The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct is finally in the books and tons of new details were finally revealed. The console’s specs, its battery life (which is worse than the Switch Lite and OLED edition), 4K/60 FPS when docked and 120 FPS in handheld mode, the new C button, GameChat – it was a pretty well-paced hardware reveal, all said and done. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Nintendo console presentation without a fair bit of “Really?” to go with the hype. The Switch 2 launches on June 5th worldwide and alongside numerous third-party titles, Mario Kart World, the newest title in the franchise, will be available on day one. However, the console will cost $449.99 by itself (and probably in line for a raise if the recent USA pre-orders delay are anything to go by). If you decide to pick up the bundle that includes Mario Kart World, it’s $499.99, but there’s a download code instead of a physical copy. There are a few caveats, though. In Japan, a region-locked version of the console will release and retail for ¥49,980 (compared to the multi-language option that costs ¥69,980). Considering the potential of supply shortages and scalping at launch, this is a good way to discourage the same while ensuring that players in Japan aren’t bled dry. If the delay doesn’t result into a price raise, $499.99 is probably the best possible deal if you’re buying the Switch 2 to play nothing but Mario Kart for the next few years. The standalone pricing for various titles has been revealed, and it’s shocking, to say the least. Mario Kart World retails for $79.99. Donkey Kong Bananza is $69.99. And these are only the digital prices. Physical prices are reportedly higher with the former costing €89.99 while the latter is €79.99. This would make Nintendo the first publisher in the world to offer a game for $79.99. You could argue many things and that’s before we even get to inflation, the stagnant prices of video games over the years, etc. Anyway, Nintendo has taken a “game by game basis” when it comes to pricing after Tears of the Kingdom marked its foray into $70 territory. But wait, it gets even better (and somehow, more insane). Walmart lists The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s Switch 2 Edition for $69.99. Super Mario Party Jamboree with Jamboree TV? $79.99. Tears of the Kingdom and Kirby and the Forgotten Land plus Star Crossed World also cost $79.99. You could argue that the new content and features make them worthwhile but enough to justify a $20 jump in price? And if you’re someone who’s held off on playing any of these games, especially Tears of the Kingdom, to experience them with the best visuals on Switch 2, pay up. You could always go the backwards compatibility route and Nintendo has confirmed that certain titles like Link’s Awakening, Echoes of Wisdom, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and so on will receive free updates to “improve playability” on the Switch 2. Of course, Nintendo also takes care to mention that these updates may improve performance or add support for features like GameShare. It ultimately depends (which may as well mean, “Don’t get your hopes up”). Also, if you own the Switch 1 version of a game and want to upgrade to the Switch 2 version, you can do so. It costs ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 in Japan with US prices yet to be revealed. Alternatively, one could subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack for $19.99 yearly to get the upgrade packs for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom for free. The other games aren’t included but that could change down the line. There are so many other things that are truly baffling, whether it’s locking GameCube games on NSO + Expansion Pack to the Switch 2 or providing Welcome Tour, Nintendo’s equivalent of Astro’s Playroom, for a price. But it’s the overall pricing standard that’s truly baffling. Yes, inflation is a thing and video game prices have remained stagnant for years, but springing these kinds of prices on players without any warning is a gutsy move. It also places Nintendo in a rather bizarre situation. Triple-A publishers like Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts, Activision, and so on have received flak for pricing their titles at $69.99, intrinsic value and gameplay hours notwithstanding. Except for Tears of the Kingdom, which seemed justifiable given its sheer amount of content and production values, Nintendo has always offered a worthy alternative, even if it’s just $10 less than other publishers. With this pricing model, it’s now throwing the doors open for the industry to follow. Remember when analyst Matthew Ball discussed how Grand Theft Auto 6 could cost $80 or $100, and cause the rest of the industry to finally move up its pricing? Nintendo has seemingly beaten Rockstar and Take-Two to the punch. You might say, “I wouldn’t pay $80 for a Switch 2 exclusive but Grand Theft Auto 6 with its production values sounds worthwhile.” However, because the Switch 2, Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza will sell like hotcakes, Nintendo is sending a message that they can raise prices with impunity and still find success. And if it can do that with such an established fan base, who’s to say that Take-Two can’t go higher? Grand Theft Auto 6 may cost $100 at launch but there may be a Deluxe Edition with additional benefits for $30 extra. Rockstar may go even further and charge players making the jump from Grand Theft Auto Online in GTA 5 to GTA 6. It could even sell a separate GTA Online 2 (or whatever it ends up being called) for $70, and don’t forget about the microtransactions. This may all seem far-fetched but it’s apparent that we’re entering an age where publishers can demand whatever price they’d like for a game or console and see returns. In the long term, the success of the Switch 2 and Grand Theft Auto 6 could very well uplift the industry. With console sales seeing their worst numbers in many years, the added revenue and dollar sales could help, especially when the Switch 2 versions of third-party games adopt higher prices. The player is picking up the tab at the end of the day, and even if you argue that these price increases are a long time coming, the most important thing to remember is that publishers won’t stop. They’ll keep pushing the envelope and see how much more they can squeeze out their loyal fans. They’ll keep offering things to buy that we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like (to paraphrase Tyler Durden). Remember how weird the $70 price point seemed all those years ago for PS5 and Xbox Series X games? You could say that Nintendo’s prices won’t influence the rest of the industry, but as soon as one major console manufacturer adopted the new “triple-A pricing,” the rest followed in rapid fashion. Value is subjective and whatnot, but it’s been less than five years and we’re already on the cusp of more price increases. Best of all, Nintendo is doing what Nintendo does best – trailblazing ways for you to spend more money. None of this may matter when the Switch 2 breaks sales records, and we get used to potentially paying $80 for new games. And it may not matter when Grand Theft Auto 6 does the same. Yet when it becomes more prevalent in the following year, maybe even less, we’ll wonder where the line really is. Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization