770°

Michael Pachter: Nintendo Switch Is More Expensive Than Expected, Would Have Been Amazing At $200

The one big problem with the Nintendo Switch – arguably big enough to potentially sink the system – is the price.

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3082d ago Replies(14)
corroios3082d ago

For the tech it would be perfect 199, but they could go until 249. But 299....

ABizzel13082d ago (Edited 3082d ago )

I agree it's overall value is about $100 more than it should be, along with overpriced accessories, and overpriced games for the most part.

$199 is a bit of a stretch, but it should have been $249 with 1 2 Switch bundled in. That would have been an acceptable starting price for all gamers and the added bonus of being able to play something Day 1. By not having anything and costing $299 with Zelda being the default game for most that instantly puts Switch at $360 Day 1.

It should have been $249 for the docked bundle, and $199 for a handheld only bundle both with 1 2 switch included, and the vast majority of complaints wouldn't even exist today, besides the overpriced accessories and games.

But instead we have a $300 Switch, that's not counting a good SD card most core gamers will likely need ($40 for 128GB / $70 for 200GB), a Pro Controller, and a single game. That's $470.

Sirk7x3081d ago (Edited 3081d ago )

Tablets are expensive man. The Galaxy Tab S (8.4 inch) is still around $400, over two years old, and doesn't have nearly the gaming performance that the Switch holds. Basically, it boils down to people either being excited for a portable gaming device, or not giving a crap. I'd still like to know what kind of OS functions the Switch has. Will browsing and streaming work intuitively and fluidly? Do we know if there's a touchscreen yet? If it can also carries the base functionality of any android/ios tablet, I think that's still a good deal considering the hardware powering it. Seems weak compared to consoles with a power supply, but for a portable device, the engineering is pretty marvelous.

ABizzel13081d ago

@Sirk7x

Huge difference just because Samsung is charging an insane overhead, doesn't justify the price for every other company to do it as well.

*The NVIDIA Shield tablet is over 2 years old and it's been as low as $150 bundled with games. And has batter hardware is every regard except the upgraded Tegra X processor.

*The NVIDIA Shield TV is over a year old and it's been as low as $150 bundled with games and a controller, and has the same hardware as the Switch.

Those are both devices that the Switch is designed from one with rumored "near identical" specs, the other a better tablet in every way. Charing 2x as much as those platforms have been just isn't right, especially considering Nintendo is known for charging more just to make a profit Day 1 (which they would have easily done considering Zelda will sale nearly 1:1 and the overpriced accessories).

There's only been a brief look of the OS and it looks like a cleaner version of the Wii / Wii U / 3DS OS.

Yes it has a touch screen.

And I seriously doubt they're using Android as a base.

It's another NVIDIA shield tablet, the problem is it's selling at $300, with no game included, almost requires a MicroSD for storage ($40), the Pro Controller most core gamers would use is another $70, games are $60, and the killer is that the PS4 and XBO are $50 cheaper with a game and 2 - 4 free games per month with their subscription service.

*A $250 3DS tanked until it received an $80 price drop.
*The Wii U tanked at $300 - $350.

With a cheaper PS4 with a killer 2017 game line-up, and XBO still doing well in the west I don't see any market for the Switch without a significant chance in price.

fonger083082d ago

I have a feeling that no matter the price, people (fanboys) would have complained regardless.

ShadowKnight3082d ago

I have a feeling that you're right.

3082d ago
Overload3082d ago (Edited 3082d ago )

I think it is a lot of other things and the price is just one of them.

Omnislashver363082d ago (Edited 3082d ago )

Honestly I can't stand the Aliasing on Mario Odyssey. I'd think for $299 you'd get those type of graphics with no jaggies in this day and age.

It would look pretty nice on emulator with forced AA though.

mcstorm3082d ago

Your spot on. I said £250 to £300 for the consoles would be a great price and it's £279 so me I'm happy. The controller is looking like the experience part of the switch and it is a bit of a high price but so are the ps4 and Xbox one controllers and the pro is less than the Xbox pro although you do get a bit more with the pro on the Xbox one. That said the controller that comes with the switch can be used as two what other console offers that? No matter what Nintendo did people would not be happy. If it was £199 people would say that it's to under powered that's why it's so cheap over who pay so much for not much power.

I'm not saying the switch will be a hit or a flop but for what I expected it be priced at it is so for me I can't wait to get mine on march the 3rd

fonger083082d ago

If you look at the compromise between it's a new handheld and new home console... suddenly $300 it's bad. I wanted $250 but $300 it's the end of the world.

There are some people here who never cared for it in the first place, so literally anything it could been, said, or done would have been trolling fodder. But I digress... such is the case when any system launches these days.

Angeljuice3082d ago

"If it was £199 people would say that it's to under powered that's why it's so cheap over who pay so much for not much power. "

Well it's £279 and too under powered. Making it more expensive doesn't change the specs.

girevik3082d ago

I agree. The wii u ranged from 300 to 350. 3ds was 250. I see no problem with 300 as it's a combo of a console and a handheld. I see the Switch being more successful than the Wii U but I highly doubt that fanboys will see through an objective lens.

3082d ago
ABizzel13082d ago

@girevik

And both the Wii U and 3DS failed at those prices. Had the 3DS not had it's $80 price drop it would have ended up like the Vita, and Wii U's utter refusal for a price drop doomed it all generation long. If Switch doesn't do the same they're going to be in the same boat once again.

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ninsigma3082d ago

At 200 to 250 I'd have been happy with that but the software shown would not justify even that price to me so when it's 330 euro just by itself with literally one worthwhile launch game (to me) it's a bust from my point of view. It'll likely be a better proposition later on like the wii u was but don't put all the complaints down to haters, it really was just a poor showing for the machine thus far.

Angeljuice3082d ago

If it was £50, even I would have bought one and I have no interest in it whatsoever.
Everyone has a price that would persuade them to buy it.

Amongunz3082d ago

I have a feeling you're going to get a lot of biased responses on this site.

Lennoxb633082d ago

Well on gaming sites nowadays, its either Sony or nothing. I'm surprised people actually are digging on Nintendo when you look at the stuff they've let them get away with in the past.

MRMagoo1233081d ago

it's not Sony or nothing it's just ps4 is dominating everything sales wise game wise power wise so that's where the gamers flock, if Nintendo weren't completely stupid in the head and made a good console for a change they might to, be popular again but alas we are heading to gimmick land on gimmick planet for the unveiling of the gimmick box 2017 Nintendo switch it's gonna sell OK for launch then die faster than lil mix music career

Articuno763081d ago (Edited 3081d ago )

"If they would've made a solid powerful console we'd have great 1st party games, full 3rd party support and no gimmicks things would be different."

Here's the problem with that. Why would anyone buy that when it's essentially the same product they already own (Xbox One/PS4)? Is anyone seriously going to buy the newest Battlefield, FIFA or what have you on the Switch over those consoles?

The only way Nintendo can entice people over is with exclusives, both first and third party. Having radically different hardware is the first step to ensuring that. Making that hardware sell well is the second step. To that end I think the price is too high...

But given the low-end tech in this thing, I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo have plenty of profit margins to reduce the price in the long-run. Though, if they want to attract the popular imagination, as they did with the Wii, they really need it at £200 with a pack-in title akin to Wii Sports.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3081d ago
Relientk773082d ago

$250 would have been fine. Those controllers and accessories though are so overpriced

3082d ago Replies(1)
2pacalypsenow3082d ago

Just another toy from a toy company

seatunt3082d ago

You mean like all video games?

3082d ago
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90°

Even the Meta Quest can be an Xbox — Leaked images show an Xbox-branded Quest 3S

Windows Central writes: "CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, had previously been vocally opposed to the idea of a native Xbox headset, stating in 2019 that 'nobody's asking for VR' on Xbox. However, Microsoft's marketing strategy for the Xbox Series X|S generation has shifted with the rise of Xbox Cloud Gaming and the 'This is an Xbox' marketing."

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mooreneco2120h ago(Edited 20h ago)

Ah, a contributing factor to Meta dropping PSVR2 support for Beat sabre! Microsoft’s always stuck with the modus operandi of “if you want an original idea steal someone else’s” and try to destroy markets they cannot win in. They are doing to to console gaming and now trying VR!

OtterX19h ago

It's like a rich kid who pays the smart kid to do his homework for him.

*Yea, such a shame about Beat Saber dropping Playstation support btw. :\

DivineHand1251h ago

Why would this deal with Xbox cause meta to end beat Saber support for the psvr2 when the game isn't even available on Xbox?

It is more likely that psvr2 is under performing and they feel it is time to end support. The psvr2 headset only sells whenever there is a sale to make it competitive with the meta headset.

OtterX19h ago

The XBox way. Hardware, even game development companies.... let them do the hard work of building things, throw them some money, then slap an XBox logo on it!

Jin_Sakai19h ago(Edited 19h ago)

Good old fragmentation. Just what Xbox needed.

IRetrouk19h ago

Looks nicer than the standard one

PapaBop16h ago

This is probably nothing more than a branding attempt to show Xbox really is on all platforms. The Quest already has the Xbox Cloud app that supposedly works great. Would be cool if Microsoft actually entered the VR space in a larger capacity but if they was doing that, I imagine they'd have showcased it at their summer showcase.

Vits13h ago(Edited 13h ago)

Yeah, it's basically the same idea as the ROG Ally Xbox. Just a regular device that gives you access to the Xbox library and carries the brand, but nothing really special or groundbreaking beyond that. It’s not some custom Xbox hardware, just a repackage of existing tech with a logo and some software perks.

Now, when it comes to VR, Microsoft actually made a pretty serious attempt with something called Windows Mixed Reality. It wasn’t just a headset, they were aiming for an open ecosystem. They had APIs for developers, support baked into Windows, and even tools to convert regular desktop content into VR environments. On paper, it was a solid play. But it never caught on, third part support was half-baked and basically only Samsung headsets were worth anything. After about five years of trying to push it, they gave up and shelved the whole thing.

The bigger issue here is that VR just isn't ready for the mainstream. People love to hype it up, but at the end of the day, it’s a hard sell unless it’s cheap enough to feel like an impulse buy and even when you can do that, you need to support it with software. Making it a extremelly expensive segment for any company, just look at Meta, bleeding literal billions every years trying to get this stuff off the ground, and they are the market leaders.

320°

Japan: Nintendo Switch 2 already outsold lifetime sales of Xbox Series X|S and PS5 Digital Edition

The Nintendo Switch 2 has proved to be a success the world over, however, one nation which is particularly keen on the Nintendo’s latest platform is naturally Japan. Recent sales data has shown that…

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mynintendonews.com
2d ago Replies(7)
shadowT1d 20h ago

biggest console launch ever!

CrashMania1d 15h ago

yeah nothing is gonna dethrone nintendo in japan, especially if there's a handheld involved.

1d 14h ago
goken1d 2h ago

Wow… Nintendo is champ in Japan, but the speed of sale is remarkable.

Proves that console gaming isn’t dead yet not by a long shot.

gold_drake1d 13h ago

not surprised, the switch is relatively cheap in japan.

1d 12h ago Replies(2)
DivineHand1251d 11h ago

I guess the resistance against always online and digital only consoles is BS. The people have voted with their wallets.

NotoriousWhiz1d 11h ago

What are you talking about? Switch 2 is neither always online nor digital only.

DivineHand1251d 9h ago

Nintendo can literally block your Switch 2 console from accessing their online services at any time. When that happens, it becomes a brick. You won't even be able to play those games that use game key cards that are not installed on the console. Some users who have been blocked tried factory resetting their system, and when they tried to boot it up with a new account, they are stuck.

Speaking of game key cards, the majority of third party publishers have opted to use those instead of loading their full game on those cartridges. Imagine having a library of game key card games and going on a long trip but not being able to play a particular game because you need to connect to Nintendo servers to download the game first. It is not like the old days where you just plug in and play.

Game key cards make sense for large games like GTA, Red Dead, or COD, but I don't see why publishers who have games with sizes less than 32 GB need to use that option.

Profchaos1d 7h ago

If you try to mod your system it could get banned from online play like every single system since the ps3 and xbox

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130°

The director of the original Silent Hill: “I look forward to seeing bold interpretations.”

Keiichiro Toyama—the creator and original director of the 1999 Silent Hill—shared his personal thoughts on the recently announced remake by Konami, reflecting on what the project means to him after more than two decades:
“I felt something similar when the game was adapted into a movie. It deeply moved me to see the names of the characters and locations I had created come to life visually, even though I wasn’t directly involved. That wouldn’t have been possible without the continued support of the fans and the dedication of the developers who’ve kept the series alive.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how the remake evolves this time. With the advanced technology we now have, I’m sure I’ll be surprised by how the game is reimagined. Since the original was built for the first PlayStation, there will naturally be challenges—like the camera and controls—but I’m eager to see bold and creative solutions to those elements.”

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senorfartcushion2d ago

Haha Not only is bold and creatively not what the industry wants, it’s not what most people want.

They want to get scammed and pay twice for a thing they already own.

jznrpg1d 10h ago

I’m sure many would want bold and creative done well, but that’s easier said than done. I like variety so give me a little bit of everything, done well of course.

Nightcrawler892d ago

Hope they use his vision in the game

Inverno2d ago

Was the SH2 remake even bold? Or was it more or less just a 1 to 1 over the shoulder remake?

Scissorman1d 18h ago

it was not. it greatly expanded the areas and puzzles to the point where it felt like an entirely new game. the enemies and boss fights were given a MASSIVE upgrade. the abstract daddy fight in particular was incredible. and the team added two new endings.

Pedrof2d ago

I wouldn't hold my breath on "bold".

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