Nintendo President Doug Bowser has explained why Switch 2 is considerably more expensive that it’s predecessor, and the short version is that it’s just got better hardware under the hood.
Speaking to The Verge Bowser listed features such the larger screen, better processor, new Joy-Con controllers and the GameChat feature. “We want to make sure that this is a device that is approachable, that consumers will see as part of their overall entertainment experiences and will understand that it has longevity to it,” explained Bowser. “And all of those factors really go into the consideration of the price.”
The Nintendo Switch 2 obviously has a newer, much more powerful Nvidia chipset powering it than the original Switch, while there’s also a big jump up with internal storage. The console itself is larger to house a 7.9″ LCD screen (up from 6.2″), which is capable of 1080p, 120Hz, and HDR. Meanwhile, the Joy-Con 2 have been revised to house optical mouse sensors.
All of this means the console will cost you £395.99/€470/$449 for the standard edition, or £429.99/€510/$499 bundled with a copy of Mario Kart World.
Bowser also justified charging players for Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a game that gives the user a virtual tour of the console and it’s features. “As this game was being developed, what’s been packed into it is a depth of minigame experiences,” Bowser says. “They’re very deep, they’re very repeatable. And so, as we looked at that depth of play experience and opportunity, we felt that $9.99 was a fair price to ask for that.”
A comparable game, Astro’s Playroom for PS5, was given away free with each console.
Read More: Is the Nintendo Switch 2 too expensive?
Of course, things could get even pricier for US gamers, because right around the Switch 2’s reveal, Trump announced tariffs on imports from countries such as Vietnam and China, locations the Switch 2 is manufactured. Nintendo announced that pre-orders for the console in the United States would be put on hold until they can assess the impact of the charges. It is very possible that, if the majority of the tariff costs are passed down to the consumer in the States, it will push the price closer to, or even above, $600.
This array of tariffs has had a huge impact on global markets over the last couple of days, and will inevitably start to affect prices on store shelves soon. It also came at exactly the wrong time for Nintendo, but that hasn’t stopped US retailers from starting to put up shop pages for the console in preparation for pre-orders to go live for consoles, accessories and games.
Source: The Verge
