When Nintendo revealed the $449.99 price tag of the Nintendo Switch 2 on April 2, I, like many others, was surprised at how much it was, with calls to “DROP THE PRICE” filling the chat on a Nintendo gameplay stream the following day. 

However, as the June 5 launch date nears, I’ve come to accept the price, even if it is high. The original Nintendo Switch retailed for $299.99 in 2017, which, accounting for inflation, equals  $394.73 today, according to the inflation calculator from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. An inflation-adjusted $50 increase is definitely not welcome, but it’s not entirely unreasonable either. 

Nintendo has said that President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China and Vietnam, where the Switch 2 is manufactured, were not taken into consideration when determining the price. Still, it is hard for me to believe that the uncertainty around tariffs did not lead to a higher price than they might have originally planned. 

The original Switch was released in 2017 after the sales failure of the Wii U, which only sold 13.6 million units. Nintendo is in a far different position eight years later, with the Switch so far having sold 152.1 million units, becoming the third-best-selling console of all time. Thus, in my opinion, Nintendo has less need now to attract new customers with a more competitive price.

Compared to its main competitors, the Xbox Series X/S and the PlayStation 5, the Switch 2 is generally cheaper. The Xbox Series S 1TB model retails for $429.99, and the more powerful Xbox Series X for $599.99. The all-digital PS5 is $449.99, the base model $499.99 and the Pro $699.99. While not as powerful specs-wise, the Switch 2 can be played in handheld mode, which its competitors cannot. 

The price of the games, however, are less defensible. It seems that the standard price for most 1st party and AAA releases on the new Nintendo Switch will be $69.99, which is in line with the general price for 1st party and AAA games on both Xbox and Playstation and a $10 increase from the standard $59.99 for original Switch games. I feel that is fair. However, Mario Kart World, the main first party launch title for the Switch 2, is priced at $79.99. 

This game is the next home console Mario Kart game after Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which was the best-selling game on the original Switch, with 68.2 million units sold. To have the big launch title and sequel to the Switch’s biggest hit be priced at $10 more than the industry standard is just greedy. Nintendo knows many will want it and that eager customers will likely pay the premium.

However it is also true that Nintendo is offering a bundle of the Switch 2 console with Mario Kart World for $499.99, which nets you the game for $50. While many are likely to buy this bundle and get the game at a far lower price, it is still greedy that the game by itself will be going for such a premium. 

Nintendo is coming off the massive success with the original Switch, and as a company aiming to maximize profits, it is unfortunate but understandable that it is pricing the Switch 2 and its games higher than many would have wanted or expected. 

At the end of the day, you don’t have to buy the console now. Some games, like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, are exclusive to the Switch 2, but not all of the new games will be. Games such as Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond are releasing on both the original Switch and Switch 2. 

Overall, I feel the price of the console is largely fair considering inflation, potential tariffs, its competitors and Nintendo’s very strong position going into this generation. The added premium on top of the already increased price of Mario Kart World, however, has no excuse other than greed. 

William Fisher is a Medill freshman. He can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.