Why the Nintendo Switch will be $299 for years

GGG makes the argument that with the announcement of the New 2DS XL and the sales of the Switch so far, that any consumers waiting for a price drop may be waitin several years for one just like the Wii.

[PhoenixUp]

Even Wii U is still $300 in places that you can still find it being sold.

I just hope NS doesn't stay the same price for 4 years.

[Nitrowolf2]

I think because the Wii U didnt do so hot that Nintendo really couldnt afford to cut costs other than let it slowly die off.

We will see what happens, but if the switch does continues on, then im sure theyll be fully invested to release new iterations and such

[indysurfn]

Actually Wii stayed the same price even up to with WII U launched.
Then Wii U stayed the same price.

Same happened with the DS it stayed the same price up to when 3DS launched.
When 3DS NEW version guess what price the original version of 3DS was? Yes SAME PRICE!

Nintendo prices just don't change. So basically going by the last 10 years of consoles and handhelds
dont expect SWITCH to drop price even when NS (NEXT SWITCH) launches.

So people that are waiting for a price drop are waiting for nothing. (not guaranteed but most likely)

[fenome]

The funny thing is that I probably would've bought a Wii U if they dropped the price. They just pulled it off shelves without even trying to sell it, it doesn't make sense to me.

It's one thing to eat some losses, but why not try to recoup some of those manufacture fees?

Edit:

What are they doing with all those consoles they pulled off the shelves? Are they just gonna get thrown in a hole somewhere like ET for the Atari? Why not try to sell them? It's just weird.

[deafdani]

Indysurfin:

None of what you said is true. For example, Wii was 250 bucks when it launched, and when the Wii U came out, Wii was selling for 100.

All of Ninty consoles got price cuts. Wii U was the exception, not the rule.

[UltraNova]

Cause > Nintendo...and Nintendo gonna Nintendo.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I don't disagree with you that the wii U didn't do too well for Nintendo, but id argue that Nintendo cannot afford to keep it that price along with all the bad press and low sales, I think it would have been a solid for them to lower that price at least several times there is no reason why the Wii U should be priced at what we're seeing the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One priced at (mind you to my understanding PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are actually cheaper right now)

[mikeslemonade]

Just as someone said the WiiU failed and still Nintendo is too cheap to drop lower than like $230.

[-Foxtrot]

Games are the same

Still looking for a brand new Smash Bros U copy but even the pre owned ones are like £32.99

Another non Nintendo game would be like £20 by now

[RosweeSon]

I'm sure it won't, once Scorpio arrives may see price cut of some form or a game bundled in I think they can survive at this price for the holidays tho... games could do with coming back down to reasonable prices tho £40/45 especially bomberman... £19.99 max ;)

Apart from say N64 which was expensive to start with then got price cuts Nintendo generally price the consoles well enough that it just sticks at that price Wii was £180 for years and Gamecube had all its price cuts before it even launched when it dropped for £130?!! 3ds had a price cut in Europe at least but then got the 20 Ambassador games so happy to pay the extra ;) generally tho they price well enough that it doesn't need price cuts until a year or 3 down the line.

[_-EDMIX-_]

It's also one of the worst selling platforms.

I think because the switch is a portable they're likely going to lower their price with other versions like the switch mini or any other redesign.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Nintendo decrease that Switch price to see your fanbase rise.

[indysurfn]

I agree! I think it would make it explode because some people just dont have the extra money up front.

I'm not saying it cost too much because it is the lowest launch price of any console since the PS2 era. But lower cost
always helps even the mighty PS4 was helped with a better price.

[RosweeSon]

Because it's not pretty much sold out everywhere so far? They've been shipping them in by planes. Sure they can be picked up here and there and become more and more available but as the great New games start arriving itll pick up again, sure prices cuts help but why right now it's just launched how about when Scorpio launches?

[indysurfn]

@RosweeSon I actually agree with you. I was not being critical of the price. Just saying it would explode even more if they reached the people that cant afford that extra $50. It is as you said a BRAND NEW JUST LAUNCHED system. They cant keep them in stores for more than a few hours.

Bestbuy walmart. Gamestop all advertised that they was getting a shipment in recently. No one would bother doing that for just a few machines, so I think people will be surprise once again when NPD comes out and they are still signing the same song about it being to soon to call it a success. Eventually they will shut it.

[RosweeSon]

After 2 months not likely try next year.

[inStereo]

They may not be able to drop the price, but if they packed-in a game and kept it at $300 for the holidays, they'd make a killing. (Super Mario Odyssey, perhaps?)

[masterfox]

who cares, in years that thing will be death as the Wii U.

[RosweeSon]

Like you and me in years we'll all be dead. In years! My Wii U still lives just like nes/SNES mega drive master system all the old great consoles will always live on.

[Perjoss]

Can I borrow your crystal ball, promise I won't use it for checking lottery numbers or sports results

[masterfox]

Sorry it only works in video games. :D

[TXIDarkAvenger]

Next thing you know this crazy guy will tell us all consoles have life cycles!

[Prince_TFK]

Ok....stupid comment and still get upvoted.

Thats N4G for ya.

[Yi-Long]

I don't mind it being (and staying) 300$/€

I -DO- mind that it doesn't come with the Pro-controller and a game included.

As a gamer who has no interest in playing this as a handheld, nor as someone remotely interested in having to put up with those joy-cons (cons indeed), it basically means the Switch STARTS at a 300$ (350€ at a local store btw) price, but I would have to buy a pro-controller as well if I am going to actually enjoy playing the system.

I rather would have seen Nintendo making the gimmick-stuff optional, but obviously it being Nintendo, I didn't actually expect them to do that.

Perhaps in a few years they can be bothered to release a 'Pro-version' of their system, so without the handheld aspect yet with the pro-controller bundled in, and a bigger HDD.

Right now though, if I want to buy a Switch, pro-controller, and -1- game, like Zelda, the cost would already be around the 500€. Which seems a bit steep, considering I can buy 20-30 excellent PS4 games for that same price.

[lellkay]

Spot on!!!

[deafdani]

The joycons are pretty comfortable when attached to the grip, though (which is included). That setup feels like a traditional controller for the most part.

Also don't dismiss the portable aspect of it.... I've already seen a lot of people that didn't really intend to use it as a portable initially, but in the end they ended using it both ways (portable-docked). It's just that convenient.

[godashram]

Maybe a variant that came with a pro controller instead of the joy-cons for the same $300 USD would have been a nice option. maybe toss in a Virtual console game download as well.... if they had the virtual console up. I don't see them including a full-price game until the holiday season at the earliest, and even then maybe now. The rumored Mario Kart bundle doesn't seem to exist outside of russia.... and the price (roughly $440 USD) is higher that most places.

[Prince_TFK]

The thing is you can buy 20-30 (some are old) ps4 games but not the console itself.

[BigTrain]

Thing is, if they did release a package with the items you want it'd still be the same price or even more. They do not care about entering in at a fair price, and considering the hardware issues it just shows the quality of the build is cheap. Profit, Nintendos main concern. If it wasn't for their 1party games they'd be dead.

[ILostMyMind]

And that 's why I will not buy it.

[RosweeSon]

For this year at least if sales continue as well as they have price will stay the same, they will just start bundling in a game each time a new one releases like SNES days Street fighter 2, star fox, super Mario World bundles. Worked for PS4 and they still pretty much on launch price. Switch may drop to £249 in U.K and Europe but yeah reckon they'll just include a game or 2 to help cover the cost to customers. Selling well so far what 3 million considering it took Wii u 3-4 years to sell 12/13 million Switch has sold nearly a quarter of that in a month or 2, not bad.

[deafdani]

"Worked for PS4 and they still pretty much on launch price."

Playstation 4 launched at $400, now it costs $300, and you can get it for even less with a game included (thanks to the Slim revision). Right now, Amazon is selling it with Uncharted 4 bundled at $260:

https://www.amazon.com/Play...

So, your post just isn't accurate.

[RosweeSon]

Sony haven't had Official price cuts tho. They've just sneaked extras into the bundles sure a pro is the same cost as the original console was but no official price cuts have ever been announced for PS4... not in my country anyway the base model just lowered in line with slims and pros coming out. The older models just lowered in price due to the newer models coming out... Xbox on other hand started at £429... removed Kinect and within a year was more like £299. Sony charged and are still charging £349 for a pro anyway sure if you want older models you can get them cheaper as there are 2 better versions out now but official price cut? Don't remember that, extra games being bundled in sure 2-3 games same price console. Price cuts tho? ✌🏻 Sure if you want a 500gb launch model can probably get them dirt cheap nowadays but who wants one of them when most people need more like 1tb/2TB or more (I'm 2TB... for now until I upgrade to a pro in the not too distant future, I'm in no rush) but most people would go for the slim which sure it's around £250ish here and yes that's £100 cheaper and a newer console but go back a year or 2 £349 for a base model but it comes with say uncharted 4, last of us and Driveclub or similar 3 games... games alone worth £80-100 so now console is £250 but no games. The price of the console has stayed more or less the same since launch. I'm talking U.K as not being American I wouldn't have a clue what price it launched there and what price it is now and yeah there's 3 different models and the oldest of the oldest can be bought dirt cheap. Not like Og Xbox one can be bought really really cheap. That's not price cuts that's retailers just wanting to shift their exsisting stock. But fact of the matter is yeah they removed Kinect but Xbox one was £429 when launched here and now it's nearer £249/299 for cheaper models that's nearly £200 difference Official prices. PS4 launched at £349... you can pick them up for £149-199 now? No, sure shop around but your looking more like £225/250/350 if go for a pro.

https://www.google.co.uk/am...

Here's the only official price cut I can find... a massive £50. Now if they were selling it with a game or 3 as they were before for the extra £50 or just get the console and maybe one game for £50 less... I'll take the 3 games and pay the extra and that's what's always happened with PS4 rather than mass price reductions they just changed the games that's are included or add an extra controller or double the hard drive but the prices remain more or less the same no massive £100 off here another £50 off 6 months later... i.e. £150 down drain for me. PS4 launched at a great price and it's generally remained the same it's just now you can get pro for cost of launch model... Scorpio is gonna come out for same price as the original Xbox £429 in U.K (with Kinect) so Scorpio without Kinect £429 or less in U.K? Haha I'd be suprised if it's less than £449... more like £499!. No chance dead on arrival without games.

[il-JumperMT]

Yesterday I was showing Mario Kart to some of my family friends, the question they asked me was why you have only 2 controllers.

Well, 80 Euro each. the switch itself is cheap if you remove the price of both joycons XD

[godashram]

The real issue here is that your family friends expected you to have more than 2 controllers....

[DrJones]

Ikr

[Aenea]

I would be happy if they at least make it €299 around here and have it available!

[RosweeSon]

That's the thing it's selling out already so if they drop the price it's be harder to stock currently. I agree tho I'm U.K here where it launched at £279.99 whereas USA its $299.99... anyone can google but there's a massive difference there pound may be weak but it's not that weak. Retailers set the price here and they set it st £279.99....
£249.99 is the one and sure by summer it'll come down a lil and drive up sales again once they start dropping off a bit... plus it gives them room to continue selling well when Scorpio comes in at extremely expensive prices... Switch can go well now it's £249.99 and have a free copy of Splatoon ;)

[Aenea]

Normally these type of devices are always straight up dollar to euro amounts, so if something is $300 then it's €300. That is more expensive but includes VAT/sales tax already, but with the Switch it was actually introduced by Nintendo as €329 instead of €299.

BTW, €329 is about the same (slightly more expensive even) as £279.99 so we're in te same boat it seems, it's actually equivalent to $360...

I really do hope they will be available regularly during summer, have my heart set on one!

[jonivtec]

It sale like hotcake....nintendo would be fool to drop the price.

[DarkSnow]

In EU is 329euros.

[RedCloud88]

Truthfully with its basically off the shelf tablet components its not entirely out of the realm of possibility that nintendo could just upgrade the innards every year and keep the price at $300 permanently.

[BigTrain]

You are correct, and that is a damn scary thought. Just like Apple's model on everything they sell. If that were to take place their hardware will forever be two generations behind in power.

[RosweeSon]

They pretty much do this anyway every year or 2 anyway
GBA/GBA SP/ GBA micro...
DS, DS lite, DS XL DSi
3ds, 3ds XL new 3ds XL 2ds new 2ds XL
It's no different with Sony and Microsoft standard/slim/pro/elites/Scorp ios.
I'm sure a newer better battery slimmer? Cheaper Switch will come along but it's not gonna be this year it'll be a year after launch so prob next E3 we'll hear about it out within a few months for holidays 2018... 3ds had many revisions it happens. They try and get many markets onboard and best way to do this give them options, big screen little screens 3d or not clam design or not. You either get in there day one and enjoy it or you wait it out for a year or 2 and get better model which gets replaced anyway... pro tip... unless your a collector don't get every model... decide if you wanna be playing the games day one or if you wanna wait for the slimmer better models to arrive could be 2-3 years down the line tho... Nintendo are always on smaller cycles tho they don't drop the older ones tho hence why 3ds still plays DS games and DS still played GBA games for years.

[bluefox755]

As if I needed another reason to not buy Nintendo.

[PurpHerbison]

Cause Nintendo.

[superchiller]

I agree that the Switch will stay at $300 for a long time, but not for the reasons in the article. The reality is that Nintendo is a very greedy company, always trying to maximize profits (at the expense of their loyal fans). They don't care about delivering a genuinely solid gaming console for the money, they just care about making as much money as possible. Unfortunately, once people realize that their will be almost no 3rd party support for the Switch, and games are just barely trickling out, the Switch is going to fail, just like the Wii U before it. For the vast majority of gamers, the Switch will have very little to offer, other than the usual rehashed Nintendo stuff. Not enough games to justify paying $300 for a system that is much worse than the competition.

[MisterManGuy]

Yes, Nintendo is so greedy, they slashed $80 off the 3DS only a few months after it's release and gave early adopters 20 free games. They're so greedy that they had to sell the Wii U at a loss just to get the price down to $300. Seriously, the Switch is doing just fine at $300, and if Nintendo can continue to supply it with major games (Mario Oddysey, ARMS, Splatoon 2, etc.) and add features in the future, then they probably won't need to drop the price until at least another year.

[BigTrain]

Totally agree. Their greed is completely obvious. Low-level, low powered "next-gen" consoles for the last 3 iterations.

[RosweeSon]

Is that why they release the NES mini for £49.99 and amiibos even the rarest Zelda ones come out for £10.99... yeah they are proper greedy. Also the fact that all their games were £30/40 for the whole of last generation with 3ds and Wii U games. Cheapest of the big 3... if they were trying to maximise profits and be greedy.. they'd look at eBay prices and go right Mini SNES is launching for £100-150... amiibos are now £30/50 each... they don't.

Keep banging your drum but there is 3rd party support the games are coming thick and fast and it's already sold a quarter or what Wii u managed in its lifetime in barely 2 months... could outsell Wii u by end of the year at this rate. Doomed tho ey and proper greedy... they never even charged to play online until later this year... proper greedy.

For the minority of single minded gamers the switch will have little to offer... for everyone else who it's obsessed with FPS so much they want a counter on the front of the console like a speedo? Great for no games to play so let's watch how many frames a second were achieving 😩🙄
By the end of the Year sure with the help of Wii U ports but new Mario as well as a couple of unannounced titles no doubt Switch will have more and better exclusives than Xbox has managed in 4 years but it's not worth purchasing the console for $299 because it's not 4K even tho it comes with you. I guess Scorpio is worth nearly double because it's 4K has not one single Scorpio exclusive and is stuck to the confines of the bedroom or gaming area but yeah that'll be worth it. Most powerful console in the world for Black ops 2 BC WHOOP WHOOP 😂✌🏻

Nintendo also fixed my original Wii out of warranty completely free of charge in under a week.. find me one other gaming company who'd fix your console out of warranty for free. Sony defo didn't with my PS3 and the amount of times I had to deal with faulty 360's.

[DillyDilly]

What Nintendo should do is make the accessories cheaper as the price is fine for the Switch itself

[DillyDilly]

& I would bet good odds that Microsoft will do their own portable approach to try getting in on the international market with the next XBOX

They now have XBOX & PC tied together so portable is logically next step

[ILostMyMind]

I think the same.

[_-EDMIX-_]

No.

Simply being that this is not Nintendo's first portable therefore it's not as if it's a brand new concept that is taking storm it is what they've been doing for a long time.

The second is the portable Market is shrinking in regards to Dedicated platforms it is not growing

looking at the sales of the 3DS and even the PlayStation Vita it is very much showing that the community to actually buy dedicated gaming Platforms in terms of portable is shrinking significantly.

If the DS selling over 160 million didn't get Microsoft to go portable this is not going to change their minds....

I mean the fact that Microsoft is putting their games on PC only goes to show that even the Home console Market is something Microsoft might be reconsidering if they're putting their content elsewhere in the first place...

At least try to logically explain why you feel it's the next step as opposed to just saying it's the "next step".

Ok...why?

[DillyDilly]

The difference between those & the Switch is those are strictly portables while the Switch is a hybrid & it being successful is showing Microsoft & Sony how to do it right

[_-EDMIX-_]

Except this isn't the first time you could play a portable on the TV

the PSP could play on the TV with several attachments....

Also the PSP in 2004 was considered a handheld console if you consider it was playing PlayStation 2 level games in 2004...

That didn't get Microsoft to go portable...

If you technically released an equivalent to the PSP in this generation it would have been with the PlayStation 4 is portable....

Sooooo not really new...not even a little.

2004 PSP was playing PlayStation 2 level games.

So if a PSP released in 2017 that was playing PlayStation 4 level games that would actually not be that fascinating as you're actually talking about a direct 1.1 example of something that's already happened.

I mean even using the switch as an example is technically lesser because you're only describing the Wii U the weakest of the three systems having Portable option ..

That really isn't as revolutionary as you might think bud.

So how could Nintendo show Microsoft how to put a portable on a television when they never invented the PSP could do that?

😂😂😂

They're going to show Microsoft and Sony that a handheld can have console level games? So the PSP didn't do that in 2004 already?

😂😂😂

No.

The way the market is currently that is just not going to happen in fact I find it hilarious that you haven't even made any real significant point about why it would actually happen because nothing you posted is brand new to the industry.

Powerful Portables is not brand new.

Playing off the television with a portable is not brand new.

I'm not even sure you are even that old enough to remember the PSP when the PlayStation 2 Gamecube and Xbox were relevant....

I mean playing Grand Theft Auto God of War Kingdom Hearts and a whole slew of series on a portable was pretty interesting with the PSP but it was very clear that such a concept didn't catch on even after 80 million units sold.

You're not actually describing something that has never happened...

(Maybe something you don't remember or didn't know)

[_-EDMIX-_]

Mind you the only difference was that the switch has not been marketed to be the PSP , we're not talking about what was marketed , were talking about what it is.

Is the switch a portable? Can you not take it on the go with you? Technically speaking the option of that device is the played on the television, it is not a requirement , you technically could throw the accessory in the garbage and played as a normal portable so please stop playing stupid as if you're unaware that this is an option.

And what do you mean strictly? Nothing stopping anyone from picking up the PSP and playing it on the television with a controller , it doesn't mean that it's strictly was made for that purpose, especially if you consider the entire device itself was created for must be portable .

if the PSP can add an attachment to played on the television it's simply telling you that such a concept is an afterthought , it is not the main focus of the creation of the device itself , the device itself has to be made to be portable, it has an LCD screen ,it has a battery ,it's motherboard and all of its components are created to be portable in fact the option of playing off of the television is the afterthought it is the thing that could be done AFTER THE FACT if you consider the PSP did it.

You're technically only talking about the difference from a company that added it as an accessory, to the company that packed it in.

You're still talking about the same concept.

I'm not sure why Fanboys desperately love playing with the semantics cuz they can't accept that this company is now creating Portables only.

You could scream and cry till you're blue in the face but adding an accessory didn't make the PSP a Home console, it simply gave a portable the ability to play on the television ,but it never took away from what it was that's no different than the switch

the switch is a portable the ability to play on the television doesn't suddenly negate its portability and make it NOT a portable LMFAO!

If Sony released a new PSP tomorrow that had a PlayStation 4 level Graphics as well as the ability to play off of the television but instead they packed it into the device as opposed to selling it separately , I'm pretty sure you would not be screaming it's something "revolutionary" when you're technically simply talking about a more powerful version of the same thing that was done several years ago.

A PSP released today with PlayStation 4 level graphics with the Cradle accessory packed in is no more revolutionary than it was in 2009, I'm not sure why changing the company's name to Nintendo and changing the devices name to switch suddenly means it's revolutionary , it's probably the fakest stupidest most desperate thing I've seen Fanboys try to dispute

Despite how clear and obvious it is.

https://www.theguardian.com...

[iofhua]

I don't think there will be a Switch price drop. It's already flying off of shelves at the current price. There's no incentive to lower the price unless inventory is stagnating.

[_-EDMIX-_]

was no incentive for them to lower the price of the Wii U and it's one of the worst selling home consoles out of the three companies entire histories....

They are not lowering the price based on Greed...

Simple.

[dedicatedtogamers]

I think it'd be wise to release a "handheld only" package for $250 middle of next year. Charging cable, system, two joycons. No TV dock and no joycon shell. This would be a fake price drop but it would get a lot more people into the system.

And then drop down to $250/$200 the next year for the full/handheld-only bundles.

[subtenko]

Looks like im not getting one then

[inxine]

nintendo has this weird policy where their products wont get price cuts, like ever lol some 3 year old games are still pricey lol

[Derceto]

Because Nintendo doesn't know the meaning of the term "sale" or "price reduction". Pretty simple really.

[KimikoGaming]

It will have sales during holidays, and it will get special bundles that come with a game and still cost $299. But Nintendo systems typically don't get permanent price cuts until revisions come out. 3DS was obviously an exception.

[Copat]

Nintendo will never lower the price. They are notorious for keeping the price the same and just bundling a digital download game with it instead of lowering the price. If you really want a Switch I suggest you get it as soon as you can find one :)

[deafdani]

They never low the price of their games, but all of their consoles, handheld and home consoles, have got price cuts... except the Wii U, which only saw a paltry $50 price slash on its lifetime.

[Copat]

Yes that is true, in the past we saw Nintendo hardware price cuts. When I was a kid I saw them all the time. But today Nintendo is very different. Like we saw with Wii U, they just bundled games inside instead of really slashing the price of the system. It's a smart move from them and it will work for Switch. I can already imagine a BOTW or Mario Kart 8 D bundle for the same cost as a base unit or even $20-$30 more. So you're essentially getting a break on the price of the game.