing. But if you're buying this as a secondary console or as a console for your kids or your girlfriend $450 is way too much.
Graphics stagnation has gotten to the point that the average person is probably not going to notice a significant difference between Elden Ring or Cyberpunk on Switch 2 vs PS5. So if anything this might force Sony's hand with the PS6, but who knows how much that will cost and if the average consumer will even notice a difference there at the end of the day.
Nintendo is in a strong position going forward. Lateral thinking with withered technology is a much more robust strategy if technological stagnation means there isn't much of a difference between withered and modern tech
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GoldenEye98
posts news as their odd job
The problem is that it sits in a weird position of almost being overkill in terms of price and performance as a supplemental Nintendo games console but still underkill to use as a primary console for 3rd party AAA's.
If it managed to get a decent amount of 3rd party AAA games even with subpar performance then I would consider it but right now it's basically Cyberpunk and Elden Ring. Fine but that's only two games and those are technically ports.
I suspect the new Doom and COD 2025 are coming but just haven't been announced.
_Ex_
Member
Infer as you like, but the table was just factual information, not a statement about anything.
Imru’ al-Qays
Member
The big question is GTA6, I think.
HerjansEagleFeeder
Member
100% this, you're basically describing my situation lol. I don't have any interest in this as it would be a tertiary device next to PS5 and PC, yet i'll consider buying one if my family really wants it (not the case rn). You're also spot on with regards to diminishing returns in the graphics department. I can well imagine the cross gen period between PS5 and PS6 being even longer than previous gens because of that, with PS6 becoming a niche premium segment for quite some time.
Imru’ al-Qays
Member
Yeah, and at least PS5 had no load times as a major quality of life feature to convince people to upgrade in the absence of genuine next-gen exclusive games. The difference between PS5 and PS6 is going to be even less noticeable, the cross gen period is going to be just as long if not longer, PS6 is probably going to be extremely expensive, and backwards compatibility and ~$10 next-gen game upgrade DLC means pretty much everyone is going to just say to themselves "eh, I'll wait and see." And if Nintendo ever drops the Switch 2's price that'll turn into "eh, I'll get a Switch 2 for now instead."
The PS5-6 transition is going to be extremely perilous for Sony, only partially mitigated by the collapse of Xbox leading to their ability to consolidate more of the market. But Nintendo's problem is that right now I just don't think $450+ is the right price for what the Switch 2 is offering.
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Evil Calvin
Afraid of Boobs
Make new games $70
Digital games $60
Switch 2 re-releases $50
Upgrades $10 (or free)
But they won't do that since the original Switch games are in the Switch 2 case (with an upgrade code). Complete BS
Digital games $60
Switch 2 re-releases $50
Upgrades $10 (or free)
But they won't do that since the original Switch games are in the Switch 2 case (with an upgrade code). Complete BS
Sony is just going to do it now that the Big N has!
Sorcerer
Member
512 for the future Oled
1tb for the next console around a decade from now
deriks
4-Time GIF/Meme God
DaichiChan
Neo Member
You got a like for this
Madserb2023
Member
They might not need to do anything. Its quite possible that new releases including physical will be $70 going forward. However Sony just released a £700 console in the Uk and with a disc drive and stand is close to £850, close to $1000. I didn't think it would sell, yet you couldn't find a stand or a disc drive anywhere. Clearly people are willing to spend.
GoldenEye98
posts news as their odd job
In some ways it's kinda ridiculous that a console is shipping with 256GB in 2025. Slim Xbox 360/PS3's shipped with that amount like 15 years ago and they didn't have the file sizes of the PS4+ era.
RodriGames40
Member
UFS storage has scaled so slowly over the years. Top end phones still have 512 GB, just kinda sucks.
This strategy can only work if you are cheaper than the competition. And even then it might not. See Xbox series S.
Midway-AGNC-
Neo Member
Just drop the price. Yes, that simple.
Jubenhimer
Member
The price of the console is fine, I think most people will agree that $450 is a fair price for this system. The problem really is just some of the game prices, and Nintendo's lack of communication in this regard.
If nothing else, I hope this pre-order delay buys them some time to respond to the criticisms.
Gambit2483
Member
If Nintendo announced they were adjusting the price of MKW to $69.99 and DK too $59.99 everyone would do an about-face and rush out to buy this ASAP....I guarantee.
Gambit2483
Member
Most Nintendo 1st party games are aiming for 20GB and under.
Also there are physical games that have the full game on the cartridge and will NOT take up significant space.
If, however, you're going all digital then yea, you'll definitely need an extra SD card eventually.
memoryman3
Member
What? I think $350 would be fair but not this. The Series S is a more capable machine and it comes at $350 for 1TB of storage. You can get the Series X for the same price as a Switch 2 and the graphics would be far better, and the games cheaper. Would parents even get Switch 2's and Nintendo games for $500+ when the Switch 1 can play them fine?
The processor is also reportedly more underpowered than impressions would lead you to believe and I think the issues will crop up this year or next year. Is it really worth paying a massive premium just for a few Nintendo games?
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Zannegan
Member
Of course not. You're paying a premium for hardware features like portability AND "a few Nintendo games," which is a pretty disingenuous way to characterize what are typically among the best selling, highest rated exclusives in gaming. But we all know this.
If cobsumers chose the $350 OLED Switch 1 over both Series combined, do you really think they're going to care that the Switch 2 might have a weaker CPU? Families might find $450 too steep, but how it compares to current gen hardware in terms of raw horsepower won't even come into consideration. That information will have the same sales the Series X's additional 2TF over the PS5 did.
With that said, that may cut both ways with the average consumer seeing no reason to upgrade to a Switch 2 and Mario Kart World when they already have Switch 1 and MK8 Deluxe.
Heimdall_Xtreme
Hermen Hulst Fanclub's #1 Member
I've never seen Nintendo lower the price of its products.
Heimdall_Xtreme
Hermen Hulst Fanclub's #1 Member
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Generic
Member
A month of PS+ Extra is $15. In my country I got a year of PS+ Deluxe for the same price of Breath of the Wild.
Also the Switch 2 version of Zelda isn't yours either, you pay $60 for a Switch 1 cartridge and $10 for a resolution/fps upgrade which should've been free.
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DaichiChan
Neo Member
How many kids do you think are here at neogaf arguing about Nintendo switch? We don't need parents here, we got money to buy stuff.
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AngelMuffin
Member
Switch Too…expensive.
Hyet
Member
I also got into the 490€ preorder in, but good preorder numbers don't mean this is indeed a PR disaster and they have to do something -- because when new release hype dies down or the system encounters any other issue, even if its small, its going to be negativity all day every single day.
They have to take the wheel and make the tech deno free and clarify their software pricong strategy and, if that consists on all/most of their stuff being 80€ and 70€ digital, roll that back inmediately.
They have to take the wheel and make the tech deno free and clarify their software pricong strategy and, if that consists on all/most of their stuff being 80€ and 70€ digital, roll that back inmediately.
Mozza
Member
Nothing like the 3DS and Wii U situation. You are simply not comparing apples with apples. The Wii and DS were both very new markets and customers for Nintendo. In the past they had been in the core space compeating for the regular console customers but the GameCube ended that and they stopped going for power. The main issue with this was part of the DS and Wii U's success was the early implementation of touch and motion controls which tempted a lot of casual people that had never really bought a console before. Then motion controlls pretty much died and cheap tablet devices offering touch controls became more accessible and a lot the customers were simply not there to upgrade to the new devices. The Switch is in a totally different position and even I am not sure how Nintendo have managed this.The history of the Switch 2 reminds me of the 3DS:
The Nintendo 3DS pricing controversy of 2011 offers a fascinating precedent for the current Switch 2 pricing debates. When Nintendo launched the 3DS at $249.99, consumer hesitation led to disappointing sales, forcing a dramatic $80 price cut merely five months after launch. Recognizing the potential backlash from early adopters, Nintendo implemented the "Ambassador Program," granting those who purchased at full price exclusive access to 20 free downloadable games (including 10 NES and 10 GBA titles) as compensation for their loyalty. This gesture, while appreciated by many enthusiasts, highlighted Nintendo's recognition that they had miscalculated market expectations—a lesson that seems particularly relevant as rumors swirl about potential pricing strategies for the Switch's successor.
What games do you want on your Switch 2 Ambassador program?
I feel there are a few people on here confusing what they feel will hapen to what they actually would like to see happen. The original Switch situation and predictions were not all that different.
Kataploom
Gold Member
I read somewhere that supposedly 50 countries already gave up and are negotiating a zero tariffs with US, not sure if true but Vietnam and Japan already are, that's confirmed so I guess the Nintendo situation can get better? They probably pressured both governments (alongside other big fishes).
Cyberpunkd
Member
I only we stopped buying oil from barbaric regime like Saudi Arabia, imagine the great PR!
Point being - nobody cares, it’s market that will decide given sales. And since by definition launch will sell no matter what we need to wait till the end of this year.
ItsGreat
Member
Do you have any idea how much stuff costs? Your airy fairy plucking of GBs from the air is hilarious.
Physiognomonics
Member
This. And I think Nintendo will have produced just only relatively limited quantity. They probbaly want to sell all their Switch 1 stock before
RetroGamingUK
Member
Damn NES was expensive
It really took Nintendo a while to gain a foothold in the UK, in fact it was Sega that won the 8bit and 16bit race here.
CuteFaceJay
Member
Can't wait to become a Switch 2 ambassador.