Nintendo Switch is too expensive, no matter how you spin it

Steve Wright, Stevivor -- "Every argument made by those in favour of its price is fallacious."

[CocoaBrother]

In Australia absolutely no doubt it's too expensive. Australia, Canada, and the U.K. get shafted on prices. $80 games in Canada? Screw that

[Vegamyster]

Pretty much all new AAA games are $80 in Canada regardless of platform.

[rezzah]

Amazon prime allows u to pick up games on release for 72 after taxes.

Not saying its a great deal but its the best ive seen in terms of getting a game asap

[UltimateMaster]

Prices needs to drop to 50$ US Dollars now that the economy is up and going.
Nobody has 80$ to spend of new games when they can just wait it out and play older games.
It's not like we have a whole lot of time to play these games, many of us have jobs, or are studying.
I already tough 60$ was too expensive last gen and it was since most games didn't sold as many millions as they used to on the PS2/Xbox or previous PS1/N64 generations.
Think of all the extra $ you could've had if it was just 10$ less, by the time the holidays arrive, there's so many games competing old and new that people wait out even more than half the price like 20$ before buying it.
But no, the Call of Duty and Battlefield generation fanboys buys off 120$ games with season pass when I remember the days of TimeSplitter where you basically built your own maps and could make as many as you wanted to play online...

[Jon_Targaryen]

Even PC games are reaching the $80 price tag now!

[xwabbit]

In Australia ?

[Jon_Targaryen]

No, in general. It always used to be:

Console games $60 PC games $35-40

Then slowly for surely they started increasing it throughout the years...

Look how it is now?!?! Its insane!

[ABizzel1]

I agree, and I get it to some extent on Nintendo's part, but they need to change it immediately, or at least after they screw over their most loyal fans like they did with the 3DS (and I mean that not to make fans mad, but to show the reality Nintendo faces if the launch at $299, because sales will tank in the west after the scalper and most core fans are done buying).

The device itself being $300 is a start. It's overpriced plain and simple especially when you compare it to the Shield Tablet, which has a larger 8" inch screen, a 1080p screen, better cameras, and more. The advantages the Switch has are the rumored core components Tegra X1 vs K1, 4GB RAM vs 2GB, and 32GB storage instead of 16GB. The problem is the Shield tablet ranges from $149 - $199, and has been as low as $149 bundled with games and the Shield controller. That's $149 for the TABLET and CONTROLLER for basically the predecessor of the Switch yet Nintendo is charing 2x the price for an upgrade that's literally $60 more at most, and that's not including the fact that Nintendo is saving money by having a cheaper screen and camera(s). The Switch should be $250 at most bundled with 1 / 2 Switch. And while they're at it they should have a SKU without the dock all together.

The accessories are next. They're all just extremely overpriced, there's no way around it. These are the highest I've seen in a long time. Nintendo is trying to market the Joy-Cons as the new Wiimote, but they refuse to just let it go. It's great they put more effort into making the Switch controllers better, but it was a cost that's doing nothing but making the console more expensive and charging a ridiculous overhead for the controllers. The same with the dock and pro controller, both are overpriced especially the dock.

Games. Nintendo was already in the $60 brigade with the Wii U, but it's a completely different story for handheld, but higher prices also mean less gamers buying games who are multi-console owners. And by using cartridges that offers at least 16GB of storage it pretty much guarantees they're locked at $60.

Then you have to buy a $40 128GB or $80 200GB microSD.

It's just all adds up to be too much. $300 + $70 + $60 + $40 or $80 = $470 - $510 for the switch, pro controller, Zelda, and either a 128GB / 200GB SD.

If the rework the pricing, $250 + $50 + $60 + 40 or $80 = $400 - $440, a savings of $70 for the same deal as above, but also includes 1 / 2 Switch, or $350 - $390 if they make a SKU without the dock.

[Vegamyster]

In regards to comparing it to the Shield tablet, i actually have one and I've never seen a bundle with a controller for $150, maybe used? Mine has some build quality issues since i got it a year ago, the screen is fine but will lock up here and there & the plastic back makes a clicking noise when i press on it. Keep in mind if you want to stand it up, plug it into your TV (if you don't have mini HDMI) and if you get the $60 controller, it adds up.

Personally i would have wanted $250 but $300 isn't shocking, it has more power than a Wii-U and is only a couple inches bigger than a 3DS XL: https://twitter.com/DaveMil...

The smaller and more powerful you make something with half decent build quality, the cost goes up considerably.

"Then you have to buy a $40 128GB or $80 200GB microSD."

If you're going all digital then yes but on the physical side it shouldn't be necessary just like the Wii-U, it doesn't appear that the system is going to be getting the big AAA games like Battlefield ect that have numerous patches.

I do agree with everything else regarding the peripherals, i understand now why the Pro controller is priced higher since it has the new rumble, gyro & 40 hour battery life: https://twitter.com/Wario64...

But they should have a cheaper alternative, it's all way too much and the online doesn't help.

[dumahim]

"it has more power than a Wii-U and is only a couple inches bigger than a 3DS XL:"

Keep it mind, it clocks down in portable mode. I would agree it's more powerful in docked mode, but how about when it's portable?

[Vegamyster]

dumahim

I believe all the games ranging from Zelda, MK8D, Splatoon run at 720p with the exact same framerate when undocked (60 fps for MK ect) from what people at the event said so it's probably similar to the Wii-U undocked, can't say 100% until it comes out.

[CorndogBurglar]

You don't NEED. A pro controller. You also don't NEED an SD card. All that is needed is the console and game.

$300 +$60 = $360.

I'm not sure why articles or comments like this feel the need to list completely optional peripherals as requirements so they can boost the price and make it seem more expensive than it is.

This is no different: PS4 pricing. $400 console. $30- $100 Better headset because the earpiece/mic you get with the console sucks. $60 extra controller. $60 game. Total - $620.

Again, you can't add optional stuff and pretend thats what you NEED to pay.

[Knushwood Butt]

I guess you don't NEED a smart phone to do voice chat.

[CorndogBurglar]

@ Knushwood Butt

No you don't. But a smart phone does a whole lot more than simple voice chat now doesnt it? These extra things we're talking about? The pro controller and SD card? Those are things that the console can already do. The pro controller simply adds comfort. The SD card just adds more memory.

When a console comes with two perfectly working controllers and a dock to make it more like a normal controller, the Pro Controller becomes less of a necessity.

Just like the SD card. Sure it would be nice to have more memory but there are still plenty of people using a 500 gb hard drive for their PS4 and XB1. It just means you have to delete things before downloading more. Its hardly needed.

[Goldby]

@corn

i dont think you understand.

they chose to make the Pro Controllers and all these accessories for the option for gamers, yet failed to give an option for people who dont want to use their smart phone for the party chat.

The fact the phone app is required is telling me 1 of 2 things.

nintendo is more blind than every when it comes to taking peoples money.
or the switch cant handle running a game and a dedicated party system behind it.

(im leaning more toward the latter)

[rainslacker]

I'd say the pro controller would be pretty much wanted for those of us around here. Absolutely necessary? No, but definately highly desired. The WiiU proved that 32GB isn't enough. Maybe for when you first get the system, but it's lacking for the long term...particularly if you want digital on the go. Personally, I'd want a lan adapter, although I'm not sure for me, if I will bother with online on the system.

As far as having to use a smart phone, it's just an extra step. I'm sure most people have one, so that's not an added expense really, but from a usability stand point, it's quite awkward and an extra step that isn't as seamless as we see in the other consoles. Price isn't really the issue there, just more that it shows Nintendo really doesn't get it....and calls into question just how good their online infrastructure is going to be to warrant charging for it.

[Knushwood Butt]

Not arguing with you, but I wonder how much of the Switch's internal 32GB is actually available for user storage.

[CorndogBurglar]

@ knushwood butt

You make a good point. The full 32gb would have to have some dedicated to the system and OS.

And I also get that there are a lot of options here that people would really want. I would want a pro controller and sd card too. Hell, i upgraded the sd card in my 3ds because what came with it wasn't nearly enough if you were going to download anything more than a few games.

The point I'm trying to make is that articles and comments i've seen are saying things like, "This is how much the Switch will really cost you." As if to say that you HAVE to buy all this extra stuff to play it. That simply isn't true.

Console. Game. Thats all you need to enjoy the system. It comes with everything you need including a 2nd controller to play multiplayer, which is more than anyone can say about other console releases for multiple generations now.

These people writing these articles and making these comments need to word things differently because it honestly makes them look like they bashing it just to bash it by saying it actually costs more than it does.

If you want the extra stuff, great. But lets not act like other consoles dont have just as many extras that you can buy to raise the overall price outside of the essentials.

[Big_Game_Hunters]

Dont forget you Also need
- A decent TV 200$ minimum
- a couch to sit on 200$+
- Clothes so you aren't naked while you play +100+
- a house or apartment to play in 900$+ per month (godamn subcriptions)
- Food 100$+ per week.
Honestly its a bit ridiculous.

[rainslacker]

You don't technically need a TV. It comes with it's own screen.:)

Value added proposition there, making the price much more reasonable.:)

Just kidding by the way. A lot of the added costs being thrown in as necessary, is a bit silly. Some I think are worth considering to likely be purchased, such as the SD card, and for many around here the Pro controller.

[CorndogBurglar]

Haha thank you.

This made me laugh.

Although I took clothes off the list because I like to play games in the nood. I can't wait to have a nekkid wild west showdown on the switch. Get along little doggie!

[rainslacker]

I think the Switch is a hard sale. At face value, $300 isn't that bad for the core system. But the hidden costs are just too much. Sure, nothing is absolutely needed, but we all know how we want the most out of our systems out of the box. Going with standard SD cards is a plus, compared to Vita's proprietary format, but it's still an additional costs, which the WiiU showed me I would need to upgrade from the built in storage. As a hardcore gamer, I'd prefer the standard "pro" controller, so that's yet another cost.

Suddenly, it's actually cheaper to get a PS4P, or much cheaper to get a OGPS4 or X1 or X1S, and all I'd really have to give up is portability.

[PhoenixUp]

I do enjoy how people try to spin and defend NS's growing shortcomings

[King_Lothric]

And that is why Nintendo will never change for the better. People need to stop defending their bad desicions.

[freshslicepizza]

nintendo is looking to maximize profits because they know they get far less in royalties from third party games than its competitors. call it nintendo tax you are paying for to access its wealth of exclusive content.

[Summons75]

So when the Scorpio comes out and it's 499 you better not praise how perfectly priced it is but cry about 299.

[ninsigma]

But if Scorpio has the specs to match the price then it won't be a problem. It's not the figure that's the problem, it's what you get for that money and right now a lot of people think you don't get enough with the switch for the money they have to spend.

[Stapleface]

Switch does has specs to match it's price though. What other portable gaming device costs $300, and can play Zelda BOTW quality games? It's like some people are expecting them to match ps4, when that would cost over a grand at retail (only portable things doing that right now run an i7, and a 1050ti) I've even heard it should maybe do 4k. Like sure, Nintendo was supposed to shrink the internal hardware of the Asus Predator X21 magically, and sell it for $250..

[Goldby]

But staple, Nintendo is selling this as a home console, not a handheld. They are expecting you to have it docked (at least in the west) more than undocked. and as a home console. the Switch is shit.

Its over priced for the underperformance compared to other home consoles.

[Eulderink]

.. if it is priced like that, atleast its the most powerfull console at that moment, which u can see as a justification, since prolly you don't more shit to play it. Don't think they will charge 500 though. That price didn't do good to the ps3 so its also the same for scorpio.

[Jon_Targaryen]

Only time will tell...

[poppinslops]

The Scorpio will be roughly 5 or 6 times more powerful than the Switch... $499 is a bargain compared to what Nintendo are asking.

[quent]

And what do you get use all that power on ?

[quent]

And what do you get to use all that power on ?

[time2die]

And the Scorpio needs games to be a success and at the moment Microsoft have literally nothing to offer Xbox One fans with virtually nothing in the way of exclusive titles, last year they released the Xbox One s and there focus seems to be the Scorpio at present.

Seriously releasing the Xbox One s when 12 months later they have a new console coming to the market.....Whats all that about ?

[poppinslops]

@Quent: AAA videogames... Personally, I'm looking forward to playing Crackdown 3, Sea of Thieves, Red Dead Redemption 2 , Mass Effect Andromeda, Forza Motorsport 7 and Forza Horizon 3 - which will almost certainly get a patch.

@Time: The One-S is basically a 'slim' XO and it's sold rather well... with regards to Scorpio games, there are those I've listed above, as well as indies like Below, Tacoma, The Long Dark, State of Decay 2 and Cuphead - not to mention older titles such as Halo 5 or The Witcher 3, both of which will recieve automatic performance boosts courtesy of the XO versions' dynamic scaling.

None of those games will be available on the Switch...

[EddieNX]

Yes because comparing a turbo charged home console to a portable tablet is fair.

Just to be clear, no, no its not.

[jmc8888]

Not even close. PS4 is roughly 5-8x times the power of Switch. <200 GFlops undocked (rumored 147-153 GFlops). <400 GFlops docked (rumored 374-384 GFLops).

>1800 GFlops PS4. Do the math. FP32 is what matters. FP16 in half precision which isn't good for console type games.

PS4 Pro ~4200 GFlops
Scorpio is >6000 GFLops

Again do the math.

Then realize while that isn't exact it is VERY MUCH ballpark close. Architectural differences from 2013, or for an unreleased console aren't going to be huge. It will have a Nvidia advantage, but that doesn't mean much for something so underpowered.

The raw power of 384 GFlops was first reached with Geforce 8800 Ultra in 2007. Even with architectural advantages, undocked switch is a good deal less then that and docked Switch, not much more.

Then compare pricepoints for the box.

Then compare pricepoints to match what's in the box. I.E. PS4/XB1/PS4 Pro/Scorpio all come with at least 500 gb's storage and a controller. So you need to go... Switch+microSD card storage upgrade+pro controller.

...and in some cases you are also getting a free packed in game like Uncharted 4 for PS4 or whatever with XB1.

Overall we need to wait for someone to tear it down and look at it, and possibly run benchmarks as well if possible (sometimes it is).

Also there is a CPU deficiency to consider, though not as dire as GPU.

Then we'll finally know, but as of now, it doesn't look good, and everything shown by Nintendo, including resolution/framerate and the entire look of games basically confirms it by the eye test.

[Elda]

Especially if it doesn't have a slew of new original exclusive games.

[FreeSpeech69]

Scorpio will be compatible with Every Xbox One game and 300+ Xbox 360 games out of the box. Nintendo switch won't have many games, no backwards compatibility and very slow roll out of Virtual Console games that you have to rebuy.

[FreeSpeech69]

Scorpio will be much much much powerful than Nintendo Switch and Xbone is still more powerful than switch so not really an argument.

[Elda]

Powerful won't make any difference if the machine continues to have a major drought of original diverse exclusive games to play.

[TheGamingArt]

@elda, at least it gets 3rd party AAA games. The Switch hardly has that. Let alone its obvious drought.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Except Scorpio has all the Xbox One games and also runs in 4k...

At the end of the day no matter how you're trying to spin it I would actually rather spend more money to actually get a damn platform that's giving me free games for the subscription runs in 4k and has a library of literally hundreds of games.

People buy platforms to play games and you're asking people to spend $300 on a platform that has weaker Hardware than the existing and less games.

Are you joking?

It's not about being cheaper it's actually about what you get for $300 isn't even near what you could get for a PlayStation 4 or Xbox one that actually has an entire library of games for the exact same price.

So pay more for Less?

Oh, spend $300 to get no major titles?

Lol

Sure

That turned out absolutely amazing for the Wii U, oh wait

[DashArrivals]

Stop defending Nintendo at every single turn you sheep.

[shockwave4life]

Hmmmmmmm.......PS4 for $300 or Nintendo Switch for $300...........geeee I wonder what the best deal is????!!?? After the complete epic failure that was the Wii U why is ANYBODY hyped for the Wii U 2 aka switch???!!! It's practically almost the same fucking thing it's a little better version of the gamepad! You fucking dumbass nerds can have fun with Arms, 1 2 Switch, and splatoon 2!!! Lol And when is Mario coming out....o yeah in about 10 months! Good luck with the lack of games and no 3rd party games

[CrimsonPheonix]

why are you mad tho?

[Fishy Fingers]

Who gets that aggressive over some video games....? Early night for you.

[Goldby]

he needs a snickers

[_-EDMIX-_]

Lol

Regardless of how you guys feel about his delivery this is the perception that The Gaming Community has about the switch.

They seriously probably should have never been calling this a Home console because this is the comparison that people are continuing to make , the fact that there are some people that are confused they believe that the system is the dock itself.....

That's not necessarily a good thing.

So let me guess Nintendo Fanboys are just gotta use this confusion as the reason behind the switches failure? Desperately call it a Home console and then when it fails, pretend that it failed because people kept confusing it for a Home console lol

This is deja vu and the Wii u all over again

[Aquietguy]

What if someone already has a PS4? Are ypu saying you would rather buy another PS4 than a Switch?

[TheGamingArt]

I would, in fact I bought a pro instead

[kneon]

Yes, I don't have a PS4 on every TV yet.

[Aquietguy]

@ TheGamingArt

That's what I have a regular PS4 for.

[Jon_Targaryen]

I agree, the announcement of the Wii U had me stoked back in 2011. Ninty wont fool me twice, whats the bet that most of the 3rd arty devs are gonna go public 4 months into tis shelf life and say "We dont have plans on EVER releasing games on this platform" AGAIN! Or whatever two or three 3rd party exclusives it will get will go multiplat a year into its release.

[Huguinho]

Only in n4g a "comment" like this get so many upvotes.
Edit: (instead of be flagged as innapropiate)

[PizzaSteve]

I agree PS4 is the better console but no reason to call people names for wanting a Switch. It's their money and life not yours.

[Derceto]

Amen.

[Fishy Fingers]

Pretty sure value is subjective. Personally I wouldn't drop £300 for a Switch (especially at launch) but then I wouldn't on a PSVR either and they seem to be moving well.

[Jayszen]

@Fishy Fingers

The PSVR is totally new tech the price of which is favourable when compared with tech from competitors. The Switch is more expensive than the Shield Tablet even though it is a lesser spec and then to add to the pain, the accessories are also expensive. To really spread the pain-inducing goodness, then there is the penny-pinching like the non-inclusion of a $29.99 Joy-con charging grip instead of the non-charging one, which is included. This reads like Nintendo thinks we are all mugs willing to pay whatever in order to enjoy the promise of first-party games featuring Mario, Link, etc. I say promise as opposed to actual since many were still waiting for Zelda on the Wii U which was delayed, again and again...

[Fishy Fingers]

I don't disagree with anything you said, just trying to give an example that value is subjective for the individual.

Regardless what I (or anyone) thinks of the pricing it's not down to me to try and change the opinions of those who do deem it worthwhile.

Who am I to tell someone what to spend their money on? You can share your stance on the matter but outside that why do I care.

[ABizzel1]

Switch has higher specs than the Shield Tablet when it comes to gaming if the rumored specs from Wurogamer still stand. It has a better processor (Tegra X1 > Tegra K1), 2x the RAM, and 32GB vs 16GB.

That being said the Shield Tablet has been as low as $149 with games + a controller. Has a better 8" 1080p screen, much better cameras, and more.

There is no reason the Switch should cost $100 - 2x as much as the Shield Tablet, and this is exactly why they need to make a SKU without the Dock to get the price down ASAP.

[deafdani]

Zelda Wii U was delayed exactly twice. And it's still coming out for it. Nintendo didn't break that promise.

They could've just straight cancelled the Wii U version altogether, like Sony did with The Last Guardian for PS3, yet they didn't. And I don't see people making a shitstorm over The Last Guardian, so I don't understand why they do it about Zelda, makes no sense to me.

That aside, Nintendo delivered all of their promised games on Wii U, and most of them released on time. There were very few major delays.

[Perjoss]

I think the asking price would have been OK if they had thrown in a game like Arms or 1-2-Switch, feels strange paying that much and not having anything to play on it unless you spend more. I really cant see 1-2-Switch selling a ton of copies on its own. But again we might see another freak popularity surge like we saw with the original Wii, its almost impossible to predict, my instinct says this aint going to happen again but who knows.

[Kevlar009]

If you take away the joy cons, the dock, and the joycon holder is it much more expensive than a tablet at that power? I don't know if it has apps like a normal tablet, but it's a $200 product for just the tablet. It may be too expensive for what you can get on it, but the tech seems reasonable. I don't see why they couldn't have a temporary price cut/bundles by Christmas

[hahaha]

Amen.

[King_Lothric]

It should have bee $199 and include a game. Switch has an horrible launch window. Games will be scarce as with their previous systems. I don't know why people doesn't learn their lesson with Nintendo and keep trusting them.

[UCForce]

I agree. Nintendo Switch is expensive.

[gbsrnctaln]

I see people asking for a tablet only option. I want a non-portable option! Sell me the console without the stupid 720p screen that I will hardly EVER use for $199 that I can play Zelda and Mario on and Im sold. I hate that nintendo continues to force this bullshit that we dont want and never asked for on us.

[Realplaya]

Here's a thought. Just don't buy it and keep it moving.

[PizzaSteve]

Same can be said abut PSVR. Both are a gimmick to me but I rather Switch for $300 with great games like Zelda instead of PSVR for $400 with tech demos. Not one VR game have blown me away making me want to get into VR.

[rezzah]

No matter how you spin it, it is still the same console for the same price.

;)

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Says the site spinning it so that anyone that can afford the price of a vanilla PS4 is too poor to afford a Switch at the exact same price level.

[Goldby]

nope, nothing like that. but keep those Nintendo glasses on its that there is more value on every angle when you spend that 300$ on a playstation4 or xbox over a Switch.

Paid online is and will be better on either PSN or XBL than Nintendo
GWG and PS+ offer better value than nintendo monthly limited timed games
Larger selection of games
PS4 and XB1 both have voice chat. Nintendo doesn't.
extremely Underpowered Switch (Handheld being sold as a home console) vs underpowered ps4/xb1 (based on tech now vs release window)

The switch being sold and marketed as a home console is a very bad decision on Nintendo's part becuase alot of us, see through that PR marketing for what it really is, a simple handheld device, successor of the 3ds.

[Einhander1971]

Just hope and pray Scorpio has some games to play then because there's F all on xbone
But the fanboys will defend MIcrosoft to the bitter end. And there's the price of the system
So stop slagging off Nintendo, stop moaning you have a choice you can buy the switch
Or not!!!

[spektical]

as someone who can afford this easily, its still overprices for the lack of consistent quality content post zelda. That lineup looks drier than death valley.

[DivoJones]

Yep I'll be holding off.. I would've jumped at $200, thought about it at $250, but $300 for the system only is outrageous. I think they're trying to make up for some of their losses on the WiiU by gouging the prices for switch hardware. It'll sell out because of how poorly Nintendo handles launch supply/demand, but it'll need a price cut or better initial offering down the line if they expect it to have a chance at success. When you're charging more than a PS4 and XboxOne with a game, you're doing something wrong.

[Triggytrolls]

£270 is not that bad, it would be better with a game though. My PS4 was £350 on release if I remember correctly. Accessories for all the current consoles are over priced, period. I wanted a new ps4 controller, you think I'm paying £40-50 for one? Nope.

I will most probably pick up a switch, but not on realease. Console gaming in general is so expensive, games, online, headsets, controllers ect.

[Last_Boss]

After really thinking long, hard, and calmly about this scenario. Here's were The Switch could have easily capitalized flawlessly. We already know that price is $299.99, which is off putting by some degrees. The Switch is a hybrid console, that doubles a home & handheld unit.

The reason I say 249.99 was the sweet spot is:

A. It's specs are weaker than its competition, but offers high quality games direct from the tablet against 2 machines. This would have nudged them right in a place that would have made the deal irresistible.

B. If they had went with a machine that could have played the high end 3RD party games, with an even stronger tablet. Nintendo's footing would have been so good, this would have put them easily back on track.

The uphill battle they face is how well their online community is constructed and or accepted. ME PERSONALLY they pigeonholed themselves, with this missed opportunity.

This is my last post on the subject. I needed to say this, simply to give light and a more leveled headed view on what I as trying convey originally.

[cyx]

Lol geez man its only 299 . everyone is just butthurt it didnt launch at a rumored price of 250. Get over it . you are either gonna buy it or not. I have mine on preorder. People could just ya know save their money up for things they want , i thought thats what ppl do when they want something bad enough lol. You have about a month and a half to save and you had even more time to save since the switch reveal last year. If you guys didnt start saving up whos fault it that? Put 20 bucks away here and there you'd be surprised how that adds up on the side

[joinsideke]

No it's not.

It's the correct market value for the current console landscape. Plenty of room offered to wiggle depending on sales.
I'm happy to say I'm day 1 for Nintendo the first time since the 64. Long live the Switch!